Morbidelli “not daunted” by Yamaha being bottom of MotoGP standings
Both of MotoGP’s Japanese manufacturers, Yamaha and Honda, have endured difficult 2023 campaigns, with the former scoring just two podiums in the first eight rounds. Fabio Quartararo was third in the Americas Grand Prix and inherited that position in the Dutch GP sprint following a track limits penalty for KTM’s Brad Binder. Yamaha currently sits […]
Why MotoGP’s rising star would shine brighter at VR46 than at Pramac
With racing in short supply during MotoGP’s summer break, the focus of attention in the world championship is monopolised by the buzz of possible market movements. Aside from the case of Marc Marquez, who is devoting this summer to unravelling the scenario of his hypothetical departure from Honda, Marco Bezzecchi is another rider on the […]
Honda World Superbike struggles continue despite concessions
In its fourth season since returning to WSBK as a full works entity, Honda continues to languish, again finding itself locked in battle with BMW to avoid last place in the manufacturers’ standings. Xavi Vierge scored the brand’s only podium finish so far in 2023 with third in the second full-distance race at Mandalika, and […]
What would MotoGP 2023 look like without sprint races?
Sprint races have marked one of the biggest single format changes in grand prix motorcycle racing’s more than 70-year history. While reviews of the sprint format were mixed from the riders to begin with, after eight rounds criticisms of the half-distance races have faded away. For the most part, the sprints have added an exciting […]
BMW calls up Leon Haslam for Imola
Haslam joins Scott Redding on one of the German marque’s two factory M1000RR machines in place of Sykes, who in turn had been standing in for injured full-time rider Michael van der Mark. Sykes was involved in a heavy crash in the final race earlier this month at Donington, getting tangled up with the Ducati […]
Sylvain Guintoli targets Le Mans 24 Hours win on four wheels
Frenchman Guintoli, 41, last raced in MotoGP in 2019 as a wildcard and test rider for Suzuki, but has stayed active in motorcycle racing with the Hamamatsu brand’s endurance racing programme. Alongside Yoshimura SERT team-mates Gregg Black and Xavier Simeon, he won the Le Mans 24 Hours motorcycle race in 2021 and scored a second […]
Miller hails “unreal” first half of KTM’s 2023 MotoGP season
The Australian moved to KTM for the 2023 season having been with Ducati since 2018 and scored his first podium with the Austrian manufacturer with a third at the Spanish GP. Though he has yet to repeat this, Miller and KTM have been a regular fixture in the podium battle at all rounds this season. Reflecting on […]
Michael van der Mark certain about BMW seat
After flirting with a move to MotoGP with Yamaha, 2021 WSBK champion Razgatlioglu surprised the paddock earlier this season when he announced his decision to leave the Japanese marque in favour of joining the works BMW team next year. It means either van der Mark or team-mate Scott Redding will have to make way for […]
Pol Espargaro “didn’t recognise my body” recovering from Portugal MotoGP crash
The Tech3 rider crashed in the latter stages of FP2 in the season-opening Portuguese Grand Prix and suffered numerous fractures, including to his back and jaw, after hitting an unprotected tyre barrier. Espargaro required surgery on the three vertebrae he broke in his back, and his jaw had to be wired shut for a month, […]