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

Qatar MotoGP: Alvaro Butista fastes once again in Qatar 250 second practice

08 March 2008 by Sarah Carnell

Aprilia rider Alvaro Bautista topped the timesheets in the second free practice session for the 250s this evening in Qatar. The Spaniard recorded a best time of 1:59.585, which was 0.3secs faster tha...

Qatar MotoGP: James Toseland 10th as Casey Stoner tops practice

08 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner has ended free practice for tomorrow’s historic floodlit Qatar MotoGP clash with the fastest time. A 1:55.186 set with six minutes of the third and final session...

Qatar MotoGP: Brits continue domination

08 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith continued his superb form in Qatar tonight with a last lap attack securing the Oxfordshire rider the fastest time in the second free practice session. Smith, who claimed provisional pole...

Qatar MotoGP: Danny Webb 'shocked' with second

07 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

Danny Webb was pinching himself after he produced the major shock on the opening day of the 2008 season in Qatar. The Aprilia rider claimed a stunning second place on the provisional 125 grid,...

Qatar MotoGP: Nervous James Toseland delighted with third

07 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland shrugged off a crash and a bout of first race nerves to make a brilliant start to his MotoGP career in Qatar tonight. The Tech 3 Yamaha rider was third fastest at the end of the first...

Qatar MotoGP: Bradley Smith talks provisional pole

07 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith got his 2008 125GP campaign off to the perfect start tonight when he stormed to provisional pole under the Qatar floodlights. Fastest in tonight’s first free practice session, the...

Qatar MotoGP: Hector Barbera pips Mattia Pasini to provisional pole for 250 race

07 March 2008 by Sarah Carnell

Hector Barbera took provisional pole position for Sunday’s 250 race in the dying seconds of the first qualifying session knocking Mattia Pasini off the top spot. The Aprilia rider posted a best lap of...

Qatar MotoGP: Britain's James Toseland claims third spot in second practice

07 March 2008 by Sarah Carnell

Britain’s James Toseland has finished in an amazing third place after this evening’s second practice in Qatar. The Tech 3 Yamaha rider had been lying fourth early on before heading to the pits, but...

Qatar MotoGP: Bradley Smith and Danny Webb stun with 1-2 in 125 qualifying

07 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith escaped injury in a late crash to claim a brilliant provisional pole position for Sunday’s Qatar 125GP, with fellow British rider Danny Webb finishing in a stunning second. The British...

Qatar MotoGP: Night race to be held until 2016

07 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

Night racing at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar will be staged until at least 2016 after a new eight-year contract was signed with rights owners Dorna tonight (Friday). The Qatar circuit,...

Qatar MotoGP: Alvaro Bautista goes fastest in first 250 practice

07 March 2008 by Sarah Carnell

Alvaro Bautista was the fastest rider in the opening practice session of the season for the 250s in Qatar. The Spaniard completed a best lap on his final circuit with a 2:00.240 on his Aprilia just...

Qatar MotoGP: Casey Stoner draws first blood in 2008

07 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner made the perfect start to the defence of his MotoGP crown in 2008, with the Aussie fastest at the end of the first practice session in Qatar. James Toseland...

Qatar MotoGP: James Toseland crashes unhurt in first practice

07 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland has walked away from a crash in his first MotoGP practice session in Qatar tonight. The 27-year-old had just jumped to fourth on the timesheets with a lap of 1:56.950 when he lost the...

Qatar MotoGP: Scott Redding talks about brilliant start

07 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

British rider Scott Redding has spoken of his delight at making a sensational start to his 125GP world championship career in Qatar tonight. The 15-year-old Gloucester rookie finished third fastest in...

Qatar MotoGP: Brits make flying start in season opener

07 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

British rider Bradley Smith has made a sensational start to the 2008 125GP world championship in Qatar tonight (Friday). The Polaris World Aprilia rider topped the timesheets in the opening free...

Rider V Computer

06 March 2008 by faccipazzo

Well, I wonder why someone hasn’t stepped up, in defence of the new school of MotoGP riders, with their computers designed how go into turns and speed set ups for each track. It seems like they can enter a turn at 90mph, with open throttle, the bike computer might be set for 85mph, and as soon they get through this calculated speed turn, the bike adjustment, goes back to rider accelerator...

Qatar MotoGP: Valentino Rossi wary of premier class rookies

06 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi has admitted he will start his quest to regain the MotoGP world championship in Qatar on Sunday wary of the threat posed by the likes of premier class newcomers such as James Toseland...

