For the 2008 season
Almost as well renowned for his entrepreneurial skills as for his talents as a lower cylinder category rider, former 125cc and 250cc World Championship contender and now LCR Honda MotoGP Team Manager Lucio Cecchinello has explained his strategies for supporting his outfit's premier class efforts.

The Italian has a long history of running ... [ more ]

“I didn't think I could be so fast!”
At the first race of the season Yuki Takahashi took 5th position at the flag and always attacked demonstrating that he can be battling with the best of the 250cc riders.

With a good start from 8th on the grid, he took 6th at the first corner and rode a strong race to maintain contact with the leaders despite the gap ... [ more ]

“This is like a victory for us”
Red Bull KTM 250's maestro Mika Kallio succeeded in riding around problems he had with the feeling of his bike at the late night practice sessions for the Qatar Grand Prix and still finished the season's opening race with a podium place.

"After all our problems in practice, this is like a victory for us", the Finnish rider ... [ more ]

In historic night race
Michelin riders packed the front-running positions in Sunday night's historic Qatar night race, with three Michelin men in the top four and all Michelin riders in the top ten at the end of a record-breaking race.

The 22-lap event smashed the Qatar race record by almost half a minute with the top seven riders all inside last year's ... [ more ]

As Vermeulen struggles
Loris Capirossi marked his debut with the Rizla Suzuki MotoGP team by claiming a hard-earned eighth position at the first race of the season in Qatar.

Starting from 13th on the grid, Capirossi fought his way through the field to eighth on lap five, maintaining that position for the rest of the 22-lap race. Capirossi came under heavy ... [ more ]

“We expected something more”
The opening round of the 2008 MotoGP World Championship started out in difficult fashion for Team San Carlo Honda Gresini under the night sky of Doha.

The Grand Prix of Qatar, the first ever to take place under floodlights, saw Shinya Nakano pick up points in thirteenth position after a battle with factory Kawasaki rider John ... [ more ]

“It's been a difficult weekend for us”
The 2008 MotoGP World Championship got off to a nail-biting start Sunday at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar.

The first race of the year saw new faces and old hands battling it out for podium places, providing some of the most gripping premier class racing for some time.

Kawasaki's John Hopkins started ... [ more ]

In Losail
Reigning MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner began his title defence in style with victory in the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar – the first ever MotoGP night race – ahead of Spaniards Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa.

The Ducati Marlboro rider started the race off the front row for the first time in his MotoGP career, chasing a repeat of his ... [ more ]

On category debut
Mattia Pasini took a rookie victory in the 250cc showdown in Qatar, with a triumph well deserved after his tribulations in last year's 125cc race.

The Polaris World Aprilia rider emerged from a second row start and involvement in a four-way battle to determine the podium spots to snatch the lead in the quarter litre category race with ... [ more ]

In first night Grand Prix
Sergio Gadea became the first ever winner of a night time Grand Prix with victory in the 125cc class, beating Joan Olive and Stefan Bradl in an exciting season opener.

The Bancaja Aspar rider overcame the pain of a shoulder injury to take a memorable triumph in his 70th race in the category.

The race was a breathtaking ... [ more ]