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: Folger ruled out of flyaways with illness

12 October 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Folger ruled out of flyaways with illness

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider Jonas Folger has been ruled out of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi and potentially even the remainder of the 2017 MotoGP season after being struck down by...

MotoGP: Test rider Aoyama to replace Miller for Motegi

06 October 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Test rider Aoyama to replace Miller for Motegi

Japanese test rider and former 250GP world champion Hiroshi Aoyama will return to MotoGP action at next weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, when he joins the Marc VDS Honda squad to replace the injured...

The Dainese behind the Doctor

05 October 2017 by James Archibald

The Dainese behind the Doctor

The MotoGP paddock operates like a well-oiled machine – not too dissimilar to the bikes which the race series features, and behind every rider are teams of professionals working to ensure the best...

Marquez calling for MX camp entries

03 October 2017 by Simon Patterson

Marquez calling for MX camp entries

Marc Marquez and insurance giant Allianz will once again team up to offer 20 youngsters from across Europe the chance for two days of MX tuition at the hands of the five-time world champion later this...

MotoGP: Reiterberger gets KTM test chance

03 October 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Reiterberger gets KTM test chance

German Superbike champion Marcus Reiterberger has been given a chance to make his MotoGP debut, after joining the Red Bull KTM squad during their private test last week at the Motorland Aragon circuit...

MotoGP: Miller breaks leg in training crash, will miss Motegi

02 October 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Miller breaks leg in training crash, will miss Motegi

Marc VDS Honda rider Jack Miller will miss the next round of the 2017 MotoGP championship at Honda’s home circuit of Motegi, after undergoing surgery to have a pin inserted into his tibia after...

Moto3: McPhee still without a ride for 2018

29 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: McPhee still without a ride for 2018

British Talent Team Honda rider John McPhee is still without a ride for 2018 despite a strong 2017 season so far, as the Scottish rider waits to hear back from MotoGP bosses on the future of the team...

MotoGP: Kallio set for fourth Valencia wildcard

29 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Kallio set for fourth Valencia wildcard

KTM test rider Mika Kallio will have a fourth wildcard in MotoGP come the final round of the season at Valencia, after successfully coming home in the points for the second time in two appearances...

MotoGP: Tardozzi says Stoner input crucial for 2018 Ducati

28 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Tardozzi says Stoner input crucial for 2018 Ducati

While Jorge Lorenzo might have come close to taking his first Ducati win on Sunday at Motorland Argon and Andrea Dovizioso might still sit second in the championship race, both riders are circumspect...

Moto3: Martin and Di Giannantonio to remain with Gresini

27 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Martin and Di Giannantonio to remain with Gresini

Moto3 championship contenders Jorge Martin and Fabio Di Giannantonio will remain with the Del Conca Gresini Honda team for 2018, after both riders signed to extend their deal yesterday in...

MotoGP: Rossi draws Pedrosa’s post-race fury

27 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rossi draws Pedrosa’s post-race fury

Valentino Rossi might have received praise for many of his rivals in Sunday’s Motorland Aragon round of the 2017 MotoGP championship for his incredible recovery after riding to an impressive fifth...

MotoGP: Dovi not worried about championship gap

27 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Dovi not worried about championship gap

Andrea Dovizioso has played down the 16-point gap in the 2017 MotoGP championship race that separates him from Marc Marquez after Sunday’s Aragon Grand Prix, admitting after the race that he always...

MotoGP: Another difficult weekend for Iannone and Suzuki

26 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Another difficult weekend for Iannone and Suzuki

Andrea Iannone, Alex Rins and the Suzuki MotoGP team have suffered through another difficult weekend at the Aragon Grand Prix, with Iannone bring home the squad’s only three points in 12th as local...

Moto2: Last lap battle ‘the usual approach’ for Morbidelli

26 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Last lap battle ‘the usual approach’ for Morbidelli

Moto2 championship leader Franco Morbidelli says that his ferocious last lap battle with fellow Italian Mattia Pasini in Sunday’s race at Motorland Aragon was nothing out of the ordinary for him...

MotoGP: Aragon track causes problems for rookie Lowes

26 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Aragon track causes problems for rookie Lowes

Sam Lowes says that part of the reason that he and his fellow MotoGP rookies struggled so much during Sunday’s Aragon Grand Prix at the Motorland Aragon track is simply the nature of the circuit...

MotoGP: Aragon podium ‘has a better flavour’ for Lorenzo

26 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Aragon podium ‘has a better flavour’ for Lorenzo

Jorge Lorenzo says that his podium finish at Sunday’s Aragon Grand Prix has a ‘better flavour’ than his debut podium for Ducati back at Jerez in May, after the five-time world champion managed to...

Moto3: Maria Herrera’s AGR team folds

25 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Maria Herrera’s AGR team folds

The AGR Moto2 and Moto3 team that ran American Joe Roberts and Grand Prix’s only female racer Maria Herrera will not complete the final four races of the 2017 season, after announcing today that they...

MotoGP: Marquez delighted with ‘tough’ race win

25 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Marquez delighted with ‘tough’ race win

Marc Marquez has admitted that he’s delighted with a ‘tough’ race win at his home event, after taking not only victory in yesterday’s Aragon Grand Prix but also the lead in the 2017 MotoGP...

