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

Watch: Ducati to unveil 2016 MotoGP machines

23 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

Watch: Ducati to unveil 2016 MotoGP machines

Ducati are set to pull the covers off their 2016 MotoGP machines later this morning at the Ducati Auditorium in their Borgo Panigale factory in Italy. The entire event will be live-streamed thanks to...

Petrucci to undergo surgery for broken hand

20 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

Petrucci to undergo surgery for broken hand

Octo Pramac Ducati rider Danilo Petrucci will undergo surgery on Monday to plate the second, third and fourth metacarpals he broke in his right hand after a high-speed fall at Phillip Island’s turn...

Lorenzo downplays testing crash

20 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

Lorenzo downplays testing crash

Jorge Lorenzo has played down his crash in the closing stages of this week’s second pre-season test at Phillip Island. The Movistar Yamaha racer was one of a number of racers to fall in the closing...

Marquez tops final day of Phillip Island testing

19 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

Marquez tops final day of Phillip Island testing

Marc Marquez has topped the final day of testing at Phillip Island, taking the top spot by 0.1 from overall fastest man Maverick Viñales. Faster consistently than the rest of the field, they were...

Viñales tops day two at Phillip Island

18 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

Viñales tops day two at Phillip Island

Maverick Viñales has further reinforced the credentials of the changes made to the Suzuki GSX-RR machine for 2016 by finishing the second day of testing at Phillip Island top of the time...

Smith confident after advances in wet and dry

17 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

Smith confident after advances in wet and dry

Bradley Smith was left one of the few riders pleased with his progress on the opening day of the Phillip Island test, after making the most of damp conditions that hampered many of his rivals. Working...

Petrucci tops rain-hit opening day at Phillip Island

17 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

Petrucci tops rain-hit opening day at Phillip Island

Octo Pramac Ducati rider Danilo Petrucci has topped the opening day of testing at Phillip Island, after making the most of brief spells of dry track at the rain-hit Australian circuit. With showers on...

Video: Repsol Honda launch 2016 bike at Sentul

17 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

Video: Repsol Honda launch 2016 bike at Sentul

Repsol Honda have unveiled their 2016 livery in front of huge crowds, travelling to Sentul, the circuit set to host the new Indonesian MotoGP round from 2016. Pulling the covers off the bike in front...

Repsol Honda unveil largely unchanged 2016 livery

17 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

Repsol Honda unveil largely unchanged 2016 livery

Repsol Honda have unveiled their 2016 livery ahead of this week’s second test of the 2016 MotoGP pre-season, pulling the covers off the now-familiar design in front of huge crowds in Indonesia. A key...

Rossi: ‘The bike is more beautiful without the wings!’

08 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

Rossi: ‘The bike is more beautiful without the wings!’

Valentino Rossi has admitted that while he’s also not convinced about the effects that Yamaha’s aerodynamic ‘wings’ have on the M1, there’s another reason that he has used the feature much less than...

Marquez brothers part ways with VR46 Racing Apparel

08 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

Marquez brothers part ways with VR46 Racing Apparel

Marc and Alex Marquez’s management agency have this morning officially confirmed that the brothers have split with VR46 Racing Apparel, Valentino Rossi’s highly successful merchandising company. The...

FIM mandate MotoGP tyre pressure sensors

06 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

FIM mandate MotoGP tyre pressure sensors

The FIM have, in the wake of Loris Baz’s high-speed crash earlier this week at Sepang, mandaded the compulsory use of tyre pressure sensors for the forthcoming MotoGP season. With a sensor supplier...

Alpinestars release Baz crash data

05 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

Alpinestars release Baz crash data

Alpinestars have released the data recorded by Avintia Ducati racer Loris Baz’s Tech-Air suit during his ultra-high-speed fall at Sepang on Tuesday. Baz was thrown form his bike when his rear tyre...

Dovizioso hits the wall in Ducati development at Sepang

05 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

Dovizioso hits the wall in Ducati development at Sepang

Factory Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso has left the first test of the season at Sepang disappointed with his final of the three-day test, after admitting that the team had temporarily hit the limit of...

Lorenzo: ‘I'm very happy with Michelin'

04 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

Lorenzo: ‘I'm very happy with Michelin'

Rather unsurprisingly, reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo says he’s delighted with the performances so far of the Michelin tyres, as he leaves the opening test of 2016 the fastest man on the grid...

Crutchlow pleased with updated-spec Honda engine

04 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

Crutchlow pleased with updated-spec Honda engine

LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow says he’s left Sepang content, especially after getting the opportunity to try one of the latest spec of engines for his Honda RCV213, as the Japanese manufacturer continues...

Watch Loris Baz's 180mph Sepang smash

03 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

Watch Loris Baz's 180mph Sepang smash

Avintia Ducati rider Loris Baz was fired down the start-finish straight at Sepang yesterday at over 180mph, when a problem caused his rear Michelin to explode. Luckily, however, the Frenchman was able...

Lorenzo dominates Sepang test, Stoner quickest Ducati

03 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

Lorenzo dominates Sepang test, Stoner quickest Ducati

Reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo made a blistering start to the 2016 MotoGP campaign by topping the timesheets at the end of the opening official winter test in Sepang today. The Spaniard will be...

MCN exclusive: See the full sequence of Loris Baz's 180mph crash!

02 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

MCN exclusive: See the full sequence of Loris Baz's 180mph crash!

