Paddock Pass Podcast

Adam and David capture Neil’s learnings and experiences from a bright and sunny first day of gathering at Phillip Island and where the riders were asked about the forthcoming climate melee, Qatar and more.

Adam and Dave track down Neil somewhere in Melbourne ahead of the 18th round of 2026 MotoGP and for Phillip Island’s swansong. There is plenty of MotoGP news to discuss before some thoughts on the departure of the iconic layout.

The weekend started with a ride out to the circuit led by the home hero Miguel Oliveira. The Portuguese star was born just 30 minutes from the Estoril Circuit and while he had a hat-trick of podiums at Portimao in Round 2 this was a special occassion for the BMW man. Having a corner named after him and being the star attraction for the weekend wasn't enough for Miguel; he enjoyed his best weekend since the Hungarian Round. The circuit was busier this year than previous years, more than 5000 extra tickets were sold in advance of the weekend, but unfortunately for Oliveira it was another weekend of Ducati domination. Having been crowned the World Champion last time out Nicolo Bulega was back at his best to claim a hat-trick once again. The Italian rider, who joined us on Thursday's Paddock Notes show, is ready to cap off his WorldSBK career next weekend in Jerez by smashing more records. The most wins in a season, most points in a season and a host of other records are all his to claim. There were plenty of other stories within the paddock with Alberto Surra's superb run of form continuing. The Motocorsa rookie finished third in all three races and looks increasingly comfortable with the expecations being placed on his shoulders. A new contract was confirmed in advance of the weekend but his Superpole Race performance showed his maturity. In Race 2 he pressured Alvaro Bautista into a mistake and a crash at Turn 1 but what does the future hold for Alvaro?

Sizzling stuff in Indonesia. Adam, David and Neil are in slightly cooler European climes but still have their thoughts and takes on round 17 of 22 in 2026 MotoGP in Mandalika. Can Aprilia breathe again? Will Marc Marquez be content? Thank the GP gods for Pedro Acosta? These and more.

Adam, Dave and Neil are joined by commentator Louis Suddaby from the Mandalika Media Centre to talk about the proposed qualification changes for 2027, the reactions in the paddock, expectations for round 17 of MotoGP and more.

While Adam is off watching the Motocross of Nations in Ernee, France, David and Neil hold the fort to discuss an interesting but not exciting Japanese round of MotoGP. The championship tightened up, both in terms of point difference and in terms of the number of title contenders, but who exactly emerges from Motegi in better shape, Marc Marquez or Marco Bezzecchi? Plus we talk Michelin's Magic Motegi Tyre, which nobody wanted to touch until Sunday, when they were forced to and discovered that actually, they should have been using it from the beginning. Plus Pedro Acosta's tough weekend, is this the real Enea Bastianini, and how Gigi Dall'Igna helped turn Ducati into the victory machine it has become. All that, plus winners and losers, grand prix grades, and awful pop lyrics.

Adam, David and Neil are joined by MotoGP pitlane reporter Jack Appleyard from the Motegi Mobility Resort to talk about the news and views emerging from the first day of activity at the Japanese Grand Prix. New tarmac, old faces, fresh colours, new signings and more.

In this episode of the Paddock Pass Podcast Steve English and Gordon Ritchie take you inside the WorldSBK paddock to breakdown Nicola Buluga's championship success. The Italian has dominated the series in 2026 but, somewhat ironically, had his first race weekend without a victory at the Italian Round. Iker Lecuona's hat-trick of wins at Cremona was an important moment for the Spaniard to lay down the law for 2027 but what is the reason for Ducati's dominance and will it continue with the regulation changes for next year? Jake Dixon delievered Honda their best result of the campaign and the Englishman's performances impressed us throughout. He'll have some changes in his pitbox next year with Honda aiming for greater consistency. A lack of consistency has been key for BMW's fortunes on track. Injuries and bad luck have led to a very difficult campaign. There's also some updates about CF Moto's Superbike plans and change is in the air for the WorldWCR series.

Thunder clouds are gathering! But the skies are (hopefully) only bothering Adam and Neil in Barcelona and not the MotoGP circus that pitches up at the Motegi Mobility Resort this week. Along with Dave in a sunny Netherlands the boys discuss the secret test of the 2027 850cc bikes, next year’s MotoGP calendar, MotoGP Group’s new recruits and more.

Intrigue. The Red Bull Ring delivered another milestone moment for MotoGP and in this last gasp of the 1000cc era. Adam, David and Neil bring their takes on round fifteen of the series from the heights of the RBR Media Centre: verdict on the winner, our ‘Winners and Losers’, ‘Moments’ and more.

A grey, rainy and chilly day at Red Bull Ring did not stop a torrent of news and conjecture in Austria. Pecco’s rage, new trophies, low crowd expectations and more, dissected by Adam, David and Neil from the comfy confines of the 5-star Media Centre at Spielberg.

The pizza box lid has closed on round 14 of 2026 MotoGP and there was a big shock and plenty of intensity at a packed Misano today. Adam, David and Neil offer their ‘Moments’, ‘Winners & Losers’ and general takes on the weekend.

Adam, David and Neil are joined at a stormy Misano by renowned Spanish journalist Manuel Pecino to talk about Marc Marquez’s latest display of his physical state, confirmations of more outgoing MotoGP stars for 2027 and other new bits ahead of round fourteen.

In today's WorldSBK episode Steve and Gordo recap the action from the French Round of WorldSBK but with the breaking news that Jack Miller has been confirmed at Yamaha for 2027 we lead off by analysing the Australian's move. What does it mean for Yamaha to have Miller aboard the YZF-R1? The Aussie star won't be the only MotoGP man making the move with Franco Morbidelli and Brad Binder set to announced soon too. Binder's move can't come soon enough for BMW after their worst Superbike weekend in years.

