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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

British MotoGP: Picture special as Valentino Rossi crashes out of free practice at Donington Park

22 June 2007 by Sarah Carnell

British MotoGP: Picture special as Valentino Rossi crashes out of free practice at Donington Park

Fiat Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi has been a victim of the poor conditions at the first MotoGP practice at Donington Park this morning.  Valentino Rossi crashed at Coppice corner just nine minutes in to...

British MotoGP: Stoner fastest in wet start to Donington MotoGP

22 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Stoner fastest in wet start to Donington MotoGP

MotoGP world championship leader Casey Stoner clocked the fastest time on a soaked Donington Park circuit this morning, as title rival Valentino Rossi was the highest profile victim of the appalling...

British MotoGP: Bradley Smith sixth quickest in rain lashed 125 MotoGP session

22 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Bradley Smith sixth quickest in rain lashed 125 MotoGP session

British teenager Bradley Smith ended a rain-lashed opening 125 MotoGP free practice session with the sixth fastest time at Donington Park.  The Repsol Honda rider was one of several crashers as the...

British MotoGP: Colin Edwards reckons Michelin 16-inch rear tyre not ready

22 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Colin Edwards reckons Michelin 16-inch rear tyre not ready

Factory Yamaha rider Colin Edwards has told MCN it could be months before Michelin’s new 16-inch rear tyre is ready to race in the MotoGP world championship. The double World Superbike champion...

Bradley Smith, Dani Pedrosa, Colin Edwards and Marco Melandri talk to MCN

22 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith, Dani Pedrosa, Colin Edwards and Marco Melandri talk to MCN

Ahead of the biggest event in the British racing calendar, MotoGP reporter Matthew Birt spoke to some of the leading contenders about their plans for Donington Park. Check out the audio files below...

British MotoGP: Rossi unconcerned by dire Donington weather forecast

21 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Rossi unconcerned by dire Donington weather forecast

Valentino Rossi says the prospect of a wet race in Sunday’s British MotoGP at Donington Park doesn’t hold any major concerns as he bids to close a 14-point deficit on series leader Casey Stoner. In...

British MotoGP: Leon Haslam forced to reject Team Roberts MotoGP ride

21 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Leon Haslam forced to reject Team Roberts MotoGP ride

British Superbike rider Leon Haslam was forced to reject a late approach from Kenny Roberts’ MotoGP squad about a ride in this weekend’s British GP at Donington Park. The Banbury-based team contacted...

British MotoGP: Burgess: Engine performance more important than ever in MotoGP

21 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Burgess: Engine performance more important than ever in MotoGP

Valentino Rossi’s crew chief Jerry Burgess reckons engine performance is now more critical than ever in the new 800cc MotoGP era. The advantage held by Ducati’s impressive new factory GP7 has been...

British MotoGP: Dunlop confident of retaining MotoGP status

21 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Dunlop confident of retaining MotoGP status

Dunlop bosses are confident that its tyres will remain in the MotoGP world championship in 2008. Dunlop currently supplies tyres to Yamaha’s satellite Tech 3 squad with Makoto Tamada and Sylvain...

British MotoGP: Kevin Schwantz waiting on Suzuki's third MotoGP bike plan

21 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Kevin Schwantz waiting on Suzuki's third MotoGP bike plan

Kevin Schwantz has again reiterated his desire to make a full-time return to the MotoGP world championship in 2008. The Texan legend has been the subject of intense speculation he will return next...

British MotoGP: Kawasaki confirm West to ride ZX-RR for rest of MotoGP season

21 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Kawasaki confirm West to ride ZX-RR for rest of MotoGP season

Kawasaki’s factory MotoGP team has confirmed to MCN that Anthony West will join Randy de Puniet for the remainder of the 2007 world championship. As was revealed exclusively by MCN on Tuesday, the...

