The Fountainhead
Aleix Espargaro’s experience and awareness means that he is opinionated on many facets of MotoGP. Here he talks about a lot about life away from the demands of the Aprilia RS-GP…
By Adam Wheeler. Photos by Polarity Photo.
There are some that roll their eyes at the dramatics and histrionics that #41 brings to his racing and a Grand Prix weekend. There are others that admire and are drawn to the Catalan’s obvious passion and transparency. If the soon-to-be 34 is pissed-off, hurt or ecstatic then the cameras will show it in an instant.
It’s hard to ignore Aleix Espargaro.
The extremes of this cycling and sports obsessed family man that resides in Andorra and co-owns a sushi restaurant have been reflected in the seven-year Aprilia chapter of his career. Only three seasons ago the RS-GP was unreliable and perceived as the whipping dog of the class but by 2022 he won his first Grand Prix after more than a decade in the category and hovered on championship contention. With the turnaround, Espargaro’s profile has soared further. He was always loud, always insightful, always willing to talk but gained even more relevance, and deservingly so.
The aborted attempt at a TV docu-series, Amazon’s ‘MotoGP Unlimited’, cast him as one of the liveliest and appealing riders on the grid. Espargaro is now the second-oldest racer in the MotoGP class (Johann Zarco beats him by fourteen days) and with almost fourteen campaigns on his CV. He is one of the products of the old ‘CRT’ regime and has seen the seas of change lap through the series. His perspective in this sense and his continuing gregarious nature to the interview process (thankfully) means fifteen minutes with him feels like an entertaining whirlwind…
At the start of 2023 there was talk that MotoGP was – or is – in a bit of a dip…
I had the feeling that we were losing popularity. I know some people don’t like to compare but I think you have to, and if you look at MotoGP riders’ popularity with F1 drivers, the difference is huge. I know that in some places Formula One is more famous but the difference is about ten-times. So, there is something there that we are not doing well or they are doing better than us. For MotoGP needs to promote the riders more. In the end, this is a show and we are not at that level.
So then how do you feel about opening your life, your home and your emotions? Is that difficult?
People think that sometimes I show too much, but the reality is that I show what I want. They see what I want them to see and I know where the line is. There are others that really protect their home and privacy and I really respect that, but I also think that today [for athletes] if makes no sense. If you want to be close to the fans then it is not only on track but also off track. That takes us back to the first question and the popularity of the championship; this is why I decided to open a YouTube channel. Actually, I was not initially in favour because I don’t have that much time at home! I’d prefer to be with the family, work on my business or train with my bicycle but I believe that this sport is a show and you have to be close to the people. I love to show our lives.
In the past you would know what TV, papers, radio and websites to talk to for promotion. Now you are making your own material…
It’s completely changed.
Is it less clear for a rider how they should promote and publicise?
The first thing is to remember to keep a completely open mind. When I first heard about Twitch I thought ‘no way, that’s impossible…’ but now you cannot say “impossible”! You have to listen, and think twice because you cannot be closed to all directions. Then you have to respect everybody: you can do Twitch, YouTube, the traditional journalists. You have to try and understand it all…but it’s not easy to know what is the best solution and where you should put your energy. I also understand the position of the championship with the TV rights and whatever but if we only do what we have to inside the paddock then you’ll find that a lot of time people at home don’t understand much about the full weekend and the stories behind the racing and why things happen. You have to try and go over.
It sounds like a lot of work. It’s understandable if you are working with a sponsor or for a contract but otherwise there is a lot that goes into being a Pro athlete – training, preparation, mental coaching – as well as the many PR possibilities…
It’s not easy. I fully agree. I am lucky enough or intelligent enough to create a good team around me that help and support me with everything I do. In the past it was just about the results on the track. If you do a good race on Sunday and you win then you didn’t have to do anything else. Now you win and if you don’t promote the win then not as many people know about it as they should! There is a lot of other things we need to do now. I have sponsors that are super-happy with my cycling activity and my presence on YouTube more than they are with my results on track! They are more interested in promoting a product to a different crowd of people. You have to try to understand things like that and do the maximum you can.
Is there part of you that likes it? Or sometimes do you wish you could just focus solely on a Sprint and a 24-lap race?
It is a side of racing that is good because it allows you to disconnect a bit from racing. You cannot be all week thinking and preparing for a GP. Normally I start to prepare on a Tuesday. On that day and Wednesday I will watch back every session twice and talk with my technicians on Zoom with some questions about the previous year…but on Monday you can do other things! If not, it’s too much.
Why aren’t there more rivalries in MotoGP? And do you think the public gets disorientated when one or two riders are not dominating?
[smiles] Exactly. That’s true. It’s difficult and there aren’t just one or two riders that are a lot better than the rest any more and who can make the difference every single week in any conditions. Now it is a lot more open but it depends on the character of the person when it comes to rivalries. It’s not for me. I can be super-hot and aggressive but after one hour I’m OK. It’s racing. It stays on the track. Sometimes it seems like people want one hero but when you look back to when Valentino or [Jorge] Lorenzo was dominating then the races were not fun. This is my point of view. It’s true that Bezzecchi, Bastianini, Quartararo…many riders can win. But that’s really nice!
In Marc Marquez’ ‘All-In’ series he was emotional at Mugello because you were the only one to visit him and wish him luck with his operation. But then the other side of Marc is the one that is towing and having contact on track with other riders. It’s a tricky balance…
Yeah, it’s about respect. You can have respect for others but it is also a fine line that you cannot cross. There is one more important thing today: that’s saying what you think. It seems like people feel they have to be super-correct. I went to Marc’s motorhome because I felt inside of me that I wanted to go and hug him, and when I criticised him after Portimao this year then it was also a moment where I felt I had to. He is one of the best riders on the grid and I felt that he made a big mistake and should pay for it. If you have respect and you are polite then it is OK.
