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

Alex Marquez: Rabat talent key to Marc VDS Moto2 switch

27 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

Alex Marquez: Rabat talent key to Marc VDS Moto2 switch

The opportunity to learn off reigning Moto2 world champion Tito Rabat was a crucial factor in Alex Marquez opting to join the dominant Marc VDS Racing squad for the 2015 campaign. The newly crowned...

HRC boss: Jack Miller promotion a ‘big gamble’

27 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

HRC boss: Jack Miller promotion a ‘big gamble’

Honda boss Shuhei Nakamoto has admitted his personal mission to get Jack Miller fast tracked into MotoGP in 2015 is a ‘big gamble’. Aussie Miller is the first rider in over decade to be promoted from...

Melandri eases into MotoGP return

27 November 2014 by Gordon Ritchie

Melandri eases into MotoGP return

Marco Melandri (Aprilia Racing) found the swap from a factory WSB RSV-4 Aprila to the first version a factory Aprilia MotoGP machine a difficult one at Jerez. Tyres were his main concern, having to...

Camier signs for MV Agusta in WSB

25 November 2014 by Gordon Ritchie

Camier signs for MV Agusta in WSB

Leon Camier will be the lone MV Agusta factory rider in the 2015 and 2016 Superbike World Championships after signing a deal with the Italian manufacturer at the EICMA show recently. Camier rode the...

HRC fail to tempt Casey Stoner out of retirement

25 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

HRC fail to tempt Casey Stoner out of retirement

Honda has failed with an audacious attempt to coax double MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner out of retirement. HRC boss Shuhei Nakamoto admitted he tentatively asked the Australian about a shock...

Jack Miller braced for shoulder surgery

25 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

Jack Miller braced for shoulder surgery

Jack Miller will make a rapid return to Europe after his second MotoGP test outing in Malaysia this week to undergo surgery on his right shoulder. The Aussie will take part in a three-day test at the...

Jack Miller looking forward to second MotoGP test in Sepang

25 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

Jack Miller looking forward to second MotoGP test in Sepang

Jack Miller says he is excited to unleash more of the true potential of a MotoGP bike when he makes his second winter testing appearance at the Sepang track in Malaysia later this week. The Australian...

HRC boss: Honda not against Marc Marquez Moto2 wild card idea

25 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

HRC boss: Honda not against Marc Marquez Moto2 wild card idea

Honda would not have blocked Marc Marquez from racing in Moto2 and MotoGP on the same day, even if HRC management thought it wasn’t a good idea. After Marquez wrapped up a second MotoGP world title in...

Cal Crutchlow happy to see Brad Binder get factory KTM shot

25 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow happy to see Brad Binder get factory KTM shot

British rider Cal Crutchlow reckons one of the bright young talents emerging out of the entry-level Moto3 category is South African rider Brad Binder. Binder enjoyed his breakthrough season in 2014...

Marc VDS Racing celebrate record-breaking 2014

20 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

Marc VDS Racing celebrate record-breaking 2014

It has taken just four years for the Marc VDS Racing squad to become the undisputed dominant force in the Moto2 world championship. In a phenomenal 2014 campaign, the Belgium-based squad, run by...

Donington Park safety upgrades outlined for British MotoGP

20 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

Donington Park safety upgrades outlined for British MotoGP

A full track resurface and new pit lane exit will be part of the winter upgrades that Donington Park will make ahead of the Leicestershire circuit returning to the MotoGP world championship schedule...

Jerry Burgess: MotoGP return ‘not what I want to do’

20 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

Jerry Burgess: MotoGP return ‘not what I want to do’

Jerry Burgess says he is too old and too happy in retirement to make a shock return to MotoGP in the future. A year after being unceremoniously dumped by Valentino Rossi, the legendary Aussie chief...

Alvaro Bautista: '2015 will be a test year'

20 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

Alvaro Bautista: '2015 will be a test year'

Alvaro Bautista has conceded that 2015 will primarily be a test and development campaign for Aprilia’s new MotoGP project. The Spaniard got his first chance to assess the Noale factory’s new 1000cc...

Marc Marquez would welcome brother Alex as future teammate

19 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

Marc Marquez would welcome brother Alex as future teammate

Double MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez has said he would welcome younger brother Alex as his future teammate in Honda’s official premier class squad. After clinching the Moto3 title by just...

Ducati clarifies Desmosedici allocation for 2015

19 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

Ducati clarifies Desmosedici allocation for 2015

Ducati has clarified the technical status of the six riders it will supply Desmosedici machinery to in the 2015 MotoGP world championship. The Bologna factory will support a third team next year after...

Valentino Rossi reflects on 2014 revival

18 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

Valentino Rossi reflects on 2014 revival

Valentino Rossi has spoken about his outstanding revival in 2014 that saw the Italian icon win two races and finish runner-up to dominant Honda rival Marc Marquez in the overall rankings. The...

Cal Crutchlow undergoes successful shoulder surgery

17 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow undergoes successful shoulder surgery

Cal Crutchlow has undergone successful surgery on his left shoulder after completing his LCR Honda debut in Valencia last week. Crutchlow had an operation last Friday morning at the Alexandra Hospital...

Pol Espargaro not surprised by brother Aleix’s Suzuki pace

17 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

Pol Espargaro not surprised by brother Aleix’s Suzuki pace

Former Moto2 world champion Pol Espargaro says he was not surprised to see brother Aleix Espargaro impress on his factory Suzuki debut in Valencia last week. Aleix finished just one second off the...

Loris Baz kicks off MotoGP career in Spain

10 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

Loris Baz kicks off MotoGP career in Spain

Loris Baz has put the controvery of his final World Superbike appearance behind him today by making his MotoGP debut in Valencia. Baz has completed his first laps on the Forward Racing Yamaha Open...

