NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport

Motorsport: MotoGP gains super vroom, vroom as top riders switch camps

Eric Thompson
By Eric Thompson
NZ Herald·
24 Mar, 2017 04:00 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Marc Marquez rounds the bend during the Michelin tires test at Mugello Circuit. Photo / Getty Images

Marc Marquez rounds the bend during the Michelin tires test at Mugello Circuit. Photo / Getty Images

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

MotoGP is going to have pull a few impressive tricks out of its bag if it's to top 2016, which was one of the most magic sessions in a decade of great title races.

Last year there were nine different winners, four first-time winners and bare knuckled, drag 'em outside, full-on punch ups at the front of the field - eat your heart out Formula One.

When the dust cleared at Valencia, Spain in November last year Marc Marquez had won his third world title from nine-time champion Valentino Rossi and fellow three-time champion Jorge Lorenzo.

One obvious reason 2017 may eclipse 2016, is that during the offseason half of the riders either moved teams or jumped up a class. The faces of the contenders might be same, but some of them will be piloting new machinery that will surely add a bit of vroom to the championship.

The centrepiece of the battle for supremacy this year will again lie with the trio of riders who have fought for the bragging rights of a world for the past three years - Marques, Jorge Lorenzo and Rossi. The great thing, from a fans' view, is they are riding for different manufacturers this year.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Rest assured though, these three consummate riders will not have all their own way, all the time. The bloke most certain to fiercely rattle the cages of all three is Rossi's new teammate Maverick Vinales, who replaces Lorenzo at Yamaha.

Vinales, no doubt, has had a few sleepless nights in anticipation of this weekend opening round in Qatar as he has taken to the Yamaha like a proverbial duck to water. He set the benchmark when he finished fastest in practice during his first test on the Yamaha just weeks after the final Grand Prix last year. He has consistently been one of the fastest riders in every subsequent test.

It wouldn't be too long a bow to draw to suggest he might even walk away from Qatar with the winner's trophy.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Rossi is the veteran of the trio, and even at 38 he's still hungry and will only retire "when it is no more fun". Having the young pocket rocket Vinales in the same garage is sure to spur the Italian on and he'll be a firm favourite for another title.

Lorenzo has moved to Rossi's former team Ducati and will have the added impetus to finish the season with a better score card than Rossi did during his time there. Andrea Dovizioso showed the red machine had promise, but consistency is the key if Lorenzo wants to challenge for the title.

If Marquez keeps getting away with his over exuberance and doesn't crash heavily taking him out of the equation, he should be able to defend his title. He had a wakeup call during testing where he crashed and injured his shoulder. Maybe the others can pounce in Qatar and get an early jump on the Spaniard.

The three best riders in the world, with three different approaches on how to win races, on three different machines - how good is that?

Discover more

Sport|motorsport

SVG shows Verstappen around his car

23 Mar 08:49 PM
Formula 1

Hamilton on top Friday

24 Mar 07:47 AM
Sport|motorsport

Kiwi duo dominate in Melbourne

24 Mar 07:54 AM
Sport

Old habits and new technologies

24 Mar 04:00 PM

Two other riders to keep an eye on are Carl Crutchlow, who became the first British rider since Barry Sheen in 1978 to win a race in the top class, and Aussie Jack Miller.

If Crutchlow stays on two wheels he'll be able to run at front of the field and hopefully collect a few podiums.

Miller had a difficult year in 2016 riding most of the season with injuries, or crashing. He did though, manage five top five finishes including his maiden win at the Dutch Grand Prix.

If he stays healthy he'll be a contender.

Four riders from Moto2 are now playing in the big league, which should add a bit spice considering they will all have something to prove. Well in their minds anyway. So watch out for some spectacular crashes.

MotoGP calendar

March 26: Qatar.
April 9: Argentina.
April 23: America.
May 7: Spain.
May 21: France.
June 4: Italy.
June 11: Catalunya.
June 25: Netherlands.
July 2: Germany.
August 6: Czech Republic.
August 13: Austria.
August 27: Great Britain.
September 10: San Marino.
September 24: France.
October 15: Japan.
October 22: Australia.
October 29: Malaysia.
November 12: Valencia.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Sport

Boxing

'You're a piece of s***': Gallen verbally attacks SBW at presser

Sport

Black Sox secure silver after hard-fought final against Venezuela

Boxing

Sonny Bill Williams and Paul Gallen clash ahead of Sydney boxing match

Watch

Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Sport

'You're a piece of s***': Gallen verbally attacks SBW at presser
Boxing

'You're a piece of s***': Gallen verbally attacks SBW at presser

During the pre-bout conference, Gallen accused Williams of exploiting small businesses.

14 Jul 05:56 AM
Black Sox secure silver after hard-fought final against Venezuela
Sport

Black Sox secure silver after hard-fought final against Venezuela

14 Jul 05:51 AM
Sonny Bill Williams and Paul Gallen clash ahead of Sydney boxing match
Boxing

Sonny Bill Williams and Paul Gallen clash ahead of Sydney boxing match

Watch
14 Jul 05:20 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP