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

Motegi MotoGP: Ducati in shock Michelin talks for 2009

27 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: Ducati in shock Michelin talks for 2009

In an incredible late twist, Ducati and Casey Stoner could make a shock switch to Michelin tyres in 2009 as the MotoGP world championship might now avoid adopting a one-make tyre rule after an amazing...

Motegi MotoGP: Valentino Rossi content with third

26 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: Valentino Rossi content with third

Valentino Rossi made a solid start to the Japanese GP today to finish third quickest on the opening day of a weekend that could see him claim a sixth MotoGP world crown. Rossi goes into Sunday’s race...

Motegi MotoGP: Casey Stoner confident after fast start

26 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: Casey Stoner confident after fast start

Casey Stoner’s reign as MotoGP world champion might be close to ending, but the Aussie showed he intends to go down fighting after he topped the timesheets on the opening day of free practice for the...

Motegi MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa finds form on Bridgestone tyres

26 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa finds form on Bridgestone tyres

Dani Pedrosa made a positive start to his second appearance on Bridgestone tyres today, with the Spaniard clocking the second best time on a rain-hit start to the Japanese GP. The Repsol Honda rider...

Motegi MotoGP: James Toseland 14th but happy with breakthrough

26 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: James Toseland 14th but happy with breakthrough

James Toseland might have ended up the opening day of practice for the Japanese GP down in a lowly 14th place, but the British rider was still delighted with his performance on his Twin Ring Motegi ...

Motegi MotoGP: Casey Stoner fastest after day one

26 September 2008 by Liam Marsden

Motegi MotoGP: Casey Stoner fastest after day one

Casey Stoner has showed no sign of slowing down in Motegi as he set the fastest lap in free practice on the factory Ducati. Stoner set a fastest lap of 1.48.121 with Dani Pedrosa only seven hundredths...

Motegi MotoGP: Yuki Takahashi makes MotoGP switch

26 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: Yuki Takahashi makes MotoGP switch

Japanese rider Yuki Takahashi has confirmed he will quit the world 250 championship at the end of the year to join MotoGP. Takahashi will ride for the Scot Racing Team Honda, which is a new outfit...

Motegi MotoGP: Andrea Dovizioso joins Repsol Honda

26 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: Andrea Dovizioso joins Repsol Honda

Andrea Dovizioso will join Honda’s official factory for the 2009 MotoGP world championship. The long-awaited announcement was made on the opening day of the Japanese GP at the Twin Ring Motegi today,...

Motegi MotoGP: Bradley Smith nearing Aspar deal

26 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: Bradley Smith nearing Aspar deal

Bradley Smith’s move to the Aspar Aprilia team moved a step closer to being finalised today, with the major backers of his current squad withdrawing from the world 125GP championship for 2009. Get...

Motegi MotoGP: JIR confirms Honda split

26 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: JIR confirms Honda split

JIR team boss Gianluca Montiron has confirmed his squad will split from Honda at the end of the season, as was reported by MCN earlier this week. Get the latest MotoGP news The decision comes after...

Motegi MotoGP: Title defeat no concern for Casey Stoner

25 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: Title defeat no concern for Casey Stoner

Casey Stoner reckons he won’t dwell for long on what seems to be certain defeat in the 2008 MotoGP world championship. The Aussie’s reign as premier class champion is likely to be ended by Yamaha...

Valentino Rossi confirms Rally GB assault

25 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi confirms Rally GB assault

Valentino Rossi has confirmed to MCN he will contest the Rally GB in December, but he’s yet to decide which car he will drive in the famous event. The 29-year-old has targeted a top ten finish after...

Motegi MotoGP: Valentino Rossi targets more success

25 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: Valentino Rossi targets more success

Valentino Rossi is confident he can add to his already impressive CV by wrapping up his sixth MotoGP world title in Japan this weekend. Chasing his first ever four-stroke victory at the Twin Ring...

Motegi MotGP: John Hopkins sets sights on 2009 revival

25 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotGP: John Hopkins sets sights on 2009 revival

American rider John Hopkins has already set his sights on Kawasaki’s 2009 MotoGP assault as he heads into this weekend’s Japanese GP at the Twin Ring Motegi. Hopkins will treat the last four races...

Motegi MotoGP: Randy de Puniet reveals broken wrist injury

25 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Motegi MotoGP: Randy de Puniet reveals broken wrist injury

French rider Randy de Puniet has vowed to ride through the pain barrier in this weekend’s Japanese Moto GP after revealing he has a broken right wrist. The LCR Honda rider discovered the damage after...

One-make MotoGP tyre rule to be confirmed in Japan

24 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

One-make MotoGP tyre rule to be confirmed in Japan

MotoGP will adopt a one-make tyre rule in 2009, with Bridgestone the exclusive supplier. The move to a mono brand, which will spell the end of Michelin’s long and successful MotoGP association, will...

Valentino Rossi to debut 2009 Yamaha in Japan test

24 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi to debut 2009 Yamaha in Japan test

Valentino Rossi will get his first chance to assess Yamaha’s 2009 prototype YZR-M1 during a brief test session at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit next Monday, MCN can reveal. Get the latest MotoGP...

