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

Rossi: "Pedrosa would have been an easier team-mate!"

30 December 2016 by Simon Patterson

Rossi: "Pedrosa would have been an easier team-mate!"

Valentino Rossi is getting ready to risk everything in 2017 in a bid to win a tenth world title – and he’s glad to be losing Jorge Lorenzo as a team-mate in the process. But the hugely successful and...

Is Cal Crutchlow your MCN Man of the Year?

29 December 2016 by Oli Rushby

Is Cal Crutchlow your MCN Man of the Year?

Each year, we award the motorcycle racer you think has most impressed with their results from across the year with the MCN Man of the Year trophy. With voting for the 2016 Man of the Year now open, we...

MCN's MotoGP rider of the year: 2nd Valentino Rossi

27 December 2016 by Simon Patterson

MCN's MotoGP rider of the year: 2nd Valentino Rossi

MCN’s Sports Desk rank the five riders who have impressed them most in the MotoGP World Championship during the 2017 season. 2nd – Valentino Rossi Best result: 1st Wins: 2 Podiums: 10 Championship...

MotoGP: Catalunya confirm circuit modifications for the future

26 December 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Catalunya confirm circuit modifications for the future

The Catalunya circuit that hosts MotoGP’s visit to Barcelona have confirmed that emergency changes made to the track made this year after the tragic death of Luis Salom will become a permanent...

MCN's MotoGP rider of the year: 3rd Cal Crutchlow

25 December 2016 by Simon Patterson

MCN's MotoGP rider of the year: 3rd Cal Crutchlow

MCN’s Sports Desk rank the five riders who have impressed them most in the MotoGP World Championship during the 2017 season. 3rd – Cal Crutchlow Best result: 1st Wins: 2 Podiums: 4 Championship...

Is Marc Marquez your MCN Man of the Year 2016?

23 December 2016 by Oli Rushby

Is Marc Marquez your MCN Man of the Year 2016?

Each year, we award the motorcycle racer you think has most impressed with their results from across the year with the MCN Man of the Year trophy. With voting for the 2016 Man of the Year now open, we...

Video: Lorenzo opens Andorran museum and bar

23 December 2016 by Simon Patterson

Video: Lorenzo opens Andorran museum and bar

Three-time MotoGP world champion – and avid collector of racing memorabilia – Jorge Lorenzo has opened his own museum and sports bar in Andorra, highlighting not only his own career but those of his...

MCN's MotoGP rider of the year: 4th Jorge Lorenzo

22 December 2016 by Simon Patterson

MCN's MotoGP rider of the year: 4th Jorge Lorenzo

MCN’s Sports Desk rank the five riders who have impressed them most in the MotoGP World Championship during the 2017 season. 4th – Jorge Lorenzo Best result: 1st Wins: 4 Podiums: 10 Championship...

MotoGP: Michelin tyres go wireless for 2017

21 December 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Michelin tyres go wireless for 2017

Michelin, the MotoGP sole tyre manufacturer, and the Grand Prix Commission, the sport’s rulemaking body, have announced that they will press ahead with the introduction of embedded wireless technology...

MCN's MotoGP rider of the year: 5th Maverick Viñales

19 December 2016 by Simon Patterson

MCN's MotoGP rider of the year: 5th Maverick Viñales

MCN’s Sports Desk rank the five riders who have impressed them most in the MotoGP World Championship during the 2017 season. 5th – Maverick Viñales Best result: 1st Wins: 1 Podiums: 4 Championship...

MotoGP: Davies set for Ducati GP test

16 December 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Davies set for Ducati GP test

Jorge Lorenzo won’t be the only rider to step onto a factory Ducati MotoGP machine in 2017, with Ducati confirming to MCN that World Superbike racer Chaz Davies will be rewarded for his 2016 success...

MotoGP: Calendar reshuffle sees Assen and Sachsenring go back-to-back

16 December 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Calendar reshuffle sees Assen and Sachsenring go back-to-back

A reshuffling of the 2017 MotoGP calendar will see the Dutch TT and German Grand Prix go back to back, after the Sachsenring race was moved forwards two weeks to avoid a clash with Formula One. The...

Moto2: Team Sky unveil 2017 colours on Italian X-Factor

16 December 2016 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Team Sky unveil 2017 colours on Italian X-Factor

Valentino Rossi’s Team Sky VR46 Moto2 and Moto3 teams have pulled the covers off their 2017 machines live on Italian TV, with the link-up with broadcaster Sky giving the four riders the chance for a...

MotoGP: Scott Redding launches Monkey Fresh clothing brand

14 December 2016 by Simon Patterson

British MotoGP racer Scott Redding has launched his own clothing brand, branching out from motorbike racing into commercial opportunities to unveil the Monkey Fresh range. Coming together with a group...

MotoGP: Riders’ rider of the year results released

14 December 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Riders’ rider of the year results released

The Official MotoGP Season Review, edited by BT Sport commentator Julian Ryder, has released the details of their riders’ rider of the year competition, with some interesting results from the secret...

MotoGP: Marquez returns to his roots with enduro entry

13 December 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Marquez returns to his roots with enduro entry

MotoGP champion Marc Marquez and brother Alex have returned to their childhood roots by competing in an enduro race in their hometown of Lleida over the weekend, with the duo competing off-road for...

Moto3: McPhee secures factory Honda in Team GB

12 December 2016 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: McPhee secures factory Honda in Team GB

Czech Grand Prix winner John McPhee will line up on the 2017 Moto3 grid as part of a new Dorna-supported team that will see the Scotsman on a factory Honda machine as he looks to build upon the...

MotoGP: Rossi takes Monza Rally win

04 December 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rossi takes Monza Rally win

Valentino Rossi has rounded off his 2016 season in style by successfully defending his Monza Rally victory with a stunning win at the three-day car race in Italy, winning from World Rally regular and...

