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

Pitt sees positives

19 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Pitt sees positives

Despite a torrid Qatar test well off the pace of the front men, Ilmor rider Andrew Pitt says the bike is showing real strengths for when the engine management issue is cured. The Aussie told MCN:...

Loris: 'Qualifying vital'

19 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Loris: 'Qualifying vital'

A good performance in race simulations during tests last week won’t translate to a good race showing if he can’t qualify well, says Ducati’s Loris Capirossi after problems using qualifiers in the...

Jezza explains problems

19 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Jezza explains problems

Engine management remains the new Ilmor 800’s biggest Achilles heel according to Jeremy McWilliams, following a tough Qatar test this week. The Ulsterman, who trailed last in the timesheets after...

Breakthrough for Vermeulen

19 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Breakthrough for Vermeulen

A breakthrough in front-end set-up has left Chris Vermeulen upbeat after a difficult Qatar test this week for Chris Vermeulen. The Suzuki star found a set-up that allowed him to move away from usually...

Hopkins sees specialist

16 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Hopkins sees specialist

Suzuki’s John Hopkins will see a specialist in Derby tonight as he battles to recover from broken bones sustained in a sickening 120mph+ highside in testing yesterday. The Rizla man has broken two...

Jezza: "work to do"

16 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Jezza: "work to do"

Jeremy McWilliams rode through the pain barrier to complete 36 laps on the final day of testing in Qatar. The British veteran was not surprisingly last on the timesheets, with the new Ilmor still...

Barros crashes

16 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Brazilian veteran Alex Barros added his name to a long list of crashes at the Qatar test late on the final afternoon. The D’Antin Ducati rider lost the front end at Turn Two as he ended the day with...

Rossi Satisfied

16 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Rossi Satisfied

Valentino Rossi finished the Doha IRTA test in third place as he got a reminder that Dani Pedrosa is likely to pose the biggest threat to him winning back the MotoGP world crown in 2007. Rossi’s best...

Hayden struggles

16 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Hayden struggles

Reigning MotoGP world champion Nicky Hayden slumped to 14th fastest on the final day of testing in Qatar as he tried to bounce back from a day two horror show. The Repsol Honda rider crashed twice...

Dani quickest

16 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Spaniard Dani Pedrosa topped the timesheets at the end of the IRTA test in Qatar today as he saved Honda red faces in the Middle East. The triple world champion set a blistering best of 1.55.471 on a...

Hopkins in pain

16 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Hopkins in pain

American John Hopkins will fly back to the UK tonight and see a specialist in Derby next Monday to learn the extent of his injuries suffered in massive crash today in Qatar. The factory Suzuki rider...

Breaking news: Hopkins in hospital

15 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Breaking news: Hopkins in hospital

American John Hopkins has been transferred to a Doha hospital after suffering a massive crash just before the lunch break on the final day of testing in Qatar. The Rizla Suzuki rider suffered a huge...

Edwards continues form

15 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Edwards continues form

Texan Colin Edwards has continued to outpace his MotoGP rivals on race tyres in Qatar today. While John Hopkins topped the timesheets this morning, the factory Suzuki riders best time came on a...

Jezza and OJ return

15 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Jezza and OJ return

Walking wounded Jeremy McWilliams has returned to action in Qatar this morning (Thursday, February 15, 2007) after he missed day two of the Doha session. The 42-year-old British rider completed 18...

Kawasaki boss talks

15 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Kawasaki boss talks

The man leading up Kawasaki’s MotoGP effort has spoken about the 2007 season. The team sat Race Director Ichiro Yoda down for a mammoth Q&A to keep Kawaski fans in the loop – here’s what he had to...

Stoner's first Duke crash

15 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Stoner's first Duke crash

Casey Stoner suffered his first crash on board Ducati’s new GP7 800 Desmosedici in Qatar today but continued to overshadow experienced team mate Loris Capirossi. The Australian, who was third fastest...

Doha disaster for champ

15 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Doha disaster for champ

Nicky Hayden suffered a nightmare second day in Qatar as the reigning world champion crashed his new Honda RC212V twice to slump to 11th fastest. The American lost the front both times – the first...

Rossi wants stability

15 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Rossi wants stability

Valentino Rossi ended the second day of testing in Qatar today with the second fastest time as Yamaha’s new YZR-M1 800 contender continued to outgun its rivals. Rossi finished second overall behind...

