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.

Toni Elias aware of increased expectation in 2009

Toni Elias aware of increased expectation in 2009

Toni Elias has admitted he will be under intense pressure to deliver drastically improved results in 2009 after his factory Honda deal was finally confirmed last weekend in Phillip Island. Get all...

Pedrosa's manager slams Hayden

Pedrosa's manager slams Hayden

Dani Pedrosa’s manager Alberto Puig has launched a scathing attack on the Spaniard’s Repsol Honda teammate Nicky Hayden. The relationship between the pair has been strained since Pedrosa collided...

Colin Edwards concerned about single tyre development

Colin Edwards concerned about single tyre development

Colin Edwards has raised concerns about how Bridgestone will develop tyres for the new single tyre rule, with the American worried that tyres might be built for the specific needs of only a handful of...

Kawasaki boss backs single tyre rule

Kawasaki boss backs single tyre rule

Kawasaki’s MotoGP Technical Director Ichiro Yoda believes the switch to a single tyre rule in 2009 will allow factories to place more focus on machine development. Yoda reckons competition between...

Ducati confident Nicky Hayden can master GP9

Ducati confident Nicky Hayden can master GP9

Ducati believe new recruit Nicky Hayden is the man to prove that its factory V4 is not a bike only Casey Stoner can consistently fight for MotoGP wins on. Only Stoner has managed to win consistently...

Danny Webb confident in fitness for Sepang

Danny Webb confident in fitness for Sepang

Danny Webb is confident he will be fit for the Sepang 125GP next weekend after he suffered more injury misery in Phillip Island. A massive warm-up high-side forced him to miss last Sunday’s Australian...

Bradley Smith talks Aspar Aprilia deal

Bradley Smith talks Aspar Aprilia deal

Bradley Smith has set his sights on mounting a challenge for the 125GP world championship in 2009 after he clinched a deal to join the Aspar Aprilia squad. Unable to continue with his Polaris World...

Matt Hoyle tests new Maxtra 125GP bike

Matt Hoyle tests new Maxtra 125GP bike

British rider Matt Hoyle impressed during test appearances on the new Maxtra 125GP machine at Snetterton and Donington Park recently. Hoyle, who currently leads the British 125 series and is lying...

Valentino Rossi leads support for single tyre rule

Valentino Rossi leads support for single tyre rule

New world champion Valentino Rossi has led widespread support for a single tyre rule in 2009 after it was finally confirmed that Bridgestone was the only factory to bid for the exclusive...

Valentino Rossi getting ready to race

Valentino Rossi getting ready to race

2008 Moto GP World Champion Valentino Rossi pictured getting ready for the Moto GP Race at Phillip Island. Team: Fiat Yamaha. Photo: Peter Downing.

Phillip Island MotoGP: Toseland rode like a devil, says Rossi

Phillip Island MotoGP: Toseland rode like a devil, says Rossi

Valentino Rossi heaped praise on James Toseland after their epic battle during the Australian MotoGP. Get all the latest MotoGP news The world champ and British rookie scrapped for several laps...

Toseland leads Rossi

Toseland leads Rossi

James Toseland leads Valentino Rossi at the Moto GP Australia. Pic attached from Peter Downing

Casey Stoner triumphs in Ducati’s 100th race

Casey Stoner triumphs in Ducati’s 100th race

Casey Stoner could not have picked a better time to make a return to winning ways as he stormed to a dominant victory in front of his home fans at Phillip Island today. Stoner ended his recent barren...

Jorge Lorenzo disappointed with fourth

Jorge Lorenzo disappointed with fourth

Jorge Lorenzo said his hopes of a top three finish in the MotoGP world championship were all but over after he slumped to a disappointing fourth in Phillip Island today. The Fiat Yamaha rider never...

Valentino Rossi surges from 12th to second

Valentino Rossi surges from 12th to second

Valentino Rossi produced a heroic display in Phillip Island today to surge from the fourth row of the grid to claim second. Riding with a muscle strain in his neck and a big headache after his huge...

Birthday boy James Toseland claims stunning sixth

Birthday boy James Toseland claims stunning sixth

James Toseland celebrated his 28th birthday in style today with a stunning ride to sixth place in an enthralling Australian MotoGP race. The British rider produced easily the best performance of his...

Bradley Smith signs for Aspar Aprilia

British teenager Bradley Smith will ride for the Aspar Aprilia squad in the 2009 125GP world championship. As was first reported by MCN, the 17-year-old has clinched a deal with Spaniard Jorge Martinez after he was told his Polaris World Aprilia squad didn’t have the funding to continue in 2009. Smith, who had a disastrous Australian GP today when he crashed on the first and last lap, told MCN:...

Phillip Island MotoGP: Casey stoner runs away with victory

Phillip Island MotoGP: Casey stoner runs away with victory

Reigning MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner has taken victory at his home Grand Prix at Phillip Island ahead of a valiant Valentino Rossi. Casey Stoner ran away at the front of the pack from the...