Adam, David and Neil look ahead to Misano but also enjoy an exclusive chat with Yamaha Motor Racing MD Paolo Pavesio about Yamaha’s struggles, their V4 and 850 projects, managing Fabio, Jorge Martin and Ai Ogura, Moto3 and more.

Round 13 of MotoGP is rolling into the MotorLand sunset and Adam, David and Neil slice and dice the latest episode of the world championship from their seats in the Media Centre. A worthy winner? A usurper denied? A title chase on fire? All this and more.

Adam, David and Neil thank MotorLand’s air-conditioning system as Aragon fries on the first day of 2026 MotoGP round 13. The guys welcome French journalist Tom Baujard onto the show to talk about Johann Zarco’s return, riders’ comments on 2027 moves and more.

At last! Steve English frees himself from the golf course to join Adam, David and Neil to chat though expectations for the Aragon Grand Prix as well as some of the bolder comments and predictions for the rest of the MotoGP season.

Adam, David and Neil take advantage of a slow week in the world of 2026 MotoGP to invite arguably the championship’s best photographer – Rob Gray (or Polarity Photo) – to talk about making a break in the series, making the difference, working with riders and plenty more.

12 different winners at Silverstone and the stretch continues. Four different Aprilia winners and the stretch continues. Adam, David and Neil get on the mics…and the stretch continues. Winners/Losers, Italian dominance, controversy, resurgences and more.

Adam, David and Neil get on the mics from the Media Centre at a bright and sun-scorched Silverstone (long may it last…for the next three days at least) to talk about MotoGP in central London, Triumph tour and updates, and the latest round of news and riders’ views for the first time after the summer break.

Adam, David and Neil preview this weekend’s British Grand Prix by calling the 2024 Moto2 winner at Silverstone, Jake Dixon (while he was getting a rub). What’s it like to win your home round? How has the transition from Grand Prix to WorldSBK been? And more. We also chat Maverick Viñales, the future of the British round and various other subjects.

Adam, David and Neil gather to chat through how MotoGP has changed (or hasn’t?) in the one year period since Liberty Media took hold of the handlebars. What has altered? What do we expect? What are we fearful of?

Engines have cooled on 2026 MotoGP for the moment…but Adam, David and Neil gather to review the first half of the Grand Prix season with their picks and categories for Best & Worst (and more) from the eleven rounds to-date.

Ducati wrapped up the Manufacturers' title at the UK Round at Donington Park. The season of dominance by the Aruba.it squad also confirmed their Teams' success but finally as the summer break dawned for WorldSBK Nicolo Bulega's unbeaten run was halted by a stunning win for Iker Lecuona. Steve and Gordo break down the action from Round 8 of the Superbike World Championship and get you up to date from the WorldSBK paddock.

Round 11 of 2026 MotoGP is a note in the books, and Adam and David are joined by Neil at the Sachsenring for their takeaways on another record-breaking Grand Prix this year. The Marquez veil, the Japanese way, the reluctance for the title. All this, Winners and Losers, Grades and more.

Adam and David are joined by MotoGP pitlane reporter Jack Appleyard to talk about the day’s news and events at Sachsenring for the German Grand Prix: views on fresh rider deals, Marco Bezzecchi’s state, Marc Marquez’s kidology and more. Join us on Patreon.com/paddockpasspodcast for more on Friday and Saturday.

Adam (Barcelona), David (in far flung Germany) and Neil (eating a Taco in Mexico City) contrive to chat Sachsenring, the latest MotoGP moves, some of the memorable signings of the past for the right (and wrong) reasons and speak to Germany’s last MotoGP hero Jonas Folger about wildcarding and that 2017 Sachsenring performance.

Oh Assen. Adam, David and Neil go through the main talking points from round ten of 2026 MotoGP and the Grand Prix of the Netherlands: Ogura, Aprilia, Bezz, Winners and Losers & more. Patreons! Get YOUR questions in for our Debrief show this week.

Day one of the Dutch TT and Adam, David and Neil are cosy in the air-conditioned media centre to talk about the scenes, news and gossip from Assen. Riders’ contracts, Pedro’s big bet, 850 chatter and goodbye holeshots.

Adam, David and Neil defy the heat of their respective locations and squeeze in a quick debrief podcast in the wake of the Czech Grand Prix and only hours before roads lead to Assen. The guys answer your questions and comment on Marc Marquez’s new MotoGP deal. Want them to tackle your posers? Then join our Patreon community! Photo by MotoGP.com. www.patreon.com/paddockpasspodcast

The 2026 MotoGP field was left blue (but not black) by the latest display of Ducati authority at Brno today. David and Neil wrap-up the day’s action from Czechia with the MotoGP Debrief Show also scheduled for the coming days.

Adam, David and Neil convene in the bright and airy Media Centre at Brno where they talk about the imminent news ‘dump’ coming up for MotoGP and a few other topics of concern after a sweaty Thursday in the Czech forest.

Nicolo Bulega continues on his merry way to a first Superbike World Championship. The Aruba.it Ducati star has all but secured his MotoGP future and another hat-trick, this time at home in Misano, has shown once again that the Italian is head and shoulders above his rivals. On today's Paddock Pass Podcast Steve and Gordo breakdown the action from Round 7 of the WorldSBK season while also assessing Scotland's opening match int he FIFA World Cup! Our men in the paddock take their time to getting around to the winner by looking at the fight for third in the standings and how injuries have impacted BMW's outlook on the season before talking about the frustration of finishing second for Iker Lecuona.