In an MCN exclusive, check out this full sequence of photos of Loris Baz’s horrific 180mph crash this morning at Sepang from CormacGP. Baz was fired down the start-finish straight of the Malaysian...

Surprise fastest lap from Petrucci on day two of test

02 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

Surprise fastest lap from Petrucci on day two of test

Danilo Petrucci was a surprise fastest man on the second day of 2016 MotoGP pre-season testing at Sepang, making the most of an odd day to finish 0.06 ahead of reigning world champion Jorge...

Michelin withdraw soft tyre after horror smash for Baz

02 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

Michelin withdraw soft tyre after horror smash for Baz

New MotoGP tyre manufacturer Michelin have had a disastrous start to their return to the sport, having been forced to withdraw the soft option tyre after a horrific crash for French rider Loris...

Laverty escapes serious injury in high-speed crash

01 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

Laverty escapes serious injury in high-speed crash

Aspar Ducati rider Eugene Laverty has been lucky to escape injury in a high-speed crash on the opening day of the 2016 season at Sepang. “It seems we had a mechanical problem and I had to jump off the...

Lorenzo and Rossi go 1-2 on opening day at Sepang

01 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

Lorenzo and Rossi go 1-2 on opening day at Sepang

The factory Movistar Yamaha pairing of reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi have made it a one-two at the top of the timesheets after the first day of the 2016 season. Lorenzo was...

KTM reveal plans for Moto2 entry

01 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

KTM reveal plans for Moto2 entry

KTM have revealed shock plans to make their debut in the Moto2 class, unveiling a finished bike using Honda’s standardised CBR600 engine. The move has been long rumoured, but it has always been...

Rossi and Iannone debut testing special helmets

01 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

Rossi and Iannone debut testing special helmets

Valentino Rossi has unveiled his traditional winter testing helmet, rolling out the new lid in Sepang, retaining his usual winter theme with a snowman painted on the top of the helmet. His fellow...

Stoner to join official MotoGP test tomorrow

01 February 2016 by Simon Patterson

Stoner to join official MotoGP test tomorrow

After the success of his MotoGP return with Ducati over the weekend, Casey Stoner will join the official MotoGP test tomorrow (Tuesday), taking to track with former rivals like Valentino Rossi, Jorge...

Stoner makes Ducati return

30 January 2016 by Simon Patterson

Stoner makes Ducati return

Casey Stoner has made his official return to the Ducati MotoGP team as he took to the track this morning at Sepang for his first test on the new GP16 machine. The Australian will complete two days of...

Smith expecting 2016 development woes for satellites

28 January 2016 by Simon Patterson

Smith expecting 2016 development woes for satellites

Bradley Smith has told MCN that he expects a strong start to the 2016 season on the Monster Tech 3 Yamahas; despite the challenges of taking on the factory bikes on a satellite machine he expects to...

Sepang tests all about learning for Redding

27 January 2016 by Simon Patterson

Sepang tests all about learning for Redding

Scott Redding says that the opening MotoGP test of 2016 – which gets underway on Monday in Sepang – will be all about continuing to learn on the Pramac Ducati. Coming from a difficult year on the...

Redding sets sights on factory ride for 2017

27 January 2016 by Simon Patterson

Redding sets sights on factory ride for 2017

New Pramac Ducati rider Scott Redding has firmly set his sights on his target for 2017 before the 2016 seaosn even kicks off proper – securing a factory seat on the Borgo Panigale firm’s MotoGP...

Smith tips KTM for MotoGP success

23 January 2016 by Simon Patterson

Smith tips KTM for MotoGP success

Top British racer of 2015 Bradley Smith has tipped KTM for MotoGP success when the Austrian manufacturer joins the series in 2017. Speaking to MCN ahead of the first test of the season next weekend,...

Luthi and De Puniet join KTM for RC16 testing duties

23 January 2016 by Simon Patterson

Luthi and De Puniet join KTM for RC16 testing duties

Former 125GP world champion Thomas Luthi and MotoGP podium finisher Randy De Puniet will join Mika Kallio and Alex Hoffman as part of the testing team for KTM’s new RC16 MotoGP machine, set to debut...

FIM confirm Sepang data will not be released

22 January 2016 by Simon Patterson

FIM confirm Sepang data will not be released

FIM President Vito Ippolito has confirmed in a statement that the onboard data from Marc Marquez’s Repsol Honda at the time of his clash with Valentino Rossi at Sepang will not be released...

Finland vying for MotoGP spot

22 January 2016 by Simon Patterson

Finland vying for MotoGP spot

A new circuit currently under construction 100km from Helsinki in Finland is vying for a spot on the MotoGP calendar, according to press reports this week, The KymiRing track, designed by...

Laverty: Ducati success down to Gigi Dall’inga approach

21 January 2016 by Simon Patterson

Laverty: Ducati success down to Gigi Dall’inga approach

Apsar Ducati rider Eugene Laverty has put much of the resurgent success of Ducati in MotoGP down to the management style of former Aprilia boss and now Ducati Corse General Manager Gigi...

Redding unveils 2016 Pramac livery

21 January 2016 by Simon Patterson

Redding unveils 2016 Pramac livery

Scott Redding has pulled the covers off his 2016 Octo Pramac Ducati alongside teammate Danilo Petrucci at Pramac’s headquarters in Casole d’Elsa, Siena. The new bike – the same Ducati GP15 machines...