MotoPod

Jim and Rich catch up to discuss round 18 of the MotoGP world championship held at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand. A weekend of mixed weather and incident dealt up the usual mix of intrigue and spectacle, with Alonso setting more records in Moto3, Ogura securing the Moto2 crown and Bagnaia and Martin continuing their cat and mouse duel for the 2024 MotoGP world championship. Next stop Malaysia. The guys finish off by selecting their all time top 3 podium celebrations. Can you guess which one came first ?! If you’re a regular listener, please sign up to support the show financially if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via the social media channels. Thanks to all our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

In the first of our interview specials recorded back at the Silverstone MotoGP round in August, Rich speaks with legendary team bosses Davide Brivio and Hervé Poncharal. First up is Davide Brivio of Trackhouse Racing. The two discuss his return to MGP from F1, how he started in the world of motorcycle racing and how he sees his role and that of Trackhouse in the seasons to come. Next up is Red Bull GasGas Tech3 boss Hervé Poncharal. Inevitably discussion focusses on rookie Pedro Acosta but there is also much talk about the current and future MGP rules as well as the new riders heading to the team for 2025. Enormous thanks to Maria and Mathilde from Trackhouse and Tech 3 respectively for making these interviews possible. Hopefully we will be able to catch up with Davide and Hervé again during the 2025 season. If you’re a regular listener, please sign up to support the show financially if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via the social media channels. Thanks to all our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Jim and Rich talk about the three great races from “The Island”. In the Moto3 class newly crowned world champion Alonso showed why he is the champ by out smarting everyone by using the hard rear tire option. He forced the competition to use up their soft tires trying to keep up with him. Alonso is on another level right now and he is playing chess while the others are playing checkers. In the Moto2 class it was a great race between Canet and Aldegeur. It was good hard racing with Aldeguer taking the victory. Senna Agius the hometown hero rode through the pack to be in court place and was chasing Lopez for the last spot on the podium. Lopez crashed out thus ensuring Agius’s first podium finish! In MotoGP the usual suspects were in the fight for the sprint win, which went to Martin. Marquez who had a poor start road to a second place finish and Bastianini was the last man on the podium. The major story was the crash of Bezzecchi and Vinales on the entry to turn one. Both riders were ok after the crash which was specular but scary to watch at the same time. In the Sunday race Marquez looked like a drag bike with major tire smoke on the start. Believe it or not Marquez caused the problem by letting his tear off fall under the rear wheel of his own bike! Marquez was the fastest rider breaking the race lap record, while chasing down Martin for the victory. Martin now has a 20 point lead as the series moves to Thailand. If you’re a regular listener, please sign up to support the show financially if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via the social media channels. Thanks to all our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Jim and Rich discuss all the action from Motegi. The first World Championship had been handed out to David Alonso! The Moto3 champ won this title in style by winning in true Alonso style. He was as far back as ninth in this race but road through the pack late in the race to win by half a second. The Moto2 race provided all the drama this weekend as a rain shower just after the start caused a red flag. It was anybodies guess on wether to use rains or slicks, but championship leader Ogura with he courage of his convictions went on slicks. He quickly fell back to 14th but the as he put heat into his slicks they came good and he powered through the field to lead. In fact six riders started on slicks and all would finish in the top six! Ogura riding smart let Gonzales take the win. Ogura now leads Garcia by sixty points. MotGp was a mixed bag as Marc was denied pole because of track limits and this promoted Acosta to his first pole position in the top class. All eyes were on Acosta in both the sprint and the Sunday race as he was heavily favored to win both. Lady Luck is a cruel mistress and she took both wins away in the form of two front end low-sides. Bagnaia benefited the most as he won both races with championship rival Martin finishing fourth in the sprint and second in the Sunday race. Bagnaia took fourteen points out of Martin’s lead and now sits just ten points behind. The guys (well Jim mostly) got all geeked out on are contrails fuel consumption and flywheels. Its heavy engineering geek speak that had Richard’s eyes glazing over! If you’re a regular listener, please sign up to support the show financially if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via the social media channels. Thanks to all our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

In this special interview episode, Rich gets to speak with Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team superstar Fabio Di Giannantonio ahead of the Motegi round in Japan. They get to talk a little history, bike development, tyres, that first MGP win in Qatar last year and even how MotoGP downtime works in what is an unbelievably long and pressurised season. Fabio is such a calm and humble guy and a true pleasure to have spoken with. Enormous thanks to Fabio, as well as to Laura and Pol from the VR46 team for making this interview happen. Its amazing to see MotoPod re-establishing itself in the MotoGP and World Superbike Championship paddocks. The time and assistance from riders, teams and organisers is amazing and hugely appreciated by the entire MotoPod community. If you’re a regular listener, please sign up to support the show financially if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via the social media channels. Thanks to all our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Jim and Rich are back to keep track of the MotoGP championship as the current triple header hits its mid-point at the Mandalika International Circuit in Indonesia. The guys run through listener feedback and news before jumping in to talk through the 4 races. It was a hot and sticky round with crashes, blow ups and a continuation of the Bagnaia-Martin to and fro at the head of the championship. With Indonesia done, the MGP circus heads this weekend to Motegi in Japan. The guys also touch on the WSBK races from Aragon as Toprak returned and eked out a small championship lead again. Noteworthy was the return to the winners enclosure for Andre Iannone who became the 14th rider to secure wins in both MotoGP and WSBK. If you’re a regular listener, please sign up to support the show financially if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via the social media channels. Thanks to all our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

In this second interview installment from July’s World Superbike Championship round at Donington Park, Rich speaks with Bonovo Action BMW’s Garrett Gerloff (4:47), HRC rider Iker Lecuona, (14:22), Kawasaki Racing Team’s Axel Bassani (22:38) and D34G Racing Team World SuperSport rider Oli Bayliss (27:19). Thanks again to the teams, riders, press officers and Dorna for helping to make all of this possible. If you’re a regular listener, please sign up to support the show financially if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via the social media channels. Thanks to all our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Jim and Rich review the first of the triple headers. First Jim talks about his busman holiday to the IMSA race in Indianapolis, then the guys go through all the news. After the new the guys break down the racing from San Marino! With heavy rain just before the weekend the track had all of the rubber washed off and this seemed to have massive effect on all the classes. In Moto3 it was normal shrive resumed as Alonso won a cracker of a race. The last few laps were quite a spectacle as Alonso, Piqueras, Vier and Holgado constantly changed positions. In Moto2 the guys discuss the surprise send place in Q2 by Joe Roberts. The real surprise was the race itself as Ogura made one of the most impressive starts this season, by powering around the outside of several riders to be third on the start. The race settled into a fight between Vietti, Canet and Arbolino. Arbolino looked like a sure bet to win his first race of the season but a gearbox problem caused him to run wide handing the lead to Canet. Can’t was them pipped at the finish line by Vietti, by .029 seconds! This was the best Moto2 race of the season! MotoGp help up its end of the bargain by having a great late race battle between Martin and Bastianini. Where was Pecco? Well he struggled with his rear tire and fell off about halfway. Bastianini would win after aggressively move Martin out of the way. This championship is definitely going down to the last race of the season. If you’re a regular listener, please sign up to support the show financially if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via the social media channels. Thanks to all our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Rich brings more interviews from July’s World Superbike Championship round at Donington Park. In this, the first of two rider interview specials, we get to hear from Bonovo Action BMW’s Scott Redding (3:51), Kawasaki Racing Team rider Alex Lowes (15:21), MotoXRracing Yamaha’s Bradley Ray(25:16), MIE Honda’s Tarran Mackenzie (30:22) and Elf Marc VDS Ducati’s Sam Lowes (40:00). As always, it’s a pleasure and a privilege to speak with the riders in the WSBK paddock. Huge thanks to the teams and to Dorna for giving MotoPod the access and making all of this possible. If you’re a regular listener, please sign up to support the show financially if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via the social media channels. Thanks to all our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

In this special episode, Rich chats with Sekhmet Racing team riders Mallory Dobbs (3:07), Lissy Whitmore (19:07) and team principal Maddi Paterson (32:13) at the Donington Park WSBK round back in July. We get to hear a bit of the back-story for each of the riders and learn some detail on the new FIM Women's Circuit Racing World Championship (WCR for short). Maddi talks us through how Sekhmet Racing came into being, the significance of the name and the overall challenge both for the team and for the new championship itself as the category gets into its stride in year 1. You can follow the team on their social media channels; @sekhmetracing on X Instagram. Please get in touch through the channels if you wish to get involved and help the team or riders out with sponsorship. If you’re a regular listener, please sign up to support the show financially if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via the social media channels. Thanks to all our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Jim and Rich look back at the first of the MotoGP double headers at Misano. The Moto3 race dished up what might well prove to be the race of the season. Elsewhere, the racing was a bit more predictable but with a rain shower creating jeopardy and opportunity in the main MotoGP race an old hand came to the fore. Elsewhere in the show the chaps go through recent news and enjoy some listener feedback from Chris Boyce and Gary Shavit. There is also some news from WSBK at Magy Cours where Toprak Razgatlıoğlu and Adrián Huertas amongst others survived scares on track and where a peculiarity of the weather and the rules threw up an interesting question about the dreaded long lap penalty. If you’re a regular listener, please sign up to support the show financially if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via the social media channels. Thanks to all our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Rich returns from holiday to discuss all the action from Aragon! The race weekend was plagued by overnight thunder storms that dirtied the track and created crazy racing action. In Moto 3, Alonso busted out to a huge lead and looked a sure bet to win the race, but Rueda had different ideas as he chose a hard rear tire. Once that switched on, Rueda ran down Alonso to take his first class victory showing the brilliance and speed that won him the Jr. World Championship and the Red Bull Rookies Cup in the same year. Don’t worry about Alonso because he increased his lead in the championship to 75 points. In Moto2, crashes were the main topic as Canet, Aldeuger, and Roberts all had wild high sides! Jake Dixon rode a masterful race to win another Grand Prix and close in on the championship leaders. It was truly a miserable weekend for Garcia as he called it a day after starting 29th and receiving a long lap penalty. He still leads the Championship over Ogura. In MotoGP, the question was, could anyone beat Marc Marquez? Fastest all weekend, Marc took pole position, converted that to a win in the Sprint race on Saturday and then dominated the Sunday race to win in 1,043 days! Bagnaia struggled with grip levels on each of his race starts, finishing off the podium in the sprint handing Martin the championship lead by 3 points. Sunday was another bad start for Bagnaia, but he made the best of it and was looking good for a podium finish until he and Alex Marquez crashed at turn 12. Now, Martin holds a 23 point lead as we head for the double in San Marino! if you’re a regular listener, please sign up to support the show financially if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via the social media channels. Thanks to all our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Skyler Vickroy guest hosts with Jim and they cover the Austrian GP. They kick things off with the news and both guys fall back into their old routine ranting on about this or that. My goodness 8 bullet points in the news took 45 minutes to talk about. That was probably a good thing because the racing action was pretty poor this weekend. The Moto3 race was awesome as always but Moto2 and MotoGP were procesional. They guys still had some great talking points, covering things like track limits and why the attendance was lower by 26,000 people. The point races for the world championships have tightened up in MotoGP and Moto2. The lead in the Moto3 has expanded. Enjoy this throwback episode! If you’re a regular listener, please sign up to support the show financially if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via the social media channels. Thanks to all our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Jim and Rich catch up to chat through the events from the Silverstone MotoGP weekend. Rich was in attendance to collect interviews and provide the trackside view. Great races as always, albeit dulled slightly by a disappointing level of attendance at the Silverstone facility. The guys start with a round up of the news following the summer break and then its into the Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP races none of which disappointed. If you’re a regular listener, please sign up to support the show financially if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via the social media channels. Thanks to all our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

A long episode as Jim and Rich cover listener feedback and all the action from the German GP. It was a great weekend of racing that kicked of with Marc Marquez having a massive highside in practice. The Moto3 race was the best of the weekend as Alonso won another race this time leading for about half of the distance. Then we move on to Moto2 where Joe Roberts impressed by only losing 1 point to Garcia in the championship after breaking his collarbone last week. Aldeguer would win his second race of the season in semi-dominant fashion. Finally in the MotoGP race Martin lost his concentration crashed with two laps to go and lost the championship lead. Jim really deserved a long lap penalty for his tongue twisted word salad and the injection of a long lap penalty for Aldeguer in Moto2! Enjoy the summer break and if you’re a regular listener, please sign up to support the show financially if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via the social media channels. Thanks to all our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

