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

Moto2 recap: Round 2 - Americas

25 July 2015 by Steve English

Moto2 recap: Round 2 - Americas

Sam Lowes took the first win of his Grand Prix career at COTA after seeing off the challenge from Johann Zarco. Lowes had suffered a huge crash on Friday and another during qualifying but when it...

MotoGP recap: Round 2 - Americas

25 July 2015 by Steve English

MotoGP recap: Round 2 - Americas

Marc Marquez overcame a technical failure on his bike in qualifying to take a dramatic pole position in Texas. The lap was arguably the best that we’ve ever seen from the Spaniard. He was fired up and...

Moto3 recap: Round 1 - Qatar

24 July 2015 by Steve English

Moto3 recap: Round 1 - Qatar

Danny Kent’s dominance of Moto3 in 2015 wasn’t clearly apparent in qualifying at Qatar but having topped two practice sessions he was always confident of making a splash in the desert. Kent was never...

Moto2 recap: Round 1 - Qatar

24 July 2015 by Steve English

Moto2 recap: Round 1 - Qatar

In the Moto2 season opener Sam Lowes and Johann Zarco were the fastest men on the grid but both failed to win the race after a mistake from Lowes and a mechancial issue for Zarco. Jonas Folger was the...

MotoGP recap: Round 1 - Qatar

24 July 2015 by Steve English

MotoGP recap: Round 1 - Qatar

“I think that this battle is one of the best my career,” was what Valentino Rossi said after winning the Qatar Grand Prix. Over the course of the next eight rounds he’s been able to show that he’s...

Espargaro: Suzuki feels like a family

23 July 2015 by Steve English

Espargaro: Suzuki feels like a family

Aleix Espargaro told MCN that he feels like he’s the best rider in the world when he’s surrounded by people that trust him and respect him. He has that in spades at Suzuki and he is riding superbly...

KTM test Moto3 upgrades at Montmelo

21 July 2015 by Steve English

KTM test Moto3 upgrades at Montmelo

The summer break is in full swing for most of the paddock but KTM held a private test at Montmelo this week for their Moto3 riders. The Austrian manufacturer has been competitive in the class this...

Five of the best Suzuka races

21 July 2015 by Steve English

Five of the best Suzuka races

This week’s Suzuka 8 Hours looks set to be a very memorable race with MotoGP, World Superbikes and British Superbikes stars heading to the Far East to take on the best that the Japanese can offer. MCN...

Video: Suzuki's assess the Misano test

18 July 2015 by Steve English

Video: Suzuki's assess the Misano test

At this week’s Misano test Suzuki spent the week focusing on improving their setup and finding a better balance compared to what they felt at the German Grand Prix. The season has been one filled with...

Forward boss arrested in Switzerland

17 July 2015 by Steve English

Forward boss arrested in Switzerland

The future of the Forward Racing squad – which runs Stefan Bradl in MotoGP – has been thrown into question with the arrest team boss Giovanni Cuzari on suspicion of bribery, fraud and money...

Resurfaced Misano yielding lap record times

16 July 2015 by Steve English

Resurfaced Misano yielding lap record times

Misano was resurfaced earlier in the season and the laptimes at this week’s test show just how much laptime has been gained at the Italian circuit. Today Marc Marquez set the fastest time with the...

Ducati focus on setup and getting more from harder tyre

16 July 2015 by Steve English

Ducati focus on setup and getting more from harder tyre

Ducati completed almost 250 laps at Misano with Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Ianonne. While their headline laptimes weren’t as impressive as Honda’s both felt that they had made plenty of progress at...

Pedrosa and Marquez test 2016 bike

16 July 2015 by Steve English

Pedrosa and Marquez test 2016 bike

Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez both had the chance to test a 2016 chassis at Misano today with both offering encouraging reports on the bike. The chassis continues to use the current engine with Honda...

Get in the fanstands for Silverstone MotoGP

16 July 2015 by MCN Sport

Get in the fanstands for Silverstone MotoGP

MotoGP returns to Silverstone this August 28-30, and is shaping up to be a fantastic three-day festival of motorcycle sport, all heightened by our British riders enjoying their most successful season...

Fast times on Day 1 for Honda, 2016 bike for Day 2

15 July 2015 by Steve English

Fast times on Day 1 for Honda, 2016 bike for Day 2

A test for factory riders kicked off at Misano with the track getting an initial thumbs up from the the Honda riders riders after resurfacing work over the winter. With World Superbikes having already...

Marquez assesses rookie Moto2 campaign

15 July 2015 by Steve English

Marquez assesses rookie Moto2 campaign

Alex Marquez has had a difficult time adapting to the Moto2 class with two top ten finishes interspersed with difficult races where he has fallen to the back of the pack and had to fight through to...

Bridgestone pleased with performance of asymmetric front tyre

15 July 2015 by Steve English

Bridgestone pleased with performance of asymmetric front tyre

Bridgestone’s asymmetric front tyre was well received by riders in Germany with the likes of Bradley Smith saying that the tyre was “really good” during the race. Bridgestone’s Shinji Aoki, their...

Disastrous weekend after "Amateur" problems for Laverty

14 July 2015 by Steve English

Disastrous weekend after "Amateur" problems for Laverty

Eugene Laverty had a miserable weekend in Germany with the Irishman struggling en route to a 17th place finish. On Saturday Laverty said that a change of tyre warmers led to problems with tyre...

