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 ready for ‘bittersweet’ Assen

23 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Lorenzo ready for ‘bittersweet’ Assen

Reigning MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo says he’s ready for this weekend’s resumption of hostilities at Assen, as the series heads to a circuit that he admits has been bittersweet for him in the...

MotoGP: Rossi refreshed for Assen battle

22 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rossi refreshed for Assen battle

Valentino Rossi says he’s refreshed and ready for this weekend’s Dutch TT at the historic Assen, after making the most of MotoGP’s first real break since the season started in late March. Looking to...

MotoGP: Dutch TT stat attack

22 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Dutch TT stat attack

Some facts and figures ahead of this weekend’s Grand Prix round at the historic Assen, from MotoGP’s historian and statistician Doctor Martin Raines. This weekend is the 250th MotoGP race since it’s...

Moto3: Returning Webb looking ‘to get back into the swing’

22 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Returning Webb looking ‘to get back into the swing’

Returning Moto3 racer Danny Webb says that this weekend at Assen is all about getting back into the swing of things, after three years in the Isle of Man TT paddock instead of the MotoGP...

MotoGP: Aprilia looking to pick up where they left off

22 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Aprilia looking to pick up where they left off

Aprilia MotoGP boss Romano Albesiano says that the team are going into this weekend’s Dutch TT at Assen with a clear goal – to start where they left off not only at the last round of this year’s...

MotoGP: Marquez happy ‘to disconnect a bit’ from racing

21 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Marquez happy ‘to disconnect a bit’ from racing

Marc Marquez has admitted that it’s been nice to ‘disconnect’ from racing for a few weeks, with the first back to back free weekends of the 2016 MotoGP season giving the Spaniard a chance to escape...

MotoGP: Barbera 'I’ll be strong in Assen’

21 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Barbera 'I’ll be strong in Assen’

Avintia Ducati rider Hector Barbera says he’s expecting to come into this weekend’s Dutch TT at Assen stronger than ever, after both finding more from the Ducati GP14 package during testing and by...

Moto2: Lowes seeking Dutch victory

21 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Lowes seeking Dutch victory

Sam Lowes says he’s out to get his Moto2 world championship campaign back on track this weekend in the Netherlands, when the series moves to Grand Prix racing’s most historic venue, Assen. A circuit...

MotoGP: Rins confirmed at Suzuki for 2017

20 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rins confirmed at Suzuki for 2017

Alex Rins, will, as MCN reported weeks ago, join the factory Suzuki MotoGP team for 2017 and 2018, replacing fellow Spaniard Maverick Viñales at the team for the next two years. Rins is believed to...

MotoGP: Lorenzo praises Rossi tyre management

17 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Lorenzo praises Rossi tyre management

Jorge Lorenzo has praised teammate – and bitter rival – Valentino Rossi’s management of his Michelin tyres following last weekend’s Catalan MotoGP race, admitting afterwards that the Italian...

Moto3: KTM complete successful multi-rider test at Jerez

17 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: KTM complete successful multi-rider test at Jerez

KTM have completed a successful multi-rider test of their RC250 Moto3 machine at Jerez, taking to the track alongside their new MotoGP machine for a two-day outing that saw a number of different...

MotoGP: Baz to miss Assen as foot continues to heal

17 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Baz to miss Assen as foot continues to heal

Loris Baz will miss another round of the 2016 MotoGP championship next weekend at Assen, as the foot injured when Alvaro Bautista took both him and Jack Miller off at Mugello continues to heal. The...

Moto2: Lowes on a streak as title battle heats up

16 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Lowes on a streak as title battle heats up

Brit Sam Lowes is currently on the best points scoring streak of his career, adding five top fifteen finishes at the end of the 2015 season to a clean slate of seven so far this season. But, with the...

Moto3: Webb ready to make Grand Prix transition

16 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Webb ready to make Grand Prix transition

TT racer Danny Webb says he’s ready to make the transition from road racing back to Grand Prix, as he prepares himself for a return to the Moto3 world championship next weekend at Assen. Taking over...

MotoGP: Monster release part three of Rossi series

16 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Monster release part three of Rossi series

Monster Energy have released part three in their five part look at MotoGP’s most famous personality – Valentino Rossi. Going behind the scenes at Rossi’s VR46 Ranch, home of his flat track and main...

MotoGP: Octo renew title sponsorship of British Grand Prix

15 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Octo renew title sponsorship of British Grand Prix

Car telemetry firm Octo will retain title sponsorship of this year’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone, after extending their deal with MotoGP organisers Dorna for a second year. Also a main sponsor...

MotoGP: Repsol Honda duo make Red Bull Ring debut

15 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Repsol Honda duo make Red Bull Ring debut

The Repsol Honda duo of Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa have made their debut at MotoGP’s new track for 2016, Austria’s Red Bull Ring. The pair took to the track for media activities and circuit...

MotoGP: KTM add Jerez to testing program

15 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: KTM add Jerez to testing program

KTM have made Jerez the latest track in their testing program, completing a two-day outing last week at the Spanish circuit with test riders Mika Kallio and Randy de Puniet as they continue to build...

