
The Race MotoGP Podcast
318 episodes — Page 1 of 7
How Marquez's injury transforms the MotoGP title race
Will MotoGP miss wildcards after banning them for 2027?
Ducati wins Spanish GP - but how bad is Marc Marquez's latest title blow?
The real cost of Vinales’ new injury blow and no room for Bulega?
Who is the most valuable rider in MotoGP right now?
Debating MotoGP's best and worst rider moves

Marc Marquez's 2026 MotoGP problems are getting worse
The Circuit of the Americas was supposed to properly kickstart Marc Marquez's MotoGP 2026 title bid - but instead Aprilia only pulled further clear.Matt Beer, Simon Patterson and Val Khorounzhiy dissect a weekend in which usual COTA dominator Marquez never really looked like beating the Aprilias, even without a major error on Saturday.They discuss Marquez's issues with the bike and with his physical fitness, and Jorge Martin's emergence as a genuine title threat within an Aprilia structure that should in theory be rallied around five-in-a-row winner Marco Bezzecchi.Plus, a look at Joan Mir's double DNF, Pecco Bagnaia's latest rollercoaster weekend and Toprak Razgatlioglu's inspired start to life in MotoGP being concealed by Yamaha struggles.Enjoy 90% off your first month with The Race Members' Club: Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more - enter code '2026' at checkout.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and XCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s going on with MotoGP’s frozen 2027 rider market
After a wild pre-season flurry of news about riders agreeing 2027 MotoGP deals and big moves, we’ve had barely any actual announcements of those deals being official.So what’s going on? Why the stalling, and does it mean any of the deals are in jeopardy (one in particular is raising a lot of fans’ eyebrows right now)?Simon, Val and Matt explore the latest news and rumours from the paddock about the 2027 line-ups in a bonus episode of The Race MotoGP Podcast recorded on the eve of the Grand Prix of the Americas at Austin.Enjoy 90% off your first month with The Race Members' Club: Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who is to blame for Brazilian MotoGP chaos?
MotoGP's first Brazilian Grand Prix in 22 years was an absolute wild weekend - with a litany of dramas ranging from floods to a sinkhole on the main straight to an abrupt shortening of the race, plus riders picking lumps of churned-up asphalt out of their boots.Simon Patterson recounts all the twists of his week at Goiania to Val Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer on The Race MotoGP Podcast, and they discuss where blame should be put and what needs to be done to put things right for 2027.And they also debate the implications of the commanding Aprilia 1-2 on track for the title fight.Enjoy 90% off your first month with The Race Members' Club: Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will MotoGP teams regret 2027 signings already?
MotoGP’s 2027 rider market moved VERY early… and then the season-opener might’ve come as a shock to some teams banking on their new signings having put old problems behind them.Messy at best, abject at worst starts to 2026 for Pecco Bagnaia, Alex Marquez and Maverick Vinales in particular left many in The Race Members’ Club asking whether teams had jumped too soon to nail down next year’s line-ups.Val Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer give their take on The Race MotoGP Podcast - both on the riders with probably-secure 2027 futures who’ve started 2026 badly, and the riders with uncertain futures who’ve begun this year very well.Enjoy 90% off your first month with The Race Members' Club: Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are Ducati and Marc Marquez in trouble in their MotoGP 2026 title defence?
Aprilia beat the brakes off MotoGP's usual dominant force Ducati in a fascinating 2026 season opener - so how worried should Ducati and star rider Marc Marquez be after a dispiriting Thai Grand Prix?Simon Patterson and Val Khorounzhiy discuss the chief storylines from Buriram, including the last-second deflation of a weekend Marquez looked to have salvaged, the source of Aprilia's dominance and a potential career-best weekend from new championship leader Pedro Acosta.Plus, why did Yamaha keep its riders from the media on Sunday - and how bad was its 2026 bike's competitive debut? And what of rookies Diogo Moreira and Toprak Razgatlioglu?Enjoy 90% off your first month with The Race Members' Club: Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our 2026 MotoGP season predictions
This might not be the most unpredictable season MotoGP has ever gone into, but there is very good reason to expect a much more open and intriguing 2026 campaign compared to 2025 - as Simon Patterson, Val Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer explain on The Race MotoGP Podcast.Why some form of title fight is potentially on and who’ll be giving Marc Marquez the most headaches is our main topic, and we also make our predictions for who’ll make the biggest improvement over 2025 and who’ll go in the other direction.Plus Matt has a few ‘one-line-only answers’ curveball prediction questions for Simon and Val too.Enjoy 90% off your first month with The Race Members' Club: Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Winners and losers from 2026 MotoGP testing
MotoGP’s 2026 pre-season is over, so with the shakedown and two main tests complete and the season-opening Thai Grand Prix looming next weekend, who’s got most (and least) to smile about?Simon Patterson, Val Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer debate that as The Race MotoGP Podcast delves into both the data and the vibes from the final days of winter running.Enjoy a 7-day free trial to The Race Members' Club: Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our take on MotoGP's axing of Philip Island + Which riders might be squeezed off the 2027 grid?
