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

Jorge Martinez confirms MotoGP move delay

18 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Martinez confirms MotoGP move delay

As was exclusively revealed by MCN yesterday, Jorge Martinez has confirmed he has failed to successfully conclude lengthy negotiations with Kawasaki for a 2009 MotoGP deal. Kawasaki boss Michael...

Dani Pedrosa storms to debut Bridgestone pole

18 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa storms to debut Bridgestone pole

Spaniard Dani Pedrosa stormed to his first pole position for Bridgestone in a dramatic conclusion to today’s Sepang qualifying session. The factory Honda rider saved his best for last when he stole...

Colin Edwards happy with second row

18 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Colin Edwards happy with second row

Colin Edwards declared himself happy with a second row start for tomorrow’s Malaysian GP in Sepang. The American, who has been one of the most consistent and fastest riders in dry conditions, claimed...

James Toseland disappointed with 12th

18 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland disappointed with 12th

British rider James Toseland expressed his disappointment at finishing outside of the top ten in today’s weather-hit qualifying session in Sepang. The Tech 3 Yamaha rider had to settle for 12th...

Sepang MotoGP: Pedrosa takes pole at Sepang

18 October 2008 by James Keen

Sepang MotoGP: Pedrosa takes pole at Sepang

Dani Pedrosa has taken pole position for tomorrow’s Sepang GP clash after a hard fought qualifying session. Pedrosa stole pole from world champion Rossi at the very end of the session, giving the...

Sete Gibernau’s Ducati deal finalised

18 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Sete Gibernau’s Ducati deal finalised

Sete Gibernau’s shock return to the MotoGP world championship will be confirmed on the eve of the final round in Valencia next week. The Onde 2000 team confirmed today in Sepang that an announcement...

Sepang MotoGP: Torrential rain keeps Danny Webb on 125GP front row

18 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Sepang MotoGP: Torrential rain keeps Danny Webb on 125GP front row

Torrential rain that battered the Sepang circuit in Malaysia earlier today has left British teenager Danny Webb on the front row of the 125GP grid. Webb’s stunning performance yesterday when he...

Kawasaki scrap third ZX-RR plan for 2009

17 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Kawasaki scrap third ZX-RR plan for 2009

Kawasaki boss Michael Bartholemy has confirmed to MCN that the Japanese factory will not field a third ZX-RR machine in 2009. Get all the latest MotoGP news A proposed deal with current Aprilia 125...

Casey Stoner looking for big improvement

17 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner looking for big improvement

Former world champion Casey Stoner had a troublesome start to the Malaysian GP in Sepang. Get the latest MotoGP news The Aussie, who celebrated his 23rd birthday yesterday, finished third on the...

Valentino Rossi content with second place

17 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi content with second place

MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi said he was content with his second place at the end of the first day of action in Sepang today. The Fiat Yamaha rider set a best time of 2.02.693 to finish just...

James Toseland frustrated in 13th

17 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland frustrated in 13th

James Toseland’s return to the Sepang circuit where his MotoGP career began 11 months ago started in frustrating fashion today as the British rider ended the opening day of free practice for the...

Front-end change transforms Colin Edwards’ fortunes

17 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Front-end change transforms Colin Edwards’ fortunes

Colin Edwards credited a front-end setting change for transforming his fortunes in Sepang today with the American topping the timesheets at the end of the opening day’s free practice. Get all the...

No decision on Rizla’s MotoGP future

17 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

No decision on Rizla’s MotoGP future

Rizla has yet to decide whether it will continue to back Suzuki’s factory MotoGP squad in 2009. Having recently announced it would quit backing Suzuki’s British superbike team after a seven-year...

Provisional 125GP front row for injured Danny Webb

17 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Provisional 125GP front row for injured Danny Webb

British teenager Danny Webb shrugged off the pain of a badly damaged left little finger injury to claim a place on the provisional front row of the grid for Sunday’s Malaysia 125GP. Get all the...

Freak accident ends Spanish rookie’s season

17 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Freak accident ends Spanish rookie’s season

Spanish rookie Marc Marquez has been ruled out for the final two races of the 2008 125GP campaign after he was involved in a freak accident during this morning’s opening free practice session in...

Nicky Hayden hits back at Alberto Puig attack

16 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden hits back at Alberto Puig attack

Nicky Hayden has hit back at fierce criticism from Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa’s manager Alberto Puig in Malaysia today. Outspoken Puig launched an incredible attack on Hayden last week,...

James Toseland made to wait for 2009 Yamaha debut

16 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland made to wait for 2009 Yamaha debut

James Toseland will have to wait until the end of November at the earliest before he gets his first chance to assess Yamaha’s 2009 factory MotoGP machine. Toseland and Tech 3 Yamaha team-mate will not...

Casey Stoner eager to begin preparations for 2009

16 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner eager to begin preparations for 2009

Former world champion Casey Stoner reckons he can’t wait to get the last two races out of the way to begin testing Ducati’s 2009 MotoGP contender in Valencia. The Aussie, who turned 23 today on the...

