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

Nicky grabs 16 inch

05 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Nicky grabs 16 inch

Reigning world champion Nicky Hayden has already made his mind up that he will start the defence of his MotoGP world title in Qatar on March 10 using Michelin’s new 16-inch front tyre on his Honda 800...

Nakano motivated

05 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Nakano motivated

New Honda recruit Shinya Nakano is determined not to blow his big MotoGP chance on board the new RC212V after quitting Kawasaki’s factory team at the end of 2006. Nakano spent three years as...

Barros backs Biaggi

05 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Barros backs Biaggi

Alex Barros believes former MotoGP rival Max Biaggi will find it easier in World Superbikes than he did because the Italian is lining up in Suzuki’s official factory squad. Barros raced for the Klaffi...

Vermeulen confident

04 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Vermeulen confident

Chris Vermeulen is confident that Suzuki’s new GSV-R 800 will return to form in testing at Qatar next week. The Australian’s brilliant winter testing displays stalled recently on home soil at Phillip...

Race focus for Melandri

04 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Race focus for Melandri

Honda rider Marco Melandri says he is not concerned about being at the top end of the winter testing timesheets with the new MotoGP season just five weeks away. Melandri has finished 2007 tests in...

Loris: Smaller is better

04 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Loris: Smaller is better

Factory Ducati number one Loris Capirossi is likely to shun the chance to race with Bridgestone’s big profile 16.5-inch rear tyre when the new MotoGP campaign gets underway in Qatar. Capirossi said...

Hopper to bounce back

04 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Hopper to bounce back

Factory Suzuki rider John Hopkins reckons he will bounce back from the recent disappointment of his poor showing in Phillip Island when he continues his 2007 MotoGP preparations in Qatar. Hopkins had...

800 corner speed concern

03 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

800 corner speed concern

Faster corner speeds run by the new generation 800cc machines could be an issue in certain high-speed corners in 2007. That’s the view of factory Ducati rider Casey Stoner, who reckons tracks like...

Melandri's weight issue

03 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Melandri's weight issue

Marco Melandri reckons he will be in better form at the IRTA test in Qatar having resolved a front-end problem he suffered in Phillip Island recently. Melandri was complaining of front-end grip...

PI hid Honda problems

03 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

PI hid Honda problems

Marco Melandri reckons the fast and flowing nature of the Phillip Island circuit masked some of the horsepower problems on Honda’s new RC212V 800 machine. Melandri was only 10th quickest overall at...

Elias backs Honda

03 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Elias backs Honda

Spaniard Toni Elias has backed Honda to turn its new RC212V 800cc machine into a race winner from the start of the 2007 MotoGP season. The Gresini rider, who played a massive role in the destiny of...

Checa's special delivery

03 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Checa's special delivery

Spaniard Carlos Checa believes Honda’s new RC212V 800cc is getting competitive at the right time with just two more tests before the 2007 MotoGP world championship gets underway next month. The LCR...

Tyre question for Dani

02 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Tyre question for Dani

Dani Pedrosa is still to be convinced that Michelin’s new 16-inch front tyre is the way forward in the 2007 MotoGP world championship. The French tyre manufacturer has asked all of its riders to...

Barros happy with style

02 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Barros happy with style

Brazilian veteran Alex Barros said he has had no trouble in quickly adapting to the new riding style required on the 800cc MotoGP machines. Having spent a year away from the MotoGP arena in World...

Blog: Sepang over

02 February 2007 by Matthew birt

Blog: Sepang over

Howdy folks, sorry I didn’t blog last night but I didn’t get back from the track until 10pm, grabbed some room service and crashed out in a crumpled heap. Firstly a quick update on the sunburn, which...

Fitness boost for Stoner

02 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Fitness boost for Stoner

Aussie Casey Stoner will go into his debut season with Ducati’s factory MotoGP squad confident a punishing winter training regime will help make him a more formidable opponent in 2007. Stoner was...

Hoffman: 800s no safer

02 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Hoffman: 800s no safer

Alex Hofmann reckons the switch to smaller capacity 800cc machines won’t significantly improve safety in the MotoGP world championship for 2007. Capacity was slashed from the old 990cc limit and fuel...

Checa in comfort zone

01 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Checa in comfort zone

Carlos Checa admitted he is finally comfortable and adapted to Honda’s new 800cc MotoGP contender after he finished the Phillip Island test with the fourth fastest time on race tyres. Checa has so far...

Hopper struggles in Oz

01 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Hopper struggles in Oz

John Hopkins’ blistering start to the new 800cc MotoGP era stalled in Phillip Island. The American, who was only just beaten to being fastest by seven-times world champion Valentino Rossi last week in...

