Paddock Pass Podcast

The rain came to Motegi just as the grand prix was about to start, throwing up a thrilling battle for the championship, some red flag excitement, and lots and lots to talk about. Adam Wheeler, Neil Morrison, and David Emmett try to make sense of it all in this episode of the Paddock Pass Podcast.

We ask questions and answer them. Why is Jorge Martin so good? Why was Johann Zarco excluded from the results? Will Johann Zarco ever win a race? When will we hear about Marc Marquez' moves, and what's up with Augusto Fernandez, Pedro Acosta, and Pol Espargaro? And are flag-to-flag races actually any fun?

How does a MotoGP team move bikes, equipment, spares, staff around the world? The latest 'RNF Unlocked' podcast talks with Wilco and meets Logistics and Team Coordinator Carl 'Stan' Meakin to find out how the wheels roll for a twenty-round world championship effort.

At Aragon, Alvaro Bautista took a step closer to wrapping up the 2023 WorldSBK title, despite a crash in Race 1. After the weekend, Steve English and Gordon Ritchie got together to chew over what happened, and take a deep dive into the Jonathan Rea to Yamaha news. Steve Interviews Pata Yamaha team boss Paul Denning, and then speaks to Rea's crew chief at Kawasaki, Pere Riba, who will be staying at Kawasaki.

MotoGP opened a new frontier at the Buddh International Circuit, the inaugural Indian round of MotoGP making history, in many ways. Adam Wheeler, Steve English, Neil Morrison, and David Emmett discuss how MotoGP was received in India, why Marco Bezzecchi dominated so thoroughly at the circuit, what happened with Jorge Martin and his leathers, and whether the strong results for Marc Marquez and Joan Mir is the start of a Honda revival. We also hear from Marc Marquez' Repsol Honda crew chief Santi Hernandez on adapting to a brand new circuit.

New races mean new challenges, and veteran US journalist and early Dorna employee Dennis Noyes knows all about that. The Hoopeston, Illinois native joins the full Paddock Pass Podcast crew to look ahead to India, review the state of MotoGP, and give some insight into Mike Trimby.

The first thing we do is look ahead to India, and Dennis regales us with tales of organizing the US grand prix at Laguna Seca, including anonymous calls to customs officers in an attempt to delay freight. We then take a look at recent rider news, including Franco Morbidelli's signing to Ducati and what Yamaha is doing wrong. We look again at Marc Marquez' options for 2024, and whether he will stay with Honda or head to Gresini.

With Magny-Cours WorldSBK round clashing with Misano MotoGP, we have a double dose of Paddock Pass Podcast action for you. In this week's World Superbike edition, Steve English and Gordon Ritchie look back at the French round of the production series.

The biggest topic in WorldSBK right now is Jonathan Rea's decision to switch from Kawasaki, the manufacturer he has had so much success with, to Yamaha. Will Rea get back to winning? Steve and Gordo dive into the details, and assess the move. They also talk about the repercussions the switch will have for the remaining open seats in WorldSBK, and look back at the controversies and action from Magny-Cours.

The Misano MotoGP race may have been tense, but it was not by any stretch of the imagination a thriller. On the Monday morning, as the MotoGP test got underway, David Emmett, Neil Morrison, and Adam Wheeler convened to talk through the events of the weekend.

First we ask why the racing is so processional, with it so difficult to overtake. We ask why Jorge Martin is pretending he can't be 2023 MotoGP champion. We discuss the drawn out drama surrounding Marc Marquez and his future. We pay tribute to Mike Trimby, founder and CEO of IRTA. And Adam interviews Bob Moore of the Wasserman Media Group on what a rider manager does and what goes in to negotiating a contract.

There was an extra vibe to Misano with the culmination of 2023 MotoE and the first chapter of the Ducati technical era. We chatted with the CryptoDATA RNF MotoE crew about their season, riding the Italian electric bikes and more for the latest ‘RNF Unlocked’ podcast!

A terrifying and frantic MotoGP weekend is in the books in Barcelona, and Adam Wheeler, Neil Morrison, and David Emmett gather to chew over the events of the Catalan grand prix.

Naturally, we talk about the first corner incident with Enea Bastianini, and why there are so many crashes in Turn 1 in Barcelona. We discuss Pecco Bagnaia's horrific highside in Turn 2, and how lucky he was to escape injury. We examine Aprilia's success at Barcelona, and hear from Aprilia Race Manager Paolo Bonora and RNF Racing team manager Wilco Zeelenberg.

And of course we have our winners and losers, and our moment of the week.