2
Get curated news and pictures of MotoGP at one channel
MotoGP news - Autosport
MotoGP Aragon GP: Dominant Marquez ends win drought in sprint, Bagnaia struggles
Marc Marquez won his first MotoGP race in over 1,000 days - and took his first ever victory in a sprint race - with victory in the Aragon GP.The 31-year-old Catalan, who has topped every single session at the MotorLand Circuit so far, converted from pole position and controlled the 11-lap race from the opening corners on his year-old Gresini Ducati.It was the former Honda rider's first chequered ...Keep reading
MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks - ... that silly season could turn out to be sillier than we thought
2025 MotoGP Preseason Test Dates Announced - Sepang And Buriram To Open Preseason
2025 MotoGP Preseason Test Dates Announced - Sepang And Buriram To Open Preseason
The MotoGP preseason testing dates have been announced. As always, MotoGP is to kick off testing at Sepang, starting with a shakedown test at Sepang, from January 31st through February 2nd. The shakedown test will see the factory test riders prepare the bikes for the main IRTA test, as well as the factory riders for factories with Concessions in category D (currently Yamaha and Honda), and of course the rookies entering the class, Fermín Aldeguer, Ai Ogura, and Somkiat Chantra.
After a two-day break, the entire MotoGP grid will take to the Sepang International Circuit for three days of testing between the 5th and 7th of February.
A week later, MotoGP reconvenes at Buriram, scene of the first race of the MotoGP season on 2nd March, for a two-day test. The test takes place on February 12th and 13th, with the season opener from February 28th to March 2nd.
David Emmett Sat, 31/Aug/2024 - 11:38
* Read more about 2025 MotoGP Preseason Test Dates Announced - Sepang And Buriram To Open Preseason
* Log in or register to post comments
MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks - ... that silly season could turn out to be sillier than we thought
2023 Aragon MotoGP Free Practice 2 Result: More Marquez On The Menu
2023 Aragon MotoGP Free Practice 2 Result: More Marquez On The Menu
Patches of blue skies broke through grey clouds ahead of the final practice session, while a dry line appeared on the damp track and that meant constant progress on the timing screens for the premier class. Although general feedback was that track conditions made for useless work, top spot was still highly contested and in the end, it was still Marc Marquez stealing the headline away from Jorge Martin by half a second. While the Gresini rider started off with some technical niggles, Martin was constantly at the sharp end, but eventually settled for second.
Zara Daniela Sat, 31/Aug/2024 - 08:51
* Read more about 2023 Aragon MotoGP Free Practice 2 Result: More Marquez On The Menu
* Log in or register to post comments
MotoGP news - Autosport
MotoGP Aragon GP: Marquez blitzes field to claim pole by eight tenths
Marc Marquez extended his dominance at MotorLand Aragon by taking his second MotoGP pole position of the season on the Ducati GP23.The 31-year-old has headed all four sessions so far in the Aragon Grand Prix and is now favourite for the sprint as well as the 12th race of the season on Sunday. Thunderstorms in the region created wet and damp sessions for all classes on Saturday morning, but as the ...Keep reading
MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks - ... that silly season could turn out to be sillier than we thought
Aragon MotoGP Friday Round Up: Tricky Conditions Plus Marc Marquez Equals Lap Records
Aragon MotoGP Friday Round Up: Tricky Conditions Plus Marc Marquez Equals Lap Records
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-kFzRnkT/0/NSbzkGFNhGbcrC8zVdwVKq5Hdff4QdDVxd2tzTGcj/L/i-kFzRnkT-L.jpg
As a rule, it is a good thing when tracks are resurfaced. Bumps are removed, the stones in the aggregate have edges again to provide grip, and the gaps in the asphalt are smaller, giving a larger surface area to produce grip and create less wear.
The trouble is that asphalt, like a fine wine, needs to mature to reach its peak. It takes a few months before the asphalt has settled, the sharpest edges have been taken off the stones, and the bitumen has started to evaporate. It takes about a year for the asphalt to reach peak grip. The color has faded, making it less sensitive to direct sunlight, the stones have reached the right consistency, and more of the bitumen evaporated, opening up the gaps between the stones, so it generates less heat in the tires.
The new surface at Aragon has not yet reached that stage. It is still dirty, the asphalt is closed, and it is very dark. The bitumen is still evaporating, creating patches which are greasy and making grip levels unpredictable. All of this made the morning session for MotoGP - and indeed all three classes - a complete write off.
