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

MotoGP: Slick tyre gamble pays off for Miller

07 April 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Slick tyre gamble pays off for Miller

Jack Miller has taken a stunning pole position for tomorrow’s Argentinian Grand Prix, taking a huge gamble on slick tyres on a damp but drying track and surviving a series of big moments to finish...

Moto2: Vierge takes debut pole as Kent returns to front row

07 April 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Vierge takes debut pole as Kent returns to front row

Spaniard Xavi Vierge has taken his debut Grand Prix racing pole position for tomorrow’s Moto2 race at the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit in Argentina, getting a stunning late lap despite treacherous...

Moto3: Arbolino takes maiden pole position

07 April 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Arbolino takes maiden pole position

Italian racer Tony Arbolino has taken his maiden pole position for tomorrow’s Argentinian Grand Prix, by timing his qualifying run to perfection in tricky conditions and taking the top spot from Mario...

MotoGP: Marquez quickest as Honda dominate Argentina practice

07 April 2018 by Oli Rushby

MotoGP: Marquez quickest as Honda dominate Argentina practice

It was Honda domination as action got underway for the second round of the MotoGP World Championship at the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit in Argentina with RCV machinery locking out the top three...

Moto2: Pasini on top as action gets underway in Argentina

07 April 2018 by Oli Rushby

Moto2: Pasini on top as action gets underway in Argentina

Mattia Pasini got off to a strong start as the second round of the 2018 Moto2 World Championship got underway in Argentina, jumping to the top of the timesheets on a challenging opening day for the...

Moto3: Bastianini leads way on opening day in Argentina

07 April 2018 by Oli Rushby

Moto3: Bastianini leads way on opening day in Argentina

Enea Bastianini got things off to a perfect start at the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit in Argentina to lead the Moto3 field after the opening practice sessions. The Leopard Racing rider, who crashed out...

BTC: Strudwick takes victory in opening round

01 April 2018 by Simon Patterson

BTC: Strudwick takes victory in opening round

Thomas Strudwick has taken victory in the first ever race of the new British Talent Cup series, edging ahead in tricky conditions to finish in front of Josh Whatley and Fenton Seabright at Donington...

Moto2: Kevin Schwantz set for Austin wildcard

01 April 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Kevin Schwantz set for Austin wildcard

MotoGP organisers Dorna have dropped a bombshell this morning by announcing that 1993 500GP world champion Kevin Schwantz is set to make an incredible return to Grand Prix racing over two decades...

CEV: Booth Amos taking the positives from opening weekend

27 March 2018 by Simon Patterson

CEV: Booth Amos taking the positives from opening weekend

British Talent Team racer and reining British Motostar champion Tom Booth Amos says he’s taking the positives from his opening weekend in the Junior Moto3 World Championship at Estoril after crashing...

MotoGP: Viñales confident he’s turned a corner with Yamaha

27 March 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Viñales confident he’s turned a corner with Yamaha

Maverick Viñales says he and his Movistar Yamaha crew have turned an important corner with their M1 machine as they struggle to return to the competitiveness he enjoyed twelve months ago. Starting...

MotoGP: Petrucci proving a point at Ducati

26 March 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Petrucci proving a point at Ducati

Alma Pramac Ducati rider Danilo Petrucci says he’s out to prove a point in the opening races of the 2018 MotoGP season, by turning a steady start to proceedings into a factory seat. Making a good...

MotoGP: Yamaha boss Jarvis says ‘we were right to sign Mav early’

26 March 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Yamaha boss Jarvis says ‘we were right to sign Mav early’

Yamaha MotoGP boss Lin Jarvis has hit back at critics who’ve said that their deal to extend Maverick Viñales’ deal by two years came far too early for both rider and team. Announcing an extension to...

MotoGP: Rookies Morbidelli and Syahrin step up to the mark

25 March 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rookies Morbidelli and Syahrin step up to the mark

MotoGP’s 2018 rookies have stepped up to the mark in impressive form in the opening race of the season, with reigning Moto2 world champion Franco Morbidelli impressing by taking a strong finish in...

MotoGP: Rossi silences critics with Qatar podium

25 March 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rossi silences critics with Qatar podium

Valentino Rossi has sealed a new two-year extension to his Yamaha contract that will keep him racing until at least 2020 by taking an impressive podium finish at the opening race of the 2018...

MotoGP: Redding searching for grip at Aprilia

24 March 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Redding searching for grip at Aprilia

Scott Redding’s nightmare debut on the Aprilia machine has continued into the first race weekend of the 2018 season, after never finding a comfortable setting on the RS-GP bike and eventually coming...

MotoGP: Brake failure ends Lorenzo’s chances

24 March 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Brake failure ends Lorenzo’s chances

Jorge Lorenzo’s chances of taking his debut win on the Ducati twelve months after first making his debut on it were destroyed at Qatar when he was lucky to walk away from a crash out of his control.

MotoGP: Hodgson predicts last corner drama between Dovi and Marquez

23 March 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Hodgson predicts last corner drama between Dovi and Marquez

Former world champion and BT Sport pundit Neil Hodgson says that he’s expecting fireworks before long as the fight between marc Marquez and Andrea Dovizioso for the 2018 MotoGP championship carries on...

Moto2: Gearbox issues end Lowes’ charge

23 March 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Gearbox issues end Lowes’ charge

Former Moto2 title contender Sam Lowes has faced an inauspicious return to the middleweight class after being forced out of his first race back on the Swiss Innovative Investors KTM with gearbox...

MotoGP: Zarco’s race ended by tyre woes

23 March 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Zarco’s race ended by tyre woes

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 racer Johann Zarco saw his aspirations of completing the job he started last year and winning at the Losail circuit quashed in Sunday’s opening race of the 2018 MotoGP season...