Can Marquez do it again? As well as answering this poser, Adam, David and Neil pick 3 memorable moments from past editions of the Czechia Grand Prix as momentum builds for Brno and what is likely to be a big news weekend for 2027 MotoGP and beyond. Photo by Polarity Photo

Balaton is in the books and round eight of 2026 MotoGP was certainly memorable for one rider and forgettable for several others. Adam and Neil connect with Dave in Hungary to go over the big talking points. Photo by MotoGP.com

The first half of the WorldSBK season is in the books and Steve and Gordo get you up to date with the latest news from inside the paddock as Nicolo Bulega continues his relentless drive to a first Superbike title. The Italian is still perfect for 2026 with 18 wins from 18 starts but Sunday's Superpole Race saw him pushed harder than at any point thus far. His harder rear tyre proved the difference maker but, as ever, Bulega found a way to win. What must Iker Lecuona be thinking? The Spainard, 15 times a runner-up finisher this year, is hunting for his first WorldSBK victory. He's hurting too because he knows how close he keeps coming to that success. His reward for his hard work will be seen this weekend in MotoGP where he'll replace Alex Marquez. Outside of the Aruba.it Ducati riders there was plenty to talk about but Gordo's conversations with Tommy Bridewell have certainly left an impression. The Englishman had his best finish of the season, fifth position in Race 1, and is making the most out of his Ducati V4R to reap some good results.

David is flying solo on the ground for round eight of 2026 MotoGP but Adam and Neil give him a call to find out what he thinks of Balaton Park so far, what he’s learned from the rider debriefs and more. Photo by MotoGP.com

A lookback at Mugello with journalists Adam, David and Neil as the guys go over the few remaining narratives from round seven of 2026 MotoGP and also answer a lot of questions supplied by Paddock Pass Podcast Patreon subscribers. Photo by MotoGP.com

A prelude towards a more in-depth review of the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello as Adam, David and Neil still go over the main incidents and talking points from Mugello today.

Adam, David and Neil gather around the camera in the Media Centre at Mugello to talk the return of Marc Marquez, Cal Crutchlow, riders’ safety commission, the fate of ride height devices and Neil’s wayward choice of mushrooms.

Adam, David and Neil chew over a few of the current MotoGP news topics before dragging the app slider back 20 years to an all-time Mugello classic: the 2006 Italian Grand Prix. Photo by Polarity Photo.

The Isle of Man TT is a two week festival of motorcycle racing. The island is taken over once practice week gets underway and the world's attention is focused on the 37 miles that make up the Mountain Course. Michael Dunlop vs Dean Harrison vs Peter Hickman is the headline act. With Davey Todd ruled out through injury the trio are the men to beat this year but can Hicky return to form? Is Deano able to turn last year's Superstock success into his Superbike form? With a change of machinery on the big bike is Michael ready to race his Honda Fireblade? Steve is joined by Kyle White and Greg Haines to preview the action and as a reward for our listeners we have a 20% discount code for TT+ Live Pass. Simply use the code PADDOCKPASS20 to redeem at purchase at https://ttplus-checkout.iomttraces.com/

Nicolo Bulega continues to dominate the 2026 WorldSBK season. Five rounds have led to five hat-tricks but there's still a lot to talk about in the WorldSBK paddock with Steve and Gordo getting you all the latest news

Adam, David and Neil do their best to summarise the news, events and emotions of a fraught sixth round of 2026 MotoGP with their ‘Moments’, Talking Points, Winners & Losers and Grades from the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Photo by MotoGP.com

Adam, David and Neil recount their news and views from Thursday at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and the first day of activity at the Catalan MotoGP, while also getting the inside line on Ai Ogura, his personality and working methods thanks to Trackhouse Racing Crew Chief Giovanni Mattarollo. Photo by MotoGP.com

Le Mans: a deluge of fans, noise, expectation and, eventually, rainfall. An atmospheric round five of 2026 MotoGP produced a couple of landmarks and more shocks. Adam and Neil call Dave from the Media Centre in the Sarthe to rattle through some talking points.

Adam and Neil are joined by commentator, journalist and presenter Elliot York to chat about the first day of hype at a warm and bright Le Mans. Johann Zarco’s fame, expectations for a changeable weekend of weather, what testing bits from Jerez and our Rant and Buzz comments from Thursday in France. Photo by MotoGP.com

Another week and another weekend of Ducati dominance from Nicolo Bulega. The Italian is Superbike Superstar is constantly rewriting the record books in 2026. Steve and Gordo break down the action from Balaton Park and talk about how circumstances played a role in Bulega's success but ultimately his talent, speed and consistency is why he continues to win. Beyond the success of Bulega we look at the other major talking points of the weekend. These included the action of the FIM Race Stewards against Andrea Locatelli for his part in the accident that left Miguel Oliveira sidelined for upcoming rounds through injury. Loka was given a double long lap penalty for his actions and this led to lots of discussion in the paddock. With Oliveira sidelined the fortunes of Ducati's rivals is also discussed. The opening third of the season has seen Alex Lowes continue to impress for bimota while in Hungary Garrett Gerloff reminded everyone of his speed.

The French Grand Prix is up next for 2026 MotoGP and Adam, David and Neil are joined by renowned journalist and former racer Thomas Baujard to dig into some saucy subjects about de la Sarthe! Pic by Polarity Photo.

