Acosta's errors and Ducati GP23 'downgrade' - Japan review

Honda and Yamaha used to monopolise the MotoGP title fights. Now they’re mocked as having their own ‘Japanese Cup’ at the back of the field, as even getting into Q2 feels like a victory given how far they’ve fallen. All of which must make it tough to be a rider at one of those brands. But when Simon Patterson sat down for exclusive one-on-one interviews with all six Honda and Yamaha riders for The Race MotoGP Podcast, their differing views on their situations shone through. We hear Fabio Quartararo’s take on why he stayed at Yamaha even though he often seems to hate its bike, a brutally open Joan Mir on what he’s desperate to happen at Honda and Johann Zarco and Luca Marini explaining what they’ve got out of being part of struggling Honda this year after stepping off frontrunning Ducatis. Plus Alex Rins’ take on his fitness battle and Taka Nakagami’s reflections on Honda’s situation as his full-time racing career ends. Simon, Val Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer share their thoughts on what the sextet had to say, and what the future might hold for all of them. And if you want to hear all six interviews in full and uncut, they’re going to be available exclusively to The Race Members’ Club. Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for that episode, ad-free listening and more. Head to Patreon.com/therace Follow the 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

During the winter The Race MotoGP Podcast is bringing you a host of exclusive interviews with key riders across the main show and MotoGP Extra in The Race Members’ Club, and we’re starting with two of our favourites. Alex Marquez had a lot of fun as he shared tales of life at Gresini Ducati and alongside big brother Marc with Simon Patterson, covering their exploits on and off track in their second stint as team-mates as well as looking back to their aborted first time sharing a garage at Honda in 2020. Is Alex Marquez underrated by MotoGP because there’s so much focus on his brother? Simon, Val Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer debate that and his 2025 prospects. And as Aleix Espargaro steps away from full-time MotoGP racing, he packed a huge amount of reflection on his entire career, ability level and character into his one-on-one chat with Simon, which also gives our panel plenty to talk about afterwards. You’ll also be able to hear both those interviews and another 10 with 2024 MotoGP riders in full exclusively via The Race Members’ Club in two special episodes of MotoGP Extra in the coming weeks. Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for that episode, ad-free listening and more. Head to Patreon.com/therace Follow the 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

How can KTM's MotoGP programme continue when its parent company is in a financial crisis headlined by €3billion of debts? Special guest Markus Zoerweg from Motorsport-Magazin.com joins Simon Patterson, Val Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer as The Race MotoGP Podcast delves into KTM's problems and their implications. We explain how KTM ended up in so much trouble so quickly and how big an effect it could have on the region where it's based, as the repercussions go far beyond its motorsport efforts. The consequences for KTM's 2025 season are explored too, but its inability to commit yet to the major regulation change of 2027 is likely to be the bigger problem. How its superstar young rider Pedro Acosta and KTM stalwart Brad Binder will react plus how major new signings Enea Bastianini and Maverick Vinales will feel as they arrive in the middle of it, and what it all means for the huge young talent programme KTM has in place are all discussed too. Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for that episode, ad-free listening and more. Head to Patreon.com/therace Follow the 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

Ranking the top 10 riders of the wild 2024 MotoGP season was not easy - and there's plenty of disagreement about it on The Race MotoGP Podcast. It's a case of 'vibes' (Valentin Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer) vs 'reason' (Simon Patterson and Megan White) in our debate, with interjections from the wider The Race family too as we create a ranking with some very surprising scores along the way. Should we prioritise actual championship position achievements above overachievement on lesser machinery? Who was guilty of recency bias (and who vehemently denied it)?  Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for that episode, ad-free listening and more. Head to Patreon.com/therace Follow the 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 2025 MotoGP season effectively began two days after 2024 finished, with everyone back on track for the Barcelona test - and 12 riders having their first tastes of life at new teams. World champion Jorge Martin's Aprilia debut and Marc Marquez's first day as a works Ducati rider headlined those debuts, and The Race MotoGP Podcast kept Simon Patterson and Val Khorounzhiy at Barcelona just a little longer so they could join Matt Beer and Megan White to discuss how everyone got on with their headstarts on 2025. Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for that episode, ad-free listening and more. Head to Patreon.com/therace Follow the 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

