What we learned from Bagnaia and Marquez's epic head-to-head

MotoGP 2024's 'big three' Jorge Martin, Pecco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez produced an absolutely epic French Grand Prix weekend at Le Mans between them. But which of them looks most like the 2024 champion, and are two of them set to be 2025 team-mates? Simon Patterson, Valentin Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer delve into both elements of that situation in The Race MotoGP Podcast, assessing what Le Mans told us about the trio's various strengths in the title fight and the varied scenarios around who Ducati will place where in 2025. The future of championship leader Martin's Pramac team is another key element of that jigsaw that's discussed. KTM's enormous reliance on Pedro Acosta, the prospect of Acosta and Martin as team-mates and Aprilia's place in both the title fight and the rider market are also delved into. Plus Simon gives his take on the incredible French GP crowd experience and how their heroes Fabio Quartararo and Johann Zarco tackled coming to their home race on uncompetitive bikes. Don't forget in the next episode we'll be debating YOUR ideas for how to improve MotoGP. Send them in written or voice note form to [email protected] or contact us via our MotoGP social media channels @theracemoto on X or Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MotoGP has unveiled its new rules for 2027, with some of the current bikes' most controversial elements outlawed and others pegged back. But has it all gone far enough and are these the right moves for the world championship? Simon Patterson gives his initial take on the changes to engine capacity, aero allowance and concessions, plus the ban on ride-height devices, in a bumper episode of The Race MotoGP Podcast. Plus Matt Beer invites Simon and Valentin Khorounzhiy to suggest the changes they'd each like to see - whether in the regulations, presentation or marketing of MotoGP. And now we'd like to hear your suggestions too. Email your ideas for MotoGP changes to [email protected] in written or voice note form, or via our MotoGP social accounts @theracemoto on X or Instagram and we'll share them - and give our takes - on a future episode. Follow the new Race Moto channel on Instagram and Twitter Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our app on iOS or Android Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever since Marc Marquez get himself a Ducati, the MotoGP world has been waiting eagerly to see a head-to-head victory fight between him and reigning champion Pecco Bagnaia. That's exactly what the Spanish Grand Prix became - and it was absolutely worth all the anticipation. Does Bagnaia's defeat of Marquez show Ducati's current number one has his famous new stablemate covered? Or does the fact Marquez is so quick on a Ducati (and an old-spec one at that) already show Bagnaia will need to raise his game? That's one of the big debates between Simon Patterson, Valentin Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer on The Race MotoGP Podcast, along with what championship leader Jorge Martin should be thinking about it all after crashing out of the race lead. The 15-crash madness of the Jerez sprint and an extraordinary stewards' office rant by Johann Zarco also feature. Follow the new Race Moto channel on Instagram and Twitter Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our app on iOS or Android Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MotoGP begins the European leg of its 2024 season at Jerez this weekend, and that's often when the championship takes on its defining shape. But several riders arrive in Spain fighting for their future and several teams fighting to salvage their season already. On this week's episode of The Race MotoGP Podcast, Matt Beer invites Simon Patterson and Valentin Khorounzhiy to nominate the riders or teams they think are in most trouble after the opening three rounds - and to assess the extent of their plight on a 1 to 5 ranking where 1 equals 'will be fine by Mugello in June' and 5 equals 'may as well write the rest of 2024 off'. Join The Race Members Club and have a free month on us! Click here to sign up Follow the new Race Moto channel on Instagram and Twitter Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our app on iOS or Android Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have we been wrong about Maverick Vinales all along? The man with the reputation for going backwards in MotoGP races won from 11th place at Austin with a supreme performance in an absolutely epic race. Regular Vinales defender Valentin Khorounzhiy and regular Vinales sceptics Simon Patterson and Matt Beer therefore have plenty to debate in The Race MotoGP Podcast as they assess what Vinales achieved in the Grand Prix of the Americas, why it hasn't happened more often and whether it can keep on happening. What Marc Marquez's season looks like from here after a crash from the lead that leaves him a distant eighth in the championship, what Pedro Acosta's latest insanely good performance means for not just the other KTMs but everyone else on the grid, Jorge Martin's title credentials and Pecco Bagnaia's odd lack of form are also delved into. And does a race like Austin's Sunday event show modern MotoGP isn't as bad as aero critics and detractors suggest?  