Valentino Rossi’s MotoGP team aiming for victories in 2023
MotoGP legend Rossi brought his long-running VR46 team to the premier class for the first time last year after signing a three-year deal to run as a Ducati satellite squad. The team managed a pole position with rookie Marco Bezzecchi in Thailand last year, with the Italian taking a maiden podium at the Dutch GP […]
Memorising Honda MotoGP bike start procedure «a nightmare»
The 2020 world champion was forced to look for a new ride for this season after Suzuki declared it would be quitting MotoGP at the end of 2022, with Mir eventually signing a two-year deal to join the factory Honda squad. The pre-season testing phase has not been easy for Honda, with eight-time world champion […]
Ducati and Aprilia «unbeatable» ahead of MotoGP 2023
The Ducati rider topped last weekend’s final pre-season test in Portugal with an unofficial lap record having been fastest on both days at the Algarve track. This completed a clean sweep for Ducati in winter testing, the marque topping all five days in 2023 with its riders. Ducati’s strong winter has come against a backdrop […]
Honda good enough for fifth to 10th after Portugal MotoGP test – Marquez
Honda’s difficult winter continued in Portugal last weekend at the final two-day test of the pre-season, with Marquez ending up 14th overall behind new team-mate Joan Mir. Marquez says he rode the bike with which he finished the Malaysia test and did feel “better” as he worked on race set-up on Sunday. But despite the […]
What we learned from the final MotoGP pre-season test of 2023
As the flurry of social media posts from the paddock at 5:30pm on Sunday correctly pointed out, it’s now time to go racing in MotoGP in 2023. Two final days of testing at the Algarve International Circuit brought this year’s pre-season phase to a close, with Ducati maintaining an ominous 100% hit rate across all […]
Quartararo hails “massive step” with 2023 Yamaha on final MotoGP test day
The 2021 world champion issued a stark warning after Saturday’s session at the Algarve track, claiming his Yamaha team “will not be ready” for the opening round of the campaign on 26 March. But the Frenchman was a much happier figure at the end of his programme on Sunday, as Yamaha worked with 2022 set-up […]
Bagnaia tops final day of pre-season with lap record
Ducati has not been dethroned throughout the five days of official testing this winter, with its riders taking top honours in Malaysia and Portugal. Bagnaia was first out on track on Sunday on his factory team Ducati and would end the day 0.296s clear of the field with a new unofficial lap record of 1m37.968s. […]
Concussed Di Giannantonio slams ‘wall-like’ Portugal MotoGP gravel traps
MotoGP sophomore Di Giannantonio has been declared unfit for Sunday’s final day of pre-season testing at the Algarve circuit after suffering a concussion in a crash at the end of Saturday’s session. The Italian slid off his satellite Ducati at Turn 7 and said he “completely disconnected” as soon as his head hit the gravel […]
Yamaha facing difficulties in homologating 2023 MotoGP aero fairing
According to the rules, manufacturers must homologate a fairing before the start of the season, and they must do so before going out on track on Friday of the first grand prix of the year. And for the rest of the season, they are entitled to one upgrade which, once homologated, they can exchange with […]