The «unsafe» tyre pressure rule that has MotoGP riders worried
To close up a grey area in the regulations, MotoGP rule makers have mandated strict enforcement of minimum tyre pressures on the front and rear compounds for 2023. Revelations that many riders had been operating outside of the front limit last year prompted the rule change, though most argued when quizzed on it that they […]
Marquez’s surgeon «didn’t sleep a wink» before career-saving arm operation
After three operations allowed him to return to action for the 2021 campaign, it became clear that his arm still wasn’t right and he was being severely limited on the bike. Something that prompted thoughts of retirement — as an emotional Marquez lays bare in Amazon’s docuseries Marc Marquez: All In, which release on 20 […]
World Superbike rejects minimum rider/bike weight proposals
The prospect of WSBK adopting a Moto2/Moto3-style minimum weight requirement that effectively levels the playing field between heavier and lighter riders was a major talking point throughout the 2022 season, which was won by Ducati rider Alvaro Bautista. BMW’s Scott Redding triggered the debate by declaring at Donington Park in July that Bautista’s success against […]
MotoGP teams in disagreement over sprint race bonus payments
In the biggest shake-up to the grand prix format for decades, MotoGP will introduce half-distance sprint races on the Saturday of every round in 2023. The sprint is an independent race and will not count as a qualifying for the main grand prix, which will continue to take place on Sundays. The introduction of the […]
2023 Ducati handling “nervous” and “more aggressive” than 2022 MotoGP bike
Despite a tricky pre-season and tough start to the 2022 season, the Ducati ended the campaign as by far the best bike on the grid. After the first three days of testing of 2023 in Malaysia last weekend, the Italian marque appears to have taken a step forward with the GP23, with Bagnaia second overall […]
What we learned from MotoGP’s first 2023 pre-season test in Sepang
Almost three months since the entire MotoGP grid was last on track together, the first collective test of 2023 at Sepang invites observers to take certain things for granted. Ducati’s superiority appears unquestionable, after its riders topped the times on all three days. But the test has also thrown up some unexpected elements, such as […]
Mir «thinking more about Ducati» than about MotoGP teammate Marquez
Mir, the 2020 world champion, joins Honda on a two-year deal from this season after being left without a ride when Suzuki elected to quit MotoGP at the end of 2022. Having made his Honda debut in November in the post-race Valencia test, Mir spent three full days on the RC213V at Sepang this weekend, […]
Marquez ends Sepang MotoGP test ‘without the bike I need to win the title’
The eight-time world champion has not been enthused about the progress Honda has made with its troubled bike since last November’s Valencia test. After the first day of this weekend’s Sepang test, Marquez felt he was “still far from the top” with the 2023 Honda. The Spaniard started the test with four RC213Vs to try, […]
2023 Yamaha MotoGP bike “a nightmare” in qualifying trim – Quartararo
The 2021 world champion has been buoyed by Yamaha’s increase in engine power for 2023 having long requested a step in top speed, and was pleased at the Sepang test that the Japanese marque had brought so many new items to try. But on the final day in Malaysia Quartararo was left scratching his head […]