Simon Patterson

MotoGP

Quartararo has the pace to dominate – but faces obstacles

Stunning long-run pace in practice plus a penalty for the Ducati most likely to disrupt his race equals a clear shot at Portimao MotoGP victory for Fabio Quartararo – but reality might not be as simple as the theory

MotoGP

MotoGP riders echo F1 drivers’ attacks on TV crash replays

The practice of horrific crash replays being broadcast during red flag stoppages has come under the spotlight in MotoGP now too, following Jorge Martin’s huge Portimao accident

MotoGP

MotoGP riders split after flag penalties decide qualifying

Do MotoGP’s penalties for yellow flag infringement have “no real logic”, are they “the safest way, but really unfair”, or should they be “even more strict”? Riders are split on the issue that decided the Portimao pole battle

MotoGP

Hospitalised Martin to miss Portimao race after scary crash

Doha Grand Prix rookie podium finisher Jorge Martin will not race at this weekend’s Portuguese Grand Prix, after suffering broken bones in a massive out-lap highside during this morning’s practice session at the Portimao circuit

MotoGP

Removed race-winning tyre at centre of new MotoGP row

The loss of the front tyre Michelin compound that won the Portimao MotoGP race last year is proving a “huge handicap” for KTM and Miguel Oliveira

MotoGP

Pedrosa in line for surprise 2021 MotoGP wildcard race

Dani Pedrosa could make his return to MotoGP racing with a wildcard outing in 2021, KTM has told The Race

MotoGP

Marquez names ‘main question mark’ after strong MotoGP return

Marc Marquez says his speedy return to MotoGP in Friday practice at Portimao has answered some – but not all – questions about his comeback

MotoGP

Why MotoGP’s first big feud of 2021 isn’t resolved just yet

Jack Miller expects he and Joan Mir will have a chat about their controversial Doha GP clash, which Mir remains dissatisfied about

MotoGP

How ‘nervous’ Marquez approaches his ‘pre-season’ MotoGP race

A “nervous” Marc Marquez says his comeback MotoGP race in Portimao is still just a “step in my rehabilitation”

MotoGP

MotoGP adopts light panels following riders’ flag concerns

MotoGP has implemented trackside LED panels to inform riders sooner than anticipated, starting with this weekend in Portimao

MotoGP

Honda history repeating as Marquez mirrors Doohan’s return

Marc Marquez is preparing to return to MotoGP after a more complex injury recovery than expected. Three decades ago, a previous Honda superstar had a similar – and even more grim – experience. But Mick Doohan certainly wasn’t slow when he returned

MotoGP

Why Yamaha risks Zarco repeat with Morbidelli

Having let Johann Zarco slip after two strong satellite campaigns, Yamaha should be concerned about forfeiting Franco Morbidelli, too

MotoGP

Is this 16-year-old the future of MotoGP?

An extraordinary last-to-first Moto3 win means 16-year-old rookie Pedro Acosta is being tipped as a future MotoGP champion. But many other sensational young winners have failed to make it stick

MotoGP

How Petronas nearly signed another MotoGP star before Rossi

Two years before Valentino Rossi accepted the Petronas Yamaha ride, a fellow star had turned it down – changing MotoGP history in the process

MotoGP

Crunch time for Dovizioso’s chance of a quick MotoGP return

On Monday Andrea Dovizioso will try Aprilia’s MotoGP bike for the first time in a test that could be anything from future quiz question oddity to the three-time championship runner-up’s route back onto the grid and the team’s route to the podium

MotoGP

Marquez injury saga: How a crash escalated into painful debacle

By the time Marc Marquez takes to the grid at Portimao next weekend, 518 days will have passed since he last finished a MotoGP race. Even before his Jerez crash, he and Honda were in trouble. And things got much worse in the five months from that fateful race day tumble. Simon Patterson charts the f

MotoGP

Marquez cleared to return to MotoGP racing

Marc Marquez will end his near-nine-month MotoGP racing absence at next weekend’s Portuguese Grand Prix, having been given medical clearance to return after his long injury battle

MotoGP

New track tipped to be MotoGP ‘icon’, but UN condemns project

The MotoGP organiser Dorna has visited the site of Indonesia’s under-construction circuit on the island of Lombok this week, while the United Nations has condemned the construction and called for Dorna to break ties

MotoGP

A dozen crashes, 0 points – A MotoGP team’s nightmare start

LCR Honda had a brilliant 2020 MotoGP season. So far in 2021, it’s just crashed and crashed and crashed

MotoGP

What Aprilia’s Qatar results mean for its Europe prospects

Aprilia wasn’t quite in the podium hunt in Qatar – but is there reason to believe it can finally grab MotoGP silverware in Europe?

