Paddock Pass Podcast

A new year, and a new episode of the Paddock Pass Podcast. Neil, David, Adam and Steve take a look ahead at the big stories of 2024, and how we expect them to develop. How will Pedro Acosta adapt to MotoGP, and the KTM? How soon before Marc Marquez gets up to speed on the Gresini Ducati, and can he challenge for the title? Who moves first in MotoGP's epic silly season to come? Will Jorge Martin be the prime target, or will it be Fabio Quartararo? And can Honda and Yamaha become competitive again?

The final show of 2023, and it's time to take a look back at a hectic MotoGP season. Adam, Neil, David and Steve discuss their rating for the 2023 MotoGP season, their race of the year, rider of the year, surprise of the year, what they loved and what they hated about 2023. Plus we pick our personal favorite moment of the year. Something for everyone in this episode!

The arrival of Trackhouse Racing to take over the CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP team caused quite the shock at the final race of 2023. Fans and media alike were left with a lot of questions. Fortunately, the Paddock Pass Podcast crew are on hand to get answers to those questions straight from the horse's mouth. Justin Marks, ex-NASCAR racer and owner of Trackhouse Racing, tells Adam, Steve, and Neil how he ended up with a MotoGP team, what attracted him, what his goals are for the 2024 season and beyond, and whether he believes he can be a conduit for more American involvement in MotoGP.

MotoGP may have packed up for the moment, but WorldSBK still had a couple of novelties to throw at us. In this episode of the Paddock Pass Podcast, Steve English and Gordo Ritchie are joined by David Emmett to chew over Toprak Razgatlioglu's debut on the BMW, and Sam Lowes' first ride on a WorldSBK Ducati. We have interviews with both riders, and Steve, David, and Gordo have a deeper, philosophical conversation about the differences between WorldSBK and MotoGP, and what the two series can learn from each other. We also give our top tips for the gift-giving season.

The 2023 Motocourse annual

Another day, another episode of the Paddock Pass Podcast. Adam Wheeler, David Emmett and Neil Morrison chew over the events of the Valencia test, including an assessment of Marc Marquez' first outing on the Ducati, and Pedro Acosta's impressive debut on the Tech3 GasGas. We also discuss Honda's prospects with their new MotoGP bike, what Yamaha have changed, and whether it is enough, and whether we should take Maverick Viñales topping the timesheets in Valencia seriously.

We also take a look at the arrival of a new team in MotoGP to take the place of RNF, and why so many sponsors in motorsports are opaque at best. And Adam sits down for a long interview with Freddie Spencer, to look back at 40 years of the American winning his first 500cc title in 1983.

Ahead of the final round of WorldSBK at Jerez, Steve English and Gordo Ritchie were joined by Speedweek reporter Ivo Schützbach and WorldSBK commentator Alex Raby to look at the state of the World Superbike championship. In a wide-ranging and at times philosophical discussion, the team talk over Toprak Razgatlioglu and Jonathan Rea switching teams, the 2024 rules and weight balancing regulations, and how difficult it is to balance a championship based on motorcycles which manufacturers have to sell.

It is a fascinating conversation, and one worth listening to multiple times, to get a deeper understanding of the series.

The 2023 MotoGP season is done, and the newly crowned MotoGP champion is a familiar face. We discuss how Pecco Bagnaia successfully defended his MotoGP crown, how Jorge Martin went all in and came up short, the Martin-Marc Marquez crash, and more. We also take a dive into the CryptoDATA RNF saga, and ask what next for the team.

Was the MotoGP title decided by bad tires at the penultimate round of MotoGP? Neil, Adam, David, and Steve dive into the difficulties Michelin faced at the Lusail International Circuit thanks to the new circuit. Were the tires to blame Jorge Martin's miserable race on Sunday? Where has Fabio Di Giannanontonio's burst of form come from? Is Aleix Espargaro's excitable nature good or bad for MotoGP? And we talk about the controversial Moto3 race which saw Jaume Masia lift the 2023 Moto3 crown.

Home Grand Prix time and an apt moment to look at the how, when and why RNF Racing came to be, as well as the historical links with the Sepang International Circuit and just how popular is motorcycle racing in Malaysia anyway? Join Neil, Razlan and some special guests for this unique deep-dive

The Sepang MotoGP race was not a classic, by any stretch of the imagination, but that gives the Paddock Pass Podcast crew a chance to discuss why. Steve, Neil, Adam, and David dig deep into Enea Bastianini's revival, the role of tyre pressures in racing, and how Luca Marini ended up at Repsol Honda.