David Emmett Fri, 30/Aug/2024 - 22:23
* Read more about Aragon MotoGP Friday Round Up: Tricky Conditions Plus Marc Marquez Equals Lap Records
* Log in or register to post comments
MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks - ... that silly season could turn out to be sillier than we thought
2024 Aragon MotoGP Practice Result: Marc Marquez Seizes Control
2024 Aragon MotoGP Practice Result: Marc Marquez Seizes Control
Marc Marquez has topped the timed practice session for the MotoGP class at Aragon, the Gresini Ducati rider becoming the first motorcyclist to lap the track under 1'46. Marquez has been fast all day, topping the morning session and comfortably topping the afternoon session on used tires, before smashing the existing lap record on his second run on soft tires.
David Emmett Fri, 30/Aug/2024 - 14:02
* Read more about 2024 Aragon MotoGP Practice Result: Marc Marquez Seizes Control
* Log in or register to post comments
MotoGP news - Autosport
MotoGP Aragon GP: Marc Marquez beats Aprilias to top FP2 times
Marc Marquez took the first step towards ending a 1000-day MotoGP dry spell by rushing to first place in Practice for the Gran Premio GoPro de Aragon and shaved over two tenths of a second from the all-time lap record at MotorLand Aragon. The slick condition of the new asphalt improved for Practice and in the wake of fresh milestones for both Moto3 and Moto2 in their respective sessions on ...Keep reading
MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks - ... that silly season could turn out to be sillier than we thought
2024 Aragon MotoGP FP1 Results: Marquez Leads Martin As Riders Clean Up Track
2024 Aragon MotoGP FP1 Results: Marquez Leads Martin As Riders Clean Up Track
Marc Marquez ended the first session of free practice at the newly resurfaced Motorland Aragon Circuit. The Gresini Ducati rider was nearly half a second faster than Jorge Martin on the Pramac Ducati, but the new surface means that you can't read too much into the times. The track was very dirty, and the grip very low, the riders all choosing to run the soft front for grip and and to preserve the harder fronts for the afternoon. Teams were spending a lot of time working on suspension looking for grip.
David Emmett Fri, 30/Aug/2024 - 09:47
* Read more about 2024 Aragon MotoGP FP1 Results: Marquez Leads Martin As Riders Clean Up Track
* Log in or register to post comments
MotoGP news - Autosport
Hungary set to join 2025 MotoGP calendar, Portugal in doubt
Hungary’s Balaton Park Circuit is poised to host its first MotoGP race next year while Portugal is likely to drop off the calendar, Autosport understands.While the full schedule for the 2025 season is yet to be announced, more and more dates are coming to light as Dorna finalises plans for the 76th season of grand prix motorcycle racing.Next year’s calendar will have several changes, with the ...Keep reading
MotoGP news - Autosport
Honda and Kalex founder end MotoGP chassis collaboration
Kalex co-founder Alex Baumgartel has parted ways with Honda after just six months, Autosport can reveal.It was during the first pre-season test of the year at Sepang in February that the German technical was seen for the first time in HRC uniform. Honda subsequently revealed that Baumgartel had joined as a contracted technical consultant to strengthen the RC213V chassis. However, Autosport has ...Keep reading
MotoGP news - Autosport
Yamaha selects Jarvis’ replacement for MotoGP programme
Yamaha has chosen Paolo Pavesio to replace Lin Jarvis as the head of its MotoGP programme in 2025, Autosport can reveal.The Japanese manufacturer is expected to announce the appointment of Pavesio as the managing director of Yamaha Motor Racing at Misano next week.Over the past 10 years, Pavesio has held various positions in different departments of Yamaha Europe in the Netherlands, the same ...Keep reading
MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks - ... that silly season could turn out to be sillier than we thought
Somkiat Chantra To Join LCR Honda For 2025, Takaaki Nakagami To Become HRC Test Rider In Japan
Somkiat Chantra To Join LCR Honda For 2025, Takaaki Nakagami To Become HRC Test Rider In Japan
The next to last piece of the MotoGP puzzle has fallen into place. As widely expected, Takaaki Nakagami is to make way for Thai rider Somkiat Chantra in the LCR Honda team.