MotoGP: Bautista signs off 2016 with fastest time at test

25 November 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Bautista signs off 2016 with fastest time at test

Pull & Bear Aspar Ducati new signing Alvaro Bautista has signed off 2016 by topping his final day of testing for the squad at Jerez by finishing top of the MotoGP machines at the Spanish circuit,...

MotoGP: Rossi and Lorenzo make amends?

18 November 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rossi and Lorenzo make amends?

While their relationship as teammates has been acrimonious at best over the past few years, both Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo took the time on Sunday evening to come together and make something...

Moto2: Brits end campaign on a high

17 November 2016 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Brits end campaign on a high

British Moto2 duo Sam Lowes and Danny Kent have finished their final race of 2016 on a high, with Lowes ending the year with a solid result after a difficult second half of the season and Kent turning...

MotoGP: Jarvis pays tribute to departing Lorenzo

17 November 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Jarvis pays tribute to departing Lorenzo

Yamaha MotoGP boss Lin Jarvis has paid tribute to the departing Jorge Lorenzo, toasting a hugely successful nine years with the Spaniard as he departs to Ducati for the next two seasons – but with a...

MotoGP: ‘Too early to tell’ on Honda engine, says Pedrosa

16 November 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: ‘Too early to tell’ on Honda engine, says Pedrosa

Dani Pedrosa has admitted that it’s still too early to tell if the improvements made to the new Honda RCV213 engine for the 2017 season will make any difference to the bike’s struggling acceleration,...

MotoGP: Rins in hospital as Suzuki leave Valencia battered and blue

16 November 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rins in hospital as Suzuki leave Valencia battered and blue

The Suzuki MotoGP team have had an expensive pre-season test at Valencia, leaving the Spanish track with both riders battered and bruised and with an expensive repair bill to three GSX-RR machines,...

MotoGP: Tech 3 rookies impress at Valencia test

16 November 2016 by Oli Rushby

MotoGP: Tech 3 rookies impress at Valencia test

Monster Tech 3 Yamaha rookies Jonas Folger and Johann Zarco impressed in their first test as MotoGP riders in Valencia this week. Both stepping up from Moto2, both riders set competitive times on the...

MotoGP: Lorenzo ends positive first days at Ducati

16 November 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Lorenzo ends positive first days at Ducati

Jorge Lorenzo has ended his first two days as a Ducati rider with positive results, coming away from the Valencia end-of-season test eighth fastest overall but only a fraction off his fastest time...

Moto2: Champion Binder makes KTM debut at Jerez

16 November 2016 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Champion Binder makes KTM debut at Jerez

While the 2017 MotoGP championship has been getting underway at Valencia’s post-season test, reigning Moto3 world champion Brad Binder has begun his step up to the middleweight class at Jerez, taking...

MotoGP: Vinales remains on top as Valencia test concludes

16 November 2016 by Oli Rushby

MotoGP: Vinales remains on top as Valencia test concludes

Maverick Vinales continued to assert his dominance on the second day of testing at Valencia by storming to the top of the timesheets once again as he made his debut with the Yamaha MotoGP team. The...

MotoGP: Marquez: 'Too early to tell if new engine better'

15 November 2016 by Oli Rushby

MotoGP: Marquez: 'Too early to tell if new engine better'

Marc Marquez has said it is too early to tell whether Honda’s revised engine for 2017 has solved the issues they have had with aggressive power delivery over the last two seasons. The 2016 World...

MotoGP: Smith delighted with KTM debut

15 November 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Smith delighted with KTM debut

Bradley Smith has been left delighted with his first day on KTM’s new RC16 MotoGP machine; pleased that the bike has succeeded the expectations he had before jumping from the Monster Yamaha Tech 3...

MotoGP: Rossi criticises new Yamaha engine

15 November 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rossi criticises new Yamaha engine

Valentino Rossi has slammed the new engine that Yamaha have delivered to him as part of the 2017-specification M1 machine that he tested for the first time today at Valencia, criticising it for...

MotoGP: Crash for Lowes, Espargaro impressed with Aprilia on first day of testing

15 November 2016 by Oli Rushby

MotoGP: Crash for Lowes, Espargaro impressed with Aprilia on first day of testing

Sam Lowes’ first official day in the MotoGP class didn’t get off to the best of starts as a crash on Tuesday afternoon saw the British rider taken to hospital for checks. The Moto2 race winner, who...

MotoGP: Vinales leads way on Yamaha debut

15 November 2016 by Oli Rushby

MotoGP: Vinales leads way on Yamaha debut

Maverick Vinales’ initial transition from Suzuki to Yamaha appeared to be seamless on the first day of testing in Valencia as the Spaniard cruised to the top of the time sheets aboard his new...

MotoGP: Valencia Test Gallery

15 November 2016 by Oli Rushby

MotoGP: Valencia Test Gallery

While the 2016 season may have only drawn to a close on Sunday, 2017 has already begun as the annual post-Valencia test got underway this morning. This year’s test is one of the most-anticipated in...

MotoGP: Bagnaia gets Ducati Desmosedici experience

15 November 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Bagnaia gets Ducati Desmosedici experience

Moto3 race winner Francesco Bagnaia has been given the opportunity to take to today’s Valencia MotoGP test on a premiere class machine, joining the regular field for a chance to complete a few laps on...

MotoGP Picture Special: Vinales makes Yamaha debut

15 November 2016 by Oli Rushby

MotoGP Picture Special: Vinales makes Yamaha debut

Maverick Vinales took his first run out as a Yamaha MotoGP rider as the 2017 pre-season test got underway in Valencia this morning. Waiting a little before heading out, Vinales put in his first laps...