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

MotoGP: James Toseland gets new bike for Christmas

20 December 2007 by Matthew Birt

Christmas came early for double World Superbike champion James Toseland today when personal sponsor Bennetts presented him with a £6,000 bike. The surprise presentation was made to the 27-year-old on...

Bid for MotoGP stars' kit in online charity auction

20 December 2007 by Sarah Carnell

Fancy getting your hands on something different for Christmas – How about Casey Stoner’s boots or Loris Capirossi’s helmet? Well this could be your chance as Former MotoGP rider Sete Gibernau’s wife,...

MotoGP: Colin Edwards - Valentino Rossi no major loss for Michelin

19 December 2007 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s former factory Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards believes Michelin still has a big enough talent pool to win back the MotoGP world championship crown in 2008, despite the Italian’s...

MotoGP: Nicky Hayden vows to come our fighting in 2008

19 December 2007 by Matthew Birt

Former world MotoGP champion Nicky Hayden has admitted he can’t afford to make a sluggish start to next season as he looks to put a nightmare 2007 behind him. The Kentucky rider, currently...

MotoGP: Kawasaki's John Hopkins ties the knot

18 December 2007 by Matthew Birt

New factory Kawasaki rider John Hopkins ended his fantastic 2007 by tying the knot to stunning British bride Ashleigh last Saturday (December 15). The American wed at a luxury ceremony at the Hard...

MotoGP: Danny Webb happy with Aprilia switch

17 December 2007 by Matthew Birt

British teenager Danny Webb has spoken of his delight at securing a switch to Aprilia machinery for his second 125GP world championship campaign in 2008. Danny Webb extended his contract with the...

MotoGP: Valentino Rossi under pressure to perform on Bridgestone tyres

17 December 2007 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi will be under extra pressure to deliver a sixth premier class in 2008 after his controversial switch from Michelin to Bridgestone tyres. Factory Suzuki boss Paul Denning believes the...

MotoGP: Casey Stoner to run number one plate in 2008

14 December 2007 by Matthew Birt

As expected, MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner will run the number one plate on his factory Ducati in 2008, while five British riders will compete in the three MotoGP world championship classes next...

MotoGP: World Superbike success means nothing in MotoGP, admits James Toseland

13 December 2007 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland has conceded his World Superbike success and experience counts for nothing as he gears up for his rookie MotoGP campaign in 2008. The British rider has completed two tests for the Tech...

MotoGP: Tech 3 impressed with James Toseland’s approach

12 December 2007 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland’s new Tech 3 Yamaha boss has said he is impressed with the British rider’s s attitude, willingness to learn and work ethic as he sets about the massive task of becoming a competitive...

MotoGP: Ducati man scoops top prize

12 December 2007 by Matthew Birt

One of the key men behind Ducati’s phenomenal success in the 2007 MotoGP world championship has claimed a prestigious award. Aerodynamicist Alan Jenkins collected the Sir Jackie Stewart Award at the...

MotoGP: Valentino Rossi renews criticism of rider aids

12 December 2007 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi has again slammed the growing influence of electronics in MotoGP, renewing his fears rider skill is playing less and less of a pivotal role in the premier class. Rossi has been highly...

MotoGP: James Toseland fourth in prestigious BBC Sports Personality Award

10 December 2007 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland finished in an amazing fourth place in last night’s prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year. The double World Superbike champion missed out on claiming a brilliant top three...

MotoGP: Qatar night race schedule unveiled

06 December 2007 by Matthew Birt

Qatar’s historic MotoGP race under floodlights at night will get underway at 11pm local time. MCN has got hold of a copy of the schedule for the clash on March 9, which will create history by becoming...

MotoGP: 250 new boys to learn quicker than James Toseland

05 December 2007 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP new recruits Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Dovizioso should be at a more competitive level quicker than James Toseland. Toseland’s new Tech 3 Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards believes double world 250...

Ducati celebrates GP title in Bologna

03 December 2007 by Chris Newbigging

Over 30,000 Ducatisti converged on the centre of the firm’s hometown of Bologna to celebrate Casey Stoner’s 2007 MotoGP championship triumph. The weekend-long celebration was held in the Piazza Maggiore in the centre of Bologna. As well as the Ducati factory and museum being opened for the whole weekend, Italy’s top DJ, DJ Ringo, and TV presenter Gerry Scotti provided entertainment throughout...

MotoGP: Support James Toseland for BBC Sports Personality - Tonight at 7pm

03 December 2007 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland’s 2007 keeps getting better and better after he made the shortlist for the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. The 27-year-old, who will ride for the Tech 3 Yamaha...

Audio: Herve Poncharal talks about Toseland in MotoGP

30 November 2007 by Matthew Birt

MCN MotoGP reporter Matthew Birt grabbed James Toseland’s Tech 3 team boss Herve Poncharal to see how well his new rider coped on the Yamaha at the recent Jerez test. Check out the interview by...

Audio: Interview with Davide Brivio

30 November 2007 by Matthew Birt

MCN MotoGP reporter Matthew Birt caught up with Rossi’s Yamaha team boss Davide Brivio to see how he thought the Italian rider got on at the recent test in Jerez ad how he rates the teams chances for...

MotoGP Jerez test: Michelin looking forward to 2008

30 November 2007 by Sarah Carnell

Michelin bosses are in confident mood following the results from the final MotoGP test of the winter after taking the top four places on the final day yesterday (Thursday). Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa...

MotoGP Jerez test: Bridgestone boss Hiroshi Yamada happy with progress

30 November 2007 by MCN Sport

Hiroshi Yamada, Manager of Bridgestone’s Motorcycle Sport Unit, has been keeping a watchful eye on the progress being made at the MotoGP test in Jerez. Many riders have been busy acquainting...

MotoGP Jerez Test: Hand injury hampers Valentino Rossi

29 November 2007 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi was forced to scrap a planned full race simulation on Bridgestone tyres today in Jerez as he completed only 40 laps on the final day of track action in 2007. The 28-year-old struggled...

MotoGP Jerez Test: James Toseland ends 2007 in confident mood

29 November 2007 by Matthew Birt

James Toseland ended his brilliant 2007 on a high in Jerez today (Thursday) as he finished the final winter test session with the ninth fastest overall time. The British rider used a soft Michelin...

MotoGP Jerez Test: Casey Stoner flies home to Australia for shoulder scans

29 November 2007 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner will fly home to Australia from Heathrow tonight to get further medical checks on the left shoulder injury he suffered in a massive high-side crash in Jerez...

MotoGP Jerez test: Randy de Puniet crashes twice on final day

29 November 2007 by Matthew Birt

Randy de Puniet has crashed twice on the third and final day of MotoGP testing at the Jerez circuit in Spain. The French rider escaped injury in a crash under braking at the final corner earlier in...