MotoGP is dropping one of its most iconic and beloved tracks as Phillip Island loses the Australian Grand Prix to the Adelaide street track. But is it really feasible to make Adelaide MotoGP-safe, and is the long game actually to take the race somewhere else entirely? Simon has some very strong views on it all.And as well as a circuit dropping out of MotoGP, we're also looking at which riders might be squeezed out (and who'll replace them) as we tackle the latest batch of The Race Members' Club's questions about the big 2027 moves and machinations.Enjoy a 7-day free trial to The Race Members' Club: Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Ducati about to make a huge mistake and more of your rider market questions
Is Ducati taking a huge risk in potentially putting Pedro Acosta alongside Marc Marquez for 2027, especially when it still has Fermin Aldeguer on its books too?Why has Ducati never seemed interested in Fabio Quartararo? Would Pecco Bagnaia be making a huge mistake if he picked Yamaha over Aprilia?Those are just some of the many, many questions from The Race Members’ Club that Val Khorounzhiy, Simon Patterson and Matt Beer tackle as The Race MotoGP Podcast answers your queries and points about the headlines of the wild 2027 rider market so far.And we delve into the philosophy of the paddock deals and how they’re communicated too, exploring everything from how and why leaks to the media happen, what salaries different teams might offer and why riders and teams seem so determined to commit to long term contracts way earlier than appears sensible.Enjoy a 7-day free trial to The Race Members' Club: Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alex Marquez and Ducati shine at Sepang - but has Bagnaia accepted 2027 exit?
MotoGP 2026 roared into life with the three-day pre-season test at Sepang, set against the backdrop of more and more dramatics on the rider market.The Race MotoGP Podcast panel of Matt Beer, Simon Patterson and Val Khorounzhiy delve into the testing action, with analysis of long run pace and peak laptimes and the feedback from teams and riders.Has Ducati successfully safeguarded its MotoGP dominance? Are Aprilia and Marco Bezzecchi the only credible threat? And how much can be read into Pecco Bagnaia and particularly Alex Marquez having the initial upper hand over champion Marc Marquez?Plus, what's the latest on Bagnaia's future - with him sounding increasingly resigned to a Ducati exit for 2027?We also check in on Yamaha, with its mid-test 'hiatus' eventually resolved and a performance picture starting to form, including for somewhat frustrated rookie Toprak Razgatlioglu.Enjoy a 7-day free trial to The Race Members' Club: Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MotoGP's mad start to 2026
The first days of 2026 MotoGP testing have been dominated by talk of who's going where for 2027. There's a LOT for Val Khorounzhiy, Simon Patterson and Matt Beer to unpack as The Race MotoGP Podcast dives into Fabio Quartararo, Jorge Martin, Pedro Acosta and Alex Marquez's big likely moves plus how Marc Marquez could blow it all apart and why Marco Bezzecchi just got married to a motorbike.Enjoy a 7-day free trial to The Race Members' Club: Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ducati’s 2026 MotoGP bike details and big Marquez admission
A pleasing but not-that-different MotoGP 2026 livery took centre stage in Ducati’s launch event ahead of its latest title defence - but there was a lot more to dig into from behind-the-scenes at its presentation.Senior figures shed some light on the hotly-anticipated GP26 and its main areas of design focus, while Marc Marquez offered a fresh update on his ongoing recovery from the shoulder injury that forced him out of the final races of 2025 and the post-season test.The big news, however, is that Ducati and Marquez are making no secret of the fact they’re moving fast on a new MotoGP contract - while the factory future of team-mate Pecco Bagnaia looks as open as ever.Enjoy a 7-day free trial to The Race Members' Club: Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What we’ve learned from the first days of MotoGP’s ‘launch season’
MotoGP is another step closer to the start of its 2026 campaign with the start of the ‘launch season’, with team presentation events held by Yamaha satellite team Pramac, Ducati satellite team VR46 and the works Aprilia team.Simon Patterson was on-site for all three across three days, and joins Valentin Khorounzhiy for a special edition of The Race MotoGP Podcast to discuss the teams’ presentations and outlooks for 2026.From Aprilia’s ongoing quest to find a title sponsor and admission that rival firms are chasing its riders with big-money offers, to Toprak Razgatlioglu’s debut in Pramac colours and VR46’s tweaked look, Simon and Val discuss the first MotoGP storylines of the year.Join The Race Members' Club: Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MotoGP 2026 line-ups ranked from worst to best