Qatar MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo plays down Qatar hopes

06 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo has again played down his hopes of playing a starring role in Sunday’s historic night race in Qatar. The double world 250 champion raised expectations when he finished last week’s...

Qatar MotoGP: Casey Stoner joins list of James Toseland admirers

06 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner has joined the growing list of James Toseland admirers after the British rider’s impressive pre-season campaign. Toseland’s growing confidence with his Tech 3...

Qatar MotoGP: Casey Stoner ready to begin title defence

06 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner has declared himself ready to kick off the defence of his MotoGP world crown in Qatar this Sunday. The Aussie starts the 2008 campaign as red-hot favourite after he dominated in 2007 with...

Qatar MotoGP: Nicky Hayden to run 2007 Honda in first race

06 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

Nicky Hayden will ride a 2007 factory Honda RC212V when the 2008 MotoGP season kicks off in Qatar this weekend. One of the machines that Hayden finished last season on has been hastily flown to the...

Qatar MotoGP: Colin Edwards backs James Toseland to shine

06 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

Colin Edwards has praised fellow double World Superbike champion and Tech 3 Yamaha team-mate James Toseland on the eve of the new MotoGP world championship. After the British rider’s morale-boosting...

Qatar MotoGP: Qualifying concern for John Hopkins

06 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

Factory Kawasaki rider John Hopkins believes the first qualifying session of 2008 under floodlights on Saturday night could be tough for Bridgestone. Bridgestone’s main weakness against rivals...

Qatar MotoGP: First race will be true test of lights

06 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP safety bosses believe they will have to wait until after this weekend’s historic first night race to get an accurate gauge on how successful Qatar’s ground breaking new lighting system...

James Toseland fan competes with number 52

05 March 2008 by gareth harper

My daughter, Lucy, was proud to wear James Toseland’s number in her first ever ski race in Austria. It must have done the trick, she came in in second place.

MotoGP: No shoulder concern for Casey Stoner

04 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner will start the defence of his MotoGP crown on Sunday night in Qatar with no injury concerns on his left shoulder. The factory Ducati rider damaged ligaments in his left shoulder in the...

MotoGP: Colin Edwards relishing historic night race

04 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

Colin Edwards is relishing being part of the historic first night MotoGP race in Qatar on Sunday (March 9) as the countdown to the 2008 world championships draws closer. The Tech 3 Yamaha rider...

MotoGP: James Toseland happy to have Valentino Rossi on side

04 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

Having Italian star Valentino Rossi on the same bike will boost British rider James Toseland’s hopes of making a big impression in his rookie MotoGP campaign. That’s the view of the double World...

MotoGP: Temperature concern for Chris Vermeulen

04 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

Factory Suzuki rider Chris Vermeulen is worried that cold temperatures could have a major impact on the historic first night race in Qatar on Sunday. Several riders complained about the length of time...

MotoGP Qatar test: Eugene Laverty gets pre-season boost

04 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

Irish rider Eugene Laverty got a major pre-season tonic in Qatar this week after he produced some impressive lap time at the 250GP night test. Laverty, who is riding an Aprilia in 2008 after a torrid...

MotoGP Qatar test: Bradley Smith finishes fastest

04 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith ended a brilliant 2008 testing campaign with the fastest time at the 125GP night test in Qatar. Just days before the new season kicks off under floodlights, Smith’s best time of 2:05.306...

MotoGP: James Toseland elated at Tech 3 Yamaha choice

03 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland believes his impressive recent testing form has fully vindicated his decision to begin his MotoGP career with the Tech 3 Yamaha team. The British rider ended his maiden winter testing...

MotoGP: Fiat Yamaha strongest team for 2008 says Valentino Rossi

03 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

Seven-times world champion Valentino Rossi believes Yamaha’s new look factory team with Jorge Lorenzo is the strongest in the 2008 MotoGP series. Speaking on the eve of the new season which kicks off...

MotoGP: Casey Stoner unsure on Jorge Lorenzo's early chances

03 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

Reigning world champion Casey Stoner believes it will be tough for Jorge Lorenzo to have the same immediate impact in MotoGP like Dani Pedrosa did in 2006. Triple world champion Pedrosa made a...

MotoGP: John Hopkins confident in fitness battle

03 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

American John Hopkins is confident that he will have no problems riding at 100 per cent in the season’s opening race in Qatar, even though the Kawasaki rider concedes he will be below full...

MotoGP Qatar test: Brits take desert by storm with one-two

03 March 2008 by Matthew Birt

After James Toseland’s brilliant second place in the historic first MotoGP night test, British fortunes have continued to soar at the 125 and 250GP session in Qatar. In-form Aprilia rider Bradley...