Chantra becomes the first ever Thai rider in the MotoGP class, an important factor for the Buriram MotoGP race, and important for Idemitsu, who have sponsored the second LCR Honda seat with the aim of promoting talented Asian riders.
With Ai Ogura going to Trackhouse Aprilia and Chantra at LCR, there will now be two riders from the Asian Talent Cup in MotoGP. The ATC is an important stepping stone for talent into the grand prix paddock, and having two riders in MotoGP is an important sign that the project is working.
David Emmett Thu, 29/Aug/2024 - 12:45
* Read more about Somkiat Chantra To Join LCR Honda For 2025, Takaaki Nakagami To Become HRC Test Rider In Japan
* 1 comment
*
* Log in or register to post comments
MotoGP news - Autosport
MotoGP Aragon Grand Prix: Start time, how to watch and more
MotoGP is gearing up for the Aragon Grand Prix in Spain. It is the third of four races taking place in Spain in the 2024 season, with the final grand prix happening in Valencia. This will be the first race at MotorLand Aragon since 2022, after the grand prix was skipped last year as the track underwent resurfacing work. The 2022 Aragon GP was won by Enea Bastianini who claimed his final win ...Keep reading
MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks - ... that silly season could turn out to be sillier than we thought
Aragon MotoGP Preview: Will A New Surface Prevent A Battle Of The Ducatis?
Aragon MotoGP Preview: Will A New Surface Prevent A Battle Of The Ducatis?
The Motorland Aragon circuit near Alcañiz in Spain divides opinion in the MotoGP paddock. Most people really like the layout, and the track produces great racing - the last three races there were decided by less than a second, and featured a flurry of overtakes on the last lap - but the location is something you either love or hate.
I am a fan. Set a couple of kilometers outside of Alcañiz, a small Spanish town with a magnificent 12th Century castle overlooking a river and an arid plain, the circuit has been designed to blend into the landscape. The famous wall, consisting of massive red stone blocks hewn from local quarries, give it an intimidating feel. You are in the midst of an environment you are at the mercy of. Big skies, scorched red earth stretching into the distance, low hills rising up to mid-sized mountains.
The circuit feels like it is a part of that landscape, like it has always been there, despite only being opened in 2009. It sits on the side of a sloping hill, rising off toward the northeast. That hill provides a lot of elevation changes, which give the track its character.
The start and short front straight sits on perhaps the only flat part of the circuit, though if you qualify too far back you sit over the crest of the hill on the approach to the front straight. That straight leads you onto the hardest braking point of the track at Turn 1, a 90° left hander where you are trying to shed 200 km/h to get through the first corner.
David Emmett Thu, 29/Aug/2024 - 08:45
* Read more about Aragon MotoGP Preview: Will A New Surface Prevent A Battle Of The Ducatis?
* Log in or register to post comments
MotoGP news - Autosport
Brno to return to the MotoGP calendar in 2025
The Czech Republic will return to the MotoGP calendar for the first time since 2020 as part of a five-year deal with the Brno Circuit.Under the terms of the agreement, the much-loved Brno track will make a long-awaited comeback in 2025 and stay on the calendar until at least 2029.The exact date for its return in 2025 is yet to be announced, but it previously occupied a slot in early August that ...Keep reading
MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks - ... that silly season could turn out to be sillier than we thought
2024 Aragon Moto3 Qualifying Result: The Perfect Weekend Continues
2024 Aragon Moto3 Qualifying Result: The Perfect Weekend Continues
Results and summary of qualifying for the Moto3 class at Aragon:
Zara Daniela Sat, 31/Aug/2024 - 11:54
* Read more about 2024 Aragon Moto3 Qualifying Result: The Perfect Weekend Continues
* Log in or register to post comments
MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks - ... that silly season could turn out to be sillier than we thought
2024 Aragon MotoGP Qualifying Result: Not a Question Of Who But By How Much
2024 Aragon MotoGP Qualifying Result: Not a Question Of Who But By How Much
Results and summary of qualifying for the MotoGP class at Aragon:
Zara Daniela Sat, 31/Aug/2024 - 09:49
* Read more about 2024 Aragon MotoGP Qualifying Result: Not a Question Of Who But By How Much
* Log in or register to post comments
MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks - ... that silly season could turn out to be sillier than we thought
2024 Aragon Moto2 Practice 2 Result: Lopez Thrives On Drying Track
2024 Aragon Moto2 Practice 2 Result: Lopez Thrives On Drying Track
Not everyone was interested in a grey Motorland Aragon in the lightweight class but there was even less interest in testing the conditions from the intermediate class, only a dozen riders convinced to push for a lap throughout P2. Quickest on Friday, Alonso Lopez didn’t shy away from the wet start on Saturday and spent the session trading top spot with Fermin Aldeguer and Jake Dixon, before swapping to slicks and enjoying an advantage of 1.7 seconds.
