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: Lorenzo not taking too much from opening night fifth

24 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Lorenzo not taking too much from opening night fifth

Jorge Lorenzo is keen not to take too much from his fifth placed finish on the opening night of action for the 2017 MotoGP season, coming away reserved despite the strong result ln his opening night...

MotoGP: Viñales not out to change much after flying start

24 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Viñales not out to change much after flying start

Movistar Yamaha rider Maverick Viñales says he’s not out to change much on his M1 machine, after making a stunning start to the 2017 season last night under the floodlights, dipping well under the...

Moto2: Luthi edges out Nakagami to top day one

23 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Luthi edges out Nakagami to top day one

Thomas Luthi has edged out Takaaki Nakagami to top the opening day of Moto2 action in 2017, finishing ahead of his fellow Kalex rider by only 0.080 after two sessions under the floodlights at Qatar’s...

Moto3: Oettl a surprise at the top of the time sheets

23 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Oettl a surprise at the top of the time sheets

Philipp Oettl has made a surprise appearance at the top of the time sheets after the opening night of Moto3 action in 2017, finishing ahead of Joan Mir and Gabriel Rodrigo under the floodlights in...

MotoGP: Viñales makes his mark on opening night

23 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Viñales makes his mark on opening night

Maverick Viñales has once again made his mark on the 2017 MotoGP world championship by topping the opening night of the season under the floodlights at Qatar’s Losail circuit, finishing ahead of the...

MotoGP: Rea rates the Ducati riders

23 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rea rates the Ducati riders

MCN has recruited the help of double and reigning World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea for this year’s MotoGP preview, to get some real expert opinion from a man who’s not only at the top of his game...

MotoGP: Extra sessions planned as rain set to hit opening night

23 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Extra sessions planned as rain set to hit opening night

MotoGP organisers are making contingency plans for an extra session tonight on the opening night of the 2017 season, with rain set to hit Qatar and riders preparing to take to the Losail circuit for...

MotoGP: Lorenzo going to Qatar ‘confident and optimistic’

22 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Lorenzo going to Qatar ‘confident and optimistic’

Jorge Lorenzo says he’s going into the opening round of the 2017 MotoGP season ‘confident and optimistic,’ after coming away from the final preseason test at the Losail circuit last week delighted...

MotoGP: Rea rates the Repsol Honda riders

22 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rea rates the Repsol Honda riders

MCN has recruited the help of double and reigning World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea for this year’s MotoGP preview, to get some real expert opinion from a man who’s not only at the top of his game...

MotoGP: Rossi ready to race after ‘challenging’ winter

22 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rossi ready to race after ‘challenging’ winter

Valentino Rossi says he’s glad we’re finally at the opening round of the 2017 MotoGP season after a winter of testing that the nine-time world champion described as ‘challenging,’ after struggling to...

MotoGP: Qatar ‘not the best circuit’ for Marquez’s riding style

21 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Qatar ‘not the best circuit’ for Marquez’s riding style

Marc Marquez has admitted that the home of the opening round of the 2017 MotoGP world championship is very definitely not the place that he wants the season to be kicking off. A track where both rider...

Video: 42 questions with Alex Rins

21 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

Video: 42 questions with Alex Rins

Which was his worst subject at school? Which is his favourite social network? What does he feel in a Grand Prix Sunday? Or which superpower would he like to have? These are some of the 42 questions...

MotoGP: Race control clarifies new aero rules

21 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Race control clarifies new aero rules

MotoGP race director Mike Webb has clarified the series’ new rules on aerodynamic fairings, after a number of teams rolled out new fairings at last week’s Qatar test in an attempt to get around last...

Moto2: Marc VDS duo set for title challenge

20 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Marc VDS duo set for title challenge

The Marc VDS duo of Franco Morbidelli and Alex Marquez say they’re ready to challenge for the Moto2 world title, after a strong series of preseason tests for the pair concluded last night in...

MotoGP: Qatar ‘won’t run in wet conditions unless every rider agrees’

20 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Qatar ‘won’t run in wet conditions unless every rider agrees’

Plans to ride on if it rains for this weekend’s opening round of the MotoGP championship under the floodlights in Qatar have not yet been confirmed, according to race director Mike Webb – and won’t be...

Moto2: Morbidelli tops shortened day, Nakagami stays in overall control

19 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Morbidelli tops shortened day, Nakagami stays in overall control

Franco Morbidelli has topped the final day of winter testing on the Marc VDS Kalex machine, finishing ahead of Miguel Olivera and Thomas Luthi but unable to go faster than Takaaki Nakagami’s time from...

Moto3: Guevara fastest in high winds as Fenati top overall

19 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Guevara fastest in high winds as Fenati top overall

Juanfran Guevara has topped the final day of Moto3 testing at Losail, finishing 0.1 ahead of Ayumu Sasaki but unable to beat Romano Fenati’s times from yesterday as high winds hit the Qatari...

Moto3: Strong finish to second day for McPhee

19 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Strong finish to second day for McPhee

John McPhee has come away from his first full day of testing at Qatar’s Losail circuit pleased with a strong finish to the day, taking ninth overall and feeling positive with the pace at which he’s...