Was there ever any doubt? Some of the prime talking points and discussion from round four of 2026 MotoGP in southern Spain as Adam, David and Neil occupy a quiet-ish corner of the Media Centre at Jerez to bring their latest Grand Prix review show. Photo by MotoGP.com

Paddock Notes: Jerez Thursday – No, no, after you… by Apex Radio Collective

Ducati's dominance of the Dutch Round of WorldSBK was completed by a 1-2-3-4-5-6 finish in Race 2. It was a stunning performance by the red bikes and on this week's pod we break down what we saw at TT Circuit Assen. On this week's show Steve and Gordo are joined by David Emmett who gives his insight of what he saw, what he liked and what he thought of the WorldSBK paddock. Having seen him for years in the MotoGP paddock David was interested to see the relaxed and motivated Miguel Oliveira aboard the BMW M1000RR. The rookie has had an up and down campaign at the quarter post but has shown some flashes of potential.

Adam, David and Neil roll back the years on the Spanish Grand Prix with a journalist that was there from the beginning: Dennis Noyes. The guys also talk about the fabled Turn 13 (Jorge Lorenzo corner), Marc Marquez’s chances and their predictions for MotoGP round four. Photo by Polarity photo

Adam, David and Neil are joined by former world champion, WorldSBK race winner and ex-Grand Prix rider (as well as good egg and one of the smartest motorcyclists we’ve met) Chaz Davies to chat MotoGP gossip, guiding Senna Agius and how video is infiltrating the world of performance. Photo by Ducati Media House.

Adam, David and Neil offer their opinions on your opinions about Marc Marquez and whether he will (or should) stick or twist in MotoGP. Are time and ‘mileage’ catching up with the world champion? Or is he about to fan the embers of another smoking of his Grand Prix rivals? Time for discussion.

Miguel Oliveira was the man of the moment in Portimao. The home crowd came out in force with a packed paddock there to greet the Portuguese star's every turn. The BMW man delivered on track with a hat-trick of podiums. For Steve and Gordo there was no other place to start than with his performance. Nicolo Bulega continues to dominate WorldSBK with his perfect record maintained from pole position. His teammate, Iker Lecuona, impressed this weekend with a solid trio of runner-up finishes. The Spanish rider said afterwards that he "was doing my job" to complete a perfect weekend for the Aruba.it Ducati squad. There were plenty of other stories to follow inside the paddock from the Superbike class with Yamaha, Honda and bimota but with the brand new Sportbike class starting, a Chinese manufacturer winning for the first time in Supersport and the WorldWCR kicking off their campaign we'll be back on Patreon to cover the support classes. Sign-up at Patreon.com/PaddockPassPodcast

Five steaks on the BBQ: all black. Adam Wheeler and Neil Morrison complete their weekend at the Circuit of Americas by joining a sleep-deprived David Emmett to go over the talking points and topics from round three of 2026 MotoGP.

Adam Wheeler and Neil Morrison are joined in the paddock at the Circuit of the Americas by none other than local hero Joe Roberts to talk pathways for American riders to Grand Prix, bike builds and music!

Adam, David and Neil try to fit some scope to a first return to Brazil for MotoGP in more than two decades and with enough talking points to fill a start straight crater. A good Grand Prix or a farce? Where do Aprilia go from here? Winners/Losers and more! Thanks to Renthal Street for supporting the podcast. Head to the Renthal website for handlebars, sprockets, chains, and more, using the Fit Your Bike tool. www.renthal.com/road/ Sign up for for exclusive content from the MotoGP and WorldSBK paddocks https://patreon.com/paddockpasspodcast We have merch! Get your t-shirts, caps, hoodies and more here: https://paddockpasspodcast.com/shop

Adam, David and Neil call MotoGP’s superb pitlane report and presenter Jack Appleyard as the Brit shelters from another Brazilian deluge of rain in Goiânia. Jack tells us how the circuit is shaping-up, what are the wider impressions of the venue and predictions for the weekend.

The guys offer their takes on the return to Goiânia for the first time in almost thirty years by watching and reviewing the last ‘MotoGP’ race at the site: the 1989 500cc Grand Prix! Watch/listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KccfYmZGIBY and then watch and listen and give us your view. We also speak to technical guru Craig Scarborough about MotoGP aero and Michael Scott tells us about the GP trips to South America. Pic by Gold and Goose. You can find Craig Scarborough as Scarbstech on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/scarbstech/ X https://x.com/ScarbsTech and BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/scarbstech.bsky.social Thanks to Renthal Street for supporting the podcast. Head to the Renthal website for handlebars, sprockets, chains, and more, using the Fit Your Bike tool. www.renthal.com/road/ Sign up for for exclusive content from the MotoGP and WorldSBK paddocks https://patreon.com/paddockpasspodcast We have merch! Get your t-shirts, caps, hoodies and more here: https://paddockpasspodcast.com/shop

This week Adam, David and Neil talk with Red Bull KTM Tech3 Team Principal Guenther Steiner on his transition to the Grand Prix paddock. We also have a fantastic paddock pass competition for Patreon subs, so, on that note, we go into our favourite Grand Prix venues and experiences for 2026. Sign up for our Patreon for a chance to win Paddock Passes! https://www.patreon.com/posts/competition-to-2-151623101 Adam's article on MotoGP contracts: https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/motorcycles/motogp/thai-motogp-opener-had-it-all-but-off-track-tensions-rise-in-team-series-stand-off/ Merch: https://paddockpasspodcast.com/merch Neil's article on Pedro Acosta: https://motomatters.com/analysis/2026/03/07/neil_morrison_pedro_acosta_from_buriram.html

Italian sauce for your Pad Thai? Adam, David and Neil go through their calls and categories for the opening round of the 2026 MotoGP season. ‘Moments’, ‘Winners & Losers’, ‘Grades’ and much more as we Tuk Tuk our way through the first review show of the year.