Zara Daniela Sat, 31/Aug/2024 - 08:08
* Read more about 2024 Aragon Moto2 Practice 2 Result: Lopez Thrives On Drying Track
* Log in or register to post comments
MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks - ... that silly season could turn out to be sillier than we thought
2024 Aragon Moto3 Practice 2 Result: Alonso Also Quickest In The Wet
2024 Aragon Moto3 Practice 2 Result: Alonso Also Quickest In The Wet
It was a damp start to proceedings on a grey Saturday morning at Motorland Aragon, so riders were not in much of a rush to try to create a dry line. Plenty of them had a rather wobbly go in the end and although track conditions improved slightly, Friday’s benchmark was out of reach for the lightweight class. However, that didn’t stop David Alonso’s charge, and the championship leader led P3 by a whole second by the chequered flag.
Zara Daniela Sat, 31/Aug/2024 - 07:26
* Read more about 2024 Aragon Moto3 Practice 2 Result: Alonso Also Quickest In The Wet
* Log in or register to post comments
MotoGP news - Autosport
First Ducati MotoGP victory inching closer for rapid Marquez in Aragon
Marc Marquez has never been better placed to claim a maiden MotoGP win as a Ducati rider than this weekend's Aragon Grand Prix.The Spaniard has stood on the top step of the rostrum five times at MotorLand Aragon with Honda, meaning a victorious Prosecco spray for a third of all MotoGP grands prix to have been held at the Spanish circuit.After clocking the best lap times in both Friday sessions of ...Keep reading
MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks - ... that silly season could turn out to be sillier than we thought
2024 Aragon Moto2 P1 Result: Lopez Smashes Lap Record
2024 Aragon Moto2 P1 Result: Lopez Smashes Lap Record
Results:
David Emmett Fri, 30/Aug/2024 - 12:51
* Read more about 2024 Aragon Moto2 P1 Result: Lopez Smashes Lap Record
* Log in or register to post comments
MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks - ... that silly season could turn out to be sillier than we thought
2024 Aragon Moto3 Free P1 Result: Alonso Beats Rueda As Times Drop
2024 Aragon Moto3 Free P1 Result: Alonso Beats Rueda As Times Drop
Results:
David Emmett Fri, 30/Aug/2024 - 12:25
* Read more about 2024 Aragon Moto3 Free P1 Result: Alonso Beats Rueda As Times Drop
* Log in or register to post comments
MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks - ... that silly season could turn out to be sillier than we thought
2024 Aragon Moto2 Free Practice Result: Lopez Leads Arbolino And Gonzalez On Green Track
2024 Aragon Moto2 Free Practice Result: Lopez Leads Arbolino And Gonzalez On Green Track
Results:
David Emmett Fri, 30/Aug/2024 - 09:46
* Read more about 2024 Aragon Moto2 Free Practice Result: Lopez Leads Arbolino And Gonzalez On Green Track
* Log in or register to post comments
MotoGP news - Autosport
MotoGP Aragon GP: Marquez fastest in opening practice, Bagnaia 21st
Marc Marquez, the undisputed master of exploiting low or mixed grip conditions, set the pace in free practice 1 for MotoGP’s Aragon GP on his Gresini Racing Ducati GP23.Marquez’s five wins at the circuit make him the most successful rider in the 14 editions of the Grand Prix, and he earned the top spot by almost half a second over Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin.But the Spaniard’s effort was ...Keep reading
MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks - ... that silly season could turn out to be sillier than we thought
2024 Aragon Moto3 Free Practice Result: Alonso Fastest On New Surface
2024 Aragon Moto3 Free Practice Result: Alonso Fastest On New Surface
Results:
David Emmett Fri, 30/Aug/2024 - 07:51
* Read more about 2024 Aragon Moto3 Free Practice Result: Alonso Fastest On New Surface
* Log in or register to post comments
MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks - ... that silly season could turn out to be sillier than we thought
Aragon MotoGP Thursday Round Up: Nakagami's Communication Revolution, Where Honda Went Wrong, And Grip Trouble On A New Surface
Aragon MotoGP Thursday Round Up: Nakagami's Communication Revolution, Where Honda Went Wrong, And Grip Trouble On A New Surface
It has been a very newsy sort of day at Aragon. First, we got the news that Takaaki Nakagami is to become a test rider for HRC based in Japan, and form a bridge between Honda's Japanese and European operations. Then we got the news that Somkiat Chantra is to become the second Asia Talent Cup rider to move up to MotoGP, taking Nakagami's place in the LCR Honda Idemitsu team. Nakagami will stay on to help Chantra adapt to MotoGP, and teach him the ropes.
