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

McWilliams likely to sign for Aprilia

18 November 2003

Britain’s Jeremy McWilliams is looking likely to partner Shane Byrne in the factory Aprilia MotoGP squad in 2004. McWilliams is due to fly to Italy on Wednesday to finalise a deal after being faxed a...

Xaus joins Hodgson in Ducati GP team

11 November 2003

Ruben Xaus will continue as Neil Hodgson’s team-mate next year after signing for the d’Antin Ducati MotoGP squad for 2004. The deal has been on the cards for Xaus since Hodgson signed with the team at...

GP testing starts for 2004

04 November 2003

The MotoGP squads have started preparation early for next season with many of the teams staying on after this year’s final race in Valencia for two days of hard testing. After a brief rest on Monday...

MotoGP Scalextric unveiled

04 November 2003

Model and toy firm Hornby has announced a new MotoGP Scalextric slot racing package. Scalextric has secured the MotoGP licence from Dorna, allowing the series to include every rider and manufacturer in the championship. The first deliveries are expected in Spring 2004 to coincide with the opening rounds of the 2004 championship. The bikes will be powered by a small electric motor driving the rear...

Edwards tests Honda RC211V

04 November 2003

Colin Edwards has completed his first test on the Honda RC211V he will race in 2004. The American rode in a private test at the Catalunya circuit in Spain for half a day on Tuesday, November 4. MCN’s...

Yamaha confirms Rossi switch

04 November 2003

MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi has signed a two-year contract with Yamaha. The deal will see Rossi ride a factory YZR-M1 in the 2004 and 2005 MotoGP world championships and was confirmed in a...

Poggiali third seals 250cc title

01 November 2003

Manuel Poggiali took the 2003 250cc title with a third place at Valencia behind Randy De Puniet and Toni Elias. Title challenger Roberto Rolfo saw his championship hopes fade with a sixth place. Britain’s Chaz Davies finished in 13th place. 1) De Puniet. 2) Elias. 3) Poggiali. 4) Guintoli. 5) Nieto. 6) Porto. 7) Rolfo. 8) Battaini. 9) Bataille. 10) Debon 11) Matsudo. 12) Heidolf. 13) Davies. 14)...

Rossi leaves Honda; Edwards joins

01 November 2003

Valentino Rossi has confirmed that he is not riding for Honda in 2004. Meanwhile Colin Edwards has signed to ride alongside Sete Gibernau under Telefonica Movistar colours. Rossi said that the reason...

Stoner takes debut 125cc win

01 November 2003

Casey Stoner has taken his first-ever 125cc win at Valencia. The 18-year-old Australian overcame the best efforts of Hector Barbera to hold the lead to the flag. Barbera eventually finished third after an attempt to snatch the lead at the last corner saw him run wide and let Steve Jenkner past. 1) Stoner. 2) Jenkner. 3) Barbera. 4) Simoncelli. 5) Giansanti. 6) Bautista. 7) Nieto. 8) Dovizioso. 9)...

Valencia victory for Rossi, Stoner and De Puniet

01 November 2003

The tension continues to build towards Honda’s official announcement this afternoon, following Valentino Rossi’s win at Valencia. Rossi underlined why there is so much interest in his future, triumphing over Sete Gibernau. Loris Capirossi took third on the Desmosedici Ducati. Jeremy McWilliams took 12th on the Proton KR bike. 1) Rossi. 2) Gibernau. 3) Capirossi. 4) Biaggi. 5) Checa. 6) Barros. 7)...

Rossi on provisional pole for Sunday

28 October 2003

Valentino Rossi posted a new qualifying record lap to take provisional pole for Sunday’s Spanish GP at Valencia. The Italian posted a time of 1:33.643 to lead an all-Honda front row. The only other...

Rossi and Hodgson latest as it breaks

28 October 2003

The final round of the 2004 MotoGP championship promises some huge news about the coming season. MCN is expecting that Neil Hodgson to confirm his departure from WSB on Saturday to join the D’Antin...

Abe fastest in practice at Valencia

28 October 2003

Yamaha’s Norrick Abe heads the first practice session at Valencia, riding for Fortuna Yamaha as a replacement for regular rider Marco Melandri. His time is over two seconds quicker than Garry McCoy,...