Adam and Neil bring you the first of the MotoGP Grand Prix Notes shows in 2026 and both are joined by veteran Spanish journo Manuel Pecino to talk Marc Marquez, the state of the paddock, the Yamaha and Fabio Quartararo dysfunctionality and more. Join up to Insider or Expert tiers for the shows on Friday and Saturday!

Is there any better for a race than Phillip Island? Well, given all the news at the weekend Steve and Gordo report from on the ground with the thoughts of the locals, the staff and the paddock on the bombshell news that MotoGP will move to Adelaide. Will WorldSBK follow? It certainly seems that way. On track, Nicolo Bulega was imperious as he starts his quest for global domination. The Aruba.it Ducati star man is a little more likeable than a bond villain and a hell of a rider. We break down his weekend which featured an incredible, almost unnecessarily, dominant performance in the wet conditions of Sunday. There are plenty of stories to follow this weekend. The first double podium for bimota since 1988 has confirmed the resurgence of Axel Bassani. His Sunday double will have given him a huge boast in confidence that this season he can be a closer challenger to his teammate, Alex Lowes. Lowes was one of the fallers in the wet conditions in Race 2 and we look at what caused many of the falls. The rise and fall of Independent Ducati's is set to be a big story this year. Steve said in our preview show that "on your good days you've got to take advantage of the package." Lorenzo Baldassarri certainly did that. The Italian, who refuses to acknowledge his season aboard a GMT94 Yamaha as a Superbike campaign, impressed the paddock this week. In testing he was quick but to withstand the pressure from Bassani in the closing stages of Race 1 was rewarded with his first career podium finish. Yari Montella had his first career front row and podium too. At BMW are the reigning World Champions in a tailspin? It depends on who you ask. That being said the two-day Portimao Test on March 9-10 will be critical for them. It was a weekend of highs and lows Miguel Oliveira. The rookie had everything thrown at him over the weekend. A superpole crash that relegated him to the back of the field was followed by two superb recovery rides in both conditions to leave him one point ahead of his teammate, Danilo Petrucci, in the standings. The performance gap between them seemed much higher this week. Yamaha's Xavi Vierge was the fastest man in blue this week but came away with zero points after a big crash in Race 1. Andrea Locatelli looked lost for most of the opening round but in wet conditions he found some confidence and came away fifth position. Thanks to Renthal Street for supporting the podcast. Head to the Renthal website for handlebars, sprockets, chains, and more, using the Fit Your Bike tool. www.renthal.com/road/ Sign up for for exclusive content from the MotoGP and WorldSBK paddocks patreon.com/paddockpasspodcast We have merch! Get your t-shirts, caps, hoodies and more here: paddockpasspodcast.com/shop

Adam and Dave set a hard alarm clock in Europe to join Neil from Buriram airport and talk about the second and final MotoGP pre-season test: Are Aprilia favourites? Is Marquez struggling? Why have no more riders been announced? And are things really that bad for Yamaha? Plus, our verdict on the future of the Australian Grand Prix. Oriol Puigdemont's article on why the rider contract announcements have been delayed https://es.motorsport.com/motogp/news/equipos-motogp-anuncian-fichajes-2027-motivo-analisis/10799669/ Thanks to Renthal Street for supporting the podcast. Head to the Renthal website for handlebars, sprockets, chains, and more, using the Fit Your Bike tool. www.renthal.com/road/ Sign up for for exclusive content from the MotoGP and WorldSBK paddocks https://patreon.com/paddockpasspodcast We have merch! Get your t-shirts, caps, hoodies and more here: https://paddockpasspodcast.com/shop

Adam, David and Neil are joined this week by Motorsport.com’s Oriol Puigdemont, one of the best news breaking journalists in MotoGP. The guys tackle their expectations and anticipations for the season ahead: Best GPs, sources of worry and excitement, riders we’ll say goodbye to for 2027 and more.

Laughter, mockery or jealousy? Adam, David, Neil and Steve chat the latest in 2026 MotoGP – the championship launch - and then also work through a slew of hot takes sent into the show after the Sepang test. Pic by MotoGP.com Adam's piece on the MotoGP launch in Kuala Lumpur: https://race19.substack.com/p/perspective-motogp-opens-2026-with Thanks to Renthal Street for supporting the podcast. Head to the Renthal website for handlebars, sprockets, chains, and more, using the Fit Your Bike tool. www.renthal.com/road/ Sign up for for exclusive content from the MotoGP and WorldSBK paddocks https://patreon.com/paddockpasspodcast We have merch! Get your t-shirts, caps, hoodies and more here: https://paddockpasspodcast.com/shop

Adam, David (housed in his Malaysian hotel), Neil and Steve gather to air their thoughts, impressions and offer their ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ in the immediate wake of the first MotoGP test of the year. Pic by MotoGP.com

Adam, David, Neil and Steve wade into this episode with opinions and expectations for the resumption of MotoGP duty and the first of two official tests to start 2026. Sepang will have the curious backdrop of a manic silly season of rider contract talk…but will also provide the first views of the last MotoGP race bikes of the current era. Photo thanks to MotoGP.com

Adam, David, Neil and Steve decide to use the lull before the (Sepang test) storm to throw a few questions of their own for 2026 and beyond. Robots in MotoGP?! What happens when Marc retires? Who will own Neil's heart! Notes from the episode: Adam's article on the Idols movie https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/motorcycles/motogp/behind-the-scenes-with-idols-motogps-f1-movie-launching-this-week/ Front End Chatter podcast including an item on the Verge electric and solid state batteries https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/news-and-views/features/podcasts/fec-episode-220 Flash Forward podcast episode on robot athletes https://megaphone.link/FLASH1045822699 Sign up for for exclusive content from the MotoGP and WorldSBK paddocks https://patreon.com/paddockpasspodcast We have merch! Get your t-shirts, caps, hoodies and more here: https://paddockpasspodcast.com/shop

