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

Ecclestone: Rossi would have been mad to leave MotoGP

03 May 2007 by Matthew Birt

Ecclestone: Rossi would have been mad to leave MotoGP

Valentino Rossi would have been ‘stupid’ to have made a multi-million pound switch to Ferrari’s Formula One team for 2007. That’s the view of F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone – the man who was desperate...

Seeing the difference

02 May 2007 by Matthew Birt

Seeing the difference

In today’s print MCN (available from Wednesday, May 2, 2007) Kenny Roberts’ team has revealed just how different the new generation of 800s are to ride compared to the bigger 990s from last year. We...

Dorna chief: 'Teams too weak in finding sponsors'

02 May 2007 by Matthew Birt

Dorna chief: 'Teams too weak in finding sponsors'

MotoGP teams are currently too weak and not professional enough to secure big budget sponsorship deals that will safeguard their world championship future. In a brutally honest self assessment of the...

Melandri hoping early season nightmare is over

02 May 2007 by Matthew Birt

Melandri hoping early season nightmare is over

Italian Marco Melandri is hoping his early season nightmare is behind him as he focuses on breaking his 2007 MotoGP world championship podium duck in Shanghai. Melandri has struggled so far on Honda’s...

Edwards hopeful of Rossi engine for Shanghai

02 May 2007 by Matthew Birt

Edwards hopeful of Rossi engine for Shanghai

Colin Edwards is hoping that he will get his hands on Yamaha’s new factory YZR-M1 motor for the Shanghai GP in China. Fiat Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi used the upgraded in-line four-cylinder...

Ilmor to focus on engine development

30 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Ilmor to focus on engine development

As revealed in last week’s MCN, the British-based Ilmor MotoGP team will focus solely on engine development with a track return in 2007 still in major doubt. Ilmor boss Mario Illien announced this...

Vermeulen fearful of Ducati threat

30 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Vermeulen fearful of Ducati threat

Aussie Chris Vermeulen is fearful that the Japanese factories will be humbled again by Ducati in this weekend’s Shanghai GP in China. The impressive Shanghai circuit has two huge straights, including...

Hopkins confident for China despite new engine fear

27 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Hopkins confident for China despite new engine fear

Factory Suzuki rider John Hopkins is confident he can run at the front in the China GP on May 6, 2007 despite fears that a new engine may not be ready for the Shanghai clash. The American cast doubt...

Dorna chief plays down MotoGP cash concerns

26 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Dorna chief plays down MotoGP cash concerns

MotoGP boss Carmelo Ezpeleta has refuted suggestions that the current dire economic climate in world championship racing has reached crisis status. With only 19 riders on the grid and teams suffering...

Checa lined up to partner Hayden at Suzuka Eight-Hour

25 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Checa lined up to partner Hayden at Suzuka Eight-Hour

Reigning premier class world champion Nicky Hayden could be joined by fellow MotoGP rider Carlos Checa in one of Honda’s top factory teams competing in the prestigious Suzuka Eight-Hour endurance...

Q&A with Bridgestone boss following Turkish GP

25 April 2007

Q&A with Bridgestone boss following Turkish GP

Bridgestone enjoyed its most successful race weekend to date at the Istanbul Park in Turkey at the weekend. This is a circuit which has previously offered the tyre manufacturer one of...

Rossi opposes Ecclestone's GP shake-up idea

25 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Rossi opposes Ecclestone's GP shake-up idea

Valentino Rossi has spoken out against Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone’s suggestion the 125 and 250 GP classes should be stripped of their world championship status to help make MotoGP more...

Edwards seeks Michelin backlash

24 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Edwards seeks Michelin backlash

Double World Superbike champion Colin Edwards is confident Michelin will bounce back from its Turkey trouncing to turn the tables on tyre rivals Bridgestone in the Shanghai GP on May 6, 2007. The...

Hayden turns to US legend

23 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Hayden turns to US legend

Under pressure Nicky Hayden has turned to American racing legend Freddie Spencer in a bid to help prevent the defence of his MotoGP world championship crown turning into an embarrassing...

Michelin probe Rossi tyre vibe

23 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Michelin probe Rossi tyre vibe

With Valentino Rossi’s stinging criticism ringing in his ears, Michelin boss Jean-Philippe Weber flew back to France today to begin an immediate post mortem on the tyre disaster that struck the...

Stoner wins in Turkey

22 April 2007 by Rob Hull

Stoner wins in Turkey

Marlboro Ducati’s Casey Stoner has won his second race of the season at the third round of the MotoGP championship at Istanbul. The young Aussie took a dominant win from fellow young-gun Toni Elias...

Rossi and Edwards claim Yamaha pole one-two

21 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Rossi and Edwards claim Yamaha pole one-two

Fiat Yamaha duo Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards abruptly halted Ducati’s domination at the Istanbul Park by claiming the top two positions on the grid for tomorrow’s Turkish GP. Current world...

Bautista sets 250 pace

20 April 2007 by Sarah Carnell

Bautista sets 250 pace

Master MVA Aspar rider, Alvaro Bautista, is the provisional pole sitter for the 250 GP in Turkey after going fastest in the first qualifying practice. The Spaniard set the fastest lap of the session...

