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: D'Antin Ducati pursue four 2008 MotoGP targets

10 August 2007 by Matthew Birt

Ducati’s satellite team boss Luis D’Antin has confirmed to MCN he is in talks with four riders about a 2008 MotoGP world championship ride. Although Luis D’Antin is keen to retain Brazilian veteran...

Brno MotoGP: Ducati to run new fairing in Brno test

10 August 2007 by Matthew Birt

Ducati will run a new aerodynamics package during a test immediately after the Czech Republic MotoGP in Brno. Marlboro Ducati team boss Livio Suppo has confirmed a new fairing will be available for...

MotoGP: Chaz Davies denied Brno MotoGP chance

09 August 2007 by Matthew Birt

British rider Chaz Davies has been denied the chance to deputise for injured D’Antin Ducati rider Alex Hofmann in next weekend’s Czech Republic MotoGP race in Brno. Chaz Davies had been told by...

MotoGP: Kevin Schwantz admits surprise at John Hopkins' Suzuki departure

09 August 2007 by Matthew Birt

Kevin Schwantz has admitted he was surprised at John Hopkins’ decision to quit Suzuki at the end of 2007 to make a multi-million pound switch to rivals Kawasaki. Kevin Schwantz, who won the world 500...

MotoGP: Honda and Ducati chase Alex de Angelis for 2008 MotoGP move

09 August 2007 by Matthew Birt

Alex de Angelis is locked in negotiations with Honda and Ducati satellite teams with a MotoGP move in 2008 looking a certainty. The San Marino rider flew to California for last month’s Laguna Seca...

MotoGP: Valentino Rossi facing multi-million pound tax evasion investigation

08 August 2007 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s MotoGP world title fight with Casey Stoner might be the least of his problems as the Fiat Yamaha rider is under investigation by Italy’s authorities for tax evasion, according to...

MotoGP: Casey Stoner - Beating Rossi is a 'privilege'

08 August 2007 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP world championship leader Casey Stoner reckons defeating title rival Valentino Rossi is a privilege as he looks to extend his series lead over the Italian in the Czech Republic next weekend. ...

Brno MotoGP: Jerry Burgess keen to see new Yamaha MotoGP engine

08 August 2007 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi’s crew chief Jerry Burgess says he is looking forward to gauging the performance of a new Yamaha YZR-M1 engine next week in Brno. A new improved four-cylinder motor is expected to be...

Toseland's mistake

04 August 2007 by Stu

James Toseland, talented WSB racer making the usual MotoGP mistake. He won’t get to see the front of the grid, let alone the podium. Just ask Neil Hodgson and Troy Bayliss. I blame his manager – the package is crap!

Toseland's decision

02 August 2007 by zenon thomas

JT, are you mental? Surely racing is all about winning. You’re not going to do that on a second-string MotoGP bike like the Tech 3 Yamaha. Honda offer you a lot of money to stay on their new Fireblade for next season and your turn it down? You must be mad!

Video exclusive: Toseland confirms move to Yamaha MotoGP

01 August 2007 by Michael Guy

Here’s the world’s first video interview of James Toseland after he confirmed exclusively to MCN that he is leaving the World Superbike championship to race for Yamaha in MotoGP next season. In the video you’ll see James say that the deal is done, that the past couple of days mulling the offer from Tech 3 Yamaha have been the worst ever and that winning the World Superbike championship he is...

James Toseland confirms Tech 3 Yamaha MotoGP signing to MCN

01 August 2007 by Michael Guy

James Toseland has just confirmed to MCN that he has signed with the Tech 3 Yamaha MotoGP squad for next year. Speaking exclusively to MCN, James Toseland said: “It is very difficult for me to say...

Rossi checks lap time

01 August 2007 by Andy Deeley

A shot taken during the practice session at the Donington MotoGP. Rossi checking his lap times on the board directly behind me! Almost felt like giving him a wave! The second shot was taken on the...

Rossi in the dirt

30 July 2007 by Andrew Deeley

Here’s a picture I took of Rossi, gathering up his bike after a tumble in Donington MotoGP practice. He came off right in front of us!

MotoGP: Title leader tips Chaz Davies for full-time ride

27 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner reckons close pal Chaz Davies is worthy of a full-time ride in the MotoGP world championship after the British rider impressed on his shock Ducati debut in Laguna Seca last...

MotoGP: Casey Stoner says tyre complaints are just whinging

27 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

CASEY STONER reckons Valentino Rossi’s complaints about the new tyre rule are just sour grapes as the Australian takes giant steps towards a first MotoGP world title. After Valentino rossi said the...

MotoGP: Max Biaggi and Valentino Rossi finally agree

27 July 2007 by Michael Guy

For one of the first times bitter rivals Max Biaggi and Valentino Rossi have agreed on something – that the tyre situation in Moto GP is ruining the championship. Biaggi has revealed that he thinks...

Ducati test ride offer for Carlos Checa

26 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Carlos Checa has been offered the chance to land a test and development ride for Ducati in 2008, with his MotoGP racing career seemingly drawing to a close. The Spaniard has struggled on the LCR Honda...

Ben Spies talks MotoGP future

26 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Reigning American Superbike champion Ben Spies is a man increasingly in demand, on both sides of the Atlantic. The 23-year-old, leading the US championship this year on a Yoshimura Suzuki, was...

Colin Edwards won't know future until late August

25 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

Colin Edwards will have to sweat on his future for another four weeks before finding out whether he has a MotoGP ride with Yamaha. The American was hoping to have a clear idea about Yamaha’s 2008...

Ducati boss doubts Loris Capirossi will stay

25 July 2007 by Matthew Birt

The man in charge of Ducati’s works MotoGP team says he thinks Loris Capirossi will reject an offer to stay with the team next year alongside Casey Stoner and new signing Marco Melandri on a third...

Video: The amazing race Ducati collection of Tony O'Neill

25 July 2007 by MCN

Somewhere in rural Kent is a garage that has more factory Ducati MotoGP and World Superbikes that the Italian firm has at its factory in Bologna. Watch the video below to take a tour through the...

Yamaha signs Jorge Lorenzo for MotoGP

25 July 2007 by Dan Thornton

Jorge Lorenzo, the 250cc GP champion, has signed a two-year deal with Yamaha to make his MotoGP debut in 2008 aboard a Yamaha YZR-M1 with direct factory support. “Yamaha has been watching Jorge’s...

German GP thumbs-up

24 July 2007 by chris webster

Went to Sachsenring MotoGP with a mate on the back, stayed Friday and Saturday – amazing! The Germans were the best: friendly, helpful, fun & generous. We never even had to buy a beer on Saturday. On Sunday we secure-parked the bike & put all our gear in secure “holding” (all for 6 Euros; imagine that in the UK). Then it was a five minute walk to the track. Straight after the racing finished we...