Join The Race Members Club and have a free month on us! Click here to sign up Follow the new Race Moto channel on Instagram and Twitter Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our app on iOS or Android Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Has Fabio Quartararo made the right decision by keeping faith with Yamaha for his MotoGP future despite all the frustrations he's endured? Is this just a case of the money being too good to turn down or is Yamaha definitely a better prospect than Aprilia for the next phase of the 2021 world champion's career? That's what Simon Patterson, Valentin Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer debate in part one of the latest episode of The Race MotoGP Podcast. But that's only half the episode, as we also have an exclusive interview with MotoGP sporting director Carlos Ezpeleta about the championship's future and upcoming new rules era. Join The Race Members Club and have a free month on us! Click here to sign up Follow the new Race Moto channel on Instagram and Twitter Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our app on iOS or Android Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Davide Brivio - architect of Yamaha's Valentino Rossi glory years and Suzuki' shock 2020 title - is back in MotoGP after his truncated Formula 1 detour, but he's not in the part of the field you might expect. In an exclusive chat with The Race MotoGP Podcast, Brivio explains why he picked newcomer Trackhouse Racing for his return to the motorcycle racing world, and what he hopes this NASCAR-to-MotoGP wildcard can achieve in both 2024 and beyond. And he also opens up for the first time on exactly why he thinks his switch to F1 with Alpine didn't work out. Join The Race Members Club and have a free month on us! Click here to sign up Follow the new Race Moto channel on Instagram and Twitter Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our app on iOS or Android Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should motorcycle racing fans be delighted or worried that a deal's in place for Formula 1 owner Liberty Media to buy MotoGP promoter Dorna? In an extra episode, the Race MotoGP Podcast delves into what the Liberty news mean for MotoGP, as Simon Patterson, Valentin Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer look at what it's likely to mean in terms of practical reality, and address some of the concerns motorcycle fans might have based on some the F1 world's least positive impressions of Liberty. They also outline what they want to see from the new ownership, and explain why Liberty is confident this deal can go ahead despite the fact that the last time MotoGP and F1 nearly came under the same ownership the process rapidly turned into MotoGP being sold off. Join The Race Members Club and have a free month on us! Click here to sign up Follow the new Race Moto channel on Instagram and Twitter Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our app on iOS or Android Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first big flashpoint of Marc Marquez's Ducati career came in just his second MotoGP race weekend with his new employer, as he and reigning champion stablemate Pecco Bagnaia collided in the Portuguese Grand Prix. Who was most at fault? And what does it mean for the title fight and Ducati internal relations? Simon Patterson, Valentin Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer debate that in The Race MotoGP Podcast. We also get into Pedro Acosta's incredible podium in only his second MotoGP race weekend. Are his performances more impressive than even Marquez's (eventually title winning) rookie season? One of our panel reckons so. Maverick Vinales' breakthrough win and weird grand prix exit, whether sprint wins really count, Jorge Martin's new maturity and title chance and Ducati's growing 2025 rider headache also feature. Join The Race Members Club and have a free month on us! Click here to sign up Follow the new Race Moto channel on Instagram and Twitter Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our app on iOS or Android Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're answering your questions on The Race MotoGP Podcast this week, including on the prospect of mid-season rider changes at two teams in particular. Might KTM want Pedro Acosta in its factory line-up sooner rather than later, and if his Tech3 team-mate Augusto Fernandez's struggles continue is there a danger of him not seeing out the season? Simon Patterson, Valentin Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer tackle those plus questions on whether a rotation system could be used to trim the calendar, how Moto2's Pirelli switch has changed the series and whether it's a good or bad thing, MotoGP's next-generation regulations and how we'd define 'natural talent' in motorcycle racers.  And with a major piece of rider market news having broken with the announcement that Ducati is definitely promoting Fermin Aldeguer into MotoGP 2025, we also explain why Ducati has so much faith in the Spanish teenager and why it can't yet say which of its teams he'll be riding for. Click here to take our quick survey about your podcast habits and you could win £/$100 worth of Amazon vouchers Join The Race Members Club and have a free month on us! Click here to sign up Follow the new Race Moto channel on Instagram and Twitter Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our app on iOS or Android Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices