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

Valentino Rossi voices grip concern

06 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi voices grip concern

MotoGP world championship leader Valentino Rossi has voiced concerns about a lack of grip at the Catalunya circuit after Jorge Lorenzo and John Hopkins needed lengthy medical treatment after big...

Casey Stoner happy to bounce back after tough start

06 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner happy to bounce back after tough start

Casey Stoner bounced back from a torrid morning session to register the fourth best time on a crash-strewn opening day in Catalunya. The Aussie was one of this morning’s victims when he crashed...

Dani Pedrosa happy despite crash

06 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa happy despite crash

Home favourite Dani Pedrosa declared himself happy with his form on the opening day of the Catalunya GP, despite a crash in this afternoon’s second free practice session. The Spaniard, who is...

James Toseland hails new Yamaha set-up

06 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland hails new Yamaha set-up

James Toseland reckons a new set-up with his Tech 3 Yamaha machine has given him a massive boost as he finished the first day of practice with the eighth best time in Catalunya. Toseland used the...

Dani Pedrosa crashes but tops practice timesheets

06 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa crashes but tops practice timesheets

Dani Pedrosa escaped injury in a late crash to post the fastest time on the first day of practice for his home race in Catalunya today. The Repsol Honda rider had just moved to the top of the...

Catalunya MotoGP: Bradley Smith and Scott Redding in provisional top ten

06 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Catalunya MotoGP: Bradley Smith and Scott Redding in provisional top ten

Injured British rider Bradley Smith and rookie Scott Redding have claimed top ten places on the provisional grid for Sunday’s Catalunya 125GP. A fastest time of 1.51.988 secured eight for Polaris...

Dani Pedrosa starts on top in Catalunya

06 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Dani Pedrosa starts on top in Catalunya

Dani Pedrosa made the perfect start to his home race in Catalunya this morning when he edged out title rivals Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo in the opening free practice session. Factory Honda...

Nightmare start for Casey Stoner in Catalunya

06 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Nightmare start for Casey Stoner in Catalunya

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner made a nightmare start to his bid for a second successive Catalunya MotoGP victory this morning. The 22-year-old was uninjured in a crash exiting the Curve Elf...

Scott Redding makes flying start in Catalunya

06 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding makes flying start in Catalunya

British MotoGP rookie Scott Redding has posted the second fastest time in this morning’s opening free 125GP practice session in Catalunya. The Blusens Aprilia rider actually led the session until the...

Nicky Hayden disappointed at further engine delay

05 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden disappointed at further engine delay

Former world champion Nicky Hayden has spoken of his disappointment at not being able to race Honda’s pneumatic valve motor in this weekend’s Catalunya GP. The American was hoping to ride the V4 for...

Casey Stoner confident ahead of Catalunya clash

05 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner confident ahead of Catalunya clash

Reigning MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner is confident he can repeat his stunning 2007 victory in Catalunya this weekend as he tries to close the gap on series leader Valentino Rossi. Ducati rider...

Valentino Rossi aiming to continue good form

05 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi aiming to continue good form

Valentino Rossi is hoping he can continue his good form in Barcelona this weekend as he goes in search of a ninth win on the Catalunya circuit. Valentino Rossi leads the series by 12-points over home...

Casey Stoner confirms possible 2009 Ducati test

05 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner confirms possible 2009 Ducati test

Reigning MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner has confirmed that he might test Ducati’s 2009 prototype machine in Barcelona next week. Test rider Vittoriano Gaureschi is due to ride an early version of...

No pneumatic valve motor for Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa

05 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

No pneumatic valve motor for Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa

MotoGP factory Honda duo Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa will not race the new RC212V pneumatic valve engine in this weekend’s Catalunya GP. After lengthy discussions with Honda engineers and team...

Hand injury still a concern for Bradley Smith

05 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Hand injury still a concern for Bradley Smith

British 125GP rider Bradley Smith reckons the right hand injury he suffered only five days ago in a spectacular high-side crash in Mugello will still be a big hindrance in this weekend’s Catalunya...

Honda veteran backs Valentino Rossi and Dani Pedrosa

05 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Honda veteran backs Valentino Rossi and Dani Pedrosa

Honda veteran Tadayuki Okada reckons the 2008 MotoGP title fight will be a two-horse race between Valentino Rossi and Dani Pedrosa. The Japanese rider, who made his first MotoGP appearance in eight...

Ducati designer praises Yamaha response

04 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Ducati designer praises Yamaha response

Ducati’s technical boss Filippo Preziosi has praised Yamaha for the way the Japanese factory has retaliated against Casey Stoner’s 2007 domination. In the opening six races of 2008, Yamaha has been...

MotoGP: Eugene Laverty targets more points in Barcelona

04 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP: Eugene Laverty targets more points in Barcelona

Irish privateer Eugene Laverty has targeted another top 15 finish in this weekend’s Catalunya 250GP after his career best dry race result in Italy. Laverty scored a 13th place in Mugello and he’s...

Kawasaki closing in on 2009 MotoGP targets

04 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Kawasaki closing in on 2009 MotoGP targets

Kawasaki bosses will have whittled a 2009 rider shopping list down to just two riders after this weekend’s Catalunya MotoGP in Barcelona. A short list of five riders, including struggling Aussie...

