Paddock Pass Podcast Episode 357: India GP Preview - The Perils Of New Races With Dennis Noyes

By David Emmett | Wed, 20/09/2023 - 12:53

New races mean new challenges, and veteran US journalist and early Dorna employee Dennis Noyes knows all about that. The Hoopeston, Illinois native joins the full Paddock Pass Podcast crew to look ahead to India, review the state of MotoGP, and give some insight into Mike Trimby.

The first thing we do is look ahead to India, and Dennis regales us with tales of organizing the US grand prix at Laguna Seca, including anonymous calls to customs officers in an attempt to delay freight. We then take a look at recent rider news, including Franco Morbidelli's signing to Ducati and what Yamaha is doing wrong. We look again at Marc Marquez' options for 2024, and whether he will stay with Honda or head to Gresini.

Finally, Dennis talks about the long history of IRTA, Mike Trimby's role in it, and the battle in the early days of the series.

Where Are We With The Indian Round Of MotoGP, Part 2? Another Brief Update

By David Emmett | Tue, 19/09/2023 - 21:14

Developments surrounding the inaugural Indian round of MotoGP at the Buddh International Circuit have been continuous and changing almost moment by moment, making it pointless to try to provide up-to-date commentary, as the moment a story is published, it is superseded by events.

But after a second day of feverish speculation and commentary, things are looking a little more positive than they had been yesterday. Visas are arriving, the track is likely to be homologated without problem on Thursday, and riders, team members, and media are starting to head toward the circuit located near Greater Noida, 45km southeast of New Delhi.

Takaaki Nakagami Confirmed At LCR Honda For 2024

By David Emmett | Tue, 19/09/2023 - 21:05

Another day, another rider signing. Tuesday's news is the confirmation that Takaaki Nakagami has extended his contract for another year with the LCR Honda Idemitsu squad.

The deal had been getting closer over the past few rounds, as Nakagami, who negotiates his own contract, had been speaking with HRC for several races. The second half of the season has seen Nakagami's role in developing the Honda RC213V expand, the Japanese rider taking on the role of testing parts before the factory Repsol Honda riders were ready. HRC seem to be using more of Nakagami's input in their development process.

Nakagami has also been far more outspoken in his criticism of Honda in the past few months. Perhaps emboldened by remarks by both Marc Marquez and Joan Mir in the factory team, Nakagami has been keen to highlight the deficiencies of the RC213V.

Where Are We With The Indian Round Of MotoGP? A Brief Update

By David Emmett | Mon, 18/09/2023 - 22:26

Visa chaos continues for the grand prix paddock, as the agency selected by Dorna follows its painfully slow process of supply visas to the vast majority of the paddock. More and more people have received their visas, but large numbers - including members of several teams - are still waiting, and are due to fly out on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The visa issues have already caused a number of teams to cancel and rebook flights, after not receiving their visas in time to board planes on Monday. IRTA has stepped in to reimburse Moto2 and Moto3 teams for flights, as the teams in the support classes are struggling financially far more than the MotoGP teams.

How many teams and riders are present at the Buddh International Circuit for the inaugural Indian GP remains to be seen. The chances are that the vast majority will make it, though possibly only at the last moment.

Franco Morbidelli Confirmed At Pramac Ducati

By David Emmett | Mon, 18/09/2023 - 22:02

Franco Morbidelli is to race for the Pramac Ducati squad in 2024. The news had been widely anticipated, despite denials by Morbidelli at Misano, but news of Morbidelli signing for Pramac had been circulating since the summer break.

The news will come as a boost for the Italian. Morbidelli has struggled for the past two years, since Yamaha changed the design of the M1, and he has gone through some pretty dark periods, both in mood and form. Getting on what is almost certain to be the best bike on the grid give him a chance to find his form again.

Morbidelli's signing is something of a double-edged sword for Pramac, despite the glowing words of praise in the press release. Pramac have long wanted another Italian rider in the team, to help with their sponsors. But the team were believed to be wary of signing someone from the VR46 Riders Academy, as such a rider would come with a certain amount of baggage.

Paddock Pass Podcast Episode 356: Magny-Cours Extravaganza - What Does Rea To Yamaha Mean?

By David Emmett | Fri, 15/09/2023 - 09:39

With Magny-Cours WorldSBK round clashing with Misano MotoGP, we have a double dose of Paddock Pass Podcast action for you. In this week's World Superbike edition, Steve English and Gordon Ritchie look back at the French round of the production series.

The biggest topic in WorldSBK right now is Jonathan Rea's decision to switch from Kawasaki, the manufacturer he has had so much success with, to Yamaha. Will Rea get back to winning? Steve and Gordo dive into the details, and assess the move. They also talk about the repercussions the switch will have for the remaining open seats in WorldSBK, and look back at the controversies and action from Magny-Cours.

Paddock Pass Podcast Episode 355: Jorge Martin's Mind Games, And Marc Marquez' Dilemma

By David Emmett | Tue, 12/09/2023 - 17:36

The Misano MotoGP race may have been tense, but it was not by any stretch of the imagination a thriller. On the Monday morning, as the MotoGP test got underway, David Emmett, Neil Morrison, and Adam Wheeler convened to talk through the events of the weekend.

First we ask why the racing is so processional, with it so difficult to overtake. We ask why Jorge Martin is pretending he can't be 2023 MotoGP champion. We discuss the drawn out drama surrounding Marc Marquez and his future. We pay tribute to Mike Trimby, founder and CEO of IRTA. And Adam interviews Bob Moore of the Wasserman Media Group on what a rider manager does and what goes in to negotiating a contract.

2023 Misano MotoGP Test Notes - What The Five Factories Were Working On At Misano

By David Emmett | Mon, 11/09/2023 - 21:37

With just two days of testing during the MotoGP season, track time outside of race weekends is like gold dust. Just over halfway through the season, teams and riders find themselves with a lot of questions needing urgent answers. Factory engineers have their own agendas, with prototypes and new ideas to collect data on in preparation for the first post-season test at Valencia, to give themselves enough time to get bikes and engines ready for 2024.

Michelin, too, have things they want testing. New compounds for 2024, and very early work on the 2025 front tire which is meant to solve the current woes with tire pressure caused by ride-height devices and aero. That tire is reserved for test riders, however. The MotoGP regulars won't get their hands on it until Valencia or Sepang at the earliest.

So there was an awful lot to test on Monday at Misano. A new engine, chassis and aero for Yamaha, a new bike (sans engine) for Honda, carbon-fiber frames for KTM and Aprilia, and experiments with suspension and setup and bike geometry to work through.

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