“The gap to cut down is just too much right now”
Alice Team riders, Toni Elias and Sylvain Guintoli, have stepped on the Losail international circuit, in Qatar, for the first qualifying session of the 2008 MotoGP World Championship under the floodlights.

Guintoli wasn't in the best physical conditions due to some fever and a bad cold. Elias has tried ... [ more ]

On first floodlit qualifying in Qatar
LCR Honda MotoGP rider Randy De Puniet had a brilliant night at Losail race track ending the MotoGP's first ever- floodlit qualifying session in 5th place.

The Frenchman aboard the Michelin-shod Honda RC212V nr. 14 worked hard with his crew to solve a lack of front end grip in both sessions, even with these problems ... [ more ]

On superb MotoGP debut
Fiat Yamaha Team new recruit Jorge Lorenzo, at 20 the youngest rider on the grid, took an incredible pole position on his MotoGP debut in Qatar tonight.

The Spanish rookie is the first rider in ten years to take pole position at his debut premier-class race and heads the first all-Yamaha front row since Sachsenring in 2002.

Following ... [ more ]

For night-time Qatar showdown
Fiat Yamaha Team rider Valentino Rossi will start tomorrow's season-opening MotoGP race from the front of the third row, after qualifying seventh under the Qatar floodlights tonight.

The Italian lacked a little pace with his qualifying tyres this evening but a strong showing on Bridgestone race tyres in tonight's first practice ... [ more ]

In historic night race
Alex de Angelis made his MotoGP qualifying debut today with the twelfth fastest time, a result that doesn't reflect his race potential after a crash on his final qualifying tyre ruined his chances of improving at the end of the session.

However, in the final free practice the San Marino rider had worked hard to improve his race ... [ more ]

Kawasaki struggle a bit
The qualifying session for the first MotoGP round of 2008 took place tonight at Qatar's Losail International Circuit and it was not short on surprises. Rookies Jorge Lorenzo and James Toseland took pole and second position on the grid, while some older hands struggled to find form at the 5.38km desert track.

But John Hopkins, riding ... [ more ]

For first MotoGP race of 2008
Tonight's very important qualifying session for the first MotoGP race of the season produced a lot of expectation and also came with some big surprises. Andrea Dovizioso, heading towards his first start in the MotoGP championship, gains a third row position for tomorrow's race.

Obviously JiR Team Scot wanted more than that ... [ more ]

As Toseland and Edwards storm front row
James Toseland and Colin Edwards produced inspired qualifying performances in Qatar tonight to claim front row places for tomorrow's historic first floodlit MotoGP race.

Toseland and Edwards ended a thrilling first qualifying session of 2008 with the second and third fastest times to help Yamaha and Michelin claim ... [ more ]

At Losail
Repsol Honda riders Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa qualified sixth and eighth fastest in tonight's floodlit qualifying session at Losail to put them on the second and third rows of the grid for tomorrow night's season-opening Qatar GP.

Hayden, who is running 2007 spec RC212Vs here, rode an excellent fastest lap on qualifiers to secure the last ... [ more ]

Despite a tough qualifying session
Rizla Suzuki MotoGP racers Chris Vermeulen and Loris Capirossi will be hoping that the strong race pace they showed during today's final practice session continues in tomorrow's race, after a tough qualifying session left them on the fourth and fifth rows respectively.

Vermeulen (P11, 1'55.540) and Capirossi (P13, 1'56.070) ... [ more ]