Simon Patterson

MotoGP

Morbidelli: ‘Capitalism’ motivates MotoGP’s crash handling

Yamaha rider Franco Morbidelli has a scathing and “cynical” theory about why MotoGP doesn’t penalise collisions more harshly

Motorcycle racing

Storylines to watch on day two of Isle of Man TT 2022

Opening Isle of Man TT race winner Peter Hickman will look to continue his momentum on Monday, but could face tougher challenges

MotoGP

Rins: Nakagami must change, stewards ‘not MotoGP level’

An enraged Alex Rins has hit out at rival Taka Nakagami and the MotoGP stewards panel over the events of the Catalan Grand Prix at Barcelona

MotoGP

‘Very sorry’ Espargaro explains galling late Barcelona error

Aprilia rider Aleix Espargaro has explained his painful error at the end of the Catalan Grand Prix that turned a surefire second place into a fifth-place finish

MotoGP

‘The track is perfect’ – Barcelona on MotoGP riders’ criticism

MotoGP riders are increasingly concerned about the levels of grip offered by the Barcelona track, but circuit bosses aren’t convinced

MotoGP

MotoGP’s ‘fantastic three’ might face a surprising threat

Aleix Espargaro, Pecco Bagnaia and Fabio Quartararo are firmly established as MotoGP’s trio to beat right now, but further back on the Barcelona grid one of their team-mates is bursting with confidence for a surprise shot at a breakthrough race win

MotoGP

Marquez passed fit for Catalan GP despite Saturday concussion

Despite suffering what has been described as a ‘small concussion’ on Saturday, Alex Marquez has been passed fit for the Catalan GP

MotoGP

Why MotoGP is reducing rear tyre options – and what it means

There’s a big change coming to MotoGP tyre allocations for 2023. Simon Patterson explains the impact it will have

Motorcycle racing

Hickman wins Isle of Man TT Superbike race by nearly 40 seconds

Peter Hickman has dominated the opening race of the 2022 Isle of Man TT to take victory in the Superbike TT

Motorcycle racing

Isle of Man TT’s prestigious opener has its big favourite

Five-time Isle of Man TT winner Peter Hickman will start Saturday’s opening race of the week as the favourite to make it two in a row, as he sets out to add another Superbike TT win to his record. The Englishman set a speed of 132.874mph on the final night of practice, upping the pace

MotoGP

‘Like the good old times’ – has Morbidelli found his form?

Franco Morbidelli hasn’t looked the rider who took three wins and was MotoGP runner-up in 2020 so far this year, but on the evidence of Friday practice at Barcelona he appears to have turned a corner

MotoGP

The Argentina parallels that make Aprilia favourite again

Aleix Espargaro’s MotoGP rivals have marked him and Aprilia as the combination to beat at Barcelona, as he ended Friday practice fastest in low-grip conditions

MotoGP

Marquez undergoes latest critical surgery during MotoGP hiatus

Marc Marquez’s crucial fourth surgery on his right humerus bone has been deemed a success by doctors at Minnesota’s famous Mayo Clinic

MotoGP

Miller set for KTM switch amid major MotoGP market reshuffle

Jack Miller has signed a two-year deal to join the Red Bull KTM team for 2023 and 2024, according to The Race’s sources in the MotoGP paddock, with the Australian set to replace Miguel Oliveira alongside Brad Binder next season

MotoGP

Honda chassis snub a clear hint of Espargaro’s MotoGP future

With Marc Marquez sidelined again, his Honda team-mate Pol Espargaro asked for the upgrade Marquez had tried at Mugello last week. But Honda gave the revised bike to LCR’s Taka Nakagami instead

MotoGP

Bradl is wasted on Marquez’s Honda amid an alluring alternative

With Marc Marquez’s continued injury issues, Stefan Bradl has become a Repsol Honda mainstay – but a clearly restricted one

Motorcycle racing

What’s happened so far at Isle of Man TT 2022

Qualifying for the 2022 Isle of Man TT races is at its halfway point, with two familiar faces jostling for top spot in the superbike class. Here’s what you need to know about the week so far

Motorcycle racing

Road racer Purslow dies in Isle of Man TT qualifying

The Isle of Man TT organiser has confirmed that road racer Mark Purslow has died following a crash in Wednesday’s fourth qualifying session

MotoGP

Calls for MotoGP riders’ union grow – but who’d lead it?

Calls have increased for MotoGP riders to form a union, prompted by concerns about how much some rookies on the 2022 grid are being paid. But there’s one major problem – who would head it up?

