Paddock Pass Podcast

It's time to answer Patreon backer questions for the Paddock Pass Podcast crew. Steve joins Neil and David to answer questions on whether the FIM Stewards even looked at Enea Bastianini's last-lap pass on Jorge Martin, whether Jorge Martin and Pecco Bagnaia are messing up more than previous champions, whether Bastianini's pass follows in a long line from Valentino Rossi through Marc Marquez, plus what's up with Yamaha's V4. And Neil speaks to Yamaha team manager Maio Meregalli about the progress of the V4 project so far.

The second visit to Misano produced even more drama than the first one, with crashes, hard last-lap passes, and plenty of finger pointing after the race. Neil, Adam and David gather, hampered by a dodgy mic cable, to discuss what unfolded at the Emilia-Romagna GP. Was Enea Bastianini's pass on Jorge Martin fair? Should he have been forced to give up the position again? What went wrong with Pecco Bagnaia? Plus rays of light at the end of the tunnel for Japan, and our winners and losers. 

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.

2015 is the MotoGP season that wouldn't die, especially because it keeps getting raked up by fans, media, and the protagonists. Valentino Rossi is the one to bring up that fateful season this time, speaking on an otherwise long and fascinating two-part podcast with former Moto3 rider Andrea Migno. Was Rossi right to dwell on what happened, and is his analysis of events correct? What effect will Rossi's statements on 2015 have on Marc Marquez and his 2024 campaign? Neil, Steve, and David dive once again into the pit of darkness that is the 2015 MotoGP season.

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.