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: Laverty rues lost chance for pole

03 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Laverty rues lost chance for pole

Eugene Laverty has been left rueing what could have been after losing his first real chance to take a pole position in MotoGP, after an error outside his own control left him sliding across the gravel...

Moto2: Lowes continues domination for wet weather pole

03 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Lowes continues domination for wet weather pole

Sam Lowes has made it two pole positions at the British Grand Prix in two years, after continuing his domination at Silverstone into this afternoon’s qualifying session to take the top spot from title...

MotoGP: Crutchlow takes pole for British Grand Prix

03 September 2016 by Oli Rushby

MotoGP: Crutchlow takes pole for British Grand Prix

Cal Crutchlow will start tomorrow’s British Grand Prix from pole position after yet another wet weather masterclass at Silverstone. The LCR Honda man lapped a second quicker than second placed...

Moto3: Bagnaia claims Moto3 pole as rain falls at Silverstone

03 September 2016 by Oli Rushby

Moto3: Bagnaia claims Moto3 pole as rain falls at Silverstone

Pecco Bagnaia secured pole position for tomorrow’s Moto3 race in a sodden qualifying session at Silverstone. The heavens opened ahead of the first of the afternoon’s three qualifying sessions and...

MotoGP: Marquez jumps to the top in FP3

03 September 2016 by Oli Rushby

MotoGP: Marquez jumps to the top in FP3

Marc Marquez clocked the quickest lap of the weekend to top the final timed practice session at the British Grand Prix. Putting in the first 2’00 time of the weekend, Marquez shot to the top of the...

MotoGP: Viewing experience enhanced with new 360º camera

03 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Viewing experience enhanced with new 360º camera

MotoGP organisers Dorna have enhanced their viewing experience with a new 360º gyroscopic camera that attempts to take viewers right into the middle of the on-track action. Being made available to all...

Lowes leads way as rain hinders Moto2 class

02 September 2016 by Oli Rushby

Lowes leads way as rain hinders Moto2 class

While there were many complaints about the cooler conditions on the opening day of the 2016 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, few had as much reason to complain as the Moto2 category who were limited...

MotoGP: Crutchlow leads calls for Silverstone resurfacing

02 September 2016 by Oli Rushby

MotoGP: Crutchlow leads calls for Silverstone resurfacing

Cal Crutchlow has reiterated calls to resurface the Silverstone circuit after the first day of practice for this year’s British Grand Prix, with a number of riders complaining the track is bumpier...

Moto3: Binder relishing ‘Slipstream City’ at Silverstone

02 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Binder relishing ‘Slipstream City’ at Silverstone

Moto3 championship leader Brad Binder says he’s relishing the opportunity for an outing at his ‘home’ race this weekend at Silverstone – and the chance to have a battle in the slipstream on the...

MotoGP: Rossi continuing with 2017 chassis at Silverstone

02 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rossi continuing with 2017 chassis at Silverstone

Valentino Rossi will continue to work with the new 2017-specification Yamaha M1 chassis that he first tried last weekend at a test in Brno at this weekend’s British Grand Prix, after completing a...

MotoGP: 'Good sensations with bike' for Lowes after day one

02 September 2016 by Oli Rushby

MotoGP: 'Good sensations with bike' for Lowes after day one

Alex Lowes put in an impressive performance on the opening day of his MotoGP debut at Silverstone today to lap just 2.4 seconds off the overall pace despite having spent just two sessions on the...

Moto3: 2015 pole man Navarro tops opening day at Silverstone

02 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: 2015 pole man Navarro tops opening day at Silverstone

Jorge Navarro, the man who started last year’s British Grand Prix from pole position, has topped the opening day of action at this year’s event in the Moto3 class, holding off championship leader and...

MotoGP: Iannone ahead in FP2, Crutchlow third

02 September 2016 by Oli Rushby

MotoGP: Iannone ahead in FP2, Crutchlow third

Andrea Iannone took to the top of the timesheets in this afternoon’s second free practice session at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix after pipping Maverick Viñales and Cal Crutchlow in the...

MotoGP: Cavendish - 'Cal is just nuts now, not absolutely bat****'

02 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Cavendish - 'Cal is just nuts now, not absolutely bat****'

There’s few people as well positioned to know exactly what Cal Crutchlow puts into his sport – and the power of a win – than close friend and 30-time Tour de France stage winner Mark Cavendish. And...

MotoGP: Viñales leads opening practice from Lorenzo

02 September 2016 by Oli Rushby

MotoGP: Viñales leads opening practice from Lorenzo

Maverick Viñales took advantage of the cooler conditions to storm to the top of the timesheets as this year’s British Grand Prix got underway at Silverstone this morning. The Spaniard left it until...

MotoGP: ‘Easier to make mistakes this year’ according to Rossi

02 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: ‘Easier to make mistakes this year’ according to Rossi

Valentino Rossi has admitted that it’s proven much easier to make mistakes in 2016, thanks both to the development of Michelin’s new tyres and because of the much-changed situation he finds himself in...

MotoGP: Marquez keen to maintain mentality

02 September 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Marquez keen to maintain mentality

Marc Marquez says he’s keen to maintain the mentality that has taken him to a 53-point lead in the 2016 MotoGP championship, and that changing his approach now would work against him. Changing his...

MotoGP: Rossi to test 2017 parts this weekend

01 September 2016 by Oli Rushby

MotoGP: Rossi to test 2017 parts this weekend

Valentino Rossi will undergo further analysis of the development parts he tested in Brno during practice at Silverstone this weekend. The nine-time world champion tested a new chassis and swing arm...