Four days of testing on the Iberian Peninsula gets underway this week at Jerez. Two days of action will get underway at the Southern Spanish circuit on Wednesday before the paddock moves to Portimao. Iker Lecuona's move to the Aruba.it Ducati squad will see the Spaniard armed with the best bike on the grid and a team looking for their star man of the future. Could it be Lecuona? If he can perform well this year he'll be in the pound seats to be the man at Ducati if Nicolo Bulega moves to MotoGP. If Iker underperforms the Italian squad will look elsewhere to a host of out of contract MotoGP riders. The pressure won't ramp up for a few rounds but Lecuona needs to hit the ground running in 2026. Miguel Oliviera has already made the move from MotoGP to WorldSBK but what can we expect from him this year? Steve and Gordo breakdown his prospects and why this test is important for him and his new crew chief, Andrew Pitt. Bringing with him a wealth of experience as a rider and enginner Pitty is a wildcard in the mix at BMW. He's the man that could unlock potential from the package and give Miguel an extra gear compared to his teammate, Danilo Petrucci. The intra-team battle at BMW is set to be intriguing with the experienced Michael van der Mark in the shadows as test rider and a good yardstick to judge their performances on this week. At Honda Jake Dixon will be back in action and out to prove that lessons have been learned since his last days on the Fireblade. Three crashes were a blot on the November copy book for the British rider and it'll be interesting to see how his pace fares this week. After a raft of injuries in recent years for Lecuona Honda are already down a man with his replacement, Somkiat Chantra, ruled out of action after fracturing his forearm. Jonathan Rea was always scheduled to test this week for the Developement Team but will he now be seen as a potential replacement for Chantra at Round 1? Ryan Vickers and Tetsuta Nagashima are the other options. At bimota the biggest change is personnel. Axel Bassani has a new crew chief for 2026 with Uri Pallares rejoining the Provec run operation. The Italian rider has shown flashes of potential on the bimota but needs to make a step forward this year. Will changing crew chiefs bring with it a change of fortunes? It looks like bimota will only run Alex Lowes for a single day of this test. They also saved a day in November for the British rider. Is that a way to allocate the test dates more evenly throughout the campaign? Testing is always a chance to run the rule over rider changes. No change will be more significant than Alvaro Bautista joning Barni Racing. The double champion has a brand new bike for 2026 and the improved Ducati V4R might be exactly what he needs to be back on top. The fight for top Independent Rider honours this year should be led by Bautista but Jerez will give us a chance to see him in his new colours and on his new mount. There's lots to talk about as every in WorldSBK and we'll keep you up to date throughout the campaign! Sign up for for exclusive content from the MotoGP and WorldSBK paddocks https://patreon.com/paddockpasspodcast We have merch! Get your t-shirts, caps, hoodies and more here: https://paddockpasspodcast.com/shop

A rapid-fire reaction from Italy and the launch of the Ducati Lenovo team for what is the company’s centennial. Adam is joined by the host of the event, TNT Sports commentator and friend of the podcast Gavin Emmett, to provide some news and views on Marc Marquez, Pecco Bagnaia and the GP26 livery. You can watch the recording of the launch livestream here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvIhLlp6WVc Sign up for for exclusive content from the MotoGP and WorldSBK paddocks https://patreon.com/paddockpasspodcast We have merch! Get your t-shirts, caps, hoodies and more here: https://paddockpasspodcast.com/shop

Adam, David and Neil travelled to the Sky studios in Milan as guest of Aprilia Racing to see the 2026 RS-GPs and hear what CEO Massimo Rivola, Technical Director Fabiano Sterlacchini and, of course, Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin had to say about the upcoming MotoGP season. Here are our three ‘takeways’ from another slick Italian presentation. You can watch the recorded livestream of the Aprilia launch here: https://www.youtube.com/live/tql7ZOS66XM?si=lrbv9Pe5Z1YLpITe Sign up for for exclusive content from the MotoGP and WorldSBK paddocks https://patreon.com/paddockpasspodcast We have merch! Get your t-shirts, caps, hoodies and more here: https://paddockpasspodcast.com/shop

The wheels are just starting to roll on 2026 so how about a few fun, uninformed and highly speculative predictions and ‘things we’d like to see’ for MotoGP this year?! Pedro Acosta to Yamaha? Dani Holgado to KTM? Is this the year Liberty makes it's presence felt? Join Adam, David and Neil for some wacky (as well as shrewd?) takes and more. FIM bans restarts at trackside https://motomatters.com/news/2026/01/11/fim_bans_track_side_restarts_in_worldsbk.html#comment-127314 Fermin Aldeguer breaks femur https://www.motorsport.com/motogp/news/fermin-aldeguer-remains-hospitalised-after-surgery-and-awaits-medical-discharge/10789456/ Sign up for for exclusive content from the MotoGP and WorldSBK paddocks https://patreon.com/paddockpasspodcast We have merch! Get your t-shirts, caps, hoodies and more here: https://paddockpasspodcast.com/shop

The year is in the books for the Paddock Pass Podcast and we'll close it out with our final show. Steve and Gordo review the year that was with topics such as our rider of the year, round of the year, surprise of the season and others covered!

