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

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...

Ducati confirm Nicky Hayden deal

15 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Ducati confirm Nicky Hayden deal

After Honda’s earlier announcement confirming the departure of Nicky Hayden, Ducati has just officially confirmed the American will join Casey Stoner in its factory team for 2009. The 27-year-old will...

Honda grateful to Nicky Hayden

15 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Honda grateful to Nicky Hayden

HRC management has thanked Nicky Hayden for his contribution to its MotoGP effort after the Japanese factory released the 2006 world champion. Hayden will move to Ducati in 2009, with Italian Andrea...

Honda confirm Nicky Hayden departure

15 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Honda confirm Nicky Hayden departure

Honda has confirmed that Nicky Hayden will no longer ride for its official factory team, with Ducati expected to officially announce today that the American will partner Casey Stoner in 2009. Hayden...

Indianapolis MotoGP Reaction: Valentino Rossi creates history with 69th win

15 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Indianapolis MotoGP Reaction: Valentino Rossi creates history with 69th win

Valentino Rossi created another slice of history in Indianapolis today when he became the most successful MotoGP rider with 69 wins. Victory in a storm lashed Indianapolis clash saw him break Italian...

Indianapolis MotoGP Reaction: Tyre issue leaves Casey Stoner fourth

15 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Indianapolis MotoGP Reaction: Tyre issue leaves Casey Stoner fourth

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner reckons a rear grip issue cost him the chance of a podium assault as he restored some of his battered confidence with a determined ride to fourth place in a...

Indianapolis MotoGP Reaction: Jorge Lorenzo buries rain jinx

15 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Indianapolis MotoGP Reaction: Jorge Lorenzo buries rain jinx

Spanish rookie Jorge Lorenzo overcome his rain jinx in a storm-lashed Indianapolis GP to claim the first wet weather podium of his career. Get all the latest MotoGP news The Fiat Yamaha rider, who...

Indianapolis MotoGP Reaction: Nicky Hayden back on podium

15 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Indianapolis MotoGP Reaction: Nicky Hayden back on podium

Home favourite Nicky Hayden produced his best ride of 2008 to finish a weather-hit Indianapolis GP in second place. Get the latest MotoGP news Indianapolis MotoGP: Rossi wins red flagged rain soaked...

Indianapolis MotoGP Reaction: James Toseland slumps to 18th

15 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Indianapolis MotoGP Reaction: James Toseland slumps to 18th

British rider James Toseland had a nightmare Indianapolis GP today as he dropped from eighth to 18th in appalling conditions. Get all the latest MotoGP news The British rider made a promising start...

Indianapolis MotoGP: 250cc race cancelled due to worsening weather

14 September 2008 by Angus Farquhar

Indianapolis MotoGP: 250cc race cancelled due to worsening weather

MotoGP race officials have decided not to go ahead with the 250GP at the Indianapolis circuit because of the worsening weather conditions. The remnants of Hurricane Ike are passing over the American...

Indianapolis MotoGP: Rossi wins red flagged rain soaked race

14 September 2008 by Angus Farquhar

Indianapolis MotoGP: Rossi wins red flagged rain soaked race

Valentino Rossi has taken the win in the second race of the day to be red flagged because of the rain at Indianapolis MotoGP. Rossi was in the lead with seven laps to go when race officials decided...

Indianapolis MotoGP: LCR Honda confirm Randy de Puniet

14 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Indianapolis MotoGP: LCR Honda confirm Randy de Puniet

LCR Honda has confirmed that French rider Randy de Puniet will stay with the team in 2009. Although de Puniet signed a two-year deal for 2008 and ’09, team boss Lucio Cecchinello has still announced...

Indianapolis MotoGP: Kawasaki confirm Marco Melandri swoop

14 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Indianapolis MotoGP: Kawasaki confirm Marco Melandri swoop

Kawasaki has confirmed that Italian rider Marco Melandri will join John Hopkins in its factory squad for the 2009 MotoGP world championship. As was exclusively revealed by MCN four weeks ago in Brno,...

Indianapolis MotoGP: Redding just misses podium finish

14 September 2008 by Angus Farquhar

Indianapolis MotoGP: Redding just misses podium finish

Scott Redding narrowly missed out on a podium finish in the rain stopped Indianapolis 125GP. Redding got a great start from the second row of the grid to hold third place for most of the race, but was...

Croft British Superbikes: Haslam takes race two win

14 September 2008 by Angus Farquhar

Croft British Superbikes: Haslam takes race two win

Leon Haslam has taken his fourth win in five races after finishing in the top spot in the second British Superbikes race at Croft. Haslam didn’t get a great start, sitting down in fifth on the first,...

Indianapolis MotoGP: Casey Stoner hampered by wrist injury

14 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Indianapolis MotoGP: Casey Stoner hampered by wrist injury

Casey Stoner admitted his left wrist injury is causing him major problems in Indianapolis as he saw his run of seven successive pole positions ended by Valentino Rossi. The Aussie qualified second on...

Indianapolis MotoGP: Danny Webb claims brilliant front row

14 September 2008

Indianapolis MotoGP: Danny Webb claims brilliant front row

British teenager Danny Webb claimed only the second front row start of his 125GP career today with a brilliant performance in Indianapolis. The Aprilia rider will start tomorrow’s race from fourth...

Indianapolis MotoGP: James Toseland rues set-up mistake

14 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Indianapolis MotoGP: James Toseland rues set-up mistake

James Toseland blamed a late set-up mistake for costing him the chance to record a second row grid position for tomorrow’s MotoGP debut at the famous Indianapolis circuit. The Tech 3 Yamaha rider was...

