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: One last crack of the whip for title rivals

14 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: One last crack of the whip for title rivals

Francesco Bagnaia was back on the podium in Sepang, and although key rival Miguel Oliveira finished just ahead of him, the 16 points for second were more than enough for the Italian to wrap up the...

Moto3: Time to play as title battle decided

14 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Time to play as title battle decided

As we head back to shores closer to home for those who fought for the Moto3 world championship this season, there’s one final set of bragging rights on the table for the riders graduating to Moto2.

Chris Vermeulen: life after professional motorcycle racing

13 November 2018 by Dan Sutherland

Chris Vermeulen: life after professional motorcycle racing

With the rain beating down heavily on a cramped media tent at the Silverstone round of the MotoGP world championship causing delays to the racing action, we grabbed a coffee with former World...

Moto3: Martin seals the deal with textbook race win

04 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Martin seals the deal with textbook race win

Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) was crowned the Moto3™ World Champion at the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix after claiming a stunning Sepang International Circuit victory, with main...

Moto2: Jubilant Marini takes debut victory

04 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Jubilant Marini takes debut victory

Francesco Bagnaia (Sky Racing Team VR46) clinched the 2018 Moto2™ World Championship at the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix after finishing P3 at Sepang, with title rival Miguel Oliveira (Red...

MotoGP: Marquez wins as Rossi falls from the lead

04 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Marquez wins as Rossi falls from the lead

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) claimed his 70th career win after taking victory at the Shell Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix. The 2018 Champion looked set to lock horns with nine-time World Champion...

Moto3: Emotional Martin wins epic title duel

04 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Emotional Martin wins epic title duel

Jorge Martin is the 2018 Moto3 World Champion, taking the title at Sepang after a stunning season. Seven wins, nine podiums and 11 poles saw Martin a frontrunner throughout the season, and the...

Moto2: Bagnaia secures 2018 crown

04 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Bagnaia secures 2018 crown

Francesco Bagnaia is the 2018 Moto2 World Champion, taking the title at Sepang after eight wins, 12 podiums and six pole positions over an incredible season. Arriving 36 points up in the Championship,...

MotoGP: Schedule changed thanks to threat of rain

03 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Schedule changed thanks to threat of rain

The schedule for tomorrow’s Malaysian Grand Prix will now begin two hours earlier than planned, thanks to the threat of heavy rain due to arrive at the Sepang circuit tomorrow afternoon. Action will...

MotoGP: Marquez takes pole but demoted for Iannone incident

03 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Marquez takes pole but demoted for Iannone incident

Marc Marquez secured an 80th career pole position after he was the early master of the wet Q2 conditions at the Malaysian Grand Prix, but there was a small bump back to Earth not long after for the...

Moto2: Marquez untouchable as lap record blitzed

03 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Marquez untouchable as lap record blitzed

Alex Marquez stormed to Moto2 pole position today at the Malaysian Grand Prix, setting the only laptime in the 2:05s to better closest challenger Luca Marini by a stunning 0.488 seconds. Fabio...

Moto3: Martin takes pole again but McPhee on second row

03 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Martin takes pole again but McPhee on second row

Jorge Martin has added another pole position to his record by qualifying in first place for tomorrow’s Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang. He’s joined on the front row by title rival Marco Bezzecchi and...

MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo withdraws from Malaysian Grand Prix

03 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo withdraws from Malaysian Grand Prix

Jorge Lorenzo has withdrawn from this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix, after deciding that the pain in his still-injured wrist was too severe with the heavy braking forces of the Sepang circuit.

Moto3: McPhee second as 0.02 covers top four

02 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: McPhee second as 0.02 covers top four

Tony Arbolino has topped an ultra-close opening day at the Malaysian Grand Prix, taking the top spot from John McPhee, Aron Canet and Jorge Martin with a mere 0.024 covering the quartet. The Italian...

Moto2: Marquez just holds off Quartararo at Sepang

02 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Marquez just holds off Quartararo at Sepang

Alex Marquez has just held off Moto2 rival Fabio Quartararo on the opening day of action for the Malaysian Grand Prix, taking the top spot at Sepang by a mere 0.030 from the Frenchman. The two were...

MotoGP: Rins leads the way on close opening day

02 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rins leads the way on close opening day

Alex Rins has topped the opening day of MotGP action at the Malaysian Grand Prix – but has only just held off the advances of his opposition, with 0.2 covering six riders and four manufacturers at the...

MotoGP: Suzuki bike destroyed in pit lane fire

01 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Suzuki bike destroyed in pit lane fire

One of Alex Rins’ Suzuki GSX-RR MotoGP machines has been destroyed in a pit lane fire ahead of this weekend’s Malaysian grand Prix at Sepang, after catching fire while mechanics were warming it up...

MotoGP: Good result fires up Bautista for WSB

01 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Good result fires up Bautista for WSB

Angel Nieto Ducati rider Alvaro Bautista says that rather than being bitter about his imminent exit from the MotoGP paddock he’s more than excited than ever to get going in World Superbikes after...