In the first of the special episodes between MotoPod and TAG Racing Honda, Rich sits down with BSB Pathways rider Jaimie van Sikkelerus to talk about his career, BSB 2024 and the challenges facing the riders as they juggle the pressures of racing. This was recorded on the Thursday before round 5 at Snetterton so thanks to Jaimie and the team at TAG Racing for their time and assistance. I’m sure you will agree that Jaimie is a charming guy with an incredibly determined yet humble approach to his racing. Stay tuned for more to come from Jaimie and the rest of the TAG Racing team. If you’re a regular listener, please sign up to support the show financially if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via the social media channels. Thanks to all our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Jim and Rich (who stayed up until the wee hours of the morning) discuss the action from Assen. The Moto3 race was the best of the weekend and gets the most love from the guys. Moto2 was a good race with a surprise penalty making the finish close. THe MotoGP races were lackluster as Pecco and Martin dominated the weekend. Please send Rich questions for the WSBK riders! If you’re a regular listener, please sign up to support the show financially if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via the social media channels. Thanks to all our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Ahead of this weekends MotoGP return at Assen, Jim and Rich get into some wild speculation as to who goes where in 2025 and beyond. This show was recorded 1 week ago, before the official confirmation arrived that Marco Bezzecchi will be joining the works Aprilia squad but we figured, what the hell, lets leave some of the wilder ideas in there for posterity! No doubt more news will emerge during the forthcoming Assen, Sachsenring and Silverstone rounds as the last few rider spots and team-manufacturer associations get finalised. If you’re a regular listener, please sign up to support the show financially if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via the social media channels. Thanks to all our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Jim and Rich catch up to talk through the races that took place at the classic Mugello circuit in Italy. As well as the races, there was the bombshell news from Ducati and Aprilia so the guys spend time on the ins and outs of the contractual movements and speculate on what this means for riders and teams elsewhere up and down the pitlane. As for the races, in MotoGP Pecco reigned supreme, in Moto2 Joe Roberts showed that he remains a contender and in Moto3 Alonso ruled and now stands as clear favourite for the 2024 M3 title. Check out Davey Todd’s unreal onboard from the IOM TT here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciPgQ1096Tw&t=282s If you’re a regular listener, please sign up to support the show financially if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via the social media channels. Thanks to all our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Rich is joined again by friend of the show Greg Haines of Eurosport fame. Discussion ranges from Liberty Media’s proposed acquisition of Dorna, to MotoGP and WSBK 2024. As always, it’s a long and detailed discussion and hopefully one that listeners will enjoy and throw back some comments on. If you’re a regular listener, please sign up to support the show financially if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via the social media channels. Thanks to all our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Jim rides solo on this one and reports on the Catalan GP. This weekend's racing seemed backwards as the Moto3 race was the calmest of the weekend and we had two wild races in the MotoGP Class. The Moto3 race was won by Alonso after smooth ride to the front and riding the best last sector than anyone else. Moto2 was a wild race with the ugly onset of track limits causing many riders to have to take the long lap penalty loop. The most infamous of these penalties caused Aldeguer to crash in the long lap loop! Roberts had a track limits penalty and finished down the field, losing even more ground to Garcia. The best part of this race was that Ogura won after a 2 year drought. Finally two very crazy MotoGP races started off with Aliex retiring from the sport, winning a sprint race that no one wanted to win and then missing the podium in the Sunday main. Acosta crashed out again and Marc Marquez rode from 14th to 3rd on a soft rear. Oh, did I mention that Raul Fernandez had a career best finish in 6th for Trackhouse? Can't wait for Mugello!

Jim and Rich cover all the news and the racing from Lemans. The big was the rules that were released for the 2027 MotoGP season. Then some WSBK news and then a quick MotoAmerica and Real Roads tidbits. The racing action was amazing at Lemans. In Moto3 Alonso was up to his old tricks and Jim waxes poetic about Pirelli tires. Moto2 built suspense through the entire race culminating in a fantastic last two laps. Sadly Joe Roberts podium streak and Championship lead ended. Rich them ponders why Aldeguer and others are struggling on the Pirellis. Lastly was the Motogp races and there was some incredible action in both races. Martin was awesome in taking both wins and Marc was second in both. Acosta looking decidedly pedestrian as he crashed out in the Sunday race, but Rich explains the real reason for the crash. The guys take the problem of which person to promote to the factory Ducati squad. This then causes al long foray into silly season. Finally a questions to the listeners, If Motogp bikes are slower than WSBK how do you slow the production bikes down? Write to [email protected] and let us know. If you’re a regular listener please sign up to support the show if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via X & Instagram. Thanks to all of our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