Maverick Vinales makes factory Suzuki debut

10 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

Maverick Vinales makes factory Suzuki debut

Former Moto3 world champion Maverick Vinales has appeared for the first time on Suzuki’s new factory GSX-RR on a sun drenched start to winter testing at the Valencia track in Spain today. The...

Scott Redding evaluates Honda RC213V in Valencia test

10 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

Scott Redding evaluates Honda RC213V in Valencia test

After a year spent struggling to make up for a lack of horsepower on Honda’s production RCV1000R machine, British rider Scott Redding got his first taste of what a true factory MotoGP prototype feels...

Cal Crutchlow starts factory Honda preparations in Valencia

10 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

Cal Crutchlow starts factory Honda preparations in Valencia

British rider Cal Crutchlow has made his factory Honda debut on the opening day of 2015 pre-season testing at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia. The 29-year-old, who ended a difficult year at...

Jack Miller starts MotoGP career in first 2015 showdown

10 November 2014 by Matthew Birt

Jack Miller starts MotoGP career in first 2015 showdown

Rising Aussie star Jack Miller has started the big challenge of adapting from a 60bhp Moto3 bike to a 260bhp MotoGP bike at the Valencia track in Spain this morning. The 2014 Moto3 world championship...

Valencia MotoGP: Marquez blitzes opposition for win number thirteen

09 November 2014 by Simon Patterson

Valencia MotoGP: Marquez blitzes opposition for win number thirteen

Marc Marquez has made it lucky win number thirteen, setting a new record for the premiere class as he cruised to the victory ahead of Valentino Rossi and teammate Dani Pedrosa. Marquez was a slow...

Valencia Moto2: Rabat loses win to Luthi at the line

09 November 2014 by Simon Patterson

Valencia Moto2: Rabat loses win to Luthi at the line

Tito Rabat has lost his chance for eight wins in his title-winning year right on the line, after his MarcVDS bike ran out of fuel on the run to the flag. The Spaniard had battled all race long with...

Valencia Moto3: Miller wins the battle but Marquez wins the war

09 November 2014 by Simon Patterson

Valencia Moto3: Miller wins the battle but Marquez wins the war

A dominant Moto3 victory in Valencia for Jack Miller proved too little too late, as the Australian star was forced to concede the 2014 title to Spaniard Alex Marquez, to give the Marquez family a...

Valencia Moto2: World champion Rabat on pole – just

08 November 2014 by Simon Patterson

Valencia Moto2: World champion Rabat on pole – just

New world champion Tito Rabat will start tomorrow’s final moto2 race of 2015 from pole position, after holding off Frenchman Johann Zarco by only 0.043 to take his eleventh pole of the season. Moto2...

Valencia MotoGP: First Rossi pole in four years!

08 November 2014 by Simon Patterson

Valencia MotoGP: First Rossi pole in four years!

Valentino Rossi has taken his first MotoGP pole position in over four years this afternoon, finishing ahead of Andrea Iannone after Marc Marquez crashed out with less than two minutes left on the...

Valencia Moto3: Antonelli takes surprise poll as title fight rages

08 November 2014 by Simon Patterson

Valencia Moto3: Antonelli takes surprise poll as title fight rages

Niccolo Antonelli has taken his maiden pole position at Valencia ahead of tomorrow’s final Moto3 race of the season, but behind him the title battle rages on between Jack Miller and Alex...

PBM bid fond farewell to MotoGP

06 November 2014 by Laura Thomson

PBM bid fond farewell to MotoGP

Penrith-based racing team Paul Bird Motorsport will race their last Grand prix in this Sunday’s end-of-series MotoGP race at Valencia. Following three years of moderate success in the premier class of...

No Valencia wild card for Colin Edwards

31 October 2014 by Matthew Birt

No Valencia wild card for Colin Edwards

Colin Edwards has raced in his last MotoGP battle after it was confirmed there is not going to be a final farewell appearance in Valencia next weekend. The Texan had hoped to end his stellar...

Honda keen for Casey Stoner to continue MotoGP testing

31 October 2014 by Matthew Birt

Honda keen for Casey Stoner to continue MotoGP testing

Honda will try and persuade Casey Stoner to carry out more test and development work on its factory RC213V MotoGP machine in 2015. The Australian made a surprise return to MotoGP action in Japan this...

Casey Stoner completes HRC test in Japan

30 October 2014 by Matthew Birt

Casey Stoner completes HRC test in Japan

Casey Stoner has completed his first MotoGP test in 12 months at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan today after giving HRC staff crucial feedback on the 2015 factory RC213V contender. The Australian tested the...

MotoGP return to Brazil unlikely in near future

29 October 2014 by Matthew Birt

MotoGP return to Brazil unlikely in near future

Brazil’s bid to return to the MotoGP calendar for the first time since 2004 appears to have stalled. The South American country was pencilled in on the 2014 schedule for a race at the Brasilia track...

Ducati confident Michele Pirro will remain Desmosedici test rider

29 October 2014 by Matthew Birt

Ducati confident Michele Pirro will remain Desmosedici test rider

Ducati is confident that test and development rider Michele Pirro will sign a new contract, despite interest from Italian rivals Aprilia about a MotoGP racing contract in 2015. Pirro has been Ducati’s...

Malaysia MotoGP: Marquez cruises to record matching win

26 October 2014 by Simon Patterson

Malaysia MotoGP: Marquez cruises to record matching win

Marc Marquez has equalled yet another record in the premiere class, by taking his twelth win of the season to match Mick Doohan as the most successful rider in a single season. The 21 year old won...