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

Lorenzo: Ducatis don’t count for the championship

16 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Lorenzo: Ducatis don’t count for the championship

Reigning MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo believes that the factory Ducati team of Andrea Iannone and Dovizioso, one of whom he will join next year, have been ruled out of the 2016 championship, at least...

Rossi teases Mugello helmet

16 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Rossi teases Mugello helmet

Valentino Rossi has teased his now-signature special edition helmet for this weekend’s home race at Mugello, tweeting a photo of himself deep in thought with designer Aldo Drudi as they consider three...

Smith suggests reason for Le Mans crashes

12 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Smith suggests reason for Le Mans crashes

Bradley Smith has suggested that a slippier patch of tarmac on the Le Mans circuit was the cause of not only his crash out of Sunday’s MotoGP race, but also of the crashes of Marc Marquez and Andrea...

Crutchlow slams social media

12 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Crutchlow slams social media

Cal Crutchlow has hit out at fans on social media, after his crash out of Sunday’s MotoGP race at Le Mans once again opened a floodgate of abuse towards the LCR Honda rider on Twitter and...

Honda boss Suppo calls for ease in engine restrictions

11 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Honda boss Suppo calls for ease in engine restrictions

Honda boss Livio Suppo has called for MotoGP organisers to look at lifting the ban put in place on in-season engine development, as Honda continue to struggle with an under-accelerating...

Rossi: Viñales could ‘become like Kevin Schwantz’

11 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Rossi: Viñales could ‘become like Kevin Schwantz’

As his plans for the 2017 season continues to hang in the balance, not many men have faced the options currently presented to Maverick Viñales, in the form of a choice between a known winner and a...

'Tough to accept’ double DNF for Ducati

10 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

'Tough to accept’ double DNF for Ducati

Ducati Corse manager Gigi Dall’Igna has admitted that the weekend’s double DNF at Le Mans, after both Andrea Iannone and Dovizioso crashed out of Sunday’s race, was difficult to accept. However,...

Tougher race than expected for Rins in Le Mans

10 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Tougher race than expected for Rins in Le Mans

New Moto2 title leader Alex Rins says Sunday’s race at Le Mans was harder than he had been expecting – after a surprise appearance from a number of riders who didn’t factor in practice. Spending the...

Rossi delighted with Le Mans points

10 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Rossi delighted with Le Mans points

Valentino Rossi says that everything is to play for in the 23016 MotoGP world championship now, after capitalising on his oppositions misfortune at the weekend to shut down Marquez’s title lead. “I‘m...

Viñales podium payback for Suzuki’s hard work

09 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Viñales podium payback for Suzuki’s hard work

Maverick Viñales’ debut podium at Le Mans at the weekend – and the Suzuki team’s first since Loris Capirossi in Brno all the way back in 2008 – is just payback to the Japanese firm for the hard work...

Another strong result on difficult weekend for Aprilia

09 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Another strong result on difficult weekend for Aprilia

The Gresini Aprilia squad of Alvaro Bautista and Stefan Bradl have left Le Mans after a difficult weekend with another strong performance, making the most of the chaos in front of them to take a...

‘Almost perfect’ Le Mans for Lorenzo

09 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

‘Almost perfect’ Le Mans for Lorenzo

Jorge Lorenzo says Le Mans was an ‘almost perfect’ weekend for him, capitalising on his ultra-fast pace and Marc Marquez’s crash to grasp the lead in the chase for the 2017 title for the first time...

Lorenzo utterly dominant in Le Mans

08 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Lorenzo utterly dominant in Le Mans

Jorge Lorenzo has utterly dominated the MotoGP field in Le Mans to convert his astonishing pole position into a flag-to-flag race victory: while chaos reigned behind him. Lorenzo was unstoppable from...

Rins stamps authority on French Moto2 race

08 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Rins stamps authority on French Moto2 race

Alex Rins has stamped his authority on the French round of Moto2, by taking a controlling victory ahead of Simone Corsi and pole man Thomas Luthi to make the most of a bad day for his title...

Binder extends championship lead with Le Mans win

08 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Binder extends championship lead with Le Mans win

Brad Binder has extended his lead in the Moto3 championship after measuring up his opponents in the closing stages of the race at Le Mans to control a four-bike battle to the flag. Binder was one of...

Luthi takes pole as Lowes left struggling

07 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Luthi takes pole as Lowes left struggling

Thomas Luthi has taken pole position for tomorrow’s Moto2 race at Le Mans by a whisker, topping the time sheets by 0.056 from Alex Rins. The German will now start tomrorow’s race as clear favourite,...

Lorenzo smashes circuit record to take pole at Le Mans

07 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Lorenzo smashes circuit record to take pole at Le Mans

Jorge Lorenzo has set the fastest ever two-wheeled lap of Le Mans en route to not only taking pole position for tomorrow’s French Grand Prix, but also to completely dominate the rest of the field by...

Late lap hands Antonelli pole

07 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Late lap hands Antonelli pole

A lap right at the end of today’s Moto3 qualifying session has handed Niccolo Antonelli pole position for tomorrow’s French Grand Prix, bumping winner last time out Brad Binder back to second. Aron...

Spanish media confirm Pedrosa to Yamaha?

