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

Qatar MotoGP: Marquez breaks lap record as Cal goes second

27 March 2015 by Simon Patterson

Qatar MotoGP: Marquez breaks lap record as Cal goes second

Marc Marquez has broken Casey Stoner’s lap record en route to going top of the time sheets on the second day of the 2015 GP season. The double world champion took almost half a second off the...

Qatar Moto3: Kent on top of Leopard 1-2

27 March 2015 by Simon Patterson

Qatar Moto3: Kent on top of Leopard 1-2

Danny Kent and Japanese teammate Hiroki Ono topped the time sheets on day two of the first round of the 2015 Moto3 season. The pair topped the session only 0.01 ahead of yesterday’s leader Miguel...

Qatar Moto2: Lowes blitzes the opposition on opening night

27 March 2015 by Simon Patterson

Qatar Moto2: Lowes blitzes the opposition on opening night

Brit Sam Lowes has blitzed the opposition on the opening night of the Moto2 season, finishing the evening’s sessions some 0.35 clear of Tito Rabat and Johann Zarco. The only Speed Up machine in a top...

Qatar MotoGP: Marquez back on top on day one

27 March 2015 by Simon Patterson

Qatar MotoGP: Marquez back on top on day one

Marc Marquez has started where he finsihed in 2014, taking the top spot of the time sheets on the opening night of the new season in Qatar. The double world champion was only 0.076 clear of his...

Qatar Moto3: Oliveira on top for first day of 2015

27 March 2015 by Simon Patterson

Qatar Moto3: Oliveira on top for first day of 2015

Portuguese rider Miguel Oliveira has topped the opening day of the 2015 season at Qatar, taking his Red Bull Ajo KTM 0.2 clear of Niccolò Antonelli. Danny Kent was the best of the Brits, taking his...

Crutchlow downplays practice pace

27 March 2015 by Steve English

Crutchlow downplays practice pace

Cal Crutchlow made a solid start to this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix with the LCR Honda rider fifth fastest after the opening night of practice. After the session however Crutchlow was dismissive of...

Stoner to make racing return at Suzuka 8 Hours

27 March 2015 by Steve English

Stoner to make racing return at Suzuka 8 Hours

Honda has confirmed that Casey Stoner was return to racing for a one off outing at this year’s Suzuka 8 Hours. The double MotoGP champion will make his debut at the famous endurance race in July...

Aspar: Sponsor had clause to end contract in September

26 March 2015 by Steve English

Aspar: Sponsor had clause to end contract in September

The news that Drive M7 had decided to pull out of sponsoring the Aspar MotoGP squad, while supporting the SIC Moto3 team, came as a shock to the paddock. Speaking to the media today Jorge ‘Aspar’...

Rossi and Marquez recount their desert duels

25 March 2015 by Steve English

Rossi and Marquez recount their desert duels

Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez have dominated attention at the last two Qatar Grand Prix. Their battles for second in 2013 and for the victory twelve months ago have lit up the races and provided...

Rivals weigh in on Ducati

25 March 2015 by Steve English

Rivals weigh in on Ducati

The speed of the Ducati GP15 in winter testing has raised more than a few eyebrows. With Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone having enjoyed a stellar pre-Qatar Grand Prix test the Italian manufacturer...

Crutchlow doesn't expect Qatar to be an indicator of 2015

25 March 2015 by Steve English

Crutchlow doesn't expect Qatar to be an indicator of 2015

Cal Crutchlow was in good spirits ahead of the season opening Qatar Grand Prix with the Englishman joking with the media at today’s press conference. Crutchlow will make his debut for the LCR Honda...

Espargaro excited to leave Open class behind

25 March 2015 by Steve English

Espargaro excited to leave Open class behind

Suzuki’s return to MotoGP has already been far more competitive than many expected with Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales both impressing throughout testing but this weekend will be the first time...

Smith: We're close to factory Yamaha riders

25 March 2015 by Steve English

Smith: We're close to factory Yamaha riders

Bradley Smith has enjoyed a strong pre-season with the Tech3 Yamaha rider recovering from a January motocross accident to progressively get fitter, stronger and faster as testing wore on. Speaking to...

Bautista facing up to challenging season

25 March 2015 by Steve English

Bautista facing up to challenging season

While Aprilia have struggled in winter testing Alvaro Bautista is relatively pleased with the bike saying that there are no specific areas that the bike is performing poorly. Rather the Spaniard...

Espargaro: Finally we start the season!

25 March 2015 by Steve English

Espargaro: Finally we start the season!

It’s a rare moment to catch Pol Espargaro as anything other than bubbling with excitement and ahead of Sunday’s season opening Qatar Grand Prix the former Moto2 champion can barely contain that...

Iannone looking forward to first Ducati start

25 March 2015 by Steve English

Iannone looking forward to first Ducati start

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s opening practice Andrea Iannone could barely contain his excitement of making his debut for the factory Ducati squad. Iannone has had great pace throughout the winter and...

Melandri expected more progress from Aprilia

25 March 2015 by Steve English

Melandri expected more progress from Aprilia

Marco Melandri’s difficult pre-season comes to a close tomorrow in Qatar with the Italian making his return to MotoGP aboard the Aprilia. Melandri, who was the form rider over the second half of 2014...