Stoner and Capirossi take charge in Istanbul

20 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Stoner and Capirossi take charge in Istanbul

Factory Ducati duo Casey Stoner and Loris Capirossi dominated this afternoon’s second free practice session at the Istanbul Park circuit in Turkey. Stoner, who claimed his one and only rookie MotoGP...

Turkey GP future in the air

20 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Turkey GP future in the air

This weekend’s Turkish MotoGP race at the impressive Istanbul Park racetrack could be the last with no decision taken yet on whether it will be dumped off the 2008 world championship schedule. In a...

Pasini on provisional 125 pole

20 April 2007 by Sarah Carnell

Pasini on provisional 125 pole

Polaris World rider Mattia Pasini is on provisional pole for Sunday’s Turkish 125 GP after setting the quickest time in qualifying practice one. Pasini recorded a best time of 2:05.739 on his Aprilia...

Lorenzo leads 250s

20 April 2007 by Sarah Carnell

Lorenzo leads 250s

Jorge Lorenzo topped the timesheets for the first 250cc practice of the weekend in Turkey. The Fortuna Aprilia rider, championship leader and winner of the first two races, set a time of 1:59.483 at...

Edwards fastest in crash strewn Turkey first session

20 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Edwards fastest in crash strewn Turkey first session

American Colin Edwards took the spoils in an opening MotoGP session at Istanbul littered with mistakes and crashes. Fiat Yamaha rider Edwards clocked a best time of 1.57.422 in just an eight-lap...

Brit smith tops first Turkey 125 practice

20 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Brit smith tops first Turkey 125 practice

Bradley Smith made a perfect start to the Turkish GP in Istanbul today (Friday) when he topped the 125 timesheets in the opening free practice session. The Repsol Honda rider clocked the best time of...

Roberts Jnr to get Istanbul upgrades

19 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Roberts Jnr to get Istanbul upgrades

Former world 500 champion Kenny Roberts Junior will run two modified swingarms at this weekend’s Turkish GP in Istanbul. This has been done in a bid to solve chronic rear grip issues that have...

F1 boss Ecclestone at Turkish GP

19 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

F1 boss Ecclestone at Turkish GP

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone made a surprise appearance in Istanbul today on the eve of the Turkish MotoGP weekend. It is not clear why Ecclestone is in Turkey or for how long he plans to...

Paul gets friendly with the Yamaha team

19 April 2007 by Linda Shaw

Paul gets friendly with the Yamaha team

Here are some pictures of my chap, Paul Weston, with Colin Edwards and Jerry Burgess. They were taken at Donington Park last year (2006).

Edwards eyeing Rossi and Pedrosa threat

19 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Edwards eyeing Rossi and Pedrosa threat

Fiat Yamaha rider Colin Edwards has targeted team-mate Valentino Rossi and Dani Pedrosa as the big threats in the 2007 MotoGP world championship, despite Casey Stoner’s promising start to the new...

Hopkins ready to take Suzuki engine gamble

18 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Hopkins ready to take Suzuki engine gamble

American John Hopkins is willing to gamble on running a new Suzuki V4 800cc motor on the opening day of this weekend’s Turkish GP in Istanbul. Suzuki rolled out a new motor for Hopkins and Rizla...

Gibernau ties the knot

18 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Gibernau ties the knot

Retired Spanish MotoGP racer Sete Gibernau continued to build his life away from racing recently when he married supermodel girlfriend Esther Canadas. The pair wed at a ceremony in Girona, just...

Stoner talks Turkey

18 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Stoner talks Turkey

Casey Stoner is confident he can repeat his 2006 podium finish in Istanbul this weekend to keep the pressure on early MotoGP world championship leader Valentino Rossi. Istanbul was the venue of...

Rossi to erase '06 Istanbul disaster

18 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Rossi to erase '06 Istanbul disaster

Former world champion Valentino Rossi will look to continue his brilliant start to the 2007 MotoGP world championship in Istanbul this weekend on a track where he is still to register a victory. The...

Hayden remaining positive ahead of Turkey

17 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Hayden remaining positive ahead of Turkey

Reigning world champion Nicky Hayden is refusing to let his bitterly disappointing start to the defence of his MotoGP crown dent his morale as he prepares for this weekend’s Turkish GP in...

Coghlan gets Turkish GP ride

16 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Coghlan gets Turkish GP ride

Scottish teenager Kev Coghlan will make a shock world championship comeback in this weekend’s Turkish 125 GP in Istanbul. Coghlan, who has a 100 per cent podium record in the 2007 British 125...

Vermeulen targets qualifying improvement

09 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Vermeulen targets qualifying improvement

Chris Vermeulen has admitted he must drastically improve on his qualifying performances to have any hope of adding to his one MotoGP podium finish in 2007. The factory Suzuki rider has struggled so...

Hopkins backs Rossi and Pedrosa for title scrap

08 April 2007 by Matthew Birt

Hopkins backs Rossi and Pedrosa for title scrap

American John Hopkins has backed MotoGP rivals Valentino Rossi and Dani Pedrosa to be the two main contenders for the 2007 premier class world championship crown. The Yamaha and Honda rivals are the...