Paddock Pass Podcast

Last week, after the WorldSBK paddock made a happy return to the magnificent Imola circuit, Steve English and Gordon Ritchie got together to discuss the events of the weekend. Gordo and Steve cover a lot of ground as usual, including how the different character of Imola made some riders feel more at home.

Steve and Gordo discuss Jonathan Rea's future, Toprak Razgatlioglu's joy at winning a main race, what Scott Redding will be doing next, who will be alongside Alvaro Bautista, and how the nature of Imola may have helped Bradley Ray to have a stronger weekend.

A couple of special interviews in this episode of the Paddock Pass Podcast. Neil Morrison interviews Marco Bezzecchi about life in the VR46 project, and how that makes him so competitive. Meanwhile, David Emmett interviews Joan Mir about how hard his first six months in the Repsol Honda squad have been, and the mental strength required to keep pushing despite crashing.

In this episode of the Paddock Pass Podcast, Neil Morrison and Adam Wheeler have a long interview with Dorna's new Chief Commercial Officer Dan Rossomondo. Rossomondo joins Dorna after a long period with the NBA, and has as his mission to expand the reach and popularity of MotoGP around the world. He tells Adam and Neil about his first few months at Dorna, what he has learned so far, and the opportunities he sees for growing MotoGP across the world.

After the British round of World Superbikes at Donington Park, Steve English and Gordon Ritchie gathered to figure out what we learned from Donington. The big news was Aruba.it Ducati's Alvaro Bautista winning the two main races, and Bautista joins Steve and Gordo for a long interview, looking at his MotoGP test, his form on the Ducati, and what changed from last year to this for him to go from just being strong to utterly dominating.

Then Steve and Gordo take a deep dive into the lessons learned at Donington. They ask why Ducati don't put Nicolo Bulega onto a WorldSBK bike, with him having such a vise-like grip on the World Supersport class. They talk BMW, and what Scott Redding's strong showing this weekend means, and a dive into the Honda situation.

The Dutch TT at Assen was a scorcher. Certainly in terms of temperature, less so when it came to overtaking, but it left the Paddock Pass Podcast crew with plenty to talk about. Steve English, David Emmett, Neil Morrison, and Adam Wheeler take a long look back at a hot and humid weekend at Assen.

There was plenty to talk about. After a brief excursion to look at track limits, Moto3 mayhem, and the miserable end to Marc Marquez' triple-header, the crew dig into Pecco Bagnaia's stunning victory on Sunday, flipping the script on Marco Bezzecchi after the Mooney VR46 rider won the sprint race. Can Ducati be stopped, and is Bagnaia on course to successfully defend his MotoGP crown?

In the latest episode of RNF Unlocked, Wilco Zeelenberg talks to Neil Morrison and David Emmett about his history of racing at Assen, how he sees the track, and what he expects from Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez. He also gives his insight into the state of MotoGP, Marc Marquez' fitness, and more.

Once upon time, a Ducati win at the Sachsenring was merely the hallucination of a fevered imagination. But those dark days for Ducati are long past, and with the Italian manufacturer locking out the top five at the tight and twisty German circuit, the Paddock Pass Podcast crew dig into what happened to turn it around.

In addition to diving into Ducati, Neil Morrison, David Emmett, and Adam Wheeler take a long look at Marc Marquez' and Honda's miserable weekend at the Sachsenring, with 5 crashes for Marquez and just 1 Honda on the grid on Sunday. They ask whether this is the end for Marquez and the Repsol Honda team, and what his options are if it is. And we discuss what KTM is going to do about Pedro Acosta now that he keeps winning.

The men behind the clipboards: Crew Chiefs Noé Herrera and Giovanni Mattarollo talk about the challenges they face as crew chiefs. They talk about how they work together despite being rivals, how they manage the relationship with their riders, and their journeys that brought them to MotoGP.

We feared Mugello would be empty, but the Italian fans did not disappoint, the legendary Tuscan track filling up with a joyous and enthusiastic crowd to watch Pecco Bagnaia romp to a comfortable victory in a less than thrilling race. But there was still plenty for Adam Wheeler, Neil Morrison, and David Emmett to sink their teeth into in this episode of the Paddock Pass Podcast.

From the media center at the Isle of Man TT, Steve English and Gordon Ritchie look back at the Misano round of WorldSBK, and all the news that emerged from it. Steve and Gordo discuss Toprak Razgatlioglu's announcement that he is switching to BMW, and the repercussions that may have. They discuss Scott Redding's future, and whether it is in WorldSBK or even MotoAmerica. They talk Ducati, how Danilo Petrucci is still working to adapt, the rumors of a Marc VDS team entering WorldSBK, and they take a look at what Honda could do next.