In this episode, Scott Bolton reports from round 1 of the Moto-America championship at Road Atlanta. Scott catches up with Sean Dylan Kelley, Blake Davis and Hayden Gillim to hear their thoughts as round 1 unfolds and for the season ahead. Following this, Rich reports from a windy Donington Park in early April where the BSB circus was in testing action. Broadcaster Keith Huewen gives his thoughts on BSB, WSBK & MGP before Rich speaks with Charley Winfield from Tag Honda Racing to tee up plans between Tag & MotoPod for the BSB season ahead. If you’re a regular listener please sign up to support the show if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via X & Instagram. Thanks to all of our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Jim and Rich have an early morning chat about the racing from Jerez. The Moto3 race was not the runaway everyone was thinking. Vier controlled the race and scored his first win of the season as Alonso rode his way back into the points after a crash. In Moto2 Jim gets all patriotic as Joe Roberts rode one of his best races to come from 11th to 2nd. Joe now leads the Moto2 World Championship. Lastly the guys talk about the MotoGP sprint and discuss whether the Sprint was actually a good exciting race or it was just a weird and wild race. In the Sunday race, Martin crashed, Pecco was unstoppable and Marc tried his best to win on the Ducati. If you are a regular listener please sign up to support the show if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via X & Instagram. Thanks to all of our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

All the Interviews from COTA! Jim grabbed five different people from the paddock and talked to them. First up is Simon Patterson. We discuss Liberty Media, Flat Rock and Track House. Next is a few minutes with John Hopkins talking about Joe Roberts and how good he believes Joe can be. Next Jim sat down with Eric Paradis of Flatrock. They talk about the building of the track and how soon it will be on the MotoGP calendar. (Please note the interview with Eric and John sound a little weird but there was so much background noise that I tried to reduce so the audio got a little metalic). Then a great 10 minutes with Joel Kelso talking about his thought son the Moto3 class. Last interview is with Dorna's CCO Dan Rosomondo. A great look into the sport we love from a man who knew nothing about bikes but is so completely hook now, as well as his two sons! Thanks to our new PayPal and Patron subscribers. If you are a regular listener please sign up to support the show if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via X & Instagram. Thanks to all of our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Jim has returned from the long journey to Texas and discusses all that happened over the race weekend. They guys talk about the big news bomb that dropped just before COTA. Liberty Media has bought MotoGP! They share their thoughts and then talk about the silly season that got much weirder with the announcement that Fabio is staying at Yamaha! Also is Pramac going to be running Yamahas? Where is Jorge Martin going? Later they move on to Jim's experience at the track and then get down to business talking about the racing. Without a doubt this is the best three races on a single weekend ever! Thanks to our new PayPal and Patron subscribers. If you are a regular listener please sign up to support the show if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via X & Instagram. Thanks to all of our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

As we head towards round 3of the MotoGP World Championship at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Jim and Rich catch up to talk through the races in Portimão. Pedro Acosta continued his dazzling start in MotoGP and elsewhere there was a long-awaited maiden winner in Moto2as well as the usual pot boiler in Moto3. Rich also waxes lyrical about the recent World Superbike round from Catalunya, where Toprak staked his claim to being a true contender for this year’s crown. Thanks to our new PayPal and Patron subscribers. If you are a regular listener please sign up to support the show if you can and don’t forget to connect with us via X & Instagram. Thanks to all of our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Jim and Rich return to start off the new season of race reviews! The guys cover the news about the tire pressure sensors, the Daytona 200 where Jim goes into storytelling mode and report on all three classes. In the Manic Moto3 class Alonso makes a great last lap, last corner pass to win. In Moto2 the lack of dry running on the new Perillis caused the race to be jumbled up. The medium tires dropped off like a rock and the soft was the correct tire to be on. The question is will normal service resume at the next round? And in MotoGp Martin took a Sprint victory and Pecco claimed the main event but Binder and Marc sure made things exciting! Oh and the guys spend a lot of time talking about some new rookie named Pedro Acosta. Acosta's ride was brilliant but troubled by the lack of knowledge of the "Aero" effect and tire degradation. All in all a great weekend of racing!