I'll be a VIP at the MotoGP

20 June 2007 by damo_np

All the competitions I’ve entered in the past… I’ve won the odd fiver. Oh, and a CD. Listening to Radio 2 last week I entered the competition to win some MotoGP tickets. I only won first prize! I nearly cried. Can’t wait!

British MotoGP: Colin Edwards still in frame for '08 Yamaha MotoGP ride

20 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Colin Edwards still in frame for '08 Yamaha MotoGP ride

Colin Edwards is still a part of Yamaha’s 2008 MotoGP world championship plans despite an alarming slump in results.  Edwards hasn’t been able to record a top six finish in the five races since his...

British MotoGP: Chris Vermeulen confident for Donington Park showdown

20 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Chris Vermeulen confident for Donington Park showdown

Aussie Chris Vermeulen is confident he will be able to mount a more serious threat at the front of the field in this weekend’s British MotoGP. The Aussie heads to Donington Park level on points with...

British MotoGP: Andrew Pitt eyes MotoGP return after Yamaha test

19 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Andrew Pitt eyes MotoGP return after Yamaha test

Aussie Andrew Pitt says he would love to return to the MotoGP world championship in the future after landing a testing job with Michelin and Yamaha.  Pitt made his first appearance on board a factory...

British MotoGP: Valentino Rossi admits 800s have made overtaking tougher

19 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Valentino Rossi admits 800s have made overtaking tougher

Valentino Rossi reckons the new generation 800cc machines have made overtaking in MotoGP a much tougher challenge than in previous years.   Dramatically higher corner speeds generated by the 250...

British MotoGP: Colin Edwards looking for return to form at Donington Park after 'joke' run

19 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: Colin Edwards looking for return to form at Donington Park after 'joke' run

American Colin Edwards is hoping this weekend’s British MotoGP at Donington Park will spark a much-needed revival in fortunes for the Fiat Yamaha rider. The Texan has endured a torrid recent run of...

British MotoGP: New chassis boost for MotoGP champ Nicky Hayden

19 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP: New chassis boost for MotoGP champ Nicky Hayden

Reigning MotoGP world champion Nicky Hayden is hoping a new chassis he will use for the first time in competition at this weekend’s British MotoGP will help spark some momentum into the defence of his...

West to ride factory Kawasaki for rest of 2007 MotoGP campaign

19 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

West to ride factory Kawasaki for rest of 2007 MotoGP campaign

Aussie Anthony West will ride a factory Kawasaki ZX-RR for the remainder of the 2007 MotoGP world championship. MCN can reveal the 25-year-old, currently running in World Supersport, has been signed...

Video: Amazing behind the scenes footage of the Ducati Desmosedici

19 June 2007 by Angus Farquhar

Video: Amazing behind the scenes footage of the Ducati Desmosedici

Ducati Corse, the racing arm of the Ducati factory threw open it’s doors and let in the video cameras to give you an amazing look inside the workings of this normally secret facility. Check out the...

Ducati MotoGP boss admits Casey Stoner exceeding expectations

18 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

Ducati MotoGP boss admits Casey Stoner exceeding expectations

Casey Stoner’s Ducati boss has admitted the Australian’s brilliant performances in the 2007 MotoGP world championship have gone well beyond pre-season expectations. Livio Suppo reckons he thought the...

Kawasaki to make Randy de Puniet new MotoGP contract offer

18 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

Kawasaki to make Randy de Puniet new MotoGP contract offer

Kawasaki bosses have confirmed to MCN they are on the brink of making a new contract offer to MotoGP rider Randy de Puniet.  The Japanese factory has an option on the French rider until July 1, 2007...

Yamaha cool on fifth MotoGP bike talk

16 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

Yamaha cool on fifth MotoGP bike talk

Yamaha has played down speculation it will run five bikes in the 2008 MotoGP world championship. With reigning world 250 champion Jorge Lorenzo seemingly a certainty to join Yamaha in MotoGP next...

