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

Misano MotoGP: Hector Barbera stormed to first in 250cc free practice

29 August 2008 by James Keen

Misano MotoGP: Hector Barbera stormed to first in 250cc free practice

Spaniard Hector Barbera showed the 250 grid how it’s done in the free practice session this morning with a lap time of 1´39.172, which is over half a second faster than his closest rival and second...

Misano MotoGP: Casey Stoner fastest as Michelin fights back

29 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Misano MotoGP: Casey Stoner fastest as Michelin fights back

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner clocked the fastest time in this morning’s opening free practice session in Misano, with Colin Edwards leading a much-needed Michelin revival. Stoner was in...

Misano MotoGP: Rib injury concern for John Hopkins

29 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Misano MotoGP: Rib injury concern for John Hopkins

John Hopkins missed this morning’s opening free practice session in Misano with the on-going rib injury he picked up earlier this month in the Czech Republic. The injury-hit American woke in...

Misano MotoGP: Talmacsi fastest in the 125cc practice session

29 August 2008 by James Keen

Misano MotoGP: Talmacsi fastest in the 125cc practice session

Hungarian rider Gabor Talmacsi kicked off MotoGP proceedings this weekend by taking first place on the timesheets in this morning’s practice session at Misano. I.C. Team rider Andrea Iannone was...

Nicky Hayden cautious about Misano return

28 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden cautious about Misano return

Nicky Hayden has admitted he won’t risk jeopardising his place in his home race in Indianapolis next month as he prepares to return to action in Misano tomorrow. Hayden cleared a medical on his...

Loris Capirossi to break appearance record

28 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Loris Capirossi to break appearance record

Loris Capirossi has spoken of his pride at standing on the brink of breaking the record for the number of Grand Prix appearances in Misano this weekend. The veteran Italian is poised to make his 277th...

Valentino Rossi hoping to equal all-time winning record

28 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi hoping to equal all-time winning record

Valentino Rossi said he would be thrilled to equal Giacomo Agostini’s premier class winning tally of 68 victories in front of his home crowd in Misano this weekend. Not least because Italian legend...

Valentino Rossi tattoo

28 August 2008 by nathan mayes

Valentino Rossi tattoo

Check out this bad boy, I’ve had 16 hours work on it so far… with maybe 5 still to go to do the kerbing, blurred background and tyre wall. I want to get his autogragh at Phillip Island this year, can...

Loris Capirossi’s Suzuki deal a formality

28 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Loris Capirossi’s Suzuki deal a formality

Suzuki boss Paul Denning has confirmed that Loris Capirossi will definitely remain on board a factory GSV-R in the 2009 world championship. Speaking at a special celebration ahead of Capirossi’s...

Ducati vow to push Valentino Rossi

28 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Ducati vow to push Valentino Rossi

Ducati believe that Casey Stoner is still in with a shout of making a successful defence of his MotoGP world crown in 2008. Heading into this weekend’s Misano GP in San Marino, the Aussie trails Fiat...

Jerry Burgess confident for title run-in

28 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Jerry Burgess confident for title run-in

Valentino Rossi’s crew chief Jerry Burgess is confident the Italian will be able to defend a 50-point lead over arch rival Casey Stoner to win a sixth MotoGP crown in 2008. But while Aussie Burgess...

Toseland's youngest fan!

27 August 2008 by penno

Toseland's youngest fan!

Here is a picture of my 6 month old grandaughter Amber with a picture of James Toseland, he signed at sheffield last week. is it his youngest fan do you think?

Suzuki play down Andrea Dovizioso talks

27 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Suzuki play down Andrea Dovizioso talks

Suzuki boss Paul Denning has played down talks with impressive Italian rookie Andrea Dovizioso. Although it seems certain that Suzuki will retain its current 2008 factory line-up with Chris Vermeulen...

Suzuki close in on new Chris Vermeulen deal

27 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Suzuki close in on new Chris Vermeulen deal

Suzuki is close to a new deal with Aussie Chris Vermeulen. A deal for Vermeulen, who is Suzuki’s most successful rider since Kenny Roberts Junior won the 2000 500cc world title, is expected too be...

Jorge Lorenzo vows to keep motivated

27 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo vows to keep motivated

Jorge Lorenzo has vowed to fight and keep his motivation up despite Michelin’s struggles in the last three races. Lorenzo toiled to a determined 10th place finish at the last race in Brno, but prior...

Colin Edwards questions Michelin’s recovery potential

27 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Colin Edwards questions Michelin’s recovery potential

Tech 3 Yamaha rider Colin Edwards had questioned whether Michelin is capable of responding to its current crisis. The Texan suffered his worst result of the season in Brno earlier this month when he...

Casey Stoner vows to attack

27 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner vows to attack

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner has refused to concede his 2008 title hopes are over as he pledged to go on the attack in the remaining six races. The Aussie’s crash out of the lead during the...