In this second episode from Lusail, Martin chats with LCR Honda team boss Lucio Cecchinello and gets pre-season thoughts from Maddi & Simon Patterson as well as a catch up with ex-MotoPod host and (now) HRC Head of PR, Marketing & Sponsorship, Harry Lloyd. Please subscribe and become a Patreon if you can. Thanks to all of our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Part one of the Lusail pre-season MotoGP test chats with occasional host and MotoPod legend Martin Darlington. In this first part, Martin gets to chat with Red Bull GasGas Tech3 rider Augusto Fernandez, followed by Repsol Honda teamsters Joan Mir and Luca Marini. Fascinating insights as always. Next up for part two will be Lucio Cecchinello, Maddi & Simon Patterson and another former host and legend of the show, none other than Martin’s old sparring partner Mr Harry Lloyd (also of the Repsol Honda Team). Stand by and stay tuned. Please subscribe and become a Patreon if you can. Thanks to all of our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Ahead of the new season commencing in Qatar, Jim and Rich catch up to discuss pre-season testing in Sepang and Lusail. There’s much to discuss as new bikes, riders and combos hit the track in anger so strap in for news and predictions plus a few other bits and pieces from the world of international motorcycle racing. As mentioned, do please check out friend of the show Maddi Patterson’s new team Sekhmet Racing which will be competing this year in the new FIM Women’s Motorcycling World Championship. Please subscribe and become a Patreon if you can. Thanks to all of our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Grace from the Parc Fermé Podcast (www.theparcferme.com) joins Jim to talk about what MotoGP can do to attract more eyes to the sport. Grace has witnessed the rise of F1 in the United States and her insight into what made her a fan of MotoGP is very interesting. We discuss the fan surveys that MotoGP did and talk about getting MotoGP onto a major media platform in the US as a way to increase viewership. We also talk about access to the riders and the fan experience while at a race. They also throw out some ideas on technical segments that could be added between the Moto2 qualifying and the MotoGP sprint races. It's a unique inside to the sport that we love. Also Jim found a link to the Freddie Spencer show where he races a car and a street bike around Laguna Seca. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bKy99TIMa8

Happy New Year! Jim and Rich get together for their first podcast of 2024! The guys start out by talking through a little bit of news and then turn their attention to a review of the 2023 season. Plus Jim puts out a call for a Moto America co-host! If interested please email [email protected]. Lastley please remember to like and subscribe to the show!

In this, the final collection of chats from last November’s Qatar MotoGP round, Rich catches up with the following paddock personalities: (0:44), Simon Patterson, (10:39) Stuart Higgs, (16:51) Toni Elias, (18:17) Bjorn Estment, (23:27) Randy Mamola & (25:13) John Hopkins. As mentioned in the chat with Simon, he has a website where you can go to donate funds or bid on motorcycle racing gear, all of which is aimed at providing much needed medical equipment for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Please head over to https://linktr.ee/racingforukraine and contribute if you can. Hopefully these Qatar specials, along with other race event content captured in 2023, provide a glimpse of the direction we want to take MotoPod in for 2024 and beyond, alongside our regular race review chats. In order to achieve this, we need your support so please subscribe and become a Patreon if you can; you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/MotoPod Thanks to all of our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Part 3 of the Qatar MotoGP specials see’s Rich talking with a number of the team bosses, primarily LCR Honda’s Lucio Cecchinello. In order we have: (0:35) Lucio Cecchinello, (21:17) Paolo Ciabatti, (26:28) Davide Tardozzi, (27:13) Francesco Guidotti & (30:28) Razlan Razali. Lucio has appeared on MotoPod before so it was great to speak with him at length again. We are hugely thankful to Lucio and to team press officer Irene for setting this up. The other interviews were impromptu but demonstrate how open and accommodating the MotoGP paddock and participants were. Although RNF are no longer in the MGP series (being replaced in 2024 by Trackhouse Racing) nevertheless Razlan Razali was incredibly accommodating and provided valuable insights on the riders who will continue on the satellite Aprilia’s with Trackhouse in the 2024 season. Once again, thanks to the teams and to Dorna Sports for the time and generosity given to MotoPod. We will look forward to being back in a MotoGP paddock soon. Please subscribe and become a Patreon if you can. Thanks to all of our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

In part 2 of the Qatar MotoGP special recorded back in November, Rich speaks to a whole host of riders from the 3 classes. The chats involve all manner of topics, ranging from aspects of their careers, performances in the 2023 championship, penalties and of course a look forward to 2024, particularly for those moving up a class. The teams and riders were incredibly generous with their time and a pleasure to meet so thanks to all involved and thanks again to Dorna Sports for their valuable assistance in providing MotoPod with access to the Lusail International Circuit paddock. It’s a long show! In order of sequence, we have: (0:35) Iker Lecuona, (11:44) Taka Nakagami, (23:18) Jake Dixon, (33:11) Fermin Aldeguer, (39:05) Sam Lowes, (52:57) Alonso Lopez, (58:18) Joe Roberts, (01:07:08) Sergio Garcia, (01:14:16) Collin Veijer, (01:21:54) Ajumu Sasaki, (01:29:00) Deniz Oncu, (01:42:52) Josh Whatley & (01:49:33) Scott Ogden. Phew!! Please subscribe and become a Patreon if you can. Thanks to all of our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