The cooling-off period has ended, the final interviews have been written-up, some listener questions have been dealt-with, so now’s the time for the last call on the longest Grand Prix season on record: Our Moments, Surprises, Favourite/Worst races, Disappointments and more. Thanks to Renthal Street for supporting the podcast. Head to the Renthal website for handlebars, sprockets, chains, and more, using the Fit Your Bike tool. www.renthal.com/road/ Sign up for for exclusive content from the MotoGP and WorldSBK paddocks https://patreon.com/paddockpasspodcast

2025 is almost at an end and there is a feel for the future in the raft of listener questions we received for the latest Paddock Pass Podcast. 2027 rider moves, technical presumptions, Liberty’s changes, recommendations and more from Adam, David, Neil and Steve. Pic by Polarity Photo Neil: The Director - Daniel Kehlmann https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220160387-the-director David Fintan O'Toole - We Don't Know Ourselves https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56769525-we-don-t-know-ourselves Naomi Kritzer - Liberty's Daughter https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/192777167-liberty-s-daughter Steve: Patrick Radden Keefe - Say Nothing https://saynothingbook.com/ Peter Brown - The Wild Robot https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26030734-the-wild-robot https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wild_Robot Adam: Motorcycle Grand Prix - Insider Stories from World Championship Racing. https://www.amazon.com/Motorcycle-Grand-Prix-Insider-Championship/dp/1789296773/ The Bear - Season 3, Hulu Faithless - Champion Sound https://www.roughtrade.com/en-de/product/faithless/champion-sound#51969535017291 Thanks to Renthal Street for supporting the podcast. Head to the Renthal website for handlebars, sprockets, chains, and more, using the Fit Your Bike tool. www.renthal.com/road/ Thanks also Pole Position Travel. Go to the Pole Position website to book a package to visit a MotoGP or WorldSBK round, Use code PPOD25X for a discount. www.polepositiontravel.com Sign up for for exclusive content from the MotoGP and WorldSBK paddocks https://patreon.com/paddockpasspodcast

By popular demand of our Patreon supporters Simon Crafar joins on this week's podcast to explain his role as the Chairman of the FIM Stewards Panel for MotoGP. If you'd like to support the podcast check out patreon.com/paddockpasspodcast. The 500GP race winner has built a reputation within the paddock as a rider, an engineer, a commentator and now as an FIM Steward. When Neil sat down with Simon he explained the strengths of each member of his team and how they make decisions based on numerous factors. This interview is a fascinating insight into what can be one of the most controversial roles in the sport and how Simon has approached the job!

Part 2 of our WorldSBK season review! Steve and Gordo are once again joined by Alex Raby to break down the WorldSBK season. In Part 2 of our review we look at Alvaro Bautista's form, Locatelli picking up his first win, Bimota's return to WorldSBK and much more. The debate for our Top 5 heated up so let us know your thoughts on who makes your list!

WIth another year is in the books for the Paddock Pass Podcast covering the Superbike World Championship Steve and Gordo are joined by Alex Raby to break down the campaign that saw Toprak Razgatlioglu sign off his Superbike career as a triple champion before finally getting his MotoGP chance. Nicolo Bulega impressed everyone from the start of the season and we look at the Italian's performance to become Ducati's team leader. His performance was such that he effectively relegated Alvaro Bautista to a Bologna after thought. With Toprak moving on, Bulega having had a chance in MotoGP and Jonathan Rea retiring from full-time racing what does the future hold for WorldSBK and how is the overall health of the series? Later in the week we'll have Part 2 of our WorldSBK season review where we'll look at some of the other performers through the season and debate our Top 5 riders of the season

That’s it! 2025 MotoGP finally reaches the flag but not before Adam, David and Neil are able to get through the talking points and highlights of Round 22 at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit. Another Italian victory but Moto2 also breaks new ground. Our ‘Moments’, ‘Hire and Fires’ and ‘Grades’ as Dave also starts to salivate at the prospect of the first 2026 test. Thanks to Renthal Street for supporting the podcast. Head to the Renthal website for handlebars, sprockets, chains, and more, using the Fit Your Bike tool. www.renthal.com/road/ Thanks also Pole Position Travel. Go to the Pole Position website to book a package to visit a MotoGP or WorldSBK round, Use code PPOD25X for a discount. www.polepositiontravel.com Sign up for for exclusive content from the MotoGP and WorldSBK paddocks https://patreon.com/paddockpasspodcast

Hello Valencia. It’s good to be back. Neil, David and Adam pick up the mics on the eve of the twenty-second and last Grand Prix of the year (don’t forget the test!) to run the rule on the Ricardo Tormo. They are also joined in Spain by MotoGP journo Don, Mat Oxley, who chats about his new book on Marc Marquez.

The clock is now ticking on the final days and hours of the 2025 MotoGP season so Adam, David and Neil go through the big talking points (plus our usual categories and listener questions) from the Media Centre at the Algarve International Circuit. Is Aprilia the best bike on the grid now, or just at some tracks? How Dani Pedrosa has helped Pedro Acosta. What KTM needs to make the next step. Why Diogo Moreira is ready for MotoGP. Plus Adam and David argue about radios, and Neil wishes we didn't have so many power cuts. Thanks to Renthal Street for supporting the podcast. Head to the Renthal website for handlebars, sprockets, chains, and more, using the Fit Your Bike tool. www.renthal.com/road/ Thanks also Pole Position Travel. Go to the Pole Position website to book a package to visit a MotoGP or WorldSBK round, Use code PPOD25X for a discount. www.polepositiontravel.com Sign up for for exclusive content from the MotoGP and WorldSBK paddocks https://patreon.com/paddockpasspodcast