JIR frozen out by Honda

24 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

JIR frozen out by Honda

The JIR team that has run Andrea Dovizioso in his impressive rookie campaign looks certain to be frozen out by Honda for the 2009 MotoGP world championship. Team boss Gianluca Montiron confirmed that...

New twist in Sete Gibernau’s comeback saga

24 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

New twist in Sete Gibernau’s comeback saga

Sete Gibernau’s planned shock return to MotoGP action in 2009 has taken another twist, with Kawasaki now suddenly rumoured to be back in the frame for the Spaniard’s signature. Gibernau had seemed a...

Casey Stoner undaunted by wrist problem

22 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner undaunted by wrist problem

Casey Stoner is confident his troublesome left wrist injury will not severely hamper him during this weekend’s Japanese GP, despite the hard braking and acceleration zones at the Twin Ring...

Loris Capirossi looks for more Motegi success

22 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Loris Capirossi looks for more Motegi success

Loris Capirossi is confident he can put a miserable Indianapolis clash behind him as he goes in search of an incredible fourth straight win at the Twin Ring Motegi this weekend. Get the latest MotoGP...

Valentino Rossi focused on clinching title

22 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi focused on clinching title

Valentino Rossi will be hoping to complete a dramatic turnaround by wrapping up his sixth MotoGP world title in this weekend’s Japanese GP. Get the latest MotoGP news Four successive wins mean the...

Nicky Hayden looking to build on Indy podium

19 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden looking to build on Indy podium

Nicky Hayden is hoping to use his first podium finish in 15 months in Indianapolis earlier this month as a springboard for more success as he prepares to enter the last four races of his Honda...

Dani Pedrosa more confident for Motegi

19 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa more confident for Motegi

Spaniard Dani Pedrosa is confident he can make more of an impression in next weekend’s Japanese GP after a low-key debut on Bridgestone tyres earlier this month in America. Get all the latest MotoGP...

Jimmy T & us

18 September 2008 by MICK GARVEY

Travelled from Sheffield to Indy Moto GP and met James Toseland, what a top boy! He seemed really pleased to know soemone from his hometown was here to watch him perform, he had plenty of time to...

Valentino Rossi expects more from Dani Pedrosa

18 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi expects more from Dani Pedrosa

Valentino Rossi has said he expects plenty more from Honda rival Dani Pedrosa in the final four races after the Spaniard’s low-key Bridgestone debut in Indianapolis. Get the latest MotoGP...

Marco Melandri backs Nicky Hayden to succeed at Ducati

18 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Marco Melandri backs Nicky Hayden to succeed at Ducati

Marco Melandri believes Nicky Hayden will be able to prove that Ducati’s MotoGP contender is not just a one-rider bike after the American clinched a deal to partner Casey Stoner in 2009. Get the...

Suzuki ponders new recruitment strategy

18 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Suzuki ponders new recruitment strategy

Suzuki will eventually have to follow the young rider recruitment strategies of rivals like Ducati and Yamaha if they are to break the big three’s domination of the four-stroke MotoGP era. Get the...

Toseland & Edwards at Indy

18 September 2008 by Denis Mallett

Toseland & Edwards at Indy

Just looking through the holiday snaps I took at Indianapolis Moto GP last weekend and found this rather interesting one of James Toseland and Colin Edwards. Thought I’d share it with you. Perhaps...

Jorge Lorenzo denies Bridgestone demand

17 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo denies Bridgestone demand

Jorge Lorenzo has denied demanding Yamaha bosses secure him a shock switch to Bridgestone tyres for the rest of the season. The Spaniard categorically denied rumours that he asked to quit Michelin to...

Jorge Martinez baffled by Toni Elias rejection

17 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Martinez baffled by Toni Elias rejection

Jorge Martinez has spoken of his shock at Toni Elias’s decision to shun a third factory Kawasaki machine to re-join the Gresini Honda squad in 2009. Elias was the leading target for Martinez to ride...

Bradley Smith to sign for Aspar Aprilia

17 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith to sign for Aspar Aprilia

Bradley Smith will sign for the Aspar Aprilia team in the 2009 125GP world championship later this week. MCN has been told the deal will be officially confirmed on Friday, but Smith was given...

Maxtra 125GP team continues 2009 recruitment drive

17 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Maxtra 125GP team continues 2009 recruitment drive

The new Maxtra 125 team, spearheaded by British legend John Surtees, continued its 2009 recruitment drive in Indianapolis last weekend. Team boss and former factory Suzuki chief Garry Taylor was in...

Nicky Hayden: Indy success vital for America

17 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden: Indy success vital for America

New Ducati recruit Nicky Hayden believes the success of the Indianapolis race is crucial to help boost interest in MotoGP in America. Hayden, who was confirmed as Casey Stoner’s 2009 Ducati team-mate...

Loris Capirossi to contest Suzuki rally

17 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Loris Capirossi to contest Suzuki rally

Loris Capirossi will switch from two to four wheels later this year when he contests the Suzuki Tempest Rally on November 8. The event includes 80km of gravel stages in the forests and military...

Casey Stoner excited by Nicky Hayden’s Ducati deal

15 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner excited by Nicky Hayden’s Ducati deal

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner has told MCN he is looking forward to the prospect of partnering Nicky Hayden after the American’s much-anticipated move to Ducati was confirmed today. Stoner and...