MotoGP News
We’re first for the latest MotoGP news. Motorcycle racing’s elite competition is a fast paced, ever-evolving beast and here you’ll find all of the MotoGP news you could wish for. We cover everything from interviews with the major players, updates on machine reveals, team news and more. See brand new content from MotoE and insightful ‘first look’ features showing the forthcoming MotoGP season’s riders in their new colours.
Picture: Biaggi's team grid cleaning?
This picture appears to show a member of Max Biaggi's Camel Honda team cleaning the Roman's grid slot late on Friday night, in preparation for Saturday's Qatar Grand Prix.
Sete 'back to his best' and closing on Rossi.
Sete Gibernau will go down in history as the first ever winner of the Qatar Grand Prix after a drama race ended with not only a Telefonica Honda one-two - but more importantly with Gibernau just 14-points behind world championship leader Valentino Rossi.
Rossi penalized - will start last!
World championship leader Valentino Rossi has been dropped to the back of today's Qatar Grand Prix grid for illegal grid cleaning.
Biaggi joins Rossi at back of the grid.
Max Biaggi has become the second rider, after world champion Valentino Rossi, to be dropped to the back of today's Qatar Grand Prix grid after his Camel Honda team was also found guilty of illegally cleaning their grid spot last night.
Lorenzo awarded win after 125 tie.
The opening race of the day and the first ever Grand Prix in Qatar saw the closest ever finish in the history of the sport, with Jorge Lorenzo taking 125cc victory by less than a thousandth of a second over Andrea Dovizioso.
Taylor out, Denning in at Team Suzuki.
Suzuki team manager Garry Taylor, the most experienced and longest serving team manager in the GP paddock, is to step down at the end of the 2004 season and be replaced by Paul Denning, owner of the Crescent Suzuki British Superbike team.
Rossi: It'll be difficult.
Valentino Rossi faces the unusual scenario of starting Saturday's inaugural Qatar Grand Prix from the third row of the grid, after finishing today's final qualifying session at Losail just eighth fastest.
Great track, but 'suicide to run wide'.
Qatar's brand new Losail circuit received a universal 'thumbs up' after the first day of MotoGP track action - the sweeping layout providing plenty of safe challenges for the premier-class riders - but a new problem emerged in the form of sand on the track surface...
Byrne to miss rest of season.
Former British Superbike champion Shane Byrne will miss the remaining four rounds of the 2004 MotoGP season after further tests on his injured wrist - sustained during a practice highside at Brno - revealed ligament and tendon damage.
Assen starts construction of 'floating grandstand'
Immediately after the Assen World Superbike event, on September 5, construction began on the new head-turning 'floating grandstand' (top pic), which will overlook the final chicane and start/finish straight at the world famous circuit.
Kenny to miss three races, replacements announced.
Kenny Roberts Jr. has been ruled out of the next three races following medical tests on his elbow injury, sustained in a first turn pile-up at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday (top picture).
Hopkins: Don't ban Capirossi.
John Hopkins has stated that he doesn't want the FIM to impose any form of sanction on Loris Capirossi for causing the first turn accident at Motegi, despite the Anglo-American having himself been suspended for a near identical offence one year ago.
Suzuki considers Roberts replacement.
The first turn pile-up at Motegi proved particularly costly for Team Suzuki, with riders Kenny Roberts and John Hopkins each sustaining considerable injuries - which have already ruled Roberts out of the Qatar Grand Prix.
Kato remembered at Motegi.
The late Daijiro Kato was honoured at Motegi on Saturday morning. In a special ceremony his father Takashi presented two super pocket bikes (top pic), named the 74 dream after his son's racing number, to Kato's team manager Fausto Gresini and Dorna Ceo, Carmelo Ezpeleta.
Brave rides rewarded for McWilliams, Byrne.
MS Aprilia duo Jeremy McWilliams and Shane Byrne both produced gutsy performances in Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi, to be rewarded with world championship points.
Nakano claims shock Kawasaki podium.
In a superb home race performance for the Fuchs Kawasaki team, Shinya Nakano scored an historic third place podium finish in the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi.
Yamaha: Rossi did the right thing.
Honda wanted nothing more than to beat Yamaha and Valentino Rossi at their home Japanese Grand Prix - a feat they would achieve thanks to Makoto Tamada and his Bridgestone shod RCV...
Pictures: 'Hell at the first corner'.
"I made a great start and that put me in front.
Tamada wins home GP, Rossi's rivals falter.
A dramatic day in the sunshine confirmed the arrival of a new MotoGP star and further proof that Valentino Rossi is on course to bring the World title to Yamaha after an 11-year wait.
Barros 'not bad', Hayden 'back in the groove'.
Repsol Honda riders Alex Barros and Nicky Hayden finished the first day of the team's most important race of the year, the Japanese Grand Prix, seventh and eighth fastest respectively.
Special pressure for Nakano.
Motegi, venue for Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix, holds special memories for Shinya Nakano - for it was at the same circuit in 1999 that Nakano, in a superb rookie performance, won his first grand prix with victory in the 250cc race.
Ui gets WCM ride, Jacque 'happy to be back'.
Former 125cc title contender Youichi Ui will make his MotoGP debut with WCM this weekend as a replacement for Michel Fabrizio, who now appears to have permanently left the team following his one race ride for Aprilia.
Hayden: Collarbone pretty solid.
After sitting out the last grand prix in Portugal due to a broken collarbone sustained during training, Nicky Hayden will be back in action for Repsol Honda at this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix, at Motegi.