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: ‘Crazy race and incredible weekend’ for Dovi

14 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: ‘Crazy race and incredible weekend’ for Dovi

Andrea Dovizioso says that his weekend at the Austrian was incredible despite a crazy end to Sunday’s battle with Marc Marquez with the Ducati rider coming out on top to take his third win of...

MotoGP: Dovi takes stunning last corner win

13 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Dovi takes stunning last corner win

Andrea Dovizioso has taken a stunning last corner victory over Marc Marquez to win the Austrian Grand Prix for Ducati for the second year in a row – and to make amends for losing out in last year’s...

Moto2: Morbidelli reasserts his dominance at Red Bull Ring

13 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Morbidelli reasserts his dominance at Red Bull Ring

Franco Morbidelli has launched himself back into control of the 2017 Moto2 season, after taking an impressive victory over teammate Alex Marquez at the Red Bull Ring – and to extend his championship...

Moto3: Mir extends championship lead with faultless win

13 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Mir extends championship lead with faultless win

Joan Mir has extended his lead in the Moto3 world championship with yet another faultless victory at the Austrian Grand Prix, picking his way through the field from a bad qualifying to take a...

Moto3: Rodrigo on pole as title challengers penalised

12 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Rodrigo on pole as title challengers penalised

Gabriel Rodrigo will start tomorrow’s Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring from pole position after taking the top spot for the second weekend in a row, in a dream qualifying session that saw his...

MotoGP: Marquez blitzes the opposition for Red Bull Ring pole

12 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Marquez blitzes the opposition for Red Bull Ring pole

Marc Marquez has blitzed his MotoGP opposition to take pole position for this year’s Austrian Grand Prix, rolling out a stunning lap to take the top spot from the Ducati duo of Andrea Dovizioso and...

MotoGP: Lorenzo unveils 'Diablo' helmet

12 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Lorenzo unveils 'Diablo' helmet

Jorge Lorenzo has unveiled a new ‘Diabolo’ themed helmet for this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix, as the Ducati rider goes into this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix full of confidence for his potential...

Moto2: Kent battered and bruised after Marquez collision

12 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Kent battered and bruised after Marquez collision

Danny Kent has had an ignominious return to the Moto2 championship, after getting taken out during his first session back in the class at the Austrian Grand Prix. He was involved in a free practice...

Moto2: Morbidelli back in control in tricky conditions

11 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Morbidelli back in control in tricky conditions

Franco Morbidelli has got his Moto2 title campaign back on track on the first day of action at the Austrian Grand Prix, holding off rival and last weekend’s winner Thomas Luthi for the top spot...

Moto3: Championship leader Mir leads the way

11 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Championship leader Mir leads the way

Moto3 championship leader Joan Mir has once again led the way on the opening day of action at the Czech Grand Prix, despite weather conditions meaning it was a tricky day of action for the lightweight...

MotoGP: Dovi tops the opening day of action in Austria

11 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Dovi tops the opening day of action in Austria

Andrea Dovizioso has started where he left off twelve months ago by topping the first day of MotoGP action for Ducati at the Austrian Grand Prix, by making the most of tricky conditions at the Red...

MotoGP: Redding to replace Lowes at Aprilia in 2018

11 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Redding to replace Lowes at Aprilia in 2018

As first reported by MCN a month ago, it now looks like Scott Redding will replace Sam Lowes at the Gresini Aprilia squad for the 2018 MotoGP season. Although the Italian manufacturer has still to...

Moto2: Kent to return in 2018 with Speed Up

11 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Kent to return in 2018 with Speed Up

2015 Moto3 world champion Danny Kent will return to the Moto2 world championship in 2018, after signing a two-year deal to join the Speed Up squad in the middleweight class. Kent has been without a...

MotoGP: Miller finally confirmed at Pramac Ducati for 2018

10 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Miller finally confirmed at Pramac Ducati for 2018

As MCN first reported over a month ago, Australian Jack Miller will make the switch from Honda machinery for the first time in his career next season with his move from Marc VDS to Pramac Ducati...

MotoGP: Marquez confident about not repeating 2016 struggles

10 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Marquez confident about not repeating 2016 struggles

Marc Marquez says he’s feeling confident that he and the Repsol Honda will suffer less this weekend at the Austrian Grand Prix than they did twelve months ago at the Red Bull Ring, with improvements...

MotoGP: Austria ‘not very favourable’ to Rossi and Yamaha

10 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Austria ‘not very favourable’ to Rossi and Yamaha

Valentino Rossi has admitted that despite a strong showing last weekend at Brno and a successful test that he topped the day after the Czech Grand Prix, he’s not confident of being too strong on the...

Moto2: Kent steps in to replace injured Schrotter

10 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Kent steps in to replace injured Schrotter

Danny Kent will return to the Moto2 world championship this weekend, as he replaces the injured Marcel Schrotter at the Dynavolt Intact GP Suter squad for this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix. It marks...

MotoGP: Where to host the British Grand Prix?

09 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Where to host the British Grand Prix?

With today’s exclusive MCN story that the Circuit of Wales’ contract with MotoGP bosses Dorna has expired, it reopens one of the most controversial questions in British motorcycling – should the...

MotoGP: Austria ‘another home race’ for Smith

09 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Austria ‘another home race’ for Smith

Bradley Smith says he’s going into this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in a very special position, with the Austrian manufacturer’s devout fanbase meaning that he gets the luxury...

MotoGP: British Grand Prix up for grabs

09 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: British Grand Prix up for grabs

The British Grand Prix could be set for a return to Donington Park, after MotoGP boss Carmelo Ezpeleta exclusively confirmed to MCN at the Czech Grand Prix that their contract with the ill-fated...

MotoGP: Dovi less enamoured with new Ducati fairing

08 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Dovi less enamoured with new Ducati fairing

Andrea Dovizioso has admitted that he’s less enamoured than teammate Jorge Lorenzo with the new aerodynamic fairing the manufacturer introduced at the Czech Grand Prix to help combat the loss of their...

MotoGP: Rossi tops Brno test with new carbon forks

08 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rossi tops Brno test with new carbon forks

Valentino Rossi has topped a day of testing at the Brno circuit following last weekend’s Czech Grand Prix, deposing Marc Marquez from the top spot with his fastest lap of the day coming as the last of...

MotoGP: Flag to flag masterclass from Marquez

06 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Flag to flag masterclass from Marquez

Marc Marquez has delivered a masterclass in flag to flag racecraft to take an incredible win at the Czech Grand Prix, taking his third victory of the 2017 MotoGP season by over tens seconds from...

Moto3: Textbook win for title leader Mir

06 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Textbook win for title leader Mir

Aron Mir has delivered a textbook victory at the Czech Grand Prix to extend his dominant Moto3 championship lead even further, picking his way through a wet but drying track to deliver a knockout blow...

MotoGP: Rossi delighted with front row start

06 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rossi delighted with front row start

Valentino Rossi is going into today’s Czech Grand Prix delighted with a front row start on the Movistar Yamaha – even if he admitted afterwards that he was expecting even more, believing that it...

MotoGP: Crutchlow survives battering day in Brno

05 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Crutchlow survives battering day in Brno

2016 Czech Grand Prix winner Cal Crutchlow has survived a battering day at the Brno circuit after a crash caused by track contamination left his participation in the event in doubt. The LCR Honda...

Moto2: Pasini extends dream season with first pole in a decade

05 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Pasini extends dream season with first pole in a decade

Mattia Pasini has extended his dream season in the Moto2 class with pole position for tomorrow’s Czech Grand Prix, furthering a year that saw him take a dark horse win at his home race in Mugello with...

Moto3: Rodrigo goes from medical centre to maiden pole in one lap

05 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Rodrigo goes from medical centre to maiden pole in one lap

Argentine racer Gabriel Rodrigo has gone from the medical centre to pole position for tomorrow’s Czech Grand Prix in only one lap, after missing out on the start of today’s qualifying session thanks...

MotoGP: Marquez romps to Brno pole

05 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Marquez romps to Brno pole

Marc Marquez has romped to pole position at the Czech Grand Prix, making the most of the Repsol Honda squad’s test at the Brno circuit last month to take the top spot for tomorrow’s race. Marquez...

MotoGP: Ducati debut new aero fairing

05 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Ducati debut new aero fairing

Ducati have unveiled their new aerodynamic fairing upgrade during free practice for the Czech Grand Prix at Brno, with Jorge Lorenzo taking to the track to trial the Italian manufacturer’s replacement...

MotoGP: ‘Important’ for Marquez to be comfortable in the wet

04 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: ‘Important’ for Marquez to be comfortable in the wet

Marc Marquez says that the opening day of MotoGP action at the Czech Grand Prix was an important experience for him, after wet conditions in the morning gave the championship leader the opportunity to...

MotoGP: Yamaha duo put positive spin on difficult day

04 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Yamaha duo put positive spin on difficult day

The Yamaha MotoGP duo of Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales have put a positive spin on the opening day of action at the Czech Grand Prix, despite the pair finishing a distant 14th and 11th...

Moto2: Pasini finds his form to lead at Brno

04 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Pasini finds his form to lead at Brno

Mugello race winner Mattia Pasini has launched himself to the top of the time sheets on the opening day of action at the Czech Grand Prix, after ending the say a quarter of a second ahead of a stellar...

MotoGP: Dovi maintains the momentum to top first day back

04 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Dovi maintains the momentum to top first day back

Andrea Dovizioso has maintained his momentum from before MotoGP’s four-week summer break to top the opening day of action at the Czech Grand Prix, running fast in both wet and dry conditions to end...

Moto3: Championship leader Mir tops opening day at Brno

04 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Championship leader Mir tops opening day at Brno

Moto3 championship leader Joan Mir has started where he left off after the first day of action at the Czech Grand Prix, topping free practice two and the day’s combined times as action resumes after...

MotoGP: Rested Rossi ready to get season back underway

03 August 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rested Rossi ready to get season back underway

A well-rested Valentino Rossi says he can’t wait to get the 2017 MotoGP season – and his aspirations for a tenth world title – back underway this weekend when action kicks off again at the Czech Grand...