MotoGP: Lorenzo visits new race circuit in Kazakhstan

14 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Lorenzo visits new race circuit in Kazakhstan

Reigning MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo has visited the construction site of Kazakhstan’s new Sokol circuit, which is hoping to be up and running in the near future. Located in Almaty, the...

Moto3: Danny Webb to return - straight from the TT!

14 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Danny Webb to return - straight from the TT!

Former 125GP pole position man Danny Webb is set to make a shocking return to the Grand Prix paddock, as he steps into the Platinum Bay Real Estate Mahindra squad – directly from competing at the 2016...

MotoGP: MotoGP boss Webb explains Iannone/Lorenzo incident

12 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: MotoGP boss Webb explains Iannone/Lorenzo incident

With both Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Iannone arguing over their own versions of the incident that saw the Italian spear the world championship leader out of last weekend’s race at Catalunya, MCN sat...

Moto2: Damage control for Lowes

11 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Damage control for Lowes

Last weekend’s Moto2 round in Catalunya saw title contender Sam Lowes happy to take a solid top six place away from the weekend, after admitting that the result was damage limitation after struggling...

MotoGP: Rossi and Marquez friends again?

10 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rossi and Marquez friends again?

Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi may have finally put to bed the bitter feud that has raged between them since Sepang last year; one small silver lining to a tough weekend for the MotoGP paddock at...

MotoGP: Yamaha’s Asian talent to attend VR46 Academy

10 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Yamaha’s Asian talent to attend VR46 Academy

Yamaha have announced a new scheme that will see five Yamaha riders currently competing in the Asia Production 250 class of the Asia Road Racing Championship attending Valentino Rossi’s VR46 Riders...

MotoGP: Suzuki roll out rear grip-focused chassis

09 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Suzuki roll out rear grip-focused chassis

The Suzuki MotoGP team have rolled out a new chassis at Monday’s Montmelò test, designed to give more rear grip from the GSX-RR to Maverick Viñales and Aleix Espargaró. Built to Viñales’...

MotoGP: Redding caught out by high temperatures in Barcelona

09 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Redding caught out by high temperatures in Barcelona

Scott Redding was left disappointed at last weekend’s Catalan MotoGP race after high temperatures in Sunday’s race left him unable to find grip for his Pramac Ducati as he nursed it home in sixteenth...

MotoGP: KTM enjoy successful test at Brno

09 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: KTM enjoy successful test at Brno

The KTM test team of Karel Abraham and newly-appointed permanent test rider Mika Kallio have completed another successful test of the new RC16 MotoGP machine at the Czech Republic’s Brno...

MotoGP: Alex Criville inducted as MotoGP Legend

08 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Alex Criville inducted as MotoGP Legend

Former world champion Alex Criville has been inducted as a MotoGP legend at his home race in Barcelona at the weekend, becoming the 23rd racer to be awarded the honour. One of only two men alongside...

MotoGP: Mechanical problems rob Smith of finish

08 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Mechanical problems rob Smith of finish

Bradley Smith was left watching from the sidelines during Sunday’s MotoGP race at Barcelona’s Montmelò circuit after a technical problem with his Monster Tech3 Yamaha left him out of the...

MotoGP: HRC debut new chassis at Catalunya test

08 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: HRC debut new chassis at Catalunya test

The Repsol Honda squad of Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa have rolled out a new chassis for the RCV213 machine, taking to the track for a one-day test following the weekend’s race at Barcelona’s...

MotoGP: Aprilia capitalise on strong weekend with successful testing

07 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Aprilia capitalise on strong weekend with successful testing

The Gresini Aprilia team have capitalised on a strong weekend at MotoGP, with Alvaro Bautista taking a best-ever eighth place finish for the new RS-GP machine, with teammate Stefan Bradl not far...

MotoGP: Crutchlow tops one-day test in Catalunya

06 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Crutchlow tops one-day test in Catalunya

Cal Crutchlow was a surprise top of the one-day test on Monday that followed the weekend’s race at Montmelò, making the most of cooler track conditions combined with improvements to the bike and its...

Moto2: Luis Salom’s team clarify cause of crash

06 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Luis Salom’s team clarify cause of crash

The Stop and Go Moto2 team of Luis Salom have released a statement this morning clarifying the cause of the tragic crash that resulted in the Spaniard’s death during free practice two at this...

MotoGP: Iannone ‘could do nothing to avoid’ Lorenzo

06 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Iannone ‘could do nothing to avoid’ Lorenzo

An unrepentant Andrea Iannone has left Jorge Lorenzo fuming at him after failing to admit that he was responsible for the collision that saw both of the pair fall from yesterday’s Catalan MotoGP...

MotoGP: Espargaró puts blame for Lorenzo crash on Iannone

06 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Espargaró puts blame for Lorenzo crash on Iannone

Pol Espargaró has put the blame for Sunday’s collision between Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Iannone firmly on the Italian, after witnessing the impact from the perfect location right behind them. Sitting...

MotoGP: Rossi wins as Iannone torpedoes Lorenzo!

05 June 2016 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rossi wins as Iannone torpedoes Lorenzo!

Valentino Rossi had taken a stunning victory this afternoon at Barcelona’s Montmelò circuit to get his 2016 MotoGP title aspirations back on track. The Italian spent most of the race dicing with title...