Abe replaces injured Melandri

21 October 2003

Norrick Abe will fill in for injured Fortuna Yamaha regular Marco Melandri at the Valencia GP on Sunday, November 2. The 28-year-old Japanese rider will replace regular team member Melandri for the...

Rossi wins despite penalty

14 October 2003

Valentino Rossi has won the penultimate MotoGP race of the year in fantastic style, taking the win despite incurring his second time penalty of the season. Rossi had a bad start to the race, running...

Rossi on pole at Phillip Island

14 October 2003

Valentino Rossi has taken his Honda RCV to pole position for Sunday’s Australian GP, beating Ducati’s Loris Capirossi in to second place. The newly crowned world champion beat Capirossi’s...

McWilliams ninth in qualifying practice

14 October 2003

Jeremy McWilliams, who last year claimed pole at Phillip Island on a two-stroke, is in a provisional ninth place on the Proton V5 for this Sunday’s MotoGP at the Australian circuit. Valentino Rossi...

Rossi plays down F1 move

14 October 2003

Newly-crowned MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi has played down the rumours that he will be driving a Formula 1 car next year. Rossi was offered a no-strings-attached test drive of the Ferrari F1...

Sepang pole for Rossi

07 October 2003

Amidst rumours about a possible switch to Yamaha, Valentino Rossi put his Honda RC211V on pole for the Malaysian GP on Sunday. Rossi created a new pole lap record of 2:02.480 on his way to the front of the grid. Second place goes to Spaniard Carlos Checa, with Makoto Tamada third. 1) Rossi 2:02.480. 2) Checa 2:02.885. 3) Tamada 2:03.138. 4) Biaggi 2:03.254. 5) Nakano 2:03.342. 6) Capirossi...

Rossi is champion again

07 October 2003

Valentino Rossi has won his seventh race of the year to seal the MotoGP championship for the second year running. The world champion sat behind Sete Gibernau for early part of the race but at half...

Rossi keeps world guessing

07 October 2003

Valentino Rossi looks set to keep the world waiting anxiously for an answer on his future for a few more days yet. It seems all the huge speculation surrounding his future won’t come to an end until...

Rossi on provisional pole for Malaysian GP

07 October 2003

Valentino Rossi underlined why there is so much speculation about his contract for next year by setting a new qualifying record to put himself on provisional pole for Sunday’s race at Sepang. The...

Rossi set for shock Yamaha switch

07 October 2003

Valentino Rossi is looking more and more likely to make a shock switch from Honda to Yamaha in 2004. GP sources claim the deal is already done – but nothing official is expected until Sunday’s...

Dovizioso fastest in 125cc qualifying

01 October 2003

Andrea Dovizioso heads the timesheets after the first 125cc qualifying session for the Pacific GP on Sunday. Dovizioso posted a time of 1:58.988, one-tenth quicker than fellow Honda rider Daniel Pedrosa. Alex De Angelis is third on the Aprilia, with the Derbi of Jorge Lorenzo completing the front row. Australian Casey Stoner heads an all-Aprilia second row. 1) Dovizioso 1:58.988. 2) Pedrosa...

Biaggi’s Motegi win overshadowed by drama

01 October 2003

Max Biaggi has won the Pacific GP at Motegi, beating longtime rival Valentino Rossi into second place. But it was overshadowed by the disqualification of Makoto Tamada and John Hopkins. The Japanese...

Biaggi on pole at Pacific GP

01 October 2003

Max Biaggi will start from pole position at the Pacific GP at Motegi on Sunday. The Italian headed the timesheets in qualifying with a new pole record of 1:47.696 with seconds left in the session. The...

Gibernau claims provisional pole at Motegi

01 October 2003

Sete Gibernau set a new pole record at the Motegi circuit today to put himself on the provisional top spot for Sunday’s Pacific GP. The Spaniard broke the existing record, held by former team-mate...

De Puniet on provisional 250cc pole

01 October 2003

Randy De Puniet has put his Aprilia at the front of the provisional front row for Sunday’s Pacific GP at Motegi. The French star heads Spaniard Toni Elias and Japanese wildcard Yuki Takahashi. Championship leader Manuel Poggiali settled for fourth fastest. Britain’s Chas Davies finished in 14th place on the Aprilia Germany bike. 1) De Puniet 1:53.247. 2) Elias 1:53.545. 3) Takahashi 1:54.351. 4)...