Meeting the stars at Mugello

03 June 2008 by Jamie Robson

Meeting the stars at Mugello

Photos of my wife with Keith Flint (from Prodigy) and me and Steve Parrish (Stavros) at Mugello before Sundays MotoGP race.

Tech 3 Yamaha cool on Ben Spies link

03 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Tech 3 Yamaha cool on Ben Spies link

Tech 3 Yamaha boss Herve Poncharal has played down speculation that he would look at signing reigning American Superbike champion Ben Spies if Colin Edwards departed from the Tech 3 team. Poncharal is...

Valentino Rossi looking to continue purple patch

03 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi looking to continue purple patch

Valentino Rossi believes he has a great chance of extending his current winning streak to four races when he looks to beat home favourites Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo in Barcelona this...

Alex de Angelis pleads for Honda help

03 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Alex de Angelis pleads for Honda help

Mugello MotoGP sensation Alex de Angelis has begged Honda to give him extra help when factory pair Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa begin to campaign the new pneumatic valve engine. De Angelis caused one...

KTM propose 500cc twins to replace 250GPs

03 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

KTM propose 500cc twins to replace 250GPs

KTM has unveiled plans for the current two-stroke 250GP class to be replaced by 500cc four-stroke twins. In response to Dorna boss Carmelo Ezpeleta’s Le Mans proposal to introduce four-stroke machines...

Jorge Lorenzo looks to bounce back on home soil

03 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo looks to bounce back on home soil

Jorge Lorenzo is confident he can return to form on home soil in Barcelona this weekend after suffering the first major setback of his MotoGP career last weekend in Mugello. The Spaniard lost vital...

Kawasaki to support John Hopkins

03 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Kawasaki to support John Hopkins

Kawasaki bosses have refused to castigate John Hopkins after the American’s recent damning attack on the performance of the 2008 ZX-RR. The American slammed a lack of development from factory...

Italian MotoGP : Colin Edwards happy with mugello fifth

02 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Italian MotoGP : Colin Edwards happy with mugello fifth

Colin Edwards reckons his fifth place in today’s Italian GP in Mugello was a better result than his first podium of 2008 in Le Mans last month.The Tech 3 rider surged through from ninth to fifth to...

Italian MotoGP: Casey Stoner rues crucial mugello mistake

02 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Italian MotoGP: Casey Stoner rues crucial mugello mistake

Reigning MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner reckons a crucial mistake at the first corner on lap 10 cost him the chance to push Valentino Rossi harder in today’s Italian GP in Mugello. Aussie Stoner...

Italian MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa settles for third at Mugello

01 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Italian MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa settles for third at Mugello

Dani Pedrosa surrendered nine crucial points on MotoGP world title rival Valentino Rossi after he finished a distant third in today’s Italian GP. Leader at the end of the first lap, Pedrosa was...

Italian MotoGP: Alex de Angelis jubilant with shock mugello fourth

01 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Italian MotoGP: Alex de Angelis jubilant with shock mugello fourth

Alex de Angelis produced arguably the result of the Italian GP today when he stormed to a career best fourth place in Mugello. After a crash strewn start and a best result of 11th so far in the...

Italian MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo crashes out of top six in Mugello

01 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Italian MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo crashes out of top six in Mugello

Jorge Lorenzo’s 100th GP celebrations fell flat as his MotoGP world title hopes suffered a big blow in Mugello when he crashed out of sixth place. The Spaniard, who started the race trailing series...

Italian MotoGP: Valentino Rossi in seventh heaven after Mugello win

01 June 2008

Italian MotoGP: Valentino Rossi in seventh heaven after Mugello win

Valentino Rossi scored his seventh successive victory in front of his home crowd in Mugello today to extend his MotoGP world championship lead to 12-points. In front of a massive crowd of over 96,000...

Italian MotoGP: James Toseland thrilled at top six return

01 June 2008 by Matthew Birt

Italian MotoGP: James Toseland thrilled at top six return

British rider James Toseland was thrilled with his Mugello debut today as he got his rookie MotoGP campaign back on track with a top six finish. Looking to bounce back from a nightmare 12th in...

Italian MotoGP: Valentino Rossi wins, James Toseland sixth

01 June 2008 by Angus Farquhar

Italian MotoGP: Valentino Rossi wins, James Toseland sixth

Valentino Rossi has taken the win at the Italian MotoGP with James Toseland taking a solid sixth. Rossi’s win means that he has won every race at the Mugello circuit since 2002 and has taken his third...

Italian MotoGP: Marco Simoncelli wins in Mugello after collision with Hector Barbera

01 June 2008 by Angus Farquhar

Italian MotoGP: Marco Simoncelli wins in Mugello after collision with Hector Barbera

Marco Simoncelli has taken his first 250GP win in contentious circumstances as he collided with Hector Barbera on their final time down the straight. Simoncelli and Barbera battled it out throughout...

Italian MotoGP: Bradley Smith takes fifth despite injury

01 June 2008 by Angus Farquhar

Italian MotoGP: Bradley Smith takes fifth despite injury

Bradley Smith has taken fifth place in the Mugello 125GP despite riding with a broken bone in his foot and an injured hand. Smith got a good start taking fourth at the first corner but quickly had a...