MotoGP: Crutchlow hoping for dry weekend

01 September 2016 by Oli Rushby

MotoGP: Crutchlow hoping for dry weekend

Cal Crutchlow is hoping for the sun to continue shining over Silverstone as he heads in to this weekend’s British Grand Prix having made history last time out at Brno. Despite becoming the first Brit...

MotoGP: Scooter crash for Petrucci prior to British GP

01 September 2016 by Oli Rushby

MotoGP: Scooter crash for Petrucci prior to British GP

Danilo Petrucci is sporting a number of injuries ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix after falling off his father’s scooter in Italy last week. The Pramac Ducati rider, who finished on the...

Lowes: 'I didn't think I'd get chance to race in MotoGP'

01 September 2016 by Oli Rushby

Lowes: 'I didn't think I'd get chance to race in MotoGP'

Alex Lowes has said he plans to enjoy his time deputising for Bradley Smith in the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha squad at Silverstone this weekend as two years ago he didn’t think he’d ever get the chance to...

MotoGP: Rossi looking forward to track with ‘nice memories’

31 August 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rossi looking forward to track with ‘nice memories’

Valentino Rossi says he’s looking forward to returning to a track with ‘nice memories,’ as MotoGP heads to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix this weekend. Returning to the circuit where he took a...

MotoGP: Roberts family feud ends up in court

31 August 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Roberts family feud ends up in court

Three-time 500 Grand Prix champion Kenny Roberts and son Kurtis Roberts are set to face off against each other in court this week, after a family feud long brewing between the pair resulted in police...

MotoGP: Alex Lowes to make GP debut as replacement for injured Smith

29 August 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Alex Lowes to make GP debut as replacement for injured Smith

Alex Lowes will make his MotoGP debut this week at his home race at Silverstone on the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 machine, as he wildcards to replace the injured Bradley Smith. Smith was hurt last week...

MotoGP: Smith awaiting scan results on knee injury

26 August 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Smith awaiting scan results on knee injury

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider Bradley Smith is awaiting the results of an MRI scan to determine how serious the injuries to his knee are after a high speed collision with another rider during qualifying...

MotoGP: Smith happy with KTM testing pace

26 August 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Smith happy with KTM testing pace

KTM’s 2017 rider Bradley Smith says that he’s delighted with the progress that the Austrian manufacturer seems to be making with their new project, especially after the pace that they displayed when...

Moto2: Rookie to MotoGP progression plan for KTM

24 August 2016 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Rookie to MotoGP progression plan for KTM

As well as MotoGP, KTM will make their debut on the Moto2 grid in 2017 with a new bike built in collaboration with their in-house suspension partners WP, as they seek to address a crucial hole in...

MotoGP: Smith calls for open class reform

24 August 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Smith calls for open class reform

Bradley Smith is calling for reform of MotoGP’s open class system to give satellite bikes a chance of being competitive in normal dry conditions. The British rider claims it’s increasingly unlikely...

MotoGP: Alex Lowes completes Tech 3 Yamaha test

23 August 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Alex Lowes completes Tech 3 Yamaha test

World Superbike racer Alex Lowes has completed his first outing on MotoGP machinery, after taking to the track on Monday at Brno for a quick run on Suzuka 8 Hour teammate Pol Espargaró’s Monster Tech...

MotoGP: Tech 3 boss Poncharal pours praise on Crutchlow

23 August 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Tech 3 boss Poncharal pours praise on Crutchlow

Monster Tech 3 Yamaha boss Hervé Poncharal has poured praise on his former MotoGP rider Cal Crutchlow, after the Brit took his first ever success in the premiere class at the weekend’s Czech Grand...

MotoGP: Movistar Yamaha top one-day test

23 August 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Movistar Yamaha top one-day test

The Movistar Yamaha pairing of Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi have topped MotoGP’s one-day test at Brno following Sunday’s race, taking the top spot after an interrupted day’s running at the Czech...

MotoGP: Sheene tells the story of Britain's last Grand Prix win

22 August 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Sheene tells the story of Britain's last Grand Prix win

Cal Crutchlow’s victory at yesterday’s Czech Grand Prix might have been 35 years after Barry Sheene’s last premier class victory for Britain – but it bears an uncanny similarity with Sheene’s 1981...

MotoGP: Crutchlow: 'I had so much grip I was cruising around!'

21 August 2016 by Oli Rushby

MotoGP: Crutchlow: 'I had so much grip I was cruising around!'

Cal Crutchlow’s has said his choice to go with the harder option Michelin rain tyres in today’s race at Brno gave him so much grip he was able to ‘cruise around’ his opponents as their tyres began to...

Moto3: McPhee takes maiden victory at soggy Brno

21 August 2016 by Oli Rushby

Moto3: McPhee takes maiden victory at soggy Brno

Scotland’s John McPhee took his maiden Grand Prix victory in the Moto3 class at Brno, making the most of his wet weather skills to produce an almost-flawless ride in treacherous...

MotoGP: Twitter reacts to historic Crutchlow win

21 August 2016 by Oli Rushby

MotoGP: Twitter reacts to historic Crutchlow win

Britain’s Cal Crutchlow made history today as he became the first Brit to win a top flight Grand Prix race since the legendary Barry Sheene in 1981. A savvy tyre choice on the grid saw Crutchlow...

Cal Crutchlow wins at Brno ending 35-year British drought

21 August 2016 by Oli Rushby

Cal Crutchlow wins at Brno ending 35-year British drought

Cal Crutchlow sensationally brought an end to the agonising 35 year wait for a British winner in the top flight class of motorcycle racing with a stunning victory in Brno this afternoon. A savvy...