The 2026 MotoGP roster isn't all that different to how it looked last year - and the teams are all the same - but there's a lot of reason to feel differently about many of the pairings.The Race MotoGP Podcast panel of Matt Beer, Simon Patterson, Valentin Khorounzhiy and Megan White try to articulate those feelings - in the tried-and-tested form of a line-up ranking.They also discuss the news of a significant leg injury to Ducati sophomore Fermin Aldeguer on the eve of the season.Join The Race Members' Club: Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Top 10 MotoGP riders of 2025
Our usual end-of-year tradition at The Race MotoGP Podcast continues in 2025, as we select our aggregate top 10 of the riders in the premier class this season.Did all the race winners make the cut? How do we grade Pecco Bagnaia's season? Who comes out on top in the insanely close fight for second? And is Marc Marquez a unanimous first? Plus, we discuss why Marquez's dominance hasn't resonated outside of MotoGP as much as it should have.Join The Race Members' Club: Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What we’ve learned about a star MotoGP rookie’s adaptation and 2026 targets
Ahead of his MotoGP race debut in 2026, three-time World Superbike champion Toprak Razgatlioglu faces a weight of immediate expectation most rookies are spared from.Val Khorounzhiy is joined by Simon Patterson - who just spoke to Razgatlioglu at the FIM Awards end-of-year event in Lausanne - to discuss the Turk’s start to life in MotoGP, while we also hear from the man himself in one of the first interviews he’s given since beginning his premier-class test programme.What does Razgatlioglu expect in 2026? What is he currently working on? What does he make of the argent fan reaction to his controversial Jerez title showdown with his friend Nicolo Bulega - and what state does he leave World Superbikes in?Plus, we hear from the final-for-now MotoE champion Alessandro Zaccone and discuss why the series is not going into its eighth season next year.Join The Race Members' Club: Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Acosta to Ducati? And other early 2027 MotoGP rumblings
The 2027 rule changes mean MotoGP riders and teams are going to have to take massive early punts with their next deals.It’s kicking off already with reports that Pedro Acosta’s camp is already angling to get him onto a factory Ducati, but that certainly won’t be the only pre-Christmas plotting going on.Simon Patterson, Val Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer convene on The Race MotoGP Podcast to discuss that Acosta/Ducati possibility, where the resurgent Honda fits into the rider market machinations and who we really think deserves nice sweet-handling Aprilia and a reassuring hug from Massimo Rivola.BLACK FRIDAY: Get 50% off your first month when you sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Should Yamaha let Quartararo leave? Listener questions answered
Yamaha is embarking on a bold new chapter with its V4 engine - but how hard should it work to make sure Fabio Quartararo is part of that chapter?The Race MotoGP Podcast crew (Matt Beer, Simon Patterson and Valentin Khorounzhiy) tackles this question as part of a major Yamaha overview, and also field questions about the impact of Marc Marquez's absence on the end of the 2025 season in this Q&A special.Also discussed is Jorge Lorenzo's new coaching partnership with Maverick Vinales and a truly bewildering recent claim from the series boss about MotoGP racing on street circuits.BLACK FRIDAY: Get 50% off your first month when you sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What we learned from day one of MotoGP 2026
The traditional post-season MotoGP test at Valencia effectively kicked off the 2026 season, so Matt Beer has made an exhausted and hungry Simon Patterson and Val Khorounzhiy join him for an extra edition of The Race MotoGP Podcast to talk about it.Toprak Razgatlioglu’s public MotoGP debut and some particularly eye-catching Aprilia developments - some with a clear eye on the 2027 rule changes - feature strongly, as well as the vibes erstwhile title rivals Pecco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin were giving as they put their horrible 2025s behind them. Plus the story behind the surprise appearance of the latest Valentino Rossi protege.Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MotoGP 2025 ends with a big warning to Ducati