Moto3: Broken brakes stop McPhee

22 March 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Broken brakes stop McPhee

British racer John McPhee was left disappointed with Sunday’s result in the opening round of the 2018 moto3 championship in Qatar, after crashing out of the battle for the podium on the final lap.

MotoGP: Crutchlow gunning for Pedrosa’s seat

22 March 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Crutchlow gunning for Pedrosa’s seat

Cal Crutchlow has made it clear exclusively to MCN that his strong result in Sunday’s opening race of the 2018 MotoGP season is simply the first move in a longer game as the British racer sets out to...

MotoGP: Fast Freddie on how Marquez can beat Dovizioso

22 March 2018 by Greg Haines

MotoGP: Fast Freddie on how Marquez can beat Dovizioso

Freddie Spencer thoroughly enjoyed Sunday evening’s Qatar Grand Prix, the three-time World Champion revelling in another MotoGP clash of the titans as Andrea Dovizioso and Marc Marquez again took the...

MotoGP: Repsol Honda duo race carbon swing arm

19 March 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Repsol Honda duo race carbon swing arm

The Repsol Honda duo of Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa have raced their new carbon fibre swinging arm for the first time in Sunday’s opening race of the 2018 MotoGP season. The team have been...

MotoGP: Dovizioso fends off Marquez attack for stunning Qatar win

18 March 2018 by Oli Rushby

MotoGP: Dovizioso fends off Marquez attack for stunning Qatar win

Andrea Dovizioso took victory in a dramatic opening Grand Prix of 2018 after fending off a last corner attack from Marc Marquez in Qatar. The Italian, who was tipped to win after showing frightening...

Moto2: Bagnaia takes debut victory in Qatar

18 March 2018 by Oli Rushby

Moto2: Bagnaia takes debut victory in Qatar

Francesco Bagnaia took his debut Moto2 victory after holding off fellow VR46 academy rider Lorenzo Baldassari for the top spot in the opening round of the season in Qatar. Taking the holeshot on the...

Moto3: Martin holds off Canet for victory in Qatar

18 March 2018 by Oli Rushby

Moto3: Martin holds off Canet for victory in Qatar

Jorge Martin opened the 2018 FIM Moto3 World Championship with victory in Qatar after holding off a hard charge from Aron Canet to cross the line 0.023 seconds ahead of the Estrella Galicia...

MotoGP: Zarco shatters ten year record for Qatar pole

17 March 2018 by Oli Rushby

MotoGP: Zarco shatters ten year record for Qatar pole

Johann Zarco will start on pole position for the opening round of the 2018 MotoGP World Championship at the Losail International circuit after shattering Jorge Lorenzo’s long-standing circuit...

Moto2: Marquez controls qualifying for Qatar pole

17 March 2018 by Oli Rushby

Moto2: Marquez controls qualifying for Qatar pole

The first pole position of the 2018 Moto2 World Championship went the way of Alex Marquez after the Spaniard dominated this afternoon’s qualifying session in Qatar. The Estrella Galicia Marc VDS rider...

Moto3: Antonelli pips Martin to pole by 0.001

17 March 2018 by Oli Rushby

Moto3: Antonelli pips Martin to pole by 0.001

Niccolo Antonelli will start on pole position for the opening Moto3 Grand Prix of the 2018 season after pipping series favourite Jorge Martin to the top spot by 0.001 seconds in a close-fought...

MotoE: Series bosses announce team lineup

17 March 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoE: Series bosses announce team lineup

MotoGP bosses Dorna have confirmed the teams that will line up on the grid next season for the inaugural MotoE series, as the championship expands into electric bike racing with support from their...

MotoGP: Dovizioso on top as action gets underway in Qatar

16 March 2018 by Oli Rushby

MotoGP: Dovizioso on top as action gets underway in Qatar

Andrea Dovizioso topped the timesheets in both free practice sessions as the 2018 FIM MotoGP World Championship got underway in the Qatari desert. A change the time schedule meant the opening free...

Moto2: Marquez leads Lowes on day one in Qatar

16 March 2018 by Oli Rushby

Moto2: Marquez leads Lowes on day one in Qatar

Alex Marquez led the way as the 2018 Moto2 World Championship got underway in Qatar to top the overall day one timesheet from Britain’s Sam Lowes. A change to the schedule for the Qatari round sees...

Moto3: Martin under lap record on day one in Qatar

16 March 2018 by Oli Rushby

Moto3: Martin under lap record on day one in Qatar

Jorge Martin shattered the circuit record to top the timesheets after the first day of 2018 Moto3 action at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar. The Del Conca Gresini Honda rider clocked a...

MotoGP: Riders gather for class photos

16 March 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Riders gather for class photos

With the 2018 MotoGP season on the brink of kicking off at the Qatar Grand Prix, all three classes assembled yesterday for their traditional pre-season photo shoot, with 24 MotoGP riders joined by 32...

Video: Suzuki boss Brivio previews the Qatar Grand Prix

16 March 2018 by Simon Patterson

Video: Suzuki boss Brivio previews the Qatar Grand Prix

With the opening round of the 2018 MotoGP season kicking off in only a few hours’ time, Suzuki team boss Davide Brivio previews the weekend ahead for the Japanese manufacturer and shares some of his...

MotoGP: Rossi shows off 2018 helmet

15 March 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rossi shows off 2018 helmet

Valentino Rossi has unveiled his 2018 AGV helmet design on the same day as the nine-time champion extended his deal to remain in MotoGP by another two years, with his lid this year sporting a retro...