Qatar MotoGP 2016

No more testing, the 2016 MotoGP championship finally gets underway at the 3.3 mile floodlit Losail circuit, with all signs pointing towards reigning champ Jorge Lorenzo as the man to beat.

The factory Yamaha rider set an incredible 11 laps under the lap records over the winter, while his team-mate and rival Valentino Rossi only managed one.

Will Marquez finally click with the new Honda, control ECU and Michelin tyres, or will he just be an occasional annoyance for the title contenders? And let's not forget th surprise of winter testing - wunderkid Maverick Vinales, who pushed Lorenzo all the way in testing in just his second year on the Suzuki.

Year: ALL

Sepang test preview: Tech 3 boss confident crew chief switch will work

04 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Tech 3 Yamaha boss Herve Poncharal is in no doubt that James Toseland and Colin Edwards’ controversial crew chief switch will benefit the top satellite team in MotoGP. The French-based team boss has...

Sepang test preview: James Toseland raring to start 2009

04 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland kicks off his second MotoGP campaign in Malaysia tomorrow (Thursday) in bullish mood as he prepares to debut the 2009 Yamaha YZR-M1. After a week of relaxing and acclimitasing to the...

Sepang test preview: Ducati cautious on Casey Stoner’s wrist

04 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Ducati management have admitted they will take no unnecessary risks with former world champion Casey Stoner’s left wrist despite confidence it will hold up to the stress of this week’s three-day test...

Is this Scott Redding’s 2010 Moto2 600cc bike?

04 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

This is the all-new Moto2 600cc bike that British sensation Scott Redding could be riding in the 2010 world championship. Unveiled at a special launch in Madrid, the Blusens Moto2 contender is the...

Yamaha confident in Jorge Lorenzo’s MotoGP title chances

03 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo’s Fiat Yamaha team boss is confident the Spaniard can mount a serious assault on the 2009 MotoGP world championship. Lorenzo was fourth in his rookie campaign in 2008 during a season...

Yamaha expect improvement from James Toseland and Colin Edwards

03 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Senior Yamaha race boss Lin Jarvis has said he expects an improved performance from Tech 3 duo James Toseland and Colin Edwards in 2009. Toseland’s impressive rookie campaign and a brilliant opening...

Yamaha boss supports Valentino Rossi’s rider aid reduction bid

03 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi has found yet another ally in his quest to get the influence of electronic rider aids reduced in the future. Rossi has been a long-term advocate of restricting technology like traction...

Davide Brivio defends Yamaha wall

03 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s team boss Davide Brivio has defended Yamaha’s decision to retain a dividing wall that will continue to split its factory garage in 2009. The wall was introduced to prevent the...

Valentino Rossi injured in home accident

03 February 2009 by Sarah Carnell

MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi has injured his hand and foot after falling at his Italian home. The 29-year-old was closing the curtains in his house when he tripped and fell on to a glass table. The...

Valentino Rossi’s boss expecting stronger Jorge Lorenzo challenge

03 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s Fiat Yamaha team manager Davide Brivio is expecting a much stronger title challenge from team-mate Jorge Lorenzo in 2009. Lorenzo was a title contender for the early part of last...

MotoGP must become more commercially attractive, says Yamaha

03 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP must become more commercially attractive to increase revenue to help fight off the impact of the global economic crisis. Yamaha racing boss Lin Jarvis believes more income growth, coupled with...

Video: Behind the scenes at Fiat Yamaha

03 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s Fiat Yamaha team has given a behind the scenes look at the team’s Italian headquarters as part of its 2009 factory team launch today. The world championship-winning team moved into its impressive new facility in Germo di Lesmo just before Christmas Amongst the features at the impressive new HQ is one of Rossi’s factory YZR-M1 machines forming part of a meeting room table! Race...

Yamaha’s MotoGP plans not affected by credit crunch

02 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha Motor Company president Takashi Kajikawa has confirmed that the Japanese factory will continue to support the MotoGP world championship, despite the global economic crisis. In a statement...

Jorge Lorenzo hails Bridgestone performance

02 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo has joined a chorus of former Michelin riders to praise the performance of Bridgestone tyres as he prepares for his debut campaign on the Japanese rubber. Lorenzo was reluctant to talk...

Video: Jorge Lorenzo interview

02 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Spanish sensation Jorge Lorenzo has spoken of his hopes and ambitions for the forthcoming MotoGP season as part of Yamaha’s 2009 team launch. The double world 250 champion explains how he is still...

Jorge Lorenzo cautious on 2009 title aspirations

02 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo thinks he’s only fourth favourite to win the 2009 MotoGP crown. Speaking in an interview as part of Yamaha’s 2009 factory team launch, the Spaniard reckons team-mate Valentino Rossi,...

Valentino Rossi installs Casey Stoner as chief 2009 rival

02 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi reckons Aussie rival Casey Stoner will pose the biggest threat to his hopes of lifting a seventh MotoGP world title in 2009. Since the beginning of the 2007 campaign, factory Ducati...

Yamaha unveils Valentino Rossi’s 2009 YZR-M1

02 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo have today unveiled the 2009 factory Yamaha YZR-M1 MotoGP contender in a special virtual launch. Filmed at the team’s new headquarters in Gerno di Lesmo in Italy,...

Valentino Rossi gives up on Troy Bayliss/WSB clash

02 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi has admitted defeat in his bid to set up a dream World Superbike clash with Troy Bayliss. The Italian though insists he still wants to have a go in a World Superbike race before he...

Yamaha unveil Valentino Rossi’s stunning new 2009 YZR-M1

02 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha has launched its stunning new factory YZR-M1 that the Japanese factory hopes will dominate the 2009 MotoGP world championship. The bike, which will again run in the colours of Fiat for a third...

Video: Valentino Rossi interview

02 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Reigning MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi has talked about the big threats to the defence of his crown, the impact of the credit crunch and Marco Simoncelli’s future prospects in a special video...

Even snowmen love Rossi

02 February 2009 by sm1thjam1e

Even my snowman Errel is a Rossi fan!!!

Alvaro Bautista suffers injury blow

02 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Spaniard Alvaro Bautista’s stunning start to 2009 came to a crashing halt when he suffered a broken right collarbone in Valencia yesterday. Bautista, who had been fastest in each of the opening four...

Bradley Smith third, Scott Redding fourth in Valencia

02 February 2009 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith ended a weather-hit two-day Valencia 125GP test session with the third fastest time, while fellow British rider Scott Redding was just one place further back in fourth. Aspar Aprilia...

Moto2 - An Exciting Racing Future

01 February 2009 by Dan D

Now that the FIM and Dorna have unveiled their replacement for the 250GP class, the second tier of the World Championships could get really interesting again. With their proposal of 600 four stroke engines, from any source, in a prototype frame, older frame manufacturers and new teams can easily get involved again. This will be just like the old Formula 2 championship from the early 1980’s, when...

It's good to see Sete back

31 January 2009 by pete naylor

The last time Sete was involved in MotoGP the boy was very good but valentino totally destroyed his confidence. Vale stated that sete would never win another race as long as he was riding and I believe what he said. It’s good to see Gibernau back, it’s very good for entertainment, we haven’t had much in the way of rivalry between the riders of late, so sete coming back is a bit of a boost to the...