Marc Marquez’s absence might make the end of the 2025 MotoGP season a deceptive picture, but Aprilia’s Valencia Grand Prix 1-2 and Ducati’s general woes since its new champion was hurt make for an intriguing winter.The Race MotoGP Podcast’s Simon Patterson, Val Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer debate how seriously we should take Aprilia’s late-2025 form and Ducati’s fluctuations since Marquez was hurt.Franco Morbidelli is one of those riders Ducati has to have big question marks over - was his bizarre crash on the grid at Valencia a last straw for his long-term career?We debate that plus the first serious criticism for Simon Crafar’s stewarding regime and where MotoGP should actually hold its season finale.FREE WEEK: Want to try before you buy on our bonus MotoGP content? You can view new content published on Patreon for FREE until the end of Tuesday 11th November Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can Acosta be a bigger 2026 threat to Marquez than Bezzecchi?
Marco Bezzecchi and Aprilia stole the show again in MotoGP, continuing their remarkable late-season run with an emphatic victory in the Portuguese Grand Prix at Portimao.But while Bezzecchi deserves to be seen as a legitimate challenger to Marc Marquez’s dominance coming into 2026, can the same be said about an ever-improving Pedro Acosta and a resurgent KTM - despite the fact they still cannot win? Val Khorounzhiy and Simon Patterson discuss this in an on-site episode, while also touching upon a potent Alex Marquez weekend that was just short of greatness, another 2025 low for Pecco Bagnaia and Nicolo Bulega’s eye-catching debut.Plus, was the stewards’ panel too lenient on Fermin Aldeguer - and what was going on with Joan Mir?FREE WEEK: Want to try before you buy on our bonus MotoGP content? You can view new content published on Patreon for FREE until the end of Tuesday 11th November Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A major Ducati debut, plus five riders to watch as 2025 wraps up
Ducati's World Superbike star Nicolo Bulega is making his MotoGP debut in Portimão in relief of the injured Marc Marquez - and, even beyond him replacing the champion, it's more significant than your usual stand-in call-up.But does Bulega, who will be part of Ducati's MotoGP test team next year, have a real shot at a MotoGP future? And what does he need to show this weekend and in the season finale in Valencia?Valentin Khorounzhiy and Simon Patterson preview this Ducati debut, before naming five other riders you should watch closely over the final two rounds of the campaign - all of whom face an urgency to go into next season in better form.FREE WEEK: Want to try before you buy on our bonus MotoGP content? You can view new content published on Patreon for FREE until the end of Tuesday 11th November Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Free preview: Our take on 2015's infamous MotoGP flashpoint
We’ve been reliving MotoGP’s extraordinary 2015 season all year long in The Race Members’ Club and have reached the big flashpoints - the trilogy of the Phillip Island accusations, Sepang clash and Valencia penalty that turned Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez’s simmering tension into an explosion that still echoes around MotoGP a decade on.We’ve done bonus-length in-depth episodes about both Phillip Island and Sepang, and you can get a taste of them here in the main The Race MotoGP Podcast feed with these clips from those episodes, as Simon Patterson, Megan White, Val Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer debate how Rossi revealed his Phillip Island conspiracy theory and what actually happened in the crucial Sepang collision.JOIN THE RACE MEMBERS' CLUB TODAY! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Moto3 crash overshadows Bagnaia and Marquez’s big weekends
Pecco Bagnaia’s yo-yo MotoGP 2025 season was back on the up at the Malaysian Grand Prix - at least until a puncture intervened - while Alex Marquez had even more to celebrate, but everything at Sepang was overshadowed by a terrible pre-race Moto3 accident involving champion Jose Antonio Rueda and Noah Dettwiler.Simon Patterson joins Matt Beer to report from the paddock with what we know about the crash, aftermath and paddock reactions to it.Bagnaia’s latest swings, the significance of Alex Marquez’s second place in the championship, Aprilia’s dramatic slump, Pedro Acosta falling foul of a new rule and Fabio Quartararo’s new Yamaha ultimatums are all debated too.Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What Aprilia’s surge means for MotoGP 2026