MotoGP

How Pramac built its KTM-flavoured 2021 MotoGP dream team

With a wholly new MotoGP rider line-up and limited off-season testing, Pramac’s start to 2021 was not supposed to go as well as it has

MotoGP

Can Moto2’s ‘wrinkled’ star upend MotoGP’s youth revolution?

In any normal year, if a rider had dominated the start of the Moto2 world championship by taking two victories from two pole positions, there would already be talk about where they’re going to fit into the MotoGP grid for the following season. Yet, despite MarcVDS rider Sam Lowes showing exactly why

MotoGP

Doha GP’s other big incident makes Miller/Mir more infuriating

The lack of action regarding the Miller/Mir Doha GP flashpoint was puzzling in the moment – and deeply frustrating in a wider context

MotoGP

Doha Grand Prix 2021 MotoGP rider ratings

Simon Patterson ranks the MotoGP field’s performances in the Doha Grand Prix – with some rookies and underdogs shining, while many who flopped in the opener still struggle to impress

MotoGP

‘Something is going on’: Riders bewildered by Qatar form

MotoGP has spent its entire 2021 season so far in Qatar, yet so many riders are nowhere near finding a consistent rhythm at the circuit

MotoGP

‘Born to ride’ – The rise of MotoGP’s rookie Doha GP poleman

Both a top prospect and something of a qualifying specialist, Jorge Martin was always going to score a MotoGP pole sooner rather than later

MotoGP

Rossi’s latest MotoGP nadir: Just a slump or his new normal?

Valentino Rossi’s 21st place on the Doha Grand Prix grid is his worst-ever MotoGP qualifying performance. Many are now writing him off for good. Is that fair?

MotoGP

MotoGP’s latest Yamaha engine scare explained

A Yamaha spitting out smoke in Doha GP Friday practice evoked a worrying sense of deja vu – but Franco Morbidelli says it’s no cause for worry

MotoGP

Morbidelli explains ‘rough’ comment about Yamaha support

Petronas Yamaha rider Franco Morbidelli has dialled back comments he made last weekend following a disastrous opening round of the 2021 MotoGP season at the Qatar Grand Prix

MotoGP

MotoGP’s serial underachiever seems to have cracked his code

Every year Maverick Vinales declares that he’s figured out a change of approach that will stop his MotoGP title bid flopping. And every year so far, disappointment has followed. Yet something feels different about 2021

MotoGP

Did Ducati’s new MotoGP roster pass or fail its first exam?

Each of Ducati’s six riders either made their MotoGP debut or their debut with a new team in the Qatar GP. Did the reshuffled roster convince?

MotoGP

Qatar Grand Prix 2021 MotoGP rider ratings

A 10 out of 10 and two 1/10s on the other end of the spectrum. Here are Simon Patterson’s MotoGP rider ratings after the Qatar opener

MotoGP

Mir wanted to ‘destroy everything’ amid fraught MotoGP opener

MotoGP champion Joan Mir was so angry about Suzuki’s Qatar qualifying performance he wanted to “destroy everything”, and then two Ducatis forced him from second to fourth in the final metres of the race. Yet he ended the weekend feeling “positive”

MotoGP

What caused a MotoGP favourite’s nightmare season opener

One of the favourites for the 2021 MotoGP crown, Franco Morbidelli has had a shocking start to the season in the Qatar GP

MotoGP

Everything we know about MotoGP’s Drive to Survive rival

MotoGP’s head of media Manel Arroyo talks to The Race about the series’ planned new rival to F1’s Drive to Survive series

MotoGP

Yamaha’s masterplan to win Qatar GP with a ‘slow’ bike

Yamaha’s chances of victory aren’t guaranteed in the Qatar Grand Prix, but its MotoGP riders have a masterplan to make the most of their ‘slow’ bike

MotoGP

Rossi doubts his qualifying pace will carry into MotoGP opener

Valentino Rossi’s fourth place on the grid for his first MotoGP race with Petronas SRT has raised his fans’ hopes. But he’s warned he may well go backwards on Sunday

MotoGP

We rank the 2021 MotoGP line-ups from worst to best

After a winter of rider moves, the MotoGP grid has a very different look as its 2021 season begins. We rank every team’s line-up from worst to best

MotoGP

What Aprilia’s current MotoGP riders make of Dovizioso’s test

Aprilia’s lead rider Aleix Espargaro is delighted at the prospect of three-time MotoGP runner-up Andrea Dovizioso testing – and maybe racing – for the team

MotoGP

Aprilia working on plan for Dovizioso to race from mid-season

Aprilia is already putting a plan in place for Andrea Dovizioso to continue testing its MotoGP machine and then to potentially replace Lorenzo Savadori in its race team during 2021