Moto2: Too much grip causing tyre problems for Kent

19 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Too much grip causing tyre problems for Kent

Former Moto3 world champion Danny Kent says that the design of the new Suter chassis that he’ll ride for Kiefer Racing in Moto2 this year seems to favour cooler conditions, after a strong opening...

Moto3: Fenati takes top spot on first full day at Losail

18 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Fenati takes top spot on first full day at Losail

Romano Fenati has topped all three sessions on the first day of action at Qatar’s Losail circuit to top the time sheets on the first full day of testing, finishing with a 2:06.690 to fractionally hold...

Moto2: Nakagami tops first sessions of Qatar test

18 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Nakagami tops first sessions of Qatar test

Takaaki Nakagami has topped the delayed opening sessions of the final Moto2 preseason test of the year at Qatar, finishing ahead of the Marc VDS duo of Frankie Morbidelli and Alex Marquez after rain...

Video: Ice Day with Loris Baz

18 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

Video: Ice Day with Loris Baz

While flat track racing has become the new norm for winter training for a host of MotoGP stars since Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez proved the benefits of it, Frenchman Loris Baz has taken the...

Moto3: Opening night of Qatar test abandoned

17 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Opening night of Qatar test abandoned

The opening night of action at the combined Moto2 and Moto3 test in Qatar has been abandoned, after heavy rain hit the Losail circuit only an hour into the evening’s planned track action. With only...

MotoGP: Dovi targeting Viñales as the man to beat

17 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Dovi targeting Viñales as the man to beat

Andrea Dovizioso has set his sights on Maverick Viñales as the man to beat if he’s to have any hopes of replicating his maiden win from Sepang last year when the MotoGP season kicks off at Losail in...

MotoGP: Iannone ‘neither happy nor sad’ after final test

16 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Iannone ‘neither happy nor sad’ after final test

Andrea Iannone says he’s come away from the final preseason test of the 2017 MotoGP year ‘neither happy nor sad’ after continuing to make progress as he learns the nuances of the Suzuki GSX-RR...

MotoGP: Redding happy with Qatar breakthrough

16 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Redding happy with Qatar breakthrough

Scott Redding has come away from the final preseason test of 2017 much happier with his level on the Pramac Ducati, after making a significant breakthrough on the second day of the three-day...

MotoGP: Marquez happy despite three crashes on final day

15 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Marquez happy despite three crashes on final day

Reigning MotoGP world champion The Repsol Honda rider came away from the final test of the 2017 preseason in tenth overall – but says that despite both results and test, he’s happy with the work that...

Moto3: McPhee has positive official test on British Talent Honda

15 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: McPhee has positive official test on British Talent Honda

John McPhee has had a positive outing on his new Honda Talent Team Honda for the first official Moto3 test of 2017, joining the rest of the field for three days at Jerez at the weekend and coming away...

MotoGP: Channel 5 announce free-to-air highlights package

15 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Channel 5 announce free-to-air highlights package

Channel 5 will show free to air MotoGP highlights on a Monday night throughout the 2017 season, after an eleventh hour deal confirmed only days before the season is set to kick off in Qatar. The new...

MotoGP: Tech 3 rookies continue to learn

14 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Tech 3 rookies continue to learn

The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 duo of MotoGP rookies Jonas Folger and Johann Zarco have continued to make impressive progress at the final preseason test of 2017, with both of them finishing comfortably...

MotoGP: Increased confidence for Lowes in Qatar

14 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Increased confidence for Lowes in Qatar

Gresini Aprilia rider Sam Lowes says he’s come away from the final preseason test of the 2017 MotoGP season pleased with the improvements to his confidence that he’s made, after a series of crashes...

MotoGP: Rossi disappointed with final day of testing

13 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rossi disappointed with final day of testing

Valentino Rossi has been left disappointed by his final day of testing action of the 2017 preseason, after failing to capitalise on improvements made on the second day and failing to go any...

MotoGP: New Ducati fairing answers underseat box mystery

13 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: New Ducati fairing answers underseat box mystery

The radical new Ducati fairing unveiled at this week’s Qatar test has answered one mystery that’s been plaguing journalists in the paddock since it was first introduced – the contents of the extended...

MotoGP: Crutchlow ‘satisfied’ with Qatari test

13 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Crutchlow ‘satisfied’ with Qatari test

Cal Crutchlow says he’s satisfied with the progress that he and the LCR Honda squad made during three days of testing in Qatar, after the double race winner came away eighth overall. Working mainly on...

MotoGP: Ducati duo pleased with progress

13 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Ducati duo pleased with progress

The Ducati duo of Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Dovizioso are heading home from the final MotoGP preseason test pleased with the progress that they’ve made so far, after impressive lap times from the pair...

MotoGP: Viñales signs off testing clean sweep

12 March 2017 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Viñales signs off testing clean sweep

Movistar Yamaha rider Maverick Viñales has signed off MotoGP’s 2017 pre-season testing by completing a clean sweep of all four official tests, topping the overall standings at Losail to finish well...