MotoGP: Crutchlow to undergo further surgery today

01 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Crutchlow to undergo further surgery today

LCR Honda rider Cal Crutchlow will undergo further surgery today after his potentially season-ending crash during practice for last weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, after falling at the Phillip Island...

MotoGP: Smith proves KTM wrong again

01 November 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Smith proves KTM wrong again

Bradley Smith has once again proved his Red Bull KTM bosses wrong in their decision to keep teammate Pol Espargaro and not him for the 2019 season, by outracing the Spaniard in Sunday’s Australian...

Moto3: Martin faces the pressure from Bezzecchi with two left

30 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Martin faces the pressure from Bezzecchi with two left

It’s an up and down year for Moto3 title protagonists Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi and after the myriad twists and turns of the season so far there was yet another at Phillip Island. Despite...

Moto2: Olivera’s last stand in title race

30 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Olivera’s last stand in title race

Miguel Oliveira might have won the 2017 race at Phillip Island but this year was a different story for the Portuguese rider after a tough race that saw him come home outside the top ten, but it wasn’t...

MotoGP: Viñales out to capitalise but Ducati the ones to beat

30 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Viñales out to capitalise but Ducati the ones to beat

Yamaha arrived in Australia on their worst ever losing streak but after a stunning victory for Maverick Viñales at Phillip Island, the drought is over for the Iwata marque. Now we head for a very...

Moto3: Arenas wins big as title contenders struggle

28 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Arenas wins big as title contenders struggle

Albert Arenas has taken his second Grand Prix win in stunning style in the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, timing it to perfection to stay ahead over the line in one of the closest top fifteen...

Moto2: Binder wins as championship battle goes on

28 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Binder wins as championship battle goes on

Brad Binder claimed his third win of the season as he took the chequered flag by just 0.036 from second place Joan Mir at the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, with Xavi Vierge snatching a podium away...

MotoGP: Viñales ends Yamaha's losing streak

28 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Viñales ends Yamaha's losing streak

25 races since their last win – taken by Valentino Rossi at the TT Circuit Assen last season – Yamaha were back on the top step at the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix as Maverick Viñales brought an...

MotoGP: Rain can't stop Marquez taking Australian pole position

27 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Rain can't stop Marquez taking Australian pole position

Marc Marquez has come out on top of a rain-struck frenetic qualifying session for tomorrow’s Australian Grand Prix, topping the session despite the ever-present threat of rain. He’ll. Be joined on the...

Moto2: Pasini tops chaotic Phillip Island qualifying session

27 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Pasini tops chaotic Phillip Island qualifying session

Mattia Pasini has topped a chaotic qualifying session at Phillip Island to start tomorrow’s Australian Grand Prix from pole position. Battling high winds and a cooling track, Pasini was one of a...

Moto3: Martin times it right for yet another pole

27 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Martin times it right for yet another pole

Mr Pole Position Jorge Martin has timed it right to take yet another pole position for tomorrow’s Australian Grand Prix, making the most of other riders while battling high winds at Phillip Island.

Moto3: Red flag delay complicates opening day

26 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto3: Red flag delay complicates opening day

Friday at the Michelin Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix got off to a fairly dramatic start as a red flag brought proceedings to a halt for some time, causing delays throughout the day. Stefano Nepa’s...

Moto2: Binder fast out of the blocks

26 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

Moto2: Binder fast out of the blocks

Brad Binder has come out the Moto2 blocks blazing on Friday at the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix to beat Marcel Schrötter’s free practice one time by 0.087 to go top overall, but the German rider...

MotoGP: Iannone leads opening day at Phillip Island

26 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Iannone leads opening day at Phillip Island

Andrea Iannone left it late to leap to the top of the combined timesheets at the Michelin Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, setting a 1:29.131 on his final lap to oust Danilo Petrucci from first. The...

MotoGP: Crutchlow suffers badly broken ankle in practice fall

26 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Crutchlow suffers badly broken ankle in practice fall

LCR Honda rider Cal Crutchlow has suffered a badly broken ight ankle after falling in the final minutes of free practice two at the Australian Grand Prix. The Brit suffered a high speed fall at...

MotoGP: Marquez out to secure triple crown

25 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Marquez out to secure triple crown

Marc Marquez says that despite securing the 2018 MotoGP title last time out at the Japanese Grand Prix, he’s still got work to do before the season finishes in his campaign to secure MotoGP’s triple...

MotoGP: Mike Jones to replace Bautista in Ducati reshuffle

25 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Mike Jones to replace Bautista in Ducati reshuffle

Local favourite Mike Jones will replace Alvaro Bautista at the Angel Nieto Ducati team for this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, stepping into the shoes of Alvaro Bautista as he’s shuffled up to the...

MotoGP: Lorenzo undergoes surgery on damaged wrist

25 October 2018 by Simon Patterson

MotoGP: Lorenzo undergoes surgery on damaged wrist

Ducati MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo has undergone minor keyhole surgery on his left wrist, in a battle to be fit in time for next weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix and his penultimate ride on the Ducat...