LCR Honda sponsor CWM under investigation for money laundering

25 March 2015 by Simon Patterson

LCR Honda sponsor CWM under investigation for money laundering

CWM FX, the foreign currency trading firm who are title sponsors of the LCR Honda MotoGP bikes of Cal Crutchlow and Jack Miller this season, have had thirteen staff members arrested in a police raid...

Dainese plot Rossi from rookie to champion

23 March 2015 by MCN Staff

Dainese plot Rossi from rookie to champion

Italian safety equipment manufactuirer Dainese have released an infographic plotting the career path – and the rivals – of their most successful sponsored rider; namely, one Mr Valentino Rossi.

Miller readying himself for MotoGP debut

21 March 2015 by Steve English

Miller readying himself for MotoGP debut

The highest profile rookie of 2015 is undoubtedly Jack Miller with the Australian making the jump from Moto3 to MotoGP having finished runner-up to Alex Marquez in last year’s Moto3 title tussle. His...

Laverty: Now I can attack

21 March 2015 by Steve English

Laverty: Now I can attack

Eugene Laverty took a low key approach to winter testing with the Irishman focussing on learning as much as possible as he adapts to MotoGP rather than looking to set headline times. The adaptation...

Smith targets top satellite rider in 2015

21 March 2015 by Steve English

Smith targets top satellite rider in 2015

Far from drying to deflect attention ahead of the new season Bradley Smith has acknowledged the challenge that he’ll face in 2015. The Englishman, in his third season in the premier class, knows that...

Brivio: We're excited to start the season

21 March 2015 by Steve English

Brivio: We're excited to start the season

Suzuki surprised the MotoGP paddock throughout the winter with the returning manufacturer much more competitive than expected. Now, with one week to go until the start of the season, Suzuki needs to...

Kent second fastest in final Moto3 test

19 March 2015 by Steve English

Kent second fastest in final Moto3 test

The wind and rain that affected this week’s Jerez test will have done little to dent Danny Kent’s confidence ahead of the new Moto3 season with the Englishman finishing the week second fastest with...

Lowes finishes Jerez test fastest

19 March 2015 by Steve English

Lowes finishes Jerez test fastest

Sam Lowes topped the final test of the pre-season after rain interrupted running at Jerez throughout the week. Lowes finished the week one second faster than Jonas Folger but with so little dry...

Hayden: Front straight is definitely a lot better here compared to what we had last year!

19 March 2015 by Steve English

Hayden: Front straight is definitely a lot better here compared to what we had last year!

Nicky Haden came away from Qatar pleased to have been able to get closer to the front on the Open Honda but once again disappointed to have finished down the timesheets in 16th position. The new bike...

Bridgestone adds two new tyres to 2015 allocation

19 March 2015 by Steve English

Bridgestone adds two new tyres to 2015 allocation

Bridgestone might be quitting MotoGP at the end of 2015 but the Japanese manufacturer has made new developments available throughout this season. Teams and riders will now have six different...

Marquez: Ducati can win in Qatar

19 March 2015 by Steve English

Marquez: Ducati can win in Qatar

Marc Marquez wrapped up winter testing with the second fastest time of the Qatar test after spending time trying to improve front feel and eke out more top speed from the Honda RC213v. On the opening...

Winter testing offically draws to a close

17 March 2015 by Steve English

Winter testing offically draws to a close

The MotoGP paddock can now fully turn its attention towards next weekend’s season opening Qatar Grand Prix after the final day of testing was completed at the Losail International Circuit today. The...

Rain postpones final day of testing

16 March 2015 by Steve English

Rain postpones final day of testing

Rain ended play early in the desert with the final day of pre-season testing washed out after heavy rain in Losail. The night session means that riding is impossible in the wet due to the floodlights...

"Lots of effort" on day two for Rossi

16 March 2015 by Steve English

"Lots of effort" on day two for Rossi

Having struggled for most of the day with a lack of rear grip Valentino Rossi was able to find a solution in the final hour of the second day of testing to vault himself from the midpack into the top...

Lack of feel holding back Lorenzo

16 March 2015 by Steve English

Lack of feel holding back Lorenzo

Jorge Lorenzo wound up with the fourth fastest time on Day Two of the Qatar test but afterwards the double MotoGP champion was disappointed with the handling of his Yamaha M1 and surprised to have...

Lack of rear grip holds back Lorenzo

15 March 2015 by Steve English

Lack of rear grip holds back Lorenzo

Track conditions and a lack of rear grip hurt Jorge Lorenzo yesterday in Qatar with the Yamaha rider only able to set the sixth fastest time of the opening night. The dusty track surface is always a...

Positive start for Vinales despite crashes

15 March 2015 by Steve English

Positive start for Vinales despite crashes

Maverick Vinales crashed twice on the opening night of the Qatar test and while it cost him track time he was upbeat afterwards as he assessed his day and looked forward to another two days of testing...

No feeling for Espargaro

15 March 2015 by Steve English

No feeling for Espargaro

Pol Espargaro struggled throughout the first night in Qatar with the Tech3 rider having a miserable day with a lack of feeling on the front end leaving him at a loss to explain his performance. The...

Pedrosa: Track needs to clean

15 March 2015 by Steve English

Pedrosa: Track needs to clean

Dani Pedrosa was not too worried after setting the fifth fastest time of the opening night’s running in Qatar. With track conditions dusty the Repsol Honda rider felt that the potential of the Honda...