Edwards leads Qatar after day two

15 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Edwards leads Qatar after day two

Colin Edwards maintained his dominant Doha form by topping the IRTA test timesheets for the second successive day in Qatar. The American’s best time of 1.56.296 set this morning was unbeaten as the...

Spills in Qatar

15 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Spills in Qatar

Shinya Nakano and Randy de Puniet both escaped injury from crashes today at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar. New Honda recruit Nakano crashed at the penultimate corner as he failed to...

Jezza out

14 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

British veteran Jeremy McWilliams has missed the second day of testing in Qatar today. Returning to the track for the first time since a 120mph horror crash at Jerez at the end of November left him...

Yamaha lead

14 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Factory Yamaha duo Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi continued to dominate the IRTA test in Qatar today after brilliant performances on the second morning. At lunch on day two, Edwards was again...

Jacque sits out day two

14 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Jacque sits out day two

French rider Olivier Jacque will try and return to action tomorrow (Thursday) in Qatar having decided to sit out day two of the IRTA test in Doha. Circuit doctors cleared Jacque to ride following a...

OJ concussed in Qatar

14 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

OJ concussed in Qatar

French rider Olivier Jacque is a major doubt for the rest of the first IRTA test in Qatar after he suffered concussion in a heavy crash this afternoon. The factory Kawasaki rider was taken by...

Tough return for Jezza

14 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Tough return for Jezza

British veteran Jeremy McWilliams bravely returned to track action in Qatar today after his injury nightmare. The Ilmor rider, hobbling around the paddock with a crutch, was unsurprisingly the slowest...

Hayden happier in Qatar

14 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Hayden happier in Qatar

Reigning world champion Nicky Hayden admitted he felt as happy as he has done all winter on Honda’s new RC212V as he finished the opening day in Qatar with the fifth best time. The American was only...

Capirossi crashes in Qatar

14 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Capirossi crashes in Qatar

Loris Capirossi emerged unscathed after he crashed his new Ducati GP7 800 late on the first afternoon of the IRTA test in Qatar today. The Italian walked away uninjured after the crash at the first...

Rossi behind Edwards

14 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Rossi behind Edwards

Just five days after he played second fiddle to factory Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards in Sepang, former world champion Valentino Rossi was beaten to the best time again by the American in Qatar...

Hayden storms desert

14 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Hayden storms desert

Reigning world champion Nicky Hayden has topped the timesheets on the first morning of the IRTA test in Qatar. Just before 1pm local time, the American posted an impressive 1.57.087 to leapfrog Yamaha...

Rossi sets Qatar pace

14 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Rossi sets Qatar pace

Valentino Rossi has laid down an early marker to his MotoGP rivals by breaking his own 990cc lap record on the opening morning of the Qatar IRTA test today. In what is a dress rehearsal for the...

Edwards' car switch

14 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Edwards' car switch

Colin Edwards is ploughing some of his hard earned cash into what he hopes will be a lucrative retirement plan by forming his own supercar club in America. The factory Yamaha rider unveiled his master...

Yamaha levels field

14 February 2007 by Mathew Birt

Yamaha levels field

Yamaha bosses have given Colin Edwards cast iron assurances that his factory Yamaha 800cc machine will start the new season next month getting exactly the same treatment as Valentino Rossi. Edwards...

Rossi finds fitness

14 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Rossi finds fitness

Valentino Rossi believes he is returning to his best fitness levels after he picked up the pace in Sepang this week as he continues to plot winning back the MotoGP crown in 2007. Rossi was 0.6s faster...

Rossi: No F1 distraction

14 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Rossi: No F1 distraction

Valentino Rossi has rebuked suggestions that a potential switch to Formula One with Ferrari was partly to blame for his shock MotoGP world championship defeat in 2006. This time last year Rossi was...

OJ to repay Kawasaki

13 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

OJ to repay Kawasaki

Former world 250 champion Olivier Jacque is confident he can repay the faith Kawasaki MotoGP bosses have shown in him after the French rider was plucked from the wilderness to make a full-time premier...

Improved Michelin rear

13 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Improved Michelin rear

Colin Edwards reckons Michelin’s aggressive winter development programme hasn’t only concentrated on the new impressive 16-inch front tyre. A batch of new spec rear tyres were tested at the Sepang...