Ducati had its worst MotoGP race since 2021 in the Australian Grand Prix sprint, while Aprilia dominated the whole weekend - with works rider Marco Bezzecchi and Trackhouse’s Raul Fernandez splitting the race victories.So is the Aprilia now the best bike in MotoGP? Is it the bike to beat going into 2025? Is this all a mirage created by Marc Marquez’s injury absence? Where did this Fernandez performance come from given he’d never even run in the top three in a MotoGP Sunday race until now? What would Jorge Martin be achieving on this bike if he’d been injury-free this year?Phillip Island gave Simon Patterson, Val Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer plenty to debate on The Race MotoGP Podcast.Beyond the Aprilia results, the latest Pecco Bagnaia disaster, KTM stand-in Pol Espargaro’s heroics and Yamaha’s odd weekend are all debated too.Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MotoGP without Marc Marquez - who'll benefit most?
With Marc Marquez sidelined for at least the next two grands prix, the rest of the 2025 MotoGP field heads to the Australian Grand Prix with a much clearer shot at victory in the absence of the rider who’s had them all beaten for most of the year.Who’s best placed to benefit from that? Will Fermin Aldeguer double up? Can Marco Bezzecchi overcome the inevitable penalty coming his way for Marquez’s crash? Is this a chance for Pecco Bagnaia to get Ducati back behind him?Simon Patterson and Matt Beer make their predictions for the wide open Phillip Island weekend in The Race MotoGP Podcast, with a host of leftfield potential surprise contenders in the mix too.Plus with at least three series regulars out injured (including the 2024 and ‘25 champions) does MotoGP need to take the need for substitute riders more seriously? Simon and Matt offer some solutions.Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ducati's new crisis: Marquez injury and fresh Bagnaia row
A week after Marc Marquez clinched the title and Pecco Bagnaia emphatically returned to form, everything went horribly wrong for the works Ducati MotoGP team at the Indonesian Grand Prix with Marquez suffering a new injury when taken out by Marco Bezzecchi and Bagnaia tumbling right to the back again.Val Khorounzhiy, Simon Patterson and Matt Beer discuss what happened to Marquez and how quickly (or not) he might be back. But the big debate is over both the state of Bagnaia’s weekend and the controversy and mystery around what’s going on with his bike and his mentality, and the gap between VR46 and Ducati’s accounts of what Bagnaia tested last month at Misano.All of that slightly overshadows a breakthrough first win for rookie Fermin Aldeguer, in front of fellow rising star Pedro Acosta - will their battle define the years ahead?We also delve into why the weekend was so weird form-wise overall, including surges to the front by recent strugglers Alex Rins and Raul Fernandez.Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marquez’s title but Bagnaia has the real big weekend
While Marc Marquez clinched a very early and emotional 2025 MotoGP title at Motegi, it was his Ducati team-mate Pecco Bagnaia who actually dominated the weekend - a far cry from his terrible form in recent weeks.Simon Patterson, Val Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer attempt to unravel the Bagnaia form mystery on The Race MotoGP Podcast, but only after paying due respect to Marquez’s first championship win in six years - and arguing over how it was celebrated.Jorge Martin’s latest injury (and the massive error that caused it) and the return of Joan Mir and the works Honda team to the MotoGP podium also feature strongly.Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ducati’s new 2026 MotoGP hierarchy
As Alex Marquez gets upgraded to the same Ducati spec as brother Marc for the 2026 MotoGP season, The Race MotoGP Podcast delves into Ducati’s hierarchy, pecking order and bike specification puzzle with Simon Patterson, Megan White and Matt Beer.Might all six Ducati riders actually get the same bike for 2026? And will it be one that Pecco Bagnaia copes better with or is that now more about him than his equipment? And will getting equal machinery actually be a good or bad thing for Alex Marquez?Plus Megan reports back from her weekend embedded with Ducati and Lenovo, and we debate whether the big 2027 rule change is really a chance for rivals to dethrone Ducati plus the future shape of Ducati’s rider line-up and whether it’s betting too much on Fermin Aldeguer.Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marquez's main 2026 threat? Bezzecchi's big weekend