For show 752 we catch up with a number of previously unreleased interviews captured during the 2023 season. First up (0:56) Jim speaks with Moto America’s Jake Gagne from the Pitt race in August. Next up are a selection of talks from Rich at the penultimate BSB round at Donington Park in September: (11:32) McAMS Yamaha boss Steve Rodgers, (14:09) Lucca Allen from Team FR89 and Team SBR Kawasaki rider Carl Harris, (27:47) Asher Durham of G&S Racing and (31:07) Oxford Products Racing Ducati’s British SuperSport champion Ben Currie. The show rounds out (33:45) with Rich speaking to Aruba.IT Racing Ducati rider coach and multiple WSBK race winner Chaz Davies at the Donington Park World Superbike round back in June. Please subscribe and become a Patreon if you can. Thanks to all of our loyal listeners and supporters and thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

As we start MotoPod’s off-season specials, we are pleased to bring you the first of several interviews from the penultimate round of the MotoGP World Championship at Lusail International Circuit. This episode brings us the irrepressible Hervé Poncharal, boss of Red Bull KTM Tech3. It’s a while since Hervé was last on the pod (see Episode 330) so there was much to cover. So much so in fact that he and Rich spoke on Saturday and Sunday! Hervé was extremely generous with his time, so a huge thanks to him for this long overdue chat with MotoPod. Please like and subscribe and become a Patreon if you can. These Qatar specials were made possible with the generous assistance of Dorna Sports, for which we are extremely grateful. Thanks also to show partner Roadskin. Enjoy……Zoom Zoom…….

What could be longer than 22 weekends and 44 races? How about a two hour podcast to wrap up the 2023 season? Jim and Rich go crazy covering the last racing weekend and the MotoGp test. The Moto3 race was lackluster but Sasaki finally got a win. In Moto2 Aldeguer showed why he is the next hot MotoGp property by winning his fourth straight race. The MotoGP races were great theater with plenty of action and drama to talk about. From the Marc Marquez incidents to Brad Binder and his cheeky drop one place penalty to tire pressure fouls this race had it all. The guys then discuss the high points of the test on Tuesday and the off track news of the new MotoGP team. Grab a beer and settle in. This a long one!

Jim catches up with Rich (in Qatar) to discuss the penultimate round of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship after a thrilling weekend of racing, full of action and controversy. Rich gives the lowdown on his first experience in the MGP paddock while the two discuss questionable racing tactics, fisticuffs in the desert and dodgy rear tyres (or maybe not). Please like and subscribe and become a Patreon if you can. Thanks as always to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Rich and Jim come together to discuss the racing action from Malaysia. With two dull races you would think the show would be shorter than usual but that is not the case. The guys go through some great listener feed concerning the 105% rule and automatic clutches. Many thanks to Chris and Scott for sending in the emails. Next up was a bit of news rumors that have Martin and Bastianini swapping rides? Plus the rumor that Marini will replace Marc Marquez at HRC. Fun stuff! Finally on to the racing action! The Moto3 race was a fantastic race with a first time winner and potential World Champ next year. The Moto2 race was dreary with the only action being a scary crash at turn two on the first lap. The Moto2 Championship was clinched by Pedro Acosta with an excellent podium finish. Lastly the guys talked about the boring MotoGP race and decides that that they finally have to talk about the stupid minimum air pressure rule.

Ahead of the final MotoGP triple header starting at Sepang this weekend, Jim and Rich team up to discuss the previous round in Thailand. The championship fights remain super close in MotoGP and Moto3 so all to play for there as we wind ourselves towards Valencia later this month. The races in Thailand didn’t disappoint so grab a beverage and listen to the musings. Please like and subscribe and become a Patreon if you can. Thanks as always to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Jim rides solo on this quick update show. Rich was traveling home from Canada and the racing from the island was go good that Jim could not contain himself and just had to tell you all about it. As always the racing at the Island was fantastic but the weather was not. Weather concerns for Sunday meant that the 27 lap MotoGP race as run on Saturday. Everyone crossed their fingers and hoped that we would get the Moto3 race, Moto2 Race and the Sprint completed on Sunday before the weather turned bad. Surprise! We did not get all the racing completed before the wind blew us off the island. The Moto3 race was a last lap barn burner and the Moto2 race was red flagged before 2/3 distance was completed. The Motogp Sprint was canceled completely. Remember to check out RoadSkin for your riding apparel needs!