Is it possible for you to be a fan of this sport?
Yes. I love the races and I love MotoGP a lot. I really enjoy watching Moto2 and Moto3. It’s true that when you are racing you don’t really value what you are doing and you are not enjoying it in certain moments because of the pressure but I love this sport. The adrenaline that it gives you, there is nothing like it in the world.
Can you pop the bubble? Or are you recognised more when you are on holiday and on the street these days…?
Yeah, the last few seasons have been a rollercoaster because things have changed a lot for me. I enjoyed 2022 so much but at the same time I suffered a lot of pressure and stress and in the last races I was exhausted mentally. I remember after Valencia I went for a cycle for two days and I didn’t have the strength to push the pedals. I was exhausted from the tension. So, to deal with this and to try and find the balance is…[loses train]
How does the stress and tension manifest itself for you?
For me I go home and I have no energy. I can go back home after two bad races and after two days I have to be fully ready to train but I have no power, I just want to stay at home. I feel like this. Normally, when I’m home, I’m happy because I’m with the family and the kids. I don’t really care if I have won or crashed. When I am with them then the result of Sunday kinda goes away. Completely. It doesn’t change my mood. But it is true that when you win then you want more. You are super-motivated and super-positive. With bad results then you have more stress and to find that positive energy – that comes with the family – is sometimes difficult.
If you were just a fan and came to the circuit with Laura and the kids just to watch a Grand Prix then what would you think of a MotoGP rider?
I would think they are a bit crazy! For sure! I’m not sure what else I would think…but if I could give a tip to the people then if you want to judge a rider just by how he rides then that is fine but if you want to judge him by his character and who he is then you need to go a bit further than just the racing. This is why the riders have to work a little bit in trying to show themselves because the fans today want more. It’s not enough just being in the stands and watching 45 minutes of racing. They want to know more about us and they want to be closer. What MotoGP is doing now, we should have been doing five years ago. This is a show and people want to know more about it. That’s why the Netflix documentaries have been super-successful. People want the behind-the-scenes and it’s important we help them to know about us much better.
Exit Japan?
By David Emmett. Photos by Polarity Photo/Honda.
Imagine for a moment it is early December, 2019. Marc Márquez has just taken his sixth MotoGP title by dominating the championship and finishing either 1st or 2nd in every single race, except for Austin, where he crashed out of the lead. The Repsol Honda rider had won 12 of the 19 GPs that season, Maverick Viñales winning two races on the factory Yamaha, Alex Rins taking two on the Suzuki Ecstar, and factory Ducati riders Andrea Dovizioso and Danilo Petrucci winning two and one race respectively.
Fabio Quartararo had taken seven podiums in his rookie season on the Yamaha, Viñales had five more podiums in addition to his two victories. Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha claimed 16 of the 19 wins, and occupied 40 of the 57 available podium spots. Overall, Japanese manufacturers had taken 16 1st places and 16 2nd places, compared to three each for Ducati.
Despite Andrea Dovizioso finishing 2nd in the championship behind Marc Márquez, and Ducati having a very successful year, it is hard to overstate just how much the Japanese factories ruled MotoGP. Honda won the constructors title, with Yamaha 2nd and Suzuki 4th. Ducati was the only European interloper. In the Teams’ championship, Repsol Honda beat the factory Ducati team, the two Yamaha teams and Suzuki directly behind them.
Ducati was becoming a real threat to the Japanese hegemony, but KTM and Aprilia were doing little more than making up the numbers. Sure, the Japanese bikes had their problems: the Honda RC213V was a notoriously demanding motorcycle to ride; the Yamaha M1 was way-down on horsepower; the Suzuki was good, but updates were slow to come. The general consensus was, if you wanted to compete for a championship, a motorcycle made by a Japanese manufacturer was your best bet.
In the 18 seasons since grand prix racing became MotoGP, a European manufacturer had won only once, when Casey Stoner took the 2007 championship on a Ducati. The last non-Japanese bike before that had been Phil Read on the MV Agusta way back in 1974.
"The branding strength of having Valentino Rossi and Giacomo Agostini in their racing publicity shots would wither. Yamaha has a lot to lose by an exit from MotoGP..."
Fast forward to 2023. The first four bikes to finish at Mugello were Ducatis, a feat last managed by Honda back in 2011. It was the 32nd race in a row that there had been at least one Ducati on the podium. And Pecco Bagnaia's pole made it the 46th time in a row that a Ducati had started on the front row, a streak reaching back to Valencia in 2020.
The scale of the reversal of fortunes between the Japanese and European manufacturers in three seasons is immense. In the Rider championship standings, the first Japanese bike belongs to Fabio Quartararo, the Monster Energy Yamaha rider currently 8th, 77 points behind the leader Pecco Bagnaia. Quartararo's is the only Japanese bike in the top ten, the other nine bikes consisting of five Ducatis, two Aprilias, and two KTMs. Ducati, KTM, and Aprilia are above Honda and Yamaha in the Constructors standings, and there are five teams using European bikes ahead of the Monster Energy Yamaha team in the team standings.
It is hard to overstate just how much MotoGP has changed in the last four years. Ironically, the engine development freeze imposed to cut costs during the Covid-19 pandemic turbocharged developments in aerodynamics and ride-height devices which were just starting to be explored in the seasons before.
The first holeshot device – used only at the start – made its appearance at Phillip Island in 2018. Four years later, not only does everyone have front and rear holeshot devices and a ride-height device which lowers the rear on