We have a very special guest for the latest episode of the Paddock Pass Podcast. Respected Spanish journalist and excellent conversationalist Manuel Pecino, who writes for a vast range of major publications and publishes his own website PecinoGP.com joined David Emmett to discuss what we learned at the Sepang MotoGP test.

There really was a lot to talk about, and in the space of 55 minutes, we take a long wander through all six of the MotoGP factories, and ponder the consequences of the new Michelin rear tire. We start off with Yamaha, and debate their fantastic week in January where they set course for the future, choosing Fabio Quartararo over Valentino Rossi for the factory team. We talked about the situation at Honda, and how Marc Marquez is leading the development with HRC. There was plenty to talk about for Ducati, and whether Andrea Dovizioso can challenge Marc Marquez again, and take a deep dive into Dovizioso's character and unique approach to racing.

Next we move to Suzuki, and the positive effect Joan Mir has had on Alex Rins, and how the new Michelin is very well suited to both the GSX-RR, and the Yamaha M1. We also discussed the strange smell the Suzuki was producing, and what could possibly be causing it. We discuss the progress made by KTM, and how important Dani Pedrosa has been to the development program of the RC16. Finally, we discuss the Aprilia, and how the brand new RS-GP really appears to be much more competitive.

It was a long, rambling, and fascinating conversation, with some unique insights from both Manuel and David.

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