Wild 2025 rider market adds to pre-season pressure

Having cut a 91-point deficit to Fabio Quartararo to just two points in the last three months, momentum is with Pecco Bagnaia in the 2022 MotoGP world championship fight.But does that make him title favourite, or is reigning champion Quartararo still going to be too tough to overcome in normal circumstances? And can Aleix Espargaro still spring a surprise? And should we even count out Enea Bastianini and Jack Miller?Simon Patterson and Valentin Khorounzhiy join stand-in host Matt Beer on The Race MotoGP Podcast to debate what might happen in the championship denouement after the action in Thailand.Likely form at the three remaining tracks, potential weather curveballs and the role of Ducati's massive gaggle of bikes and approach to team orders all play into our panel's deliberations.The latest information about Marc Marquez's progress back towards full fitness and competitiveness, Danilo Petrucci's comeback, the shocking video that emerged of a physical assault in a Moto3 garage in 2019, and Buriram winner Miguel Oliveira's wild form fluctuations are also discussed.Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeDownload our brand-new app on iOS or AndroidFor MotoGP news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4 Loka 20221h 1min

A potentially pivotal weekend in the MotoGP title race is discussed in the latest edition of The Race MotoGP Podcast.Host Toby Moody is joined by Simon Patterson and Valentin Khorounzhiy for a Japanese GP debrief and an assessment of the last-lap Pecco Bagnaia crash that has allowed a struggling Fabio Quartararo to nearly double his points lead.They also discuss the Aprilia error that robbed Aleix Espargaro of a huge opportunity, the role Gresini Ducati rider Enea Bastianini is playing in the title race and a top-drawer Motegi MotoGP debut for KTM's Brad Binder.Also on the agenda are Marc Marquez's first pole since 2019 and his reasonably encouraging race performance.Finally, the crew talk about injured LCR Honda rider Takaaki Nakagami riding with a "glove full of blood" - and express their dismay at the possibility the local hero may have done further damage to his right hand.Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeDownload our brand-new app on iOS or AndroidFor MotoGP news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

26 Syys 202255min

Francesco Bagnaia took another 20 points out of Fabio Quartararo's championship lead at Aragon - but should it have been 25?The Race MotoGP Podcast's latest episode centres around Ducati's decision to allow Enea Bastianini to fight, and ultimately defeat, Bagnaia for victory at the Spanish venue.Host Toby Moody is joined by Valentin Khorounzhiy and Simon Patterson to ponder whether Bagnaia may rue the five points he lost to Bastianini come the end of the season, and whether the good PR from avoiding team orders is worth the added risk to Ducati's chances of winning its first riders' title since 2007.They also discuss Quartararo's 'second crash' that came after his Marc Marquez-triggered Aragon GP exit, and a Brad Binder performance that led to him being credited as one of the best riders on the grid.Finally, the crew close out with a chat about the surreal Moto3 mechanic interference controversy from Saturday.Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeDownload our brand-new app on iOS or AndroidFor MotoGP news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

20 Syys 202248min

A potentially pivotal mid-season test at Misano takes centre stage in the newest episode of The Race MotoGP Podcast.Toby Moody, Simon Patterson and Valentin Khorounzhiy discuss Marc Marquez's two-day return to action on a Honda MotoGP bike, as well as the ramifications of the apparent top speed improvement made by Yamaha with its 2023 prototype.The crew also talk about Honda keeping Takaaki Nakagami for another season with the LCR squad and the corresponding decision for Ai Ogura to remain in Moto2 for now.Finally, a batch of listener questions are answered, including on Dani Pedrosa's impact on KTM's peaks-and-valleys MotoGP trajectory and on what MotoGP should do to increase the currently paltry female presence on the grid and within its fanbase.Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeDownload our brand-new app on iOS or AndroidFor MotoGP news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

13 Syys 20221h 2min

A fourth consecutive win for Francesco Bagnaia to further close up the 2022 title battle is the main subject of the post-Misano episode of The Race MotoGP Podcast.But how worried should Quartararo be - and did Ducati actually not make it easy enough for Bagnaia?Host Toby Moody is joined by Simon Patterson and Valentin Khorounzhiy to hash out the conclusions from the race, Ducati's team order reluctance, and why it may get worse for Quartararo before it gets better.There are also extensive discussions of Enea Bastianini and Maverick Vinales, whose excellent Misano weekends mark them out as potential 2023 title hopefuls.A miserable weekend for Honda and a surprising technical development on its end are touched upon, as is Jack Miller's early-race crash - and why it shows Ducati wasn't wrong to look beyond him for 2023.Finally, the crew salute the retiring Andrea Dovizioso and delve into the messy impending separation between KTM and Remy Gardner.Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeDownload our brand-new app on iOS or AndroidFor MotoGP news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5 Syys 20221h 6min

Ducati completing its MotoGP works line-up for 2023 and other silly season developments are the topic of conversation in the latest edition of The Race MotoGP Podcast.Host Toby Moody is joined by Valentin Khorounzhiy and Simon Patterson to talk about Enea Bastianini getting the nod over Jorge Martin to replace Jack Miller at the factory Ducati team.The crew ponder the upsides and downsides of the choice, and discuss whether it may set Martin on a course for a Ducati exit down the line.They also touch upon KTM's decision-making in light of the revelation that Remy Gardner expects to drop off the grid for 2022, and debate whether Raul Fernandez is likely to succeed in course-correcting his MotoGP career with his switch to Aprilia.Finally, they discuss Honda-related matters - like the hold-up in confirming Joan Mir for 2023 and the MotoGP outlook for protege Ai Ogura - and tackle a batch of listener questions.*NOTE - This episode was recorded before Mir's move to Honda and RNF's line-up of Miguel Olivera and Raul Fernandez were made official.Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeDownload our brand-new app on iOS or AndroidFor MotoGP news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

30 Elo 20221h 2min

Francesco Bagnaia's win in the Austrian GP was his third in a row - but did it do anything to make the success of Fabio Quartararo's title defence less likely?That is the central topic of the post-Red Bull Ring edition of The Race MotoGP Podcast, with host Toby Moody back and joined by Simon Patterson and Valentin Khorounzhiy.The crew discuss the quality of Quartararo's run to second place, whether there has been a change to Bagnaia and the importance of Jack Miller's role as Bagnaia's impressively loyal rear gunner.They also delve into Aleix Espargaro's weekend, as well as another brutal grand prix for both Honda - with the recovering Marc Marquez in attendance - and Suzuki, which now has Joan Mir on the injured list.Finally, Toby gives his verdict on the 2023 sprint race plans...Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeFor MotoGP news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

22 Elo 20221h

MotoGP's all-new sprint race format, to be used at every weekend of the 2023 season, is discussed in a special episode of The Race MotoGP Podcast.The Race's MotoGP writers Valentin Khorounzhiy and Simon Patterson give their takes on the shock news and their opinions on sprint races.They also talk about the known specifics of the format and how it compares to F1's sprint weekend, and which riders may benefit as a result in 2023.Riders' reactions to the news, ranging from happy to annoyed but with nearly all of them surprised, are also touched upon, as is the fact that a MotoGP rider is back on the public agenda as a result.Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeFor MotoGP news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

20 Elo 202232min