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

Danny Webb confident ahead of ‘big year’

28 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

British 125GP rider Danny Webb is confident he can make a big impact in 2009 as he prepares to ride a factory-backed Aprilia machine for the first time next month. While 125GP testing kicked off in...

Suzuki MotoGP team gets green light for 2009

28 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

Suzuki will definitely race its factory team in the 2009 MotoGP world championship, killing off persistent rumours the Japanese company would join Kawasaki as a casualty of the global economic...

Bradley Smith stays in second place in Jerez

28 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

British teenager Bradley Smith impressed again on the second day of 125GP testing in Jerez, the Aspar Aprilia rider holding onto second place. Smith slashed 0.5s off his best time from the first day...

Party with James Toseland

28 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland is staging another one of his successful pre-season send-off parties ahead of his second assault on the MotoGP world championship. The double World Superbike champion will be...

Sete Gibernau vital for Ducati in 2009

27 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

Ducati race boss Claudio Domenicali believes that Sete Gibernau can play a pivotal role in helping the Bologna factory reclaim the MotoGP world crown in 2009. Having dominated in the first 800cc...

Danny Webb made to wait for 2009 debut

27 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

Danny Webb will have to wait a bit longer to make his 2009 track debut while Aprilia continue to build up and deliver new bikes. Pre-season testing for some of the 2009 125GP grid kicked off in Jerez...

Bradley Smith second fastest on 2009 debut

27 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

British teenager Bradley Smith made a bright start to his 2009 pre-season preparations when he clocked the second fastest time on the opening day of testing in Jerez. Making his second appearance for...

Picture exclusive: Scott Redding makes 2009 debut

26 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding has completed his first laps on the 2009 Aprilia that he hopes will help him build on his incredible rookie 125GP campaign. Redding made an instant impact in his debut season, the...

Picture exclusive: Bradley Smith starts 2009 preparations

26 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith has started his 2009 125GP world championship preparations at the Jerez circuit in Spain today. After a cold start to proceedings, the British teenager was able to kick off his ’09...

Bridgestone looking forward to single tyre challenge

26 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

Bridgestone bosses say they are looking forward to the 2009 MotoGP single tyre rule with ‘great anticipation’ having agreed the final terms of a three-year tyre exclusive tyre deal with Dorna. Having...

Matt Hoyle signs for Maxtra 125GP team

26 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

British rider Matt Hoyle will join Bradley Smith, Scott Redding and Danny Webb in the 125GP world championship next season. As expected, Hoyle’s deal with the new Chinese-backed Maxtra team was...

The Future of MotoGP with no Kawasaki

25 January 2009 by Dan D

Kawasaki have now pulled out of MotoGP for whatever reason you chose to believe. The reason for pulling out is not important, what is important is how the championship can continue with out them. Since MotoGP became four stroke, the rules have been written to favour works machines and make it very difficult for non-works supported privateers, for the sake of the championship. All bikes had to be...

Ducati eye Marco Simoncelli swoop for 2010

23 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

Ducati chief Livio Suppo has reiterated his desire to sign Marco Simoncelli` for the 2010 MotoGP campaign. The Italian factory hotly pursued Simoncelli throughout 2008 as he blossomed into one of...

Casey Stoner: Single tyre rule will help Ducati

23 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

Former world champion Casey Stoner believes the controversial single tyre rule will boost his hopes of reclaiming the MotoGP world title in 2009. The Australian rider believes his previous tactic of...

Yamaha wall will help Jorge Lorenzo in 2009

22 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

The dividing wall that will continue to split Yamaha’s factory MotoGP garage in 2009 will be beneficial to Jorge Lorenzo, according to his team boss Daniele Romagnoli. Lorenzo was unhappy that Fiat...

Marco Simoncelli not rushing MotoGP decision

22 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

Reigning world 250GP champion Marco Simoncelli will keep Yamaha and Ducati sweating as he could delay a decision on his future until deep into the 2009 campaign. One key reason for the Italian’s...

Electronics reduction not answer to MotoGP cost cuts

22 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

Ducati’s MotoGP technical guru Filippo Preziosi believes a reduction on the influence of electronic rider aids is not the answer to helping MotoGP slash costs. Reducing costs has become a focal point...

Ilmor confirm interest in Kawasaki partnership

21 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

Ilmor Engineering bosses have confirmed expressing serious interest in being part of a last-minute bid to keep Kawasaki involved in the 2009 MotoGP world championship, MCN can exclusively reveal. The...

Video: Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden eye 2009

21 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

Factory Ducati duo Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden have given their insight into a range of current topics making the headlines ahead of the new MotoGP world championship. The former world champions spoke about last season, the single tyre rule and MotoGP as a spectacle during the official launch of the Marlboro Ducati squad at the Madonna di Campiglio ski resort in Italy.

Chris Vermeulen: 2009 is not make or break

21 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

Chris Vermeulen has denied that 2009 will be a watershed year for the Aussie as he looks to become a consistent MotoGP winner. The former World Supersport champion penned a new one-year deal with...

No Aspar involvement in Kawasaki rescue deal

21 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Martinez won’t be involved in any potential Kawasaki MotoGP rescue deal for 2009. The Spaniard had effectively ruled himself out earlier this month when he doubted a deal could be clinched on...

Maxtra 125GP team poised to unveil Matt Hoyle

20 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

The new Maxtra 125GP team will officially unveil British rider Matt Hoyle as its second rider later this week. Although Hoyle’s name appeared on the provisional 2009 entry list, no formal announcement...

Kawasaki boss heads to Japan for crunch talks

20 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

Kawasaki’s MotoGP team boss Michael Bartholemy is flying to Japan today (Tuesday) for crunch talks expected to decide the fate of a proposed rescue plan to keep John Hopkins and Marco Melandri on the...

Monster deal for Valentino Rossi

19 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi is reported to have signed a big-money deal with American energy drink Monster. The reigning MotoGP world champion is expected to pocket a cool £2.2m in a two-year deal following the...

MotoGP BBC coverage

19 January 2009 by richlees2001

Basically if you do not have access to the red button then you are stuffed! Personally I will be now watching the WSBK with decent coverage on Eurosport. MotoGP on the BBC

Unity on cost cuts crucial for MotoGP future

19 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

Ducati race boss Claudio Domenicali reckons unity between the major factories will help MotoGP successfully ride the current global economic storm. Domenicali said an agreement for extending engine...

Casey Stoner doubts MotoGP salary cap

19 January 2009 by Matthew Birt

Former world champion Casey Stoner has doubted whether a salary cap could ever be policed to help cut costs in MotoGP. Capping rider wages has been just one of several ideas floated around during...

Out with MotoGP, in with F1

17 January 2009 by John Leeming

If Kawasaki pulling out and Euro-sport loosing the television rights to BBC wasn’t bad enough Moto GP moving from Donington Park to Silverstone has to be the last straw!! Any motorcycle race fan will...