Simon Patterson

MotoGP

The brutal MotoGP statistics that expose Honda’s biggest flaw

The publication of compiled crash data from the 2021 MotoGP season highlights why honda is finally moving to fix the fundamental flaws in the RC213V before it has no healthy riders left to pilot it

MotoGP

Quartararo ‘open to all’ MotoGP marques – but which would fit?

Fabio Quartararo says he has “an open mind to listen to all manufacturers” in MotoGP. But which ones are actually realistic options should he see his future away from Yamaha?

MotoGP

How KTM’s big move changes MotoGP’s team boss silly season

KTM’s move to swap Mike Leitner for Francesco Guidotti still leaves plenty of things to be resolved in the MotoGP team principal silly season

MotoGP

Ducati has already won MotoGP’s first 2022 battle

Ducati’s strong end to the 2021 MotoGP season and Pecco Bagnaia’s assertation that it already has developed a “perfect bike” is sure to worry its rivals. Simon Patterson explains more

MotoGP

The big task facing KTM’s new MotoGP team boss

KTM’s axed its MotoGP team manager and is set to bring in Pramac Ducati’s boss. Simon Patterson looks at what Francesco Guidotti will need to change at the squad

MotoGP

KTM axes MotoGP team boss Leitner

KTM has officially announced it’s splitting with its MotoGP team manager Mike Leitner, with Francesco Guidotti set to move from Pramac Ducati to replace him

MotoGP

MotoGP announces plan for switch to synthetic fuels

MotoGP has announced a significant step towards improving the championship’s green credentials with the move to synthetic fuels across 2024 to 2027

MotoGP

Is new KTM MotoGP star trying to burn bridges before his debut?

KTM’s bringing its Moto2 sensation Raul Fernandez into MotoGP for 2022. But does he actually want to be there this soon, and is he trying to escape for a Yamaha future?

MotoGP

Quartararo’s Yamaha ultimatum hints at contract hurdles

New MotoGP champion Fabip Quartararo is unhappy with Yamaha’s new bike in testing, ahead of a season where his contract expires. How does this impact his future?

MotoGP

What an era-ending Superbike title means for MotoGP

After six years of World Superbike domination by Jonathan Rea, his reign has finally been halted, with Turkish racer Toprak Razgatlıoğlu becoming the first person to beat the Northern Irishman since 2014 by lifting the 2021 title at a rail-struck final round of the championship at Indonesia’s new Ma

MotoGP

Five things we learned from the end-of-year MotoGP test

With MotoGP track action wrapping up for 2021 with two days at Jerez, here’s what the end-of-year sessions have told us

MotoGP

Honda might’ve just fixed its big MotoGP weakness with 2022 bike

The early impressions from Pol Espargaro suggest Honda may have taken a big step towards fixing its biggest MotoGP weakness

MotoGP

‘Not what I expected’ – Quartararo critical of Yamaha test package

The Yamaha Fabio Quartararo is riding in the post-season MotoGP Jerez test is not enough of an upgrade for his liking

MotoGP

What every MotoGP marque needs from the final 2021 test

At least four of the six MotoGP manufacturers will be needing to see huge gains from their 2022 prototype packages in the Jerez test

MotoGP

Serial MotoGP crasher Rins ran out of excuses long ago

Alex Rins crashed out of a third of the 2021 MotoGP season. He blames Suzuki’s underperformance, but is missing the point. Can he really keep his job beyond 2022, and who might replace him?

MotoGP

2021 MotoGP season rider rankings

A superb 2021 MotoGP season is over. Simon Patterson ranks all the riders from worst to best in terms of their performances this year

MotoGP

The MotoGP team-mates who raced through tears in Valencia

While most of the weekend’s MotoGP attention was focused on Valentino Rossi’s retirement, the Valencian GP also saw two other riders bow out

MotoGP

MotoGP rivals already fear Ducati will be unstoppable in 2022

Both 2020 MotoGP world champion Joan Mir and newly-crowned 2021 title-winner Fabio Quartararo fear the scale of threat posed by Ducati in 2022 after it locked out the podium places in the Valencia season finale

MotoGP

Valencia MotoGP 2021 rider ratings

From a retiring MotoGP legend to a feared 2022 title threat, Simon Patterson rates the performances of the MotoGP field after the final round of the 2021 season at Valencia

MotoGP

Where Rossi’s final burst of MotoGP performance came from

Valentino Rossi’s MotoGP career ended with his best ride of a disappointing 2021. His proteges helped, but this was also about digging deep and finding his true self again

