MCN
Reviews For sale News Insurance

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

Capirossi takes 2nd pole

23 September 2005

Loris Capirossi has taken his second pole position in a week after securing the top spot at the Malaysian GP. The Ducati rider set a fastest lap of 2:01.731, 0.136 seconds ahead of Sete Gibernau who was the only non-Bridgestone rider in the top five. John Hopkins continued to impress on the Suzuki and will be starting tomorrow’s race in third place. Shinya Nakano took the Kawasaki to an...

Hopkins flies at Motegi

16 September 2005

125cc Qualifying Practice 1: 1. Kallio 1:59.137. 2. Simoncelli 1:59.682. 3. Poggiali 1:59.698. 4. Pasini 1:59.821. 5. Talmacsi 1:59.821. 6. Faubel 1:59.937. 7. Lai 1:59.982. 8. Koyama 1:59.984. 9. Bautista 2:00.142. 10. Luthi 2:00.272. 11. Kuzuhara 2:00.643. 12. Gadea 2:00.678. 13. Cortese 2:00.848. 14. Toth 2:01.030. 15. Simon 2:01.157. 16. Nieto 2:01.233. 17. De Rosa 2:01.337. 18. Masbou...

Byrne gets Honda ride

16 September 2005

Byrne gets Honda ride

Shane Byrne will be handed a once in a lifetime opportunity to resurrect his MotoGP career after being told he’s landed a Honda RCV ride in Malaysia and Qatar. The 2003 British superbike champion...

Capriossi on Japan pole

16 September 2005

125cc final qualifying: 1. Talmacsi 1:58.653. 2. Koyama 1:58.920. 3. Pasini 1:58.970 4. Simoncelli 1:59.038. 5. Faubel 1:59.143. 6. Kallio 1:59.166. 7. Luthi 1:59.363. 8. Poggiali 1:59.460 9. Bautista 1:59.539. 10. Gadea 1:59.596. 11. Simon 1:59.660. 12. Di Meglio 1:59.724. 13. Nieto 1:59.874. 14. Tunez 2:00.106. 15. Cortese 2:00.181. 16. Jerez 2:00.281. 17. Zanetti 2:00.287. 18. Iannone...

Rossi crashes in Japan

16 September 2005

Rossi crashes in Japan

Valentino Rossi crashed out of a dramatic Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi, postponing his chance to wrap up the world championship. From the start it was Marco Melandri who led the race, with Max...

GP title at Sepang race?

16 September 2005

GP title at Sepang race?

Valentino Rossi can take his fifth successive world championship this weekend as the Malaysian Grand prix begins on Friday, September 23, 2005. The Italian needs just a fourth place to clinch the...

Bayliss out of Japan GP

09 September 2005

Bayliss out of Japan GP

Troy Bayliss has pulled out of the Japanese GP after injuring his wrist while motocrossing. Bayliss is now awaiting further treatment to determine how quickly after Motegi he can be back in...

Signed Rossi lid: £4500!

09 September 2005

Signed Rossi lid: £4500!

Harrods is selling a limited-edition exact replica of MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi’s helmet – for a champagne-spraying £4500! They have just one and say there are only 46 of this precise...

Ukawa in for Bayliss

09 September 2005

Ukawa in for Bayliss

Honda test rider Tohru Ukawa will ride at the Motegi MotoGP round as a replacement for the injured Troy Bayliss in the Camel Honda squad. Ukawa will partner Alex Barros on the RC211V, having ridden...

Rossi F1 move latest

02 September 2005

Rossi F1 move latest

MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi will only get a place in the Ferrari F1 team if he has a serious chance of winning the world championship – according to BBC reports. Ferrari chairman Luca Di...

Hopkins stays at Suzuki

26 August 2005

Hopkins stays at Suzuki

The Suzuki MotoGP squad has officially announced current rider John Hopkins will stay with the team for the next two seasons. Hopkins, 22, has ridden for the team since 2003, and the team believe he...

Brno Friday practice

26 August 2005

Brno Friday practice

Valentino Rossi has gone fastest in the second practice session for the Czech MotoGP round at Brno on Sunday, August 28, 2005. Rossi posted a time of 1:59.278 on the final of his 21 completed laps to...

Gibernau on Brno pole

26 August 2005

Gibernau on Brno pole

Sete Gibernau has taken pole position for the Czech GP at brno tomorrow, Sunday, August 28, 2005, in a qualifying session which saw Valentino Rossi only capable of fourth on the grid. Gibernau...

Rossi wins in Brno drama

26 August 2005

Rossi wins in Brno drama

Valentino Rossi has won the Czech Grand Prix at Brno on Sunday August 28,2005, as dramatic action unfolded all around him. The race unfolded with several battles throughout the field. But it was the...

Blata V6: first picture

19 August 2005

Blata V6: first picture

This is the first picture of the Blata V6 MotoGP machine looking close to completion, and ready for the WCM team to race. Unfortunately it isn’t quite ready in time for the scheduled debut at the...

Roberts bites back

19 August 2005

Roberts bites back

A week after the announcement that KTM were withdrawing their support of the Team Roberts MotoGP bike, the team has issued a response claiming KTM has “failed to live up to their reponsibilities”. ...

Three Suzukis for Brno

19 August 2005

Three Suzukis for Brno

The Suzuki MotoGP squad will field three riders at the Czech MotoGP round at Brno on Sunday, August 28,3005. John Hopkins will be back at full fitness following an operation to plate his broken left...

Shakey out of MotoGP

12 August 2005

Shakey out of MotoGP

KTM has announced it will not supply engines to the Team Roberts MotoGP squad which currently fields British rider Shane Byrne. The Austrian firm will continue in the 125cc and 250cc classes, with...

£2725 for signed sofa

12 August 2005

£2725 for signed sofa

The MCN sofa signed by the stars has sold for £2725 in MCN Auctions. Bidding closed in the early hours of Saturday morning with the Flying Aardvarks MCC bidding biggest. Charity Riders For Health get...

Honda's new V3 800

12 August 2005

Honda's new V3 800

Honda will build a V3 to compete in MotoGP when rules limit capacity to 800cc in 2007. See an under-the-skin artist’s impression in this week’s MCN – out on August 17 – and read how Honda insiders...

Rossi set to be F1 tester

05 August 2005

Rossi set to be F1 tester

Reports in the Italian press suggest MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi is being lined up to become Ferrari’s official F1 test driver in 2007. Rossi tested a Ferrari last week behind closed doors...

Yamaha keep Rossi in '06

01 August 2005

Yamaha keep Rossi in '06

Yamaha has officially confirmed that Valentino Rossi will stay with the team for the 2006 MotoGP world championship. The five-times world champion is leading the current championship by 120 point...

Rossi tests F1 Ferrari

01 August 2005

Rossi tests F1 Ferrari

Valentino Rossi has been testing a Ferrari F1 car – just a day after signing up to stay with Yamaha. Rossi tested with Ferrari last year. But unlike on that occasion, this year his Yamaha team boss...

Rossi steals German win

29 July 2005

Rossi steals German win

Valentino Rossi stole victory at the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring following a mistake by Sete Gibernau on the final lap. The Italian reigning world champion won his 76th GP victory by just...

Barros tops first day

29 July 2005

Barros tops first day

Alex Barros has set the fastest time on the first day of the German GP. The Camel Honda rider only managed 15 minutes in the second session before crashing his second bike of the day, but it was...

Hayden on German pole

29 July 2005

Hayden on German pole

Nicky Hayden has taken his second pole position of the season after the qualifying session for the German GP. The American Repsol Honda rider set the best lap of 1:22.785 on his last lap of the...

Jacque races German GP

22 July 2005

Jacque races German GP

Kawasaki are hoping that Olivier Jacque will repeat his Shanghai GP success after deciding to run him alongside regular riders Alex Hoffman and Shinya Nakano at the German GP this weekend. The French...

Rossi on Donington pole

22 July 2005

Rossi on Donington pole

Valentino Rossi has taken pole position for the British GP at Donington Park. Rossi lead home the field on the overcast but dry qualifying session, beating Sete Gibernau to the top spot and leaving...

Barros fined £1.7m

22 July 2005

Barros fined £1.7m

Despite coming third in the British GP Alex Barros did not have a good weekend, finding out that he has just been fined nearly £2 million for breaking his contract with Gauloise Yamaha. Spanish...

Donington GP is Go!!!!!

22 July 2005

Donington GP is Go!!!!!

The MotoGP weekend is Go!!!!!!!!!!! Practice started at 9am on Friday It was cloudy and 14 degrees as the 125s went out for first practice at 9am. Times from that session are listed through the...

How was the GP for you?

22 July 2005

How was the GP for you?

How was your experience of Donington MotoGP? Was the parking and traffic organisation a real improvement? Or was it chaos as usual for you? What did you make of the ticketing, toilets and...

Soaked Rossi takes win

22 July 2005

Soaked Rossi takes win

Valentino Rossi won a very wet British MotoGP at Donington Park on Sunday in a dramatic race with only 11 finishers. They included Kenny Robert who grabbed second from Alex Barros in a brave last lap...

Meet stars of MotoGP

15 July 2005

Meet stars of MotoGP

Two of MotoGP’s biggest names will take part in a live chat show tonight (July 19) and you can be in the audience. Colin Edwards and Marco Melandri will be at Club Amadeus in Northallerton, North...

Visit the Day of Champs

15 July 2005

Visit the Day of Champs

Start coughing, complaining of feeling a bit rough – or be up front and book the day off because Thursday (July 21) is the Day Of Champions at Donington Park – your chance to rub shoulders with...

5 wildcards for GP 125s

15 July 2005

5 wildcards for GP 125s

Five British wildcards have been granted entry into the 125 GP at July 24’s Donington Park British GP. Racing bosses at the FIM usually only allow three wild cards per class but the UK’s ACU asked...

Day of Champs in pics

15 July 2005

Day of Champs in pics

The Day of Champions at Donington Park on Thursday attracted 6000 race fans to the annual fund-raiser for Riders For Health. MCN was there, backing the stunt shows, taking part in the super anorak...