Midlands Six Pack hit Brno

24 August 2008 by Mick Patton

Midlands Six Pack hit Brno

This was taken at the Brno Moto GP on 17th August 2008. The picture shows Ann Patton (my wife) holding the latest copy of MCN and Steve Powell (friend). Six of us, including Steve’s wife Terri and...

Nicky Hayden back for Misano

22 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden back for Misano

Nicky Hayden has confirmed he will be back in action at the Misano GP having recovered sufficiently from the right heel injury that forced him out of last weekend’s Brno clash. Hayden cracked his...

Valentino Rossi cautious about big points lead

22 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi cautious about big points lead

MotoGP world championship leader Valentino Rossi reckons he won’t be taking anything for granted in the 2008 title run-in, despite his sizeable points lead over rival Casey Stoner. The Italian took a...

Yamaha boss praises Valentino Rossi’s fighting spirit

22 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha boss praises Valentino Rossi’s fighting spirit

Valentino Rossi’s Fiat Yamaha team boss Davide Brivio has praised the Italian’s never-say-die attitude after his crucial victories in Laguna Seca and Brno. Rossi’s wins in America and the Czech...

Michelin surprised by Honda tactic

22 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Michelin surprised by Honda tactic

Underfire Michelin boss Jean-Philippe Weber has spoken of his surprise at Honda’s decision to give a factory spec machine to Shinya Nakano for the remainder of the 2008 MotoGP campaign. Nakano raced...

James Toseland happy with new clutch

22 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland happy with new clutch

James Toseland reckons one of the few positives to come out of a tough Brno race and test session was a new Yamaha YZR-M1 clutch he tested. Struggling with the poor performance of his Michelin tyres,...

Casey Stoner reveals Brno bad luck

21 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner reveals Brno bad luck

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner has revealed a cruel bout of bad luck prevented him from salvaging some points in last weekend’s Brno GP. Get the latest MotoGP news The Aussie crashed out of...

Suzuki duo expect to race new chassis in Misano

21 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Suzuki duo expect to race new chassis in Misano

Loris Capirossi and Chris Vermeulen expect to race a new chassis at the next MotoGP round in Misano after a successful test session in Brno earlier this week. Get all the latest MotoGP...

Valentino Rossi can’t relax despite big points lead

21 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi can’t relax despite big points lead

Valentino Rossi’s factory Yamaha boss Davide Brivio reckons the Italian can’t afford to relax in the last six races of 2008, despite holding a comfortable 50-point advantage over rival Casey...

James Toseland unconvinced by small Michelin progress

21 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland unconvinced by small Michelin progress

British rider James Toseland said it was clear that Michelin’s marginal improvement at the Brno test this week is still nowhere enough to be back in contention for top six finishes. Get all the...

Donington 08

21 August 2008 by gailhowe

These are a few pics me and my husband Glenn took at Donington 08.

Shinya Nakano unsure of 2009 job prospects

21 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Shinya Nakano unsure of 2009 job prospects

Japanese rider Shinya Nakano has confirmed he has no firm plans in place for the 2009 MotoGP world championship. Nakano claimed his season’s best result with fourth in Brno last weekend on his debut...

Toni Elias in frame for third Kawasaki

20 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Toni Elias in frame for third Kawasaki

Brno MotoGP runner-up Toni Elias is being hotly-tipped to ride a third factory Kawsaki in next year’s MotoGP world championship. A deal between Kawasaki and Spanish team owner Jorge Martinez is close...

Niccolo Canepa stakes Ducati MotoGP claim

20 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Niccolo Canepa stakes Ducati MotoGP claim

Test rider Niccolo Canepa did his chances of clinching a full-time MotoGP ride in 2009 no harm with an impressive testing performance in Brno. Get all the latest MotoGP news Ducati was using the...

Casey Stoner unstoppable in Brno

20 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner unstoppable in Brno

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner ended a two-day test session in Brno in impressive fashion as he beat his own lap record by over a second. Get the latest MotoGP news Using a new spec...

Injury sidelines John Hopkins again

20 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Injury sidelines John Hopkins again

A painful rib injury forced John Hopkins to miss the final day of testing in Brno yesterday after the American had only completed a handful of laps on the opening day. Get all the latest MotoGP...

Eugene Laverty lands World Supersport chance

20 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Eugene Laverty lands World Supersport chance

Irish rider Eugene Laverty has been handed a golden chance to put himself in the shop window for 2009 after landing a two-race World Supersport deal to replace injured Fabien Foret. Get the latest...

Rossi at Brno

19 August 2008 by Simon Davies

Rossi crossing the line at Brno, Czech Republic this weekend.

Dani Pedrosa walks out of Brno test

19 August 2008 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa walks out of Brno test

Dejected Dani Pedrosa packed up and left a scheduled two-day test session in Brno after just 11 laps as his frustration with the performance of Michelin worsened. Get all the latest MotoGP...