British MotoGP 250 team forced to delay return

16 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

British MotoGP 250 team forced to delay return

The Winona WCM team has been forced to abandon plans to make a return to the world 250 championship at the British MotoGP. Issues with a proposed sponsorship deal have forced bosses Andy Hyde and...

Casey Stoner out in Montmelo?

16 June 2007 by Dave Hutchinson

Casey Stoner out in Montmelo?

I took this photo of my wife Nicola with ‘Casey’ in Montmelo, Barcelona, after his stunning victory over Rossi. (We were told after the photo that this was actually Casey’s brother). But thanks anyway...

Valentino Rossi: MotoGP qualifying tyre ban impossible to police

15 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi: MotoGP qualifying tyre ban impossible to police

A ban on qualifying tyres in MotoGP would be impossible to police, according to MotoGP world title rivals Casey Stoner and Valentino Rossi.  Prohibiting soft qualifying tyres has been discussed in...

MotoGP's Casey Stoner: 'Phillip Island test convinced me I could win'

15 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP's Casey Stoner: 'Phillip Island test convinced me I could win'

MotoGP world championship leader Casey Stoner reckons a successful test session at his home track in February started to convince him he could win on Ducati’s new GP7. A three-day session on home soil...

MotoGP stars Rossi and Capirossi to make Misano plea

14 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP stars Rossi and Capirossi to make Misano plea

Valentino Rossi and Loris Capirossi will record a special video message which will be played on big screens to fans at the Misano MotoGP race in September, 2007.  The Italian duo will make the video...

Hopkins: Bridgestone working hard on qualifying tyres

14 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

Hopkins: Bridgestone working hard on qualifying tyres

American John Hopkins believes Bridgestone is making big strides with its soft qualifying tyres.  The factory Suzuki rider tested five new qualifying tyres in a one-day test session at the Catalunya...

Ducati target 2010 deal for MotoGP star Casey Stoner

14 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

Ducati target 2010 deal for MotoGP star Casey Stoner

MotoGP world championship leader and current Ducati rider Casey Stoner is poised to begin talks with Ducati bosses about a long-term contract which will keep him with the Bologna factory until the end...

Catalunya GP

13 June 2007 by Darren Goodwin

Catalunya GP

Darren Goodwin at Catalunya. What better way to spend a Friday?! MCN, sunshine and MotoGP all day.

Crackin’ Catalunya

13 June 2007 by Ann-Marie Tattersall

This year was our second trip to the Catalunya GP – could it better than last year? Course it could! The Spanish really know how to put an event together and it felt right to congratulate them through MCN. From the ease of booking the tickets online to the military precision of crowd control when leaving the venue on race day the organisers had everything planned to perfection. The stands offer...

Hopkins fastest in Catalunya clash

12 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

Hopkins fastest in Catalunya clash

Suzuki’s John Hopkins may have just missed out on a podium in the epic Catalunya GP on Sunday, but staying on for tyre testing at the track he won the phoney war with the fastest ever bike lap of the...

Randy's get-off

12 June 2007 by r green

Randy's get-off

I was at Mugello for the race and got an 8-shot burst of Randy de Puniet’s crash including when he first started to lay the bike down and the sparks flew. Attached is one of him and his bike flying...

Catalunya MotoGP: West to test factory Kawasaki

10 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

Catalunya MotoGP: West to test factory Kawasaki

Australian Anthony West will test Kawasaki’s factory ZX-RR at the Catalunya circuit tomorrow. West will ride injured Frenchman Olivier Jacque’s bike to help Randy de Puniet, who despite producing a...

Catalunya MotoGP: Rea gets British GP test

10 June 2007 by Matthew Birt

Catalunya MotoGP: Rea gets British GP test

Jonathan Rea will test Kenny Roberts’ Honda-powered KR212V at Cadwell Park on Wednesday. The shakedown session has been hastily arranged to give the 20-year-old factory Honda British Superbike rider...