Paddock Pass Podcast

The latest episode of the Paddock Pass Podcast looks ahead to the challenges of 2021. Steve English, Neil Morrison, Adam Wheeler, and David Emmett discuss who has the most to prove in 2021, and what they have to do to live up to expectations.

In the latest episode of the Paddock Pass Podcast, the crew answer some of your questions. Steve English, Neil Morrison, and Adam Wheeler take a deep dive into some of the burning questions on your mind. 

The latest episode of the Paddock Pass Podcast is a special edition focusing on Moto2. Moto2 commentator Neil Morrison is joined by WorldSBK commentator Steve English and On Track Off Road's Adam Wheeler to discuss the state of the Moto2 championship, and the effect the switch to Triumph engines has had on the series.

After a few thoughts on the series, Neil Morrison interviews Triumph's Chief Product Officer Steve Sargent about their involvement in Moto2. Sargent talks about why Triumph got involved, the pressure they were under in terms of reliability, and the sales and marketing benefits they have seen from their involvement. Sargent also explains some of the logic behind Dorna's remit to Triumph in creating the 765 Moto2 engine, including allowing for an expanded role for electronics, to help prepare engineers and crew chiefs for MotoGP, as well as riders.

The final episode of the Paddock Pass Podcast sees the year reach a fitting conclusion: with a look back and exclusive interview with the surprise 2020 MotoGP champion, Joan Mir. Steve English, Adam Wheeler, and Neil Morrison examine the season Mir had, Joan Mir talks about the championship, and his manager, Paco Sanchez, explains how Mir got to be in a position to win the title.

With the holiday season almost upon us, the Paddock Pass Podcast wraps up its manufacturer review of the 2020 MotoGP season. Neil Morrison and Adam Wheeler finish up their look back at this strange year in MotoGP with an analysis of how KTM and Aprilia have fared.

After two episodes looking back at MotoGP, it's time for the WorldSBK arm of the Paddock Pass Podcast to take a long look at the year in World Superbikes. Steve English and Gordo Ritchie discuss everything that happened in what turned out to be a fascinating and wild year in the premier production series.

They start off with a look at what happened to Ducati. Scott Redding made a huge impact on arrival in the class, but his challenge waxed and waned as the year went on. Steve and Gordo examine what the strengths of the Ducati and Redding were, and where they fell short. They discuss how the season played out for Chaz Davies and Michael Ruben Rinaldi, and what it all means for 2021.

The Paddock Pass Podcast review of 2020 MotoGP manufacturers continues, and in this episode, Neil Morrison and Adam Wheeler take a look at the dual enigmas that were Yamaha and Honda. 

They start with Yamaha. Did Yamaha have a good year or a bad year? Winning half the races suggests they had a good season. But the fact that Franco Morbidelli, the only rider on a 2019-spec M1, finished second in the championship, while Maverick Viñales, Fabio Quartararo, and Valentino Rossi all faded badly in the second half of the season suggests that all was not rosy in the Japanese factory.

Now that the season is over, it's time to look back at what went into making MotoGP 2020 the sensational year that it was. To do that the Paddock Pass Podcast crew, in the shape of Neil Morrison and On Track Off Road's Adam Wheeler will be breaking it down factory by factory.

In this first part, Neil and Adam discuss Suzuki and Ducati. They start with Suzuki, and how the Japanese factory won its first title in 20 years. They discuss Joan Mir, what makes him special, and how he won the 2020 championship. And they talk about Alex Rins, and the development of the Suzuki GSX-RR.

The final race of the 2020 MotoGP season is in the books, and so Steve English and David Emmett bring you another episode of the Paddock Pass Podcast to look back at the season finale at Portimão and wrap it all up.

Highlight of the weekend was obviously Miguel Oliveira's win, leading from lights to flag. Steve and David ask whether it was down to local track knowledge or just getting everything right on the day. We talk about KTM's progress, with Pol Espargaro having a strong race as well.

With the penultimate round of MotoGP, we have a champion at last, Joan Mir finally wrapping up the MotoGP title. Neil Morrison and David Emmett meet over the virtual kitchen table to discuss what happened at the Valencia round of MotoGP in this latest episde of the Paddock Pass Podcast.