MotoGP

Yamaha’s latest play in the bid to poach KTM’s MotoGP prodigy

Raul Fernandez is contracted to be a KTM MotoGP rider in 2022 – but it looks like Yamaha hasn’t given up on getting him further down the line

MotoGP

No Repsol Hondas in Valencian GP as Espargaro withdraws

Honda rider Pol Espargaro has been forced to sit out the MotoGP season finale at Valencia, instead focusing on post-season testing

MotoGP

How the Rossi franchise will still loom over MotoGP in 2022

Valentino Rossi may be about to compete in his last race as a MotoGP rider, but his presence and impact on the series will be far from over after he completes his final race

MotoGP

Espargaro says phantom yellows wrecked his qualifying

A furious Aleix Espargaro has hit out at MotoGP race control and alleged yellow flags shown in error wrecked his Valencian Grand Prix qualifying

MotoGP

Miller’s attitude to yellows shows mess MotoGP has created

A throwaway line from Jack Miller shows how casual MotoGP riders have become about ignoring yellow flags – and that’s the fault of the penalty rules, says Simon Patterson

MotoGP

Rossi gets a farewell favour from his most successful protege

MotoGP runner-up Pecco Bagnaia helped mentor Valentino Rossi out in his final qualifying session at Valencia, but it wasn’t pre-planned

MotoGP

Espargaro lashes out as Aprilia’s MotoGP form dives

Aprilia’s breakthrough MotoGP season is ending badly, and Aleix Espargaro isn’t holding back about it

MotoGP

‘Completely lost’ Quartararo suffering a painful MotoGP deja vu

Newly crowned 2021 MotoGP world champion Fabio Quartararo has suffered through his worst day of the season so far at Valencia, with a disastrous opening outing for the Yamaha rider at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in mixed conditions

MotoGP

Honda MotoGP boss gives update on ‘delicate’ Marquez eye problem

Marc Marquez’s MotoGP team boss Alberto Puig has given an update on the eye injury that has ended the Honda rider’s season prematurely

MotoGP

The final snapshots of the real Valentino Rossi

It’s been 1600 days since Valentino Rossi last won a MotoGP race, but that doesn’t mean the seven-time world champion hasn’t had any special days since. Simon Patterson looks at the best of his races since his last win

MotoGP

All Valentino Rossi’s MotoGP feuds ranked

Valentino Rossi has always fuelled his performances with infamous rivalries and spats. When he re-stoked his enmity with Marc Marquez ahead of the 2021 season, we ranked Rossi’s main feuds from most trivial to most seismic

MotoGP

Who’s under most pressure to finish the MotoGP season well?

The 2022 MotoGP title is decided – but one more race means one more opportunity to make a strong impression, or salvage something from a tough year

MotoGP

Why Honda won’t replace injured Marquez at MotoGP finale

Honda won’t replace Marc Marquez at this weekend’s MotoGP finale at Valencia. Simon Patterson explains why

MotoGP

What a MotoGP superlicence system could look like

With the prospect of a MotoGP superlicence mooted once more, we’ve mocked up what the requirements for one might look like

MotoGP

A kid called Valentino Rossi – Inside the start of a legend

Ahead of Valentino Rossi’s final MotoGP race, his veteran mechanic Alex Briggs takes us back to 2000 and Rossi as a young sensation bursting into the premier class with Honda

MotoGP

Algarve Grand Prix 2021 MotoGP rider ratings

MotoGP’s new world champion receives his lowest score of the season in the latest rider ratings from the Algarve Grand Prix

MotoGP

Bagnaia leads MotoGP superlicence calls amid Binder drama

MotoGP frontrunner Francesco Bagnaia believes the series should consider aping F1’s superlicence system, with Darryn Binder’s 2022 move raising eyebrows

MotoGP

MotoGP 2022 rookie’s ‘kingmaker’ crash can’t be shrugged off

Darryn Binder wasn’t fully to blame for the crash that decided the 2022 Moto3 title – but it’s part of a larger pattern that can’t be ignored

MotoGP

Why a rider KTM sacked is outshining its main MotoGP stars

Ousted Tech3 rider Iker Lecuona is ending his short MotoGP career on a high – and showing up KTM’s factory line-up in the process

MotoGP

Stoner’s return reveals something Ducati’s been missing

The return of double MotoGP champion Casey Stoner to the Ducati garage has highlighted something its riders didn’t know they were missing – but now really want for 2022