Paddock Pass Podcast

The French Round of WorldSBK saw Toprak Razgatlioglu, Alvaro Bautista and Jonathan Rea all ruled out through injury. What lessons can be learned from Toprak's crash and what can we expect from upcoming rounds of WorldSBK?

On track there was a popular winner with Michael van der Mark putting his pains of multiple injuries behind him to win again before Nicolo Bulega enjoyed a perfect Sunday. Is the Italian actually a title threat for Toprak now? Steve, Gordo and Ivo debate the merits of a title battle while also looking at the improved fortunes of Honda and the rider market moves being made in the Superbike Paddock.

The Misano round of MotoGP raised lots of questions, and Neil and David try to answer at least some of them sent in by Patreon backers. First, a quick run down of the Misano test, who was trying what, and whether it was for Misano 2, the rest of 2024, or the start of 2025. Then a discussion of what the introduction of radio communication will mean for MotoGP, and whether it will change the racing. A quick look at Michelin's new front tire, and then onto questions such as whether Jorge Martin could have beaten Marc Marquez if he hadn't pulled in to swap bikes, whether there is more to Sergio Garcia's struggles than we know, and how to solve MotoGP's passport dilemma, and nurture more talent from outside of Spain and Italy.

The Misano episode of the Paddock Pass Podcast is out! In this episode, Neil and David sit in a commentary booth overlooking the Misano front straight and ponder the effect a few sprinkles of rain had on what turned into a fascinating race.

Neil and David discuss Marc Marquez' return to victory, just 7 days after his last, Jorge Martin's seemingly bizarre decision to swap bikes when the track was damp, and the profound effect it may have on the championship, the role teams play in these decisions, Pecco Bagnaia's terrible but successful weekend, and a new rising star in Moto3. And of course we have our winners and losers.

The MotoGP discussion show means answering Patreon questions, so David, Neil and Steve sink their teeth into the Alex Márquez vs Pecco Bagnaia crash, Aprilia's grip woes, the track conditions, Marc Márquez' winning emotions, and Jorge Martin's impressive race. Did Alex take out Pecco on purpose? Should Marc have been more excited? What happened to the Aprilias? And will Misano see a Ducati clean sweep?

Remember to sign up to become a Patreon Paddock Insider for a chance to win two paddock passes and of course access to the Paddock Notes show and so much extra bonus content.

The MotoGP race at the Motorland Aragon circuit may not have been exciting, but it was certainly interesting. After the race, Adam, David and Neil gathered in a slightly noisy media center to chew over the events and the drama of the day. 

Just how good was Marc Marquez' first win after a hiatus of 1043 days? Did this race cement Jorge Martin's position in the championship? How going backward helped Pedro Acosta go forward. And of course, analysis of the crash between Alex Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia. Who is to blame? And were the FIM Stewards right not to hand out a penalty for the collision?

It's race week again, and MotoGP sits at the start of the final stretch, with nine races coming up in twelve weekends. But before the racing starts, Adam, Neil, David and Steve offer the one quick fix they think would immediately improve MotoGP. We then discuss Yamaha's path back to competitiveness, and hear a long interview with Maio Meregalli, Team Director of the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team. Finally, we look ahead at Aragon, and what to expect there, especially now that the track has been resurfaced.

With Adam busy finishing his book, Steve takes a break from golfing to assume hosting duties and answer questions from Patreon supporters with David and Neil. Will Ducati try to wriggle out of their contract with Fermín Aldeguer? Will a Ducati GP23 beat a GP24 this year? Will a Japanese manufacturer not win a race in 2025? And have Trackhouse done better than RNF with the Aprilia? And Neil Morrison sits down with newly signed Trackhouse rider and MT Helmets Moto2 man Ai Ogura.

The Austrian Grand Prix is in the books, but the MotoGP race is likely to slip very quickly from memory. Though the display by Pecco Bagnaia was positively imperious, it was a very long way from entertaining. Neil, Adam, and David discuss just how good Bagnaia is, how strong the Ducati GP24 is, and what is making the racing at Austria - once a guarantee of a last-lap thriller - such a snoozer. We also talk about what happened to Marc Marquez on the grid, and why he got such a bad start, the heavy toll on the brakes and front tyres, and whether KTM are close to competing with the Ducatis. Plus our winners and losers of the grand prix.

MotoGP heads to the hills, or rather mountains this week for the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria. To go over the history of the track and of the event, what we expect from this year's edition, and what the future holds for motorsport in Austria now that its greatest promoter, Red Bull owner Dieter Mateschitz, has died, we are joined by Austrian journalist Markus Zörweg of Motorsport Magazin. Neil, Adam, David and Markus ask if the Mateschitz legacy can live on without the man himself, wonder whether we will ever get back to the Salzburgring, and examine how the addition of a chicane has changed the racing at Spielberg.

Safely back at home, Neil, Adam, and David go through the latest rumours from Silverstone - just how much is Yamaha working, and will Somkiat Chantra replace Takaaki Nakagami - and then answer questions from Patreon backers. What's up with Silverstone attendance when BSB draws such a big crowd? What is up with KTM? Is Joe Roberts condemned to remain in Moto2? Will we see a proper Ducati battle this year? And what will MotoGP look like in 25 years?