Phillip Island MotoGP: Simoncelli wins 250GP race

Metis Gilera rider Marco Simoncelli has continued his dominance of the 250GP series with a win at Phillip Island. Simoncelli – currently leading the championship – had opened up a slight gap from Alvaro Bautista during the race but Bautista managed to put in some fast laps and catch up with the Italian. The two then enjoyed a scrap which saw Bautista eventually lose out when he nearly touched...

Nicky Hayden still looking for more speed

Nicky Hayden still looking for more speed

American Nicky Hayden reckons he still needs to improve his pace to have a chance of challenging for victory in tomorrow’s Australian GP. The Repsol Honda rider secured his second successive front row...

Jorge Lorenzo disappointed to miss pole position

Jorge Lorenzo disappointed to miss pole position

Jorge Lorenzo admitted he was disappointed not to have claimed his fifth pole position of the season in Australia today. The Spaniard was pipped to pole by home favourite Casey Stoner as he missed out...

Michelin explains MotoGP quit decision

Michelin explains MotoGP quit decision

Michelin has explained why it didn’t try and win the tyre supply deal for the 2009 MotoGP world championship. The French factory let a deadline pass without submitting a bid to win the contract, with...

Valentino Rossi 12th after massive crash

Valentino Rossi 12th after massive crash

Valentino Rossi’s hopes of extending his remarkable Phillip Island record suffered a huge blow to day today after he was fortunate to escape injury in a massive qualifying crash. The Italian ran off...

James Toseland gets early birthday boost

James Toseland gets early birthday boost

British rider James Toseland gave himself a pre-birthday boost in Australia today as he claimed a stunning fifth position on the grid for the Phillip Island clash. The Tech 3 Yamaha rider, who will...

Bradley Smith on 125GP front row despite crash

Bradley Smith on 125GP front row despite crash

British teenager Bradley Smith will start tomorrow’s Australian GP from the front row of the grid after he claimed second in a crash strewn final qualifying session. The Polaris World Aprilia rider...

Phillip Island MotoGP: Marco Simoncelli smashes 250GP lap record

Phillip Island MotoGP: Marco Simoncelli smashes 250GP lap record

Metis Gilera rider Marco Simoncelli has taken pole in the 250GP at Phillip Island after destroying the previous lap record. Championship leader Simoncelli posted a fastest lap of 1.32.075 to smash the...

Phillip Island MotoGP: Casey Stoner shrugs off wrist injury to take home pole

Phillip Island MotoGP: Casey Stoner shrugs off wrist injury to take home pole

2007 MotoGP champion Casey Stoner has taken pole position at his home Grand Prix of Phillip Island, smashing the lap record in the process. His best lap of 1.28.665 saw him smash the previous record...

Phillip Island MotoGP: Mike Di Meglio takes 125GP pole

Phillip Island MotoGP: Mike Di Meglio takes 125GP pole

Ajo Motorsport Derbi rider Mike Di Meglio has taken his second successive pole position of the year at Phillip Island, ahead of Briton Bradley Smith. The young Frenchman was two tenths faster than...

Valentino Rossi leads calls for Phillip Island date change

Valentino Rossi leads calls for Phillip Island date change

Valentino Rossi has made another plea to MotoGP bosses to get the Phillip Island race moved to an earlier slot in the calendar to avoid bad weather disrupting the Australian GP. For the third year in...

Valentino Rossi looking to improve in wet and dry

Valentino Rossi looking to improve in wet and dry

New world champion Valentino Rossi reckons he has plenty of room for improvement in wet and dry conditions after a day of mixed weather conditions at the spectacular Phillip Island circuit. Get the...

Nicky Hayden hoping for more rain in Australia

Nicky Hayden hoping for more rain in Australia

Nicky Hayden reluctantly admitted he would pray for a wet Australian GP on Sunday after he topped the timesheets in a rain-soaked second practice session at Phillip Island today. Get the latest...

James Toseland ‘shocking’ in rain conditions

James Toseland ‘shocking’ in rain conditions

British rider James Toseland admitted his performance in this afternoon’s wet practice session was ‘shocking’. Get the latest MotoGP news The Tech 3 Yamaha rider’s dwindling confidence in wet...

Barry Sheene honoured at Phillip Island

Barry Sheene honoured at Phillip Island

British legend Barry Sheene has been honoured in a special awards ceremony at the Phillip Island circuit today. Get the latest MotoGP news with MCN As part of the 60th anniversary celebrations for...

Danny Webb claims impressive provisional front row

Danny Webb claims impressive provisional front row

British teenager Danny Webb shrugged off the continuing discomfort of a broken right collarbone to claim second place on the provisional grid for Sunday’s Australian 125GP. Get the latest MotoGP...

Casey Stoner needs wrist op to ‘save career’

Casey Stoner needs wrist op to ‘save career’

Former world champion Casey Stoner reckons he must undergo surgery on his troublesome left wrist injury or risk ending his career. Get the latest MotoGP news The Aussie is expected to have an...

Valentino Rossi looking to extend winning run

Valentino Rossi looking to extend winning run

Valentino Rossi is confident he can extend his brilliant current form and his incredible record at Phillip Island in this weekend’s Australian GP. Get the latest MotoGP news Rossi clinched his...