Storm worry for Valentino Rossi

16 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Storm worry for Valentino Rossi

MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi has expressed concern that heavy storms might seriously disrupt this weekend’s Malaysian clash at the Sepang circuit. Rossi was speaking after a typical...

KTM quit 250GP class

16 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

KTM quit 250GP class

Austrian manufacturer KTM has confirmed it will withdraw from the 250GP world championship at the end of the 2008 campaign. In a statement released on the eve of this weekend’s Malaysia GP in Sepang,...

Where have all the chickens gone Rossi?

15 October 2008 by steve lynn

I see rossi is back on form again but dont you think he’s lost that sparkle he had, i used to love to see what he was going to get up to after each race win and if it wasnt a chicken on the back of his bike it was something just as entertaining. Iit was that sort of thing that made him different to everyone else and at the same time made moto gp so much fun to watch. So why has he become so...

Casey Stoner aware of wrist surgery risks

15 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner aware of wrist surgery risks

Former world champion Casey Stoner has conceded the imminent surgery on his troublesome left wrist carries an element of risk for his career. Get all the latest MotoGP news The Aussie needs a bone...

Wayne Gardner tips Casey Stoner to bounce back in 2009

15 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Wayne Gardner tips Casey Stoner to bounce back in 2009

Former world 500cc champion Wayne Gardner believes Casey Stoner has what it takes to bounce back from his convincing defeat to Valentino Rossi next season. Get all the latest MotoGP news Gardner,...

Nicky Hayden desperate to give Michelin successful farewell

15 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden desperate to give Michelin successful farewell

Nicky Hayden is hoping he can help Michelin bow out of the MotoGP world championship on a high with just two races of the campaign remaining. Michelin will quit MotoGP after the Malaysia and Valencia...

James Toseland determined to finish 2008 strongly

15 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland determined to finish 2008 strongly

James Toseland is confident he can finish his rookie MotoGP campaign in positive fashion as the British rider prepares to return to the circuit where his premier class career began almost a year...

UFO's trying to keep up with Rossi

14 October 2008 by chris roberts

Having watched the last round at phillip island for the third time… sad I know, but I just love watching Rossi carving his way through the field again, but i noticed in the opening 1st lap I saw in the sky a UFO- NO JOKE! Check it out… it’s 1min 10seconds into the 1st lap, it moves in from the right from behined eurosport symbol to the left at high speed… go check it out, try 2 view it on HD if...

Jorge Lorenzo looking for more from Michelin

13 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo looking for more from Michelin

Jorge Lorenzo reckons his hopes of a successful finish to his rookie MotoGP campaign depends largely on the performance of Michelin’s tyres. The Fiat Yamaha rider has had to settle for successive...

Nicky Hayden looking for strong Honda finish

13 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden looking for strong Honda finish

Nicky Hayden believes he can bring down the curtain on his long Honda career in successful style as he looks to continue his recent revival in the MotoGP world championship. Hayden has been on the...

Dani Pedrosa looking to bounce back in Sepang

13 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa looking to bounce back in Sepang

Factory Honda rider Dani Pedrosa is hoping to put a miserable Australian GP behind him with a return to form in Sunday’s Sepang clash. Get all the latest MotoGP news The Spaniard crashed out of...

Casey Stoner eyes more Sepang success

13 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner eyes more Sepang success

Former world champion Casey Stoner has backed himself to continue his impressive form at the Sepang circuit ahead of this weekend’s Malaysian GP. The Aussie, who his home race at Phillip Island...

Valentino Rossi targets double win to end 2008

13 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi targets double win to end 2008

Valentino Rossi has targeted victory in the final two races of the season to end his stunning 2008 campaign in positive fashion. Get all the latest Moto GP news Victory in Sepang this weekend...

Rossi's bike spotted in unlikely place

12 October 2008 by martin mills

Rossi's bike spotted in unlikely place

I found these photos on the internet and they are a little different… I thought I should share them with all of your readers.

Michelin boss doubts MotoGP will improve under single tyre rule

10 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Michelin boss doubts MotoGP will improve under single tyre rule

Michelin boss Jean-Philippe Weber has cast doubt on whether a single tyre rule will spice up the action in MotoGP as the French factory prepares to bow out of top-flight bike racing. Weber said the...

Loris Capirossi joins Scott Redding fan club

10 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Loris Capirossi joins Scott Redding fan club

Loris Capirossi is the latest big name to join British sensation Scott Redding’s growing list of admirers. Get all the latest MotoGP news Split by 20 years in age, Redding’s incredible rookie...

Tech 3 Yamaha boss hoping for strong finish from James Toseland

09 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Tech 3 Yamaha boss hoping for strong finish from James Toseland

James Toseland’s Tech 3 Yamaha boss Herve Poncharal is hopeful the British rider can end his rookie MotoGP on a high after his stunning ride in last weekend’s Australian GP. Toseland equalled his best...

Valentino Rossi shocked by Ducati’s Michelin talks

09 October 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi shocked by Ducati’s Michelin talks

Valentino Rossi has admitted he was flabbergasted when he heard that fierce MotoGP rival Casey Stoner might have made a shock switch to Michelin tyres for the 2009 campaign. Ducati seriously discussed...