Marco Bezzecchi didn’t quite win the San Marino Grand Prix, but across the Misano weekend he made life much harder for Marc Marquez than the runaway championship leader has been used to in 2025 - and it showed when Marquez crashed from the sprint lead.Does Bezzecchi and Aprilia’s recent progress together signal a 2026 title challenge? Val Khorounzhiy, Simon Patterson and Matt Beer debate that on The Race MotoGP Podcast.Plus KTM’s bizarrely shambolic weekend of technical failures, the Yamaha V4’s debut and a long wait for the thoughts of Pecco Bagnaia.Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bagnaia’s woeful new 2025 low raises huge questions
Marc Marquez finally lost a MotoGP race for the first time in three months at Barcelona, but it was his brother Alex who beat him rather than his double champion factory Ducati team-mate Pecco Bagnaia.Bagnaia wasn’t even close to the podium in Spain, let alone victory, as his troubled season reached a woeful new low with a weekend spent mostly among the backmarkers.Simon Patterson, Val Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer try their best to explain what’s going on with Bagnaia, what could be done about it and what it says about him on The Race MotoGP Podcast.Plus the KTM (and in particular Enea Bastianini) resurgence, more penalty/racing standards angst and possibly Val’s most bemused response ever to a Simon declaration.Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MotoGP 2026 line-up set - so how about 2027?
The final pieces of MotoGP’s 2026 rider line-up have fallen into place, even if those last deals haven’t yet been announced.Is Miguel Oliveira’s likely exit from the grid fair? What should we expect from fought-over rookie Diogo Moreira?Simon Patterson, Val Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer debate that on The Race MotoGP Podcast - and Matt also challenges the panel to cast an eye forward to 2027 in the process and take a punt on how many riders will stay be in the same place another year on (and we don’t think it will be many).We also discuss why the World Superbike Championship isn’t picking up MotoGP riders - yet - despite all the factory deals up for grabs there, and assess MotoGP’s next rising star David Alonso’s long-term prospects after his spectacular first Moto2 win.Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Ducati too dependent on Marquez?
A (contentious) new venue for MotoGP but exactly the same result, as Marc Marquez continued his dominant streak at Balaton Park.But with team-mate Pecco Bagnaia and erstwhile title rival Alex Marquez floundering, is Ducati getting a bit too reliant on Marc in the same way that proved Honda’s undoing?Simon Patterson, Val Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer debate that in the context of recent gains from Aprilia (with Jorge Martin on the pace now too), KTM and even Honda.Plus our takes on Bagnaia’s odd declaration of a game-changing breakthrough during an awful weekend, Alex Marquez getting back to bad old habits and whether MotoGP should be racing at Balaton at all.Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marquez's Austrian GP domination and Bagnaia's position at Ducati
EIs Pecco Bagnaia's latest MotoGP 2025 collapse - along with his post-race suggestion he is "running out of patience" - a sign his position in the factory Ducati team has been fundamentally damaged?The Race MotoGP Podcast panel - namely Val Khorounzhiy and Simon Patterson - discuss this and more live from the Red Bull Ring, a track Marc Marquez has now emphatically ticked off from his MotoGP 'yet to win' list.The title race is over - but how's the racing? And what on Earth was going on with Yamaha this weekend?Plus, Fermin Aldeguer's star-making performance, two riders' continued resurgence and where Jorge Martin's recovery is at.Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steiner to MotoGP + Our rest of 2025 wishlist
As MotoGP 2025 prepares to resume from its summer break, the paddock looks poised to be joined by Formula 1 cult hero Guenther Steiner as his long-mooted deal to take over the Tech3 team moves closer to fruition.Val Khorounzhiy, Simon Patterson and Matt Beer go behind the Netflix Steiner stereotype to explain what he’ll actually bring to KTM’s second team and ponder Tech3’s wider future shape.And ahead of the second half of a season that we’ve often wished would be a bit more entertaining, we share our specific wishes for the remaining races - from riders we really want to see show their true selves to how we want the Marquez brothers to handle their habitual 1-2s from here.Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Five Marquez 'what ifs' that would've transformed MotoGP