Rossi extends Yam deal

01 February 2007 by MCN

Rossi extends Yam deal

Valentino Rossi has surprised racing by extending his Yamaha contract by a year to the end of 2008, making sure the season is free from speculation about his future plans. The 2005 season was filled...

Hayden fastest in Oz

01 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Hayden fastest in Oz

Reigning world champion Nicky Hayden refused to get carried away despite topping the final timesheets at the Phillip Island test in Australia today. The American set a best time of 1.29.52 on a soft...

Ducati ready to race

01 February 2007 by Matthew Birt

Ducati ready to race

Loris Capirossi believes Ducati’s new GP7 is ready to race and be at the front after he finished the Phillip Island test with fourth fastest time. The veteran Italian was second quickest on race tyres...

Video: KR Snr

01 February 2007 by MCN

Matt Birt, MCN’s dedicated MotoGP reporter manages to get a few moments with Kenny Roberts Snr at the Sepang test in Malaysia. Watch this clip to hear what Roberts has to say about testing, the teams...

Video: Rizla GP boss

01 February 2007 by MCN

Video: Rizla GP boss

The MotoGP Rizla Suzuki squad suprised many last last week setting blistering times at the Sepang tests. Matt Birt, MCN’s MotoGP reporter grabbed a quick interview with the man running the GP Suzuki...

Alex thanks Alex

31 January 2007 by Matthew Birt

Alex thanks Alex

Alex Hofmann has paid tribute to experienced D’Antin Ducati team-mate Alex Barros, as the German was the big surprise on the second day of testing in Phillip Island. Hofmann was fifth quickest in...

Shoulder relief for Hayden

31 January 2007 by Matthew Birt

Shoulder relief for Hayden

Reigning world champion Nicky Hayden battled a front-end grip problem with his new factory Honda RC212V to finish sixth fastest in Australia today. Hayden was frustrated and disappointed with his...

Loris gets physical

31 January 2007 by Matthew Birt

Loris gets physical

Italian veteran Loris Capirossi believes that Ducati’s new 800cc GP7 is more physically demanding than the old 990cc machine. Capirossi was second fastest on race tyres on day two in Australia with a...

Geese stop play

31 January 2007 by Matthew Birt

Geese stop play

Two wild geese caused a short and surprise delay to the second day of MotoGP testing at the Phillip Island circuit in Australia. The birds were spotted between turns eight and nine, and circuit...

Barros continues form

31 January 2007 by Matthew Birt

Barros continues form

Alex Barros set the fastest time for the second day running at Phillip Island as Ducati and Bridgestone dominated in Australia. Ducati and Bridgestone riders logged four out of the top five best times...

Fiat/Yamaha deal close

31 January 2007 by Matthew Birt

Fiat/Yamaha deal close

Yamaha seems poised to clinch a shock sponsorship deal with Italian car giant Fiat for the 2007 MotoGP World Championship. Although Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards are not currently testing at the...

Ill Nakano stops early

30 January 2007 by Matthew Birt

Ill Nakano stops early

Shinya Nakano’s tough start to his Honda MotoGP career continued in Australia today, as sickness restricted the Japanese rider to just 48 laps at Phillip Island. The illness left Nakano beating a...

Rossi: More to come

30 January 2007 by Matthew Birt

Rossi: More to come

Factory Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi says there’s plenty more still to come from him despite his impressive first outing of 2007 in Sepang. The seven-time world champion was fastest in the baking heat...

Suzuki off pace in Oz

30 January 2007 by Matthew Birt

Suzuki off pace in Oz

Suzuki suffered its worst day of the new 800cc MotoGP today as John Hopkins and Chris Vermeulen were comprehensively outpaced on the opening day of testing in Phillip Island. Both were consistently a...

Rossi misses 990s

30 January 2007 by Matthew Birt

Rossi misses 990s

Valentino Rossi claims he still misses the brutal power of the old 990cc four-strokes as he continues to adapt to Yamaha’s new 800cc machine. Rossi was concerned that the switch to less powerful...

Motocrossing Marco

30 January 2007 by Matthew Birt

Motocrossing Marco

Marco Melandri had a lucky escape on the first day of testing at Phillip Island today after he ran off the track flat-out in sixth gear at the Australian tracks perilous first corner. The Italian ran...

Pick your Fantasy teams for 2007

30 January 2007 by Richard Fairbairn

Pick your Fantasy teams for 2007

THIS IS NOW CLOSED CLICK HERE FOR THE 2008 FANTASY ROAD RACE Who cares who wins the MotoGP, WBS, or BSB titles… the real action will be taking place in office and mates’ mini-leagues around the...