Adam and Neil welcome back the force-of-nature that is David Emmett to the MotoGP Media Centre and the motomatters scribe is full of beans for the first day of the Portuguese Grand Prix. The guys discuss HRC’s arrival to concessions status, riders’ thoughts on the Algarve International Circuit and the Sepang aftermath plus other topics

The full crew get on the mics to chew through three main topics surrounding MotoGP (and a bit of WorldSBK this week) as well as look ahead to the penultimate round of 2025 at the Algarve International Circuit. Can Pedro Acosta finally get his first win? Should they bring back warm up for Moto2 and Moto3? Can Nicolo Bulega score points in Portimao? Can WorldSBK riders succeed in MotoGP, and what is the history? Predictions? Win/Lose? Plus more… Thanks to Renthal Street for supporting the pod https://www.renthal.com/road/ Thanks also Pole Position Travel. They still have a couple of their Deluxe Packages available for the Valencia GP. Book fast! https://www.polepositiontravel.com/motogp/valencia/2025/packages

Adam and Neil are on the ground in Malaysia and call-up Dave to chew through some of the heroics and hiccups of the 20th round of the season. After discussing the shocking start to the day with the Moto3 accident the guys also speak about Alex Marquez’s third win, Pecco’s puncture, KTM’s bounceback and the ongoing Honda revival. Plus, ‘Moments’, ‘Hire & Fires’ and ‘Grades’.

Rain, rain, rain. A soggy day at the Sepang International Circuit didn’t quite dampen the enthusiasm for the 20th Grand Prix of the year. Adam and Neil are joined by the charm of Renita Vermeulen to talk about what was said and heard on Thursday as well as Australian GP residue.

As the final round of the WorldSBK dawned it seemed like a foregone conclusion. There was little doubt that Toprak Razgatlioglu would be crowned for a third time as champion. Nicolo Bulega had proven to be an admirable rival but ultimately Toprak would have too much for his rival...that was the plan at least! The reality was quite different and ultimately Sunday's Superbike action was the flashpoint of the season. Steve English and Gordon Ritchie guide you through the hows and whys of Spanish Round of WorldSBK

Surprising, riveting, overdue? The 35th Australian Grand Prix provided another notable episode of MotoGP. Adam and Dave down another coffee and call Neil who’s wrapped up against the Phillip Island winds to talk about round nineteen of the season.

No Marquez, no Martin, no Maverick but arguably the most inviting and open palette for the Australian Grand Prix this weekend. Apart from the weather. Adam, David and Neil (on the ground in Victoria) record their thoughts and opinions in the wake of the rider debriefs and ongoings at ‘PI’ on Thursday.

After a busy weekend in Portugal Steve and Gordo break down the action from Estoril. As usual in 2025 Toprak Razgatlioglu and Nicolo Bulega shared the spoils. The duo will bring their title fight down to the final round of the year this weekend at Jerez and we look at how on Sunday it seemed that everyone had their own narrative to push... There was lots to talk about. Hard racing, weight ballast petitions, the rider and crew chief market and much more. Over the course of an hour we still couldn't cover all the news so check out Patreon.com/PaddockPassPodcast for our Paddock Notes show on Thursday to hear even more from inside the WorldSBK paddock

Favourite Phillip Island memories, the state of MotoGP without Marc Marquez (who can possible win in Australia?), thoughts on the series’ best racetrack and more as Adam, David and Neil anticipate round 19 of 2025.

If you love a surprise, the Indonesian MotoGP round at Mandalika was the grand prix weekend for you. A rookie winner, the favourite taking the champion out, and the man who dominated Motegi sinking without a trace. Why did Mandalika turn out this way? Neil, Steve, and David talk you through a tricky track, Fermin Aldeguer's triumph, Marco Bezzecchi's moment of madness, Pecco Bagnaia's depths of despair and much more.

Neil and David are joined by MotoGP commentator and presenter Louis Suddaby, who dials in from the media centre at the Pertamina Mandalika Circuit, to talk through the morning after the weekend before. What's Pecco Bagnaia's strategy for this weekend now that he's proven his mettle once more? Where will newly crowned champion Marc Marquez find his motivation now the title is wrapped up? Is Miguel Oliveira's MotoGP future really over even if he's off to WorldSBK in 2026? All these questions are discussed plus insights on the Fabios (Quartararo and Di Giannantonio) and our ones to watch this weekend.

On today's WorldSBK show we'll review the action from the Aragon Round of WorldSBK where the wins were split but the action was intense! Toprak Razgatlioglu and Nicolo Bulega have been the story of the season but what do Steve and Gordo think of their title battle? Is it exciting or inevitable? Both of our Paddock Insiders weight in on the topic while also looking forward to future regulations and whether this weekend showed us the impact of harder tyres on the series. Having made his full-time debut in at Kyalami in 1999 this weekend also marked Gordo's 750th WorldSBK race start. It's a great achievement and one that the paddock were keen to mark. Alex Lowes called Gordo a "legend" for all that he's achieved while Gordo questioned Steve's sanity to have taken the time to count up his starts! On Sunday the debriefs Jonathan Rea and Lowes handed Gordo a replica helmet signed by the grid to mark the occassion and the Scotsman was, for the first time, lost for words!

Ducati delight. 2025 is officially sealed and the narrative locked. But the race order and podium finishers might surprise a few. Adam, David and Neil offer their thoughts on the Japanese GP, the milestone and the moments.

Adam, David and Neil are European based for round seventeen of 2025 MotoGP but still have opinions and news after the first day of media work and debriefs in Japan. Join the crew on Patreon for further daily shows on Friday and Saturday.