That Chantra should get the LCR Honda Idemitsu ride is not a surprise. With Ogura off to Trackhouse, the two options were for Nakagami to stay or Chantra to take his place. That second LCR seat is funded by Idemitsu with the explicit aim of promoting Asian riders, and Chantra proved his mettle in Moto2.
It is pointless to argue over whether a non-Asian rider deserves that seat more than Chantra. "In 2018, the IDEMITSU MotoGP project was born with a noble mission-to be the ultimate stepping stone for future champions. It serves as a beacon of hope for young Asian riders, providing them with the platform to grow and learn at the highest level, after participating in the Asian Talent Cup and other light categories on their road to MotoGP," read the statement in the press release. Without the Idemitsu money, there is no second seat at LCR Honda.
David Emmett Thu, 29/Aug/2024 - 21:56
* Read more about Aragon MotoGP Thursday Round Up: Nakagami's Communication Revolution, Where Honda Went Wrong, And Grip Trouble On A New Surface
* Log in or register to post comments
MotoGP news - Autosport
MotoGP to hold season launch in Bangkok ahead of 2025 Thailand opener
Dorna plans to organise a special launch event in Bangkok with all MotoGP teams ahead of the season-opening Thailand Grand Prix in 2025.The initiative was discussed by teams in Aragon on Thursday in a meeting that was also attended by the representatives of the International Road Race Teams Association (IRTA). Individual teams and manufacturers usually prefer to stage their own standalone events ...Keep reading
MotoGP news - Autosport
LCR signs Chantra for 2025 as Nakagami steps down from MotoGP
LCR has announced that Takaaki Nakagami will not continue with the squad next year, paving the way for Somkiat Chantra’s move up to MotoGP.As has been widely expected, 2024 will be the last season in the premier class for Japanese rider Nakagami, who has been a part of the LCR set-up since 2018.However, he will remain in the Honda family following his departure from MotoGP, bolstering the ...Keep reading
MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks - ... that silly season could turn out to be sillier than we thought
Brno To Return To MotoGP Calendar From 2025
Brno To Return To MotoGP Calendar From 2025
MotoGP is to make a return to one its most iconic circuits. From 2025, the grand prix paddock will return to Brno, in the heart of the Czech Republic, with a contract signed for five years.
MotoGP last raced there in 2020, when the race was won by Brad Binder. That race was the last one held there, after complaints from the riders that the combination of a lack of grip and too many bumps on the very old surface made it unsafe to ride. That brought an end to a sequence of races held at the track since it was first built in 1987, with only a single break in 1992.
The poor surface, as well as unpaid debts, is one of the reasons MotoGP did not go back. When the track was owned by Karel Abraham Sr, father to ex-MotoGP rider Karel Abraham, there was never enough money to pay for resurfacing of the track, despite the fact that the Brno round was invariably the best attended grand prix weekend of the year.
David Emmett Wed, 28/Aug/2024 - 15:22
* Read more about Brno To Return To MotoGP Calendar From 2025
* 1 comment
*
* Log in or register to post comments
MotoGP news - Autosport
Ducati's GP24 "much simpler" to ride than last year's MotoGP bike, says VR46
Former 125cc rider and VR46 team manager Pablo Nieto believes the Ducati GP24's MotoGP dominance this year is explained by it being “simpler” and “smoother” to ride than its predecessor.Ducati’s latest-specification bike has been the class of the field this year, winning 10 of the 11 rounds so far and locking the podium spots in four of the last five rounds.Only Gresini’s Marc Marquez ...Keep reading