Indianapolis MotoGP: Webb secures front row start

14 September 2008 by Angus Farquhar

Indianapolis MotoGP: Webb secures front row start

British rider Danny Webb has equaled his best qualifying position in GPs by securing fourth place and a front row start for the Indianapolis 125GP. The DeGraaf Aprilia rider came home just over half a...

Indianapolis MotoGP: Eugene Laverty ruled out of 250GP

13 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Indianapolis MotoGP: Eugene Laverty ruled out of 250GP

Irish rider Eugene Laverty has been ruled out of tomorrow’s Indy 250GP after a massive high-side crash in this afternoon’s final qualifying session. The Blusens Aprilia rider was brought crashing back...

Indianapolis MotoGP: Nicky Hayden just misses front row

13 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Indianapolis MotoGP: Nicky Hayden just misses front row

Home favourite Nicky Hayden was denied a front row start for tomorrow’s Indianapolis MotoGP debut by just 0.094s. The Repsol Honda rider will start the 28-lap race, just three hours from his home in...

Indianapolis MotoGP: Ben Spies qualifies top Suzuki

13 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Indianapolis MotoGP: Ben Spies qualifies top Suzuki

Ben Spies showed Suzuki bosses what they might be missing out on next season after he was the best GSV-R qualifier in Indianapolis today. The American will start his third MotoGP race from fifth place...

Indianapolis MotoGP: Rossi takes pole

13 September 2008 by Angus Farquhar

Indianapolis MotoGP: Rossi takes pole

Valentino Rossi pushed aside all concerns over the new Indianapolis MotoGP track to take an impressive pole position for sunday’s race. The torrential rain conditions from Friday blew away leaving the...

Indianapolis MotoGP: Toni Elias tops final practice

13 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Indianapolis MotoGP: Toni Elias tops final practice

Toni Elias continued his surprise resurgence in Indianapolis this morning as he topped the final practice session in vastly improved weather conditions. Having claimed successive podium finishes in...

Indianapolis MotoGP: Storms threaten Indy race

13 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Indianapolis MotoGP: Storms threaten Indy race

Thunderstorms forecast for Sunday have placed the inaugural Indianapolis MotoGP under serious threat after Valentino Rossi confirmed the race would be abandoned in torrential rain. Rossi said a repeat...

Indianapolis MotoGP: Eugene Laverty on provisional front row

13 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Indianapolis MotoGP: Eugene Laverty on provisional front row

Irish rider Eugene Laverty produced a brilliant display of wet weather riding to claim a place on the provisional front row of the grid for Sunday’s Indianapolis 250GP. In appalling conditions for...

Indianapolis MotoGP: Toni Elias signs for Gresini Honda?

13 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Indianapolis MotoGP: Toni Elias signs for Gresini Honda?

Plans to run a third factory Kawasaki in 2009 appear to have hit trouble in America with top target Toni Elias heavily rumoured to have signed a deal to rejoin Fausto Gresini’s satellite Honda...

Indianapolis MotoGP: Marco Melandri’s Kawasaki deal to be confirmed

13 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Indianapolis MotoGP: Marco Melandri’s Kawasaki deal to be confirmed

Kawasaki will confirm Marco Melandri as the second rider in its 2009 factory team in Indianapolis this weekend. MCN understands the deal will be announced either today (Saturday) or just before...

Indianapolis MotoGP: Anthony West shines in torrential rain

13 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Indianapolis MotoGP: Anthony West shines in torrential rain

Anthony West might have been axed from Kawasaki’s factory MotoGP squad for 2009, but the Aussie produced a stunning display in Indianapolis to dominate a rain-lashed opening day of free...

Indianapolis MotoGP: Valentino Rossi worried by gloomy forecasts

13 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Indianapolis MotoGP: Valentino Rossi worried by gloomy forecasts

Dire weather forecasts predicting more heavy rain in Indianapolis have seen MotoGP world championship leader Valentino Rossi raise concerns about Sunday’s inaugural Indy clash. The Fiat Yamaha rider...

Indianapolis MotoGP: Casey Stoner third but unhappy

13 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Indianapolis MotoGP: Casey Stoner third but unhappy

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner’s tough period continued on the opening day in Indianapolis today, with the Aussie third fastest but far from happy in treacherous conditions. Stoner walked away...

Indianapolis MotoGP: James Toseland alarmed by grip levels

13 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Indianapolis MotoGP: James Toseland alarmed by grip levels

British rider James Toseland reckons a repeat of the torrential downpours that hit the opening day of practice in Indianapolis during Sunday’s race will make it ‘impossible’ to ride. The Tech 3 Yamaha...

Indianapolis MotoGP: West sets wet provisional pole

13 September 2008 by Angus Farquhar

Indianapolis MotoGP: West sets wet provisional pole

The new Indianapolis circuit had posed some concerns for a few MotoGP riders before they rode it but despite the torrential rain conditions the track seems to have gone down well, with wet weather...

Indianapolis MotoGP: Scott Redding on provisional front row

13 September 2008 by Mattthew Birt

Indianapolis MotoGP: Scott Redding on provisional front row

Scott Redding has continued his impressive start to the inaugural Indianapolis race by claiming second on the provisional 125GP grid. The Blusens Aprilia rider once again impressively mastered tricky...

Indianapolis MotoGP: Anthony West fastest in wet first practice

12 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Indianapolis MotoGP: Anthony West fastest in wet first practice

Axed factory Kawasaki rider Anthony West showed his wet weather prowess this morning to top the timesheets in a rain-hit opening free practice session in Indianapolis. Get all the latest MotoGP...

Indy MotoGP: Scott Redding splashes to second

12 September 2008 by Matthew Birt

Indy MotoGP: Scott Redding splashes to second

British rookie Scott Redding posted the second fastest time in this morning’s opening 125GP practice session at a rain-lashed Indianapolis circuit. Get all the latest MotoGP news On a historic day...