MotoGP Features

Kawasaki's 'suspension' of its factory MotoGP activities for 2009 marks the end of a challenging chapter for the Japanese company, whose ZX-RR motorcycle is the only factory entry not to have won a grand prix since the 990cc four-stroke era began in 2002.

Wins, Podiums, Poles and Fastest Laps. The stats that matter most. Ranking by championship order.

Despite the epic nature of his Laguna Seca victory, Valentino Rossi had only gained five points over Stoner.

At the season-ending Valencian Grand Prix, Fiat Yamaha Team director and YMC MotoGP group leader Masahiko Nakajima gave a technical presentation (pictured) about Yamaha's triple title-winning 2008-spec YZR-M1.

MotoGP's one tyre future appears to be causing concern among some riders in the paddock, who fear their needs will be overlooked by a reduced range of tyres designed around the preferences of the championship leaders.

This weekend's Malaysian Grand prix is one of the most physical demanding events on the world championship calendar, so how do riders prepare themselves for such challenges - and the racing season as a whole?

The single tyre rule for 2009 has reignited the debate over what the MotoGP World Championship should stand for.

Valentino Rossi became only the second rider in history to regain the MotoGP World Championship after two successive defeats, when he won his sixth premier-class title with victory in Yamaha's home Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi on Sunday.

Double US Grand Prix winner Nicky Hayden talks through a lap of Laguna Seca, where he will be racing in front of his home fans this weekend...

Rossi has not missed a grand prix since making his debut in the 125cc class at the Shah Alam circuit in Malaysia in 1996. A selection of the seven-time world champion's numerous achievements and career milestones since are listed below:

By Peter McLaren James Toseland is looking forward to Valentino Rossi signing a new contract with Yamaha - since he believes it will help his own MotoGP prospects.

On a day when Honda officially confirmed that its pneumatic-valve engine will not be ready for the opening rounds of the 2008 MotoGP season, Nicky Hayden provided the factory with a welcome boast by taking last season's spring-valve design to the top of the Saturday timesheets, with a qual

By Peter McLaren Yamaha has extracted five more horsepower - or 'ponies' as engineering general manager Masao Furusawa calls them - from its YZR-M1 since the end of last season, but believes another three or four will be needed for the 2008 Qatar season opener.

By Peter McLaren Masao Furusawa, Yamaha's general manager of Engineering Operations, likes listening to Kawasaki's new screamer engine - but says the even-firing design will never again power a Yamaha MotoGP bike.

By Peter McLaren Nicky Hayden still doesn't know which type of engine he'll be using at the 2008 MotoGP season opener, in Qatar on March 9, but suspects it could be last year's spring-valve design.

By Peter McLaren Yamaha caught some by surprise when its 2008 YZR-M1 appeared with the option of a pneumatic-valve engine at Sepang - but at present that development is only available to the factory Fiat team of Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo.

By Peter McLaren

Wins, Podiums, Poles and Fastest Laps. The stats that matter most.

The 2006 season - when technical problems, accidents, injuries and Nicky Hayden combined to end Valentino Rossi's five-year reign - was seen as something of a freak occurrence which, paddock wisdom assured, would be quickly corrected during 2007.

Valentino Rossi may not have won a MotoGP race since September's Portuguese Grand Prix, but the Italian was back on the top step of the podium on Sunday - at the Monza Rally Show (pictured).

By Peter McLaren Despite finishing second in the 2007 world championship with Dani Pedrosa, Honda is gambling on an all-new RC212V to try and regain the MotoGP crown - but at present it's slower than last year's bike.

By Peter McLaren

Race 1 Japan/2002/Suzuka The first MotoGP race saw three different manufacturers on the podium with Valentino Rossi (Honda) winning from Akira Ryo (Suzuki) and Carlos Checa (Yamaha).

Title rival Valentino Rossi threw everything he had at Stoner during the Shanghai event - but it was the Italian who eventually cracked, missing his braking point for the hairpin with six laps to go and leaving the 21-year-old Ducati star to take his third win from four starts.