Rich and Jim talk through the second race of the first set of triple headers to end the 2023 season. It was all about momentum swings this weekend. In Moto3 they guys take about how riding with momentum in Moto3 is crucial when the pack is so close together. A first time winner emerged and and the championship leader maintained the momentum by increasing his points lead. In Moto2 momentum was all about having a race pace and Acosta and Canet had that most. With only 5 races left Acosta keeps gaining momentum. In MotoGP the momentum changed by the day, the hour and the minute as Martin and Pecco are locked in a fantastic battle for the world championship. Please remember to like and subscribe to the pod and check out www.RoadSkin.co.uk for cool riding apparel.

Rich and Jim discuss the divorce of Marc and HRC. It was a long time coming but now it is done and we can get back to the exciting championship battle in MotoGP. The guys talk about where Marc will ride next year and then speculate about the insane 2024 silly season that most likely will start at Qatar next year. They analyze the potential replacements that may take the second Repsol seat. Next news item is the conclusion of the KTM saga of where to put Pedro. Five Riders and 4 bikes was never going to work and so Pol is the odd man out. But Jack Miller has been given a warning that no contract is unbreakable. Is Jack out after 2024? Lastly, an injury update on the VR46 riders’ broken collarbones and of course Jim had to drag up F1 racing at Qatar just so he could talk about the new curbs. Remember to check out www.RoadSkin.co.uk for excellent looking riding apparel!

Rich & Jim talk through the action from Motegi as the MotoGP championship fly-aways continue. Motegi offered up a variety of races and weather conditions whilst certain off track moves continued to dominate the headlines. All get discussed, along with the intriguing question as to just what is inside those supposed can of energy drink?! Please like and subscribe and become a Patreon if you can. Thanks as always to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

JIm and Rich settle in for a chat about MotoGp racing at a "new circuit". The Buddh circuit in India. The track isn't a new facility as Formula 1 had raced there in the past but it was a new event for MotoGP. The weather was hot and humid and the action on tack was a bit lackluster. Even Moto3 was a little dull except for the last lap. Was it the heat, the humidity, or the track? The guys talk through it to try to figure it out. Moto2 was the Perdro show and there was heartbreak for Jake. Tony was looking like his old self but is it to late for his Championship? Lastly MotoGP threw us a reverse card as the Hondas looked racey. Mir had his best weekend on the Honda and Marc scored a bronze metal in the sprint. Remember MotoPod is proudly brought to you by Roadskin; a UK label specialising in protective outerwear for motorcyclists; modern biker clothing that you can wear all day long and engineered to save YOUR skin. For the road, for life; visit www.roadskin.co.uk

Jim and Rich are back to talk about the recent MotoGP round in Misano, as well as the post-race test which saw major focus on Honda and Yamaha’s preparations for the 2024 season. Moto3 race aside, not a classic weekend of racing so good to discuss some listener feedback and round up the recent news. Please like and subscribe and become a Patreon if you can. Thanks to show partner Roadskin. Zoom Zoom…….

Jim and Rich break down the racing from Catalunya. The Moto3 race was a real thriller that had a bonkers last lap. Another last corner lead change saw Alonso take his second victory of the season and Oncu get penalized. In Moto2 the intrigue was great as the race had three distinct parts. Dixon rode a calculated race to grab a victory and Acosta increased his points lead. In the MotoGP sprint race Aprilia scored a victory at Espargaro's home track. On Sunday a crazy first corner crash and a violent high side in from of the entire pack by Bagnaia left hearts in mouths. In the restarted race Aleix would win again after passing his teammate Maverick. It was Aprilia 's first double podium in history. What a great weekend of racing!

Jim and Rich finally are able to get together to record a show! We apologize for the long gap but Rich was "pushing water uphill" and Jim was burning the candle at both ends. They guys spend the opening of the show talking about the rider silly season. They bring everyone up to speed on what they know to be true but then do what they do best, speculate where Pedro Acosta will ride next year. Silverstone race review is up next and what a cracking weekend that was. It was classic British summer and the Moto3 boys did not disappoint. Then it was the MotoGP riders turn and that race was a good one as well. Moto2 ended the day with a new rider leading the points. Moving on to the Austria round the guys are excited about the Moto3 race as the last lap was one of the best of the season so far. With the excitement of Moto3 over the Moto2 class produced a surprise winner. What would the MotoGP race have to offer? Well nothing sadly. Grab a cold beer as this show is quite a long one! Please remember to like and subscribe to the Pod!