Despite Simon Patterson's years of predictions on The Race MotoGP Podcast that satellite riders can't win championships, Jorge Martin has done just that. So Simon - wearing his 'Satellite riders can win championships' T-shirt from The Race shop - joins Val Khorounzhiy, Megan White and Matt Beer on the season finale episode to discuss how it happened, if it's repeatable, the role Pecco Bagnaia's mistakes played in it and much more. And we also reveal a very special new MotoGP series coming to The Race Members' Club in 2025. Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for that episode, ad-free listening and more. Head to Patreon.com/therace Follow the 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

Is a satellite rider about to win the MotoGP world championship (and prove The Race MotoGP Podcast's Simon Patterson very wrong)? It's advantage Jorge Martin heading into the Barcelona finale, but after a(nother) season of mad swings between Pramac Ducati rider Martin and factory rival Pecco Bagnaia can the decider really be that simple? At The Race Members' Club's request, we've created special championship finale 'Satellite riders can/can't win championships' T-shirts - click the links to buy them! Does Simon still predict a factory world champion? Find out in the season finale preview podcast as he, Val Khorounzhiy, Megan White and Matt Beer make their predictions for that and some other key fights in their wake. And our panel also attempts to summarise how we'll remember the massive 13 team/rider or team/factory partnerships that are about to end. Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for that episode, ad-free listening and more. Head to Patreon.com/therace Follow the 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 title rivals Jorge Martin and Pecco Bagnaia treated us to some of the most extraordinary wheel to wheel racing of the 2024 season in the Malaysian Grand Prix, but even Bagnaia coming out on top didn't change the fact that it's Martin who is now on the cusp of being champion. The rivals' approaches to this enthralling GP opening laps at Sepang and the Bagnaia sprint error that maybe rendered them irrelevant in the big picture are delved into by Simon Patterson, Val Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer in the Malaysia episode of The Race MotoGP Podcast, with plenty of questions from The Race Members' Club about what was going through Bagnaia and Martin's minds. The whole weekend took place under the shadow of the tragic events in Valencia, home to many in the MotoGP world and where the series should have been heading for its finale in a fortnight. As Simon recounts, the floods and destruction in Spain made for a sombre atmosphere in the Sepang paddock - click here to donate to Valencian team Aspar's fundraiser for the relief effort. Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for that episode, ad-free listening and more. Head to Patreon.com/therace Follow the 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 2024 MotoGP title fight packed so many more twists into the Thai Grand Prix weekend even though it ended with Pecco Bagnaia only three points closer to Jorge Martin than he had been before Buriram. But the crashes, near-crashes, Marc Marquez interventions, lunges, attempts to stoke Bagnaia/Martin animosity, track limits mysteries and non-penalties all add up to plenty for Simon Patterson, Val Khorounzhiy and Matt Beer to debate on The Race MotoGP Podcast and plenty of questions that The Race Members' Club want answered. The stewards' handling of Franco Morbidelli's latest piece of wayward riding, Marquez's drama-filled grand prix, a frightening and bizarre Moto2 practice pitlane incident, Pedro Acosta's return to the podium (at Jack Miller's expense) and Andrea Iannone's likely return to MotoGP all feature too. Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for that episode, ad-free listening and more. Head to Patreon.com/therace Follow the 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

Jorge Martin has 20 points in hand over MotoGP title rival Pecco Bagnaia with three rounds to go in 2024 - but will he regret the five points Marc Marquez took off him at Phillip Island? And how was Marquez in position to do so anyway, given he was 13th heading into the first corner after a surreal tear-off mishap? Valentin Khorounzhiy, Simon Patterson and Megan White tackle these questions on the Australian Grand Prix edition of The Race MotoGP Podcast. They also look at the big sprint crash between Marco Bezzecchi and Maverick Vinales, consider Phillip Island's wildlife problem and answer questions from The Race Members Club. Want more MotoGP podcast content? Sign up to our motorbike-only Riders tier on Patreon for that episode, ad-free listening and more. Head to Patreon.com/therace Follow the 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