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

Marc Marquez denies MotoGP and Moto2 race plan in Valencia

21 August 2014 by Matthew Birt

Marc Marquez denies MotoGP and Moto2 race plan in Valencia

Marc Marquez has written off the prospect of racing in both MotoGP and Moto2 in Valencia’s final round in November. Speculation has been rife that the dominant reigning world champion was seriously...

Jorge Lorenzo not surprised by lack of Honda interest

20 August 2014 by Matthew Birt

Jorge Lorenzo not surprised by lack of Honda interest

Jorge Lorenzo says he was not shocked to have been completely overlooked by Honda for a spot next to dominant reigning world champion Marc Marquez in 2015. HRC boss Shuhei Nakamoto had vowed to...

HRC fears MotoGP development costs will soar with tyre switch

20 August 2014 by Matthew Birt

HRC fears MotoGP development costs will soar with tyre switch

Honda fears a switch to Michelin as the new official tyre supplier in MotoGP for 2016 will send its development costs rocketing. All the major factories are facing a costly and complex task to adapt...

Tech 3: Bradley Smith was always ‘plan A’

20 August 2014 by Matthew Birt

Tech 3: Bradley Smith was always ‘plan A’

Tech 3 Yamaha boss Herve Poncharal has strongly denied offering Bradley Smith a new YZR-M1 deal for 2015 because there was no suitable candidate to replace the British rider. Poncharal is known to...

Alvaro Bautista: Aprilia MotoGP move ‘exciting choice’

20 August 2014 by Matthew Birt

Alvaro Bautista: Aprilia MotoGP move ‘exciting choice’

Alvaro Bautista doesn’t believe he would be taking a big risk if he clinched a deal to partner Marco Melandri in Aprilia’s new factory MotoGP squad in 2015. Aprilia will be back in MotoGP next season...

Eugene Laverty doubts LCR Honda deal for 2015

20 August 2014 by Matthew Birt

Eugene Laverty doubts LCR Honda deal for 2015

Eugene Laverty doesn’t believe he has a serious opportunity to be joining Cal Crutchlow in the LCR Honda MotoGP squad next season. The Crescent Suzuki World Superbike rider has spoken to LCR boss...

Marquez tops one-day Brno test

18 August 2014 by Simon Patterson

Marquez tops one-day Brno test

Marc Marquez has topped a one-day official MotoGP test at Brno, only 24hrs after failing to win the Czech Grand prix at the same track, taking the top spot from Jorge Lorenzo as the factory Honda and...

Brno MotoGP: Pedrosa ends Marquez streak

17 August 2014 by Liam Marsden

Brno MotoGP: Pedrosa ends Marquez streak

Marc Marquez’ 2014 winning streak came to an end at Brno as team-mate Dani Pedrosa took the top honours. Marquez started from pole position but got a lack lustre start and was pushed down the field as...

Brno Moto2: Rabat dominates

17 August 2014 by Liam Marsden

Brno Moto2: Rabat dominates

Esteve Rabat stretched his championship lead to 12 points ahead of team-mate Mika Kallio with a faultless performance at Brno. The Spaniard got a great start from pole position to lead into the first...

Brno Moto3: Masbou takes last corner victory

17 August 2014 by Liam Marsden

Brno Moto3: Masbou takes last corner victory

Frenchman Alexis Masbou took victory in a close fought Moto3 race at Brno which went down to the last corner on the final lap. Masbou put a hard move on championship leader Jack Miller to take his...

Brno Moto2: Rabat holds onto pole

16 August 2014 by Liam Marsden

Brno Moto2: Rabat holds onto pole

Moto2 championship leader Esteve Rabat secured pole position at Brno despite late charges from several of his rivals. The Spanish rider claimed pole with a best time of 2’01.911. Thomas Luthi and...

Brno MotoGP: Marquez takes pole

16 August 2014 by Liam Marsden

Brno MotoGP: Marquez takes pole

Reigning champion Marc Marquez set a best time of 1’55.585 to secure pole position at the Brno circuit. Marquez will be joined on the front row by the Ducati duo of Andrea Dovizioso in second and...

Brno Moto3: Marquez on pole

16 August 2014 by Liam Marsden

Brno Moto3: Marquez on pole

Alex Marquez claimed pole position for tomorrow’s Moto3 race in a qualifying session which was hit by intermittent rain and interrupted by a red flag with just 10 minutes of the session remaining. The...

LCR Honda crew to remain unchanged for Cal Crutchlow

14 August 2014 by Matthew Birt

LCR Honda crew to remain unchanged for Cal Crutchlow

Cal Crutchlow looks certain to be ending his four-year association with crew chief Daniele Romagnoli after LCR Honda confirmed its garage personnel would remain unchanged for 2015. Italian Romagnoli...

Bradley Smith signs new Tech 3 Yamaha deal

13 August 2014 by Matthew Birt

Bradley Smith signs new Tech 3 Yamaha deal

Bradley Smith will stay at the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 squad in 2015. The British rider has penned a new one-year deal with Herve Poncharal’s French-based squad to remain as teammate to current Moto2...

Espargaro excited about potential Vinales partnership at Suzuki

13 August 2014 by Matthew Birt

Espargaro excited about potential Vinales partnership at Suzuki

Aleix Espargaro says he is relishing the chance to line-up with reigning Moto3 world champion Maverick Vinales in Suzuki’s all-new MotoGP squad next year. Although no official announcement has been...

Marc VDS ends Jack Miller pursuit – legal battle to follow?

13 August 2014 by Matthew Birt

Marc VDS ends Jack Miller pursuit – legal battle to follow?

Aussie sensation Jack Miller might end up in a bitter legal battle before he ends up in MotoGP in 2015. Lawyers acting on behalf of the Belgium-based Marc VDS Racing squad are now dealing with its...

Is it Miller time for MotoGP?

13 August 2014 by Matthew Birt

Is it Miller time for MotoGP?

Imagine trading in your KTM 390 Duke for the most trick Honda CBR1000RR FireBlade money can buy. That’s about as close as you will get to a move that Jack Miller could make in 2015, with the Aussie...

Crutchlow U-turn creates headache for Pramac Ducati

13 August 2014 by Matthew Birt

Crutchlow U-turn creates headache for Pramac Ducati

Pramac Ducati bosses have admitted Cal Crutchlow’s shock Desmosedici departure threw the Italian team’s 2015 plans into disarray. Paolo Campinoti’s satellite squad believed it would keep hold of...

Aleix Espargaro admits Suzuki move a gamble

12 August 2014 by Matthew Birt

Aleix Espargaro admits Suzuki move a gamble

Aleix Espargaro has admitted taking a big gamble by pushing to lead Suzuki’s much anticipated MotoGP return in 2015. The Spaniard will quit the Forward Racing Yamaha Open class project after just one...

Mika Kallio confirms Aprilia and Aspar Honda talks

12 August 2014 by Matthew Birt

Mika Kallio confirms Aprilia and Aspar Honda talks

Moto2 title contender Mika Kallio could be heading for a surprise return to the MotoGP world championship in 2015. Aprilia and Aspar Honda have approached the Finn, who dominated Sunday’s...

Factory Honda talks continue for Scott Redding

11 August 2014 by Matthew Birt

Factory Honda talks continue for Scott Redding

Negotiations to get Scott Redding on the factory Honda RC213V in Fausto Gresini’s Italian squad in 2015 have still to be concluded. Lengthy discussions between Redding’s management, HRC and Gresini...

Ducati closing in on Avintia deal for 2015

11 August 2014 by Matthew Birt

Ducati closing in on Avintia deal for 2015

Ducati moved a step closer to expanding its MotoGP effort to six bikes next year following advanced talks with the Spanish-based Avintia Racing squad in Indianapolis. It is no secret that Avintia boss...

Eugene Laverty on Pramac Ducati shortlist

11 August 2014 by Matthew Birt

Eugene Laverty on Pramac Ducati shortlist

Ducati has confirmed that Eugene Laverty features on a shortlist to replace Andrea Iannone in the Pramac squad for 2015. Paolo Campinoti’s Italian team is seeking another rider, having initially...

Paul Bird planning BSB super team after quitting MotoGP

11 August 2014 by Matthew Birt

Paul Bird planning BSB super team after quitting MotoGP

Millionaire businessman Paul Bird is planning a four-rider super team in the 2015 British Superbike series after detailing plans to close down his PBM MotoGP squad at the end of the season. Bird plans...

Tense Bradley Smith relaxes to take vital top six

11 August 2014 by Matthew Birt

Tense Bradley Smith relaxes to take vital top six

Bradley Smith overcame a tentative start in yesterday’s Indianapolis MotoGP round to claim a priceless top six that will do his chances of keeping a prized YZR-M1 seat at Tech 3 Yamaha in 2015 no harm...

Leon Camier ‘shocked’ by Indy speed

11 August 2014

Leon Camier ‘shocked’ by Indy speed

British rider Leon Camier said he was shocked at how competitive he was on the Aspar production Honda after a brilliant MotoGP debut weekend in Indianapolis. The former British Superbike champion had...

Alex de Angelis replaces Colin Edwards at Forward Yamaha

11 August 2014 by Matt Birt

Alex de Angelis replaces Colin Edwards at Forward Yamaha

The stellar career of double World Superbike champion Colin Edwards could have ended with a low key 13th position in yesterday’s Indianapolis MotoGP round. Confusion over the popular Texan’s future...

Indianapolis MotoGP: Marquez makes it ten in a row

10 August 2014 by Liam Marsden

Indianapolis MotoGP: Marquez makes it ten in a row

Marc Marquez has become the first rider to win 10 races in a row since Mick Doohan in 1997 after taking victory at Indianapolis today. Marquez didn’t have it all his own way, the pole sitter was...

Indianapolis Moto2: Kallio dominates to take win

10 August 2014 by Liam Marsden

Indianapolis Moto2: Kallio dominates to take win

Marc VDS rider Mika Kallio narrowed his team-mate’s championship lead to just seven points with victory in a shortened 16 lap race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Kallio led from pole position...

Indianapolis Moto3: Vazquez takes first Moto3 win

10 August 2014 by Liam Marsden

Indianapolis Moto3: Vazquez takes first Moto3 win

Honda rider Efren Vazquez took his first ever victory in the Moto3 race at Indianapolis after a race-long battle between the leading group. Italian rider Romano Fenati led the final lap onboard the...

Indianapolis Moto2: Kallio heads Marc VDS one two

09 August 2014 by Liam Marsden

Indianapolis Moto2: Kallio heads Marc VDS one two

Mika Kallio wwill start the Indianapolis Moto2 race from pole position ahead of team-mate and championship rival Esteve Rabat. Kallio set his fastest time of 1’36.883 fairly early in the session, but...

Indianapolis MotoGP: Marquez continues domination with pole

09 August 2014 by Liam Marsden

Indianapolis MotoGP: Marquez continues domination with pole

Reigning world champion Marc Marquez got straight back into the swing of things after the summer break by taking pole position in the USA with a best time of 1’31.619. The Spaniard had a scare early...

Indianapolis Moto3: Miller on pole

09 August 2014 by Liam Marsden

Indianapolis Moto3: Miller on pole

Australian Jack Miller will start tomorrow’s Moto3 race from pole position at the revamped Indianapolis circuit. The KTM rider set a best time of 1’40.727 to grab pole ahead of Efren Vasquez and Alex...

Marc Marquez: 'I prefer bikes to girls'

08 August 2014 by Matthew Birt

Marc Marquez: 'I prefer bikes to girls'

It’s February 20, 2014 and Marc Marquez is grimacing in a crumpled heap after falling off his flat- track bike while training near his home in Lleida, west of Barcelona. The infectious grin has been...

PBM MotoGP riders set for Oschersleben 8hr race

08 August 2014 by Simon Patterson

PBM MotoGP riders set for Oschersleben 8hr race

Paul Bird Motorsports MotoGP riders Broc Parkes and Michael Laverty will return to their superbike roots for the Oschersleben 8hr round of the Endurance World Championship, with the duo riding a...