MotoGP: Disappointing end after crash for Crutchlow

25 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Disappointing end after crash for Crutchlow

Cal Crutchlow has suffered a disappointing end to Sunday’s Aragon Grand Prix race, after the British racer crashed out of contention for a strong top six finish on the LCR Honda machine. Running with...

MotoGP: Zarco ‘expected to be stronger’ than ninth

25 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Zarco ‘expected to be stronger’ than ninth

Johann Zarco has admitted that he expected to finish Sunday’s race at the Motorland Aragon circuit much stronger than in ninth place, after failing to find a hoped-for boost at the end of the 23-lap...

Moto3: Big step forward for McPhee at Aragon

25 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Big step forward for McPhee at Aragon

Scottish racer John McPhee has come away from the Motorland Aragon circuit content with his weekend’s performance, after taking a decent top six finish in a shortened Moto3 outing at the Spanish...

MotoGP: Marquez masterclass to snatch championship lead

24 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Marquez masterclass to snatch championship lead

Marc Marquez has delivered a masterclass win at Motorland Aragon to extend his lead in the 2017 MotoGP season to 16 points, pulling ahead of Andrea Dovizioso with a ride that at times looked on the...

Moto2: Morbidelli puts it on the line with last lap win

24 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Morbidelli puts it on the line with last lap win

Franco Morbidelli has put it all on the line for five valuable championship points, by taking a last lap win over Mattia Pasini at Motorland Aragon, as he extends his championship lead back out to 21...

Moto3: Mir puts one hand on the title with Aragon win

24 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Mir puts one hand on the title with Aragon win

Joan Mir has put one hand on the 2017 Moto3 world title by taking a textbook last lap victory at Motorland Aragon, delivering a textbook final corner out-braking manoeuvre to take the win over Fabio...

Kazuki Masaki lifts Red Bull Rookies Cup crown

24 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

Kazuki Masaki lifts Red Bull Rookies Cup crown

Japanese rider Kazuki Masaki has lifted the 2017 Red Bull Rookies Cup crown with a race in hand, after taking a perfect victory over Ai Ogura by only a hundredth of a second at Motorland Aragon, after...

MotoGP: Q1 progression helps Lorenzo to front row

23 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Q1 progression helps Lorenzo to front row

Ducati rider Jorge Lorenzo sys being forced to progress from qualifying one to qualifying two for tomorrow’s Aragon Grand Prix helped him out in the long run, giving him valuable insight into track...

MotoGP: Superhero Rossi powers to front row start

23 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Superhero Rossi powers to front row start

A superheroic performance from Valentino Rossi had handed him pole position for tomorrow’s Aragon Grand Prix at the Motorland Aragon circuit, only 23 days after breaking his right leg and undergoing...

MotoGP: Crutchlow ‘Marquez crashing cost me pole position!’

23 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Crutchlow ‘Marquez crashing cost me pole position!’

Cal Crutchlow has put the blame on him missing out on pole position for tomorrow’s Aragon Grand Prix on fellow Honda rider Marc Marquez, jokingly suggesting that the Spaniard’s crash while he was...

Moto3: Martin on pole but grid penalties imminent

23 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Martin on pole but grid penalties imminent

Jorge Martin has taken pole position for tomorrow’s Moto3 race at Motorland Aragon – but with a series of grid penalties imminent for cruising during the session, it looks likely that the actual...

Moto2: Oliveira takes the top spot as confusion reigns

23 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Oliveira takes the top spot as confusion reigns

Miguel Oliveira will start tomorrow’s Moto2 race at Motorland Aragon from pole position – but only after confusion over a penalty for exceeding track limits initially saw the Red Bull KTM rider...

MotoGP: Marquez crash hands Viñales Aragon pole position, Rossi third

23 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Marquez crash hands Viñales Aragon pole position, Rossi third

A crash for Marc Marquez in the closing stages of today’s MotoGP qualifying at Motorland Aragon has handed pole position to title rival Maverick Viñales, with the Movistar Yamaha striking while...

MotoGP: Rossi feeling comfortable as he returns to action

22 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rossi feeling comfortable as he returns to action

Valentino Rossi says he’s feeling comfortable on his return to MotoGP action today at Motorland Aragon, only 22 days since undergoing surgery to have a broken right peg pinned after an enduro training...

MotoGP: ‘Virtually useless day’ for championship leader Dovi

22 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: ‘Virtually useless day’ for championship leader Dovi

Joint championship leader Andrea Dovizioso has described the first day of MotoGP action at Motorland Aragon as ‘virtually useless,’ as rain fell in both of the day’s practice sessions despite the...

Moto3: Canet ahead of Mir by a whisker

22 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Canet ahead of Mir by a whisker

Aron Canet has topped the opening day of Moto3 action at his home race at Motorland Aragon by a whisker, finishing only 0.009 ahead of runaway championship leader Joan Mir in mixed conditions at the...

MotoGP: Suzuki keen to keep Guintoli as test rider

22 September 2017 by Oli Rushby

MotoGP: Suzuki keen to keep Guintoli as test rider

Suzuki MotoGP boss Davide Brivio has said he’d like to continue working with 2014 World Superbike Champion Sylvain Guintoli in 2018 regardless of who he’s racing with. After a tough year in MCE...

Moto2: Pasini back on top in the rain

22 September 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Pasini back on top in the rain

Mattia Pasini has maintained his recent impressive record in the Moto2 class at Motorland Aragon by topping the opening day of action in mixed conditions at the Spanish circuit, holding off the...