07 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Spanish media confirm Pedrosa to Yamaha?

Spanish newspaper El País have confirmed MCN’s story from earlier this week that Dani Pedrosa will make a shock switch to the Movistar Yamaha squad for the 2017 MotoGP season. Spain’s biggest daily...

Home favourite Zarco tops day one

06 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Home favourite Zarco tops day one

Reigning Moto2 world champion Johann Zarco has topped the opening day of practice for his home round of the middleweight class, coming out 0.065 ahead of Thomas Luthi at the end of the first day of...

Lorenzo dominates opening day in Le Mans

06 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Lorenzo dominates opening day in Le Mans

Jorge Lorenzo has dominated the opening day of action at Le Mans, taking the top spot by 0.2 from Andrea Iannone in the day’s final session, as well as becoming the only man to dip into the 1:33...

Binder and Fenati deny homeboy Danilo

06 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Binder and Fenati deny homeboy Danilo

KTM riders Brad Binder and Romano Fenati have denied local Jules Danilo the chance to top the opening day of action at Le Mans, after setting fast laps at the end of the days second session to demote...

Marquez: Honda negotiations 'going the right way'

06 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Marquez: Honda negotiations 'going the right way'

Marc Marquez has admitted that not only is his plan to remain with the Repsol Honda squad for 2017, but that he believes that he is now close to putting pen to paper with the Japanese manufacturer...

Video: Part one of ‘Valentino Rossi: The Doctor Series’ released

06 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Video: Part one of ‘Valentino Rossi: The Doctor Series’ released

Monster Energy have released part one of their new five-part online series on Valentino Rossi. The new series is set to give fans a behind-the-scenes look at the story of the nine-time world champion...

Zarco to ride Suzuka 8 Hour – as route to Suzuki MotoGP seat?

05 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Zarco to ride Suzuka 8 Hour – as route to Suzuki MotoGP seat?

Moto2 world champion Johann Zarco will ride at the Suzuka 8 Hour race this year for Suzuki, as he attempts to set himself up for a factory MotoGP ride with the firm for 2017. He admitted in the press...

Rossi concurs with Pedrosa switch rumours

05 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Rossi concurs with Pedrosa switch rumours

Valentino Rossi has concurred with MCN’s story that he could be joined by Dani Pedrosa next season at the Movistar Yamaha team, after admitting today that he believes that the Spaniard could well be...

Folger signs up with Monster Tech 3 Yamaha for 2017

05 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Folger signs up with Monster Tech 3 Yamaha for 2017

Moto2 front-runner Jonas Folger will step up to the MotoGP championship for 2017, as he joins satellite team Monster Tech 3 Yamaha to replace the departing Bradley Smith. And, with the speculated-at...

Get ready for Silverstone

05 May 2016 by MCN News

Get ready for Silverstone

Grab an earlybird offer for the British Grand Prix – fast! With four rounds of the 2016 MotoGP season already behind us, the focus will soon swing to one of the best rounds on the calendar – when...

Video: MotoGP racers explain their sign language!

05 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Video: MotoGP racers explain their sign language!

Alpinestars have helped out fans ahead of this weekend’s French round of the MotoGP championship by sitting down their riders to explain just exactly what those bizarre rider hand signals mean! Most...

Softer soft from Michelin at home race

04 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Softer soft from Michelin at home race

Michelin will bring a brand-new softer compound front tyre this weekend to their home round of the MotoGP championship, in an attempt to cope with the colder conditions expected at the Le Mans...

Crutchlow looking forward to French fans

04 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Crutchlow looking forward to French fans

Cal Crutchlow is relishing the opportunity of returning to Le Mans, a track where he’s enjoyed success in the past – and where he has the support of the sometimes-rabid French fans! Building a fan...

Marquez relishing the ‘many variables’ of Le Mans

04 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Marquez relishing the ‘many variables’ of Le Mans

Marc Marquez says he’s relishing the ‘many variables’ that Le Mans can throw at a racer, as he prepares for this weekend’s French round of the 2016 MotoGP season at the famous track. And with a...

Crutchlow eyeing up Repsol Honda seat for 2017?

03 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Crutchlow eyeing up Repsol Honda seat for 2017?

Cal Crutchlow may well be eyeing up a return to a factory seat for the 2017 season, with the Brit potentially one of the favourites to take over the possibly vacated seat of Dani Pedrosa for the...

Pedrosa to join Rossi at Yamaha, Viñales to remain at Suzuki?

03 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Pedrosa to join Rossi at Yamaha, Viñales to remain at Suzuki?

Dani Pedrosa may be set to make an incredible shift from Honda to Yamaha, according to MCN’s sources within the MotoGP paddock. The Spaniard looks set to make the move from the Repsol Honda squad...

Laverty sets sights on factory ride

03 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Laverty sets sights on factory ride

Eugene Laverty has firmly set his sights on a factory ride for 2017 after yet another impressive performance at Jerez this weekend. Capitalising on 14th on the grid, the Apsar Ducati rider was able to...

Smith set for second home round at Le Mans

03 May 2016 by Simon Patterson

Smith set for second home round at Le Mans

Bradley Smith says he’s all set for his second home round of the MotoGP season this weekend at Le Mans, after a difficult start to the 2016 season so far for the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha racer. And...