Mike Webb gives his view on Moto3 penalties

14 July 2015 by Steve English

Mike Webb gives his view on Moto3 penalties

Rider behaviour has been a huge issue throughout the year with Moto3 rider sitting back and waiting for a tow from a faster rider. The practice is deemed necessary by the riders because at some...

No warning for crash but Redding starting to get comfortable

14 July 2015 by Steve English

No warning for crash but Redding starting to get comfortable

Scott Redding came away disappointed to have crashed out of the German Grand Prix but started to show progress on the Marc VDS Honda. Redding has endured a miserable year with the highlight being a...

Marquez leads Honda one-two in Germany

12 July 2015 by Steve English

Marquez leads Honda one-two in Germany

Marc Marquez topped the times in every session in Germany and waltzed away with the victory at the Sachsenring. While Jorge Lorenzo got the jump at the start Marquez was able to get past him in the...

Simeon claims first Grand Prix win

12 July 2015 by Steve English

Simeon claims first Grand Prix win

Xavier Simeon claimed his first Grand prix victory after a superbly judged race from the Gresini rider. Simeon, who had a podium at the season opening Qatar Grand Prix, had a superb finish to the 29...

Dominant Danny wins again

12 July 2015 by Steve English

Dominant Danny wins again

In a field where a tenths of a second is prized Danny Kent had seconds to spare on his rivals in today’s Moto3 German Grand Prix. Kent, who started from pole position, had to battle in the early laps...

Laverty to pay tribute to Dr John Hinds

11 July 2015 by Steve English

Laverty to pay tribute to Dr John Hinds

Eugene Laverty will pay tribute to Dr John Hinds during tomorrow’s German Grand Prix by wearing a replica of the travelling medic’s helmet at the Sachsenring. With over 30 Helicopter Emergency Medical...

Zarco on pole with Rabat and Lowes struggling

11 July 2015 by Steve English

Zarco on pole with Rabat and Lowes struggling

Moto2 championship leader Johann Zarco claimed his third consecutive pole position by leading the way in qualifying ahead of tomorrow’s German Grand Prix. Zarco, who has won three times from pole this...

Marquez takes German pole

11 July 2015 by Steve English

Marquez takes German pole

Marc Marquez’s domination of the German Grand Prix was maintained today with the reigning world champion taking pole position from Dani Pedrosa. Marquez, who has not been beaten at the Sachsenring...

Hernandez and Vinales through to QP2

11 July 2015 by Steve English

Hernandez and Vinales through to QP2

Yonny Hernandez and Maverick Vinales moved through to QP2 but Scott Redding once again was caught out in the opening session and finished fourth fastest. The softer tyres available the rest of the QP1...

Marquez fastest in final practice

11 July 2015 by Steve English

Marquez fastest in final practice

Marc Marquez maintained his perfect record at the Sachsenring by leading the way in FP4 from Dani Pedrosa and Scott Redding. Redding has had a much stronger weekend in Germany and despite having to...

Kent crashes but still claims pole

11 July 2015 by Steve English

Kent crashes but still claims pole

A crash with 15 minutes remaining wasn’t enough to derail Danny Kent in qualifying with the championship leader taking pole by a comfortable half a second at Sachsenring. Kent had a low side at Turn...

Morbidelli fastest ahead of qualifying

11 July 2015 by Steve English

Morbidelli fastest ahead of qualifying

Franco Morbidelli was fastest ahead of qualifying in Moto2 with title rivals Johann Zarco and Tito Rabat his closest pursuers but with the rest of the field half a second off the pace it was a...

Marquez tops hectic FP3

11 July 2015 by Steve English

Marquez tops hectic FP3

In a typically thrilling climax to FP3 Marc Marquez once again was the pacesetter at the Sachsenring but with Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi both within two tenths the fight for pole could be...

Lap record for Kent in final practice

11 July 2015 by Steve English

Lap record for Kent in final practice

Danny Kent has led every session by six tenths of a second this weekend and with a new lap record to boot the championship leader is in ominous form for his rivals. With Fabio Quartararo and Efren...

Bad day for Crutchlow, needs to improve cornering

10 July 2015 by Steve English

Bad day for Crutchlow, needs to improve cornering

Cal Crutchlow had “a bad day” at the Sachsenring with the LCR Honda rider ending the day 12th fastest. The Englishman felt that his final tyre may have been the cause of his problems in the afternoon...

Kallio leading the way after day one

10 July 2015 by Steve English

Kallio leading the way after day one

Mika Kallio was fastest in the afternoon Moto2 session with the Finn maintaining his usual form at the Sachsenring. Kallio, who finished second last year to Dominque Aegerther, outpaced the Swiss...

Marquez fastest with Smith on the pace

10 July 2015 by Steve English

Marquez fastest with Smith on the pace

Marc Marquez was fastest in the afternoon with the Spaniard saying that he has refound his confidence with the Honda and had his best Friday of the season. With confidence on the brakes he’s able to...

Kent leads way after opening day in Germany

10 July 2015 by Steve English

Kent leads way after opening day in Germany

Danny Kent once again laid down a marker to the Moto3 field by maintaining his six tenths of a second lead from the field at the Sachsenring. Kent is in the form of his life and looking more and more...