When we asked for your questions about Marc Marquez in a competition to win a signed Insta360 Ace Pro 2 MM93 Edition camera, many of our absolute favourites were the big hypotheticals - what if Marquez had signed for this team at that time, or a particular injury had never happened, or even what if 2010/20s MotoGP had happened without him.The Race MotoGP Podcast delves into five of these massive ‘whats ifs’ this week, as Simon Patterson, Val Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer rewrite Marquez-related MotoGP history.Do any of our alternate realities end up with Dani Pedrosa winning a championship? Or does Val declare that Maverick Vinales would’ve dominated the era? Listen to find out…For a free gift with your Insta360 purchase, visit store.insta360.com and use promo code 'therace' at checkout! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

World Superbike special - Inside Razgatlioglu’s world
There’s huge excitement over what World Superbike king Toprak Razgatlioglu will bring to MotoGP when he finally makes the move across in 2026 after so many near-deals.But is there enough appreciation for the world Razgatlioglu is leaving? His MotoGP move - and the chance of main rival Nicolo Bulega soon following him - has put a new spotlight on World Superbikes, as has the question of what new Dorna owner Liberty Media plans to do with it.The Race MotoGP Podcast’s roving reporter Oliver Card was given special access to the World Superbike Championship’s recent Donington Park round to learn more about the series’ appeal and standing, armed with questions from The Race Members’ Club.Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marquez's Brno masterclass and Martin's surprisingly happy return
Marc Marquez's fifth consecutive MotoGP weekend double has put him 120 points clear at the top of the standings - so how soon can he wrap up the title?Valentin Khorounzhiy and Simon Patterson discuss Marquez's latest triumph in The Race MotoGP Podcast's Czech Grand Prix episode, recorded on location at Brno.They delve into Ducati's unusually vulnerable weekend aside from Marquez's double - and into Alex Marquez's mistake that removed himself and the luckless Joan Mir from Sunday's race, the last before the series' summer break.They also discuss Jorge Martin's remarkably happy, best-case scenario return to MotoGP action with Aprilia - and a career-best premier-class weekend for Raul Fernandez.Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sachsenring MotoGP mayhem explained
Marc Marquez recorded a fourth consecutive sprint-grand prix double in MotoGP 2025 at the Sachsenring, to virtually nobody's surprise - but did he take too much risk given the championship picture to ensure he went unbeaten?And why did Sunday's race come so close to having single-digit finishers, with Turn 1 proving shockingly troublesome in a span of just a couple of laps?Valentin Khorounzhiy and Simon Patterson discuss this and more in a post-race podcast recorded on location in Chemnitz, while also talking about Jorge Martin's reported decision to stay with Aprilia.Plus, are Pedro Acosta's errors alarming amid the backdrop of his dissatisfaction with KTM? Should Yamaha look for a way out of the Alex Rins deal before the end of 2026? And how badly has Diogo Moreira hurt his MotoGP '26 chances with the crash he'd caused in Moto2?Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yamaha and Honda’s slumps and 2026 rider changes
Off-track, Honda and Yamaha are the key protagonists in the 2026 MotoGP rider market. On-track, they’ve both gone backwards again after their breakthrough results in May.Why has that happened, and is a champion rider like Jorge Martin right to put his faith in investment and long-term hope over current performance and the evidence of recent years? Simon Patterson and Val Khorounzhiy make the case for Honda and Yamaha’s prospects to a sceptical Matt Beer in The Race MotoGP Podcast.Honda’s likely 2026 line-up - and a surprise twist in it - is discussed too, as is the possibility of a total rider clearout at Yamaha’s second team, even though the Pramac duo Miguel Oliveira and Jack Miller are matching or outperforming struggling factory rider Alex Rins.Want to win a Marc Marquez special edition 8K AI-powered camera, signed by Marquez himself?We’ve teamed up with Insta360 to give away an autographed Insta360 Ace Pro 2 MM93 Edition - a special customised version of the camera with Marquez’s logo and iconic #93 on its body, plus other unique Marquez customisation touches.For a chance to win the signed Marquez edition Insta360 camera, all you have to do is send us ONE question about Marquez that you’d love The Race MotoGP Podcast team to answer. Submit your question HEREAnd whoever sends the best question as chosen by The Race MotoGP Podcast panel receives the signed Insta360 Ace Pro 2 MM93 Edition.Read the T&Cs HEREWant more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aprilia’s near-win and its Jorge Martin stand-off
Use code 'THERACE' on this link to get the new Insta360 X5 action camera with a free Replacement Lens Kit: https://www.insta360.com/sal/x5?utm_term=THERACE&utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=TheRACE&utm_content=date20250419A3LaunchThe Jorge Martin/Aprilia contract row erupted again during MotoGP’s Dutch Grand Prix weekend as first comments from Martin’s management and series promoter Carmelo Ezpeleta drove Aprilia to make clear it was ready to take Martin to court, then Aprilia gave more reason to question Martin’s logic by nearly winning the race with Marco Bezzecchi.The Race Members’ Club’s rants suggested plenty of sympathy for Aprilia’s side, and Simon Patterson is firmly in that corner too on The Race MotoGP Podcast - but Val Khorounzhiy has a very different view.After plenty of debate about Martin and Aprilia, Simon, Val and Matt Beer eventually manage to talk about some riders who actually participated in the Dutch GP too.Marc and Alex Marquez’s latest (tentative?) battle, Alex’s injury and how it happened, Fabio Quartararo’s nosedive from pole to two terrible races and Brad Binder’s plight are among the other topics covered.Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bagnaia's final hope extinguished? Mugello reviewed
Use code 'THERACE' on this link to get the new Insta360 X5 action camera with a free Replacement Lens Kit: https://www.insta360.com/sal/x5?utm_term=THERACE&utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=TheRACE&utm_content=date20250419A3LaunchAfter the big hints of a breakthrough at Aragon, Pecco Bagnaia came to his home MotoGP track Mugello - where he traditionally excels and far from a Marc Marquez stronghold - and… didn’t even finish on the grand prix podium as Marquez took another maximum score.How bad was that for Bagnaia’s season, and why did it happen? Simon Patterson, Val Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer debate what might be Bagnaia’s most painful 2025 low so far on The Race MotoGP Podcast.As Bagnaia fell back, at least Alex Marquez was there to take the fight to Marc - but how hard was he really fighting? The siblings’ (conspicuously gentle?) approach to racing each other is another hot topic after the Italian Grand Prix, as is stewarding after yet another Franco Morbidelli incident.We also tackle plenty of questions from The Race Members’ Club on topics including Yamaha and Honda’s awful weekends, the power balance between Maverick Vinales and Pedro Acosta at KTM, and where Fabio Di Giannantonio’s sudden performance came from.Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

BONUS: Scott Redding's career of might-have-beens
bonusEHere’s an extended preview of a bonus episode available in The Race Members’ Club on Patreon ahead of Mugello - an exclusive one-on-one with MotoGP podium finisher turned World Superbike star Scott Redding on his fascinating career.From coming agonisingly (literally) close to winning a Moto2 title to Honda, Pramac and Aprilia stints in MotoGP before rebuilding his career with an epic British Superbike season and then his current life of highs and lows in World Superbikes, Redding’s story is an incredible one with rather a lot of ‘right place, wrong time’ in it.And he’s superbly honest and eloquent about every bit of it in this interview with Val.Want to listen to the full interview, plus get access to more exclusive MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our final verdict on the 2025 Isle of Man TT
With another running of the Isle of Man TT complete, Megan White and Simon Patterson look back on all the action for a special edition of The Race’s MotoGP Podcast.Three riders took all the spoils in the solo classes, with one win for Davey Todd and two apiece for Michael Dunlop and Dean Harrison, while the Crowe brothers dominated in Sidecars.Despite the Senior TT being cancelled due to adverse weather conditions, it was still a brilliant week of racing on the island, with 10 thrilling races.Megan and Simon looked back over the high points to see who the big winners of this year’s Isle of Man TT were, plus The Race's founder Andrew van de Burgt joins to share his experiences of attending the TT for the first time (Spoiler: He liked it a lot).Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for our 2015 revisited series, ad-free listening and more.Follow the Race Moto channel on Instagram and TwitterCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.