Spain’s double world champion Jorge Lorenzo drew first blood by taking the MotoGP floodlit season opener from pole in Qatar yesterday as Italy’s Valentino Rossi stormed to second.

Spanish whizzkid has style and class to go for victory – maybe even a title – first time out

The British hope Cal Crutchlow lost the chance of a fourth front-row MotoGP start of the year here yesterday when he mysteriously plunged off his 1000cc Yamaha YZR-M1 on a slowing-down lap during a practice session and was taken to hospital with foot and ankle injuries.

Australian Josh Brookes will start from pole position on his Tyco Suzuki in the opening round of the British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch today as a record contingent of eight foreign riders pressures the home competitors.

Gresini Honda have decided to compete in Sunday's Valencia MotoGP as a tribute to rider Marco Simoncelli.

Michael Laverty and Shane Byrne took the victories in the rain-soaked fourth round of the British Superbike Championship at Thruxton yesterday. Byrne, who had taken a tumble in qualifying, had to start the opening race from the back of the grid but he carved through the field to finish in third place, a split second down on Michael Rutter as Laverty took his first victory of the season on the Swan Yamaha.

Max Biaggi moved a step closer to securing the World Superbike Championship after virtually doubling his lead over his nearest rival Leon Haslam at Brno in the Czech Republic.

Series leader Leon Haslam and Michel Fabrizio shared the wins in the sixth round of the Superbike World Championship season at Kyalami in South Africa yesterday.

Max Biaggi scored a superb double victory at Monza yesterday to close the gap on Britain's Leon Haslam in the Superbike World Championship title race.

Spain's Jorge Lorenzo recovered from a poor start to pass his compatriot Dani Pedrosa on the last lap to win a thrilling Spanish MotoGP grand prix in Jerez yesterday.

Jakub Smrz topped the timesheets at the end of the first qualifying session for tomorrow's FIM World Superbike Championship races at Assen in the Netherlands.

Catalan Dragons' Chris Walker is to face a disciplinary hearing today over a tackle that left an opponent with a broken jaw.