Motorcycle racing

Hickman: From huge debts and no ride to Isle of Man TT hero

Peter Hickman’s gone from being a British Superbike midfielder with no ride and huge debts to a multiple Isle of Man TT winner. He tells Simon Patterson how he used the TT to turn his life and career around

MotoGP

Marquez setback forces Honda into a big MotoGP gamble

When Honda agreed its MotoGP mega deal with Marc Marquez, it was on the promise he’d be fully fit and continue his dominance. Now he’s set for another long lay-off, that plan seems to have backfired

Motorcycle racing

Last of a breed: Michael Dunlop on his Isle of Man TT hopes

There are few motorcycle racers – or maybe even few professional athletes full stop – quite like Michael Dunlop. He talked to Simon Patterson about the changing face of the Isle of Man TT and his 2022 hopes

MotoGP

Why muted Ducati pair’s Mugello wasn’t as bad as it looked

Considering the Mugello MotoGP race was won by Pecco Bagnaia on a Ducati, Jorge Martin and Jack Miller’s results look average. But that’s not the full story, as both were hamstrung by the same issue

MotoGP

Oliveira stance adds fresh twist to KTM 2023 line-up saga

KTM MotoGP rider Miguel Oliveira has hinted he would not accept an offer to return to satellite team Tech3, adding an extra twist to KTM’s efforts to put together its 2023 line-up

MotoGP

Italian Grand Prix MotoGP 2022 rider ratings

A mixed up damp qualifying/dry race Italian GP weekend at Mugello leaves a lot of names on the extreme ends of our ratings spectrum

MotoGP

Rins’ fury at ‘super dangerous’ Nakagami and MotoGP stewards

The cause of Alex Rins’ Italian Grand Prix crash wasn’t seen on TV, but it left Rins seething at both Taka Nakagami and the MotoGP stewards

MotoGP

Marquez opens up: ‘Riding like this, my career was ending’

Honda’s six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez admits he was heading towards an early retirement “riding like this”, as he opened up on the decision to commit to a fourth surgery on his right arm

MotoGP

Mugello’s MotoGP party has gone flat – not just due to Rossi

You can easily get some sleep during the Mugello MotoGP weekend in 2022. And the lack of atmosphere isn’t just because Valentino Rossi isn’t racing

MotoGP

How to topple MotoGP’s unlikely Mugello qualifying stars

Who’s got the Mugello MotoGP race pace? Who’ll actually be able to do enough overtaking to use that pace? Who’ll be riding like it’s “the end of the world”? Here’s a top rider’s theories for how the Italian Grand Prix might play out, and how he can come through the field to win it

MotoGP

MotoGP’s forgotten rookie finds his feet – spectacularly

It was easy to forget Fabio Di Giannantonio was even in MotoGP in the first part of the 2022 season – until he outperformed everyone in the trickiest of conditions for Mugello pole

MotoGP

Is MotoGP’s Mugello race set to feature an unjust penalty?

Darryn Binder definitely crashed under yellow flag conditions at Mugello – but did he really deserve a penalty?

MotoGP

‘Really not good’ – Mugello weather call divides MotoGP riders

Should Mugello MotoGP Q2 have started at all? Champion Fabio Quartararo is among the riders angry at how the weather situation was handled. The shock front row trio disagree…

MotoGP

Marquez to have post-Mugello surgery and another MotoGP hiatus

Honda MotoGP rider Marc Marquez will have to undergo yet another surgery as a consequence of his career-altering 2020 injury

MotoGP

MotoGP needs ‘serious’ aero debate after near-miss – Oliveira

The dangers of turbulence caused by MotoGP’s aero development deserve a discussion, says Miguel Oliveira after a Mugello close call

MotoGP

What Aprilia’s satellite deal means for MotoGP rider market

A complete line-up reset at the RNF MotoGP team looks even more likely now that it’s swapping Yamaha bikes for Aprilias

MotoGP

Yamaha loses MotoGP satellite team as RNF signs with Aprilia

The RNF MotoGP team will swap Yamaha bikes for Aprilias in 2023, having signed a deal with the Italian manufacturer

MotoGP

Is KTM clearing house to go shopping in MotoGP rider market?

KTM is reportedly demoting Miguel Oliveira to create a space in its factory MotoGP line-up for 2023. So who’s it going to sign, and who’ll be out of its fold altogether?

MotoGP

Aprilia’s logic for keeping faith in disappointing Vinales

MotoGP teams have plenty of options in the wild 2023 rider market. So why has Aprilia given Maverick Vinales two more years when he’s achieved so little for it so far?

MotoGP

‘Ready to go home’ – Espargaro felt closer to exit than new deal

Aleix Espargaro says he was “ready to go home” if his Aprilia MotoGP negotiations had fallen through – and insists he very recently felt he was closer to an exit than to a renewal

MotoGP

Aprilia MotoGP renewals further narrow options for Suzuki duo

With Aprilia retaining its current line-up for 2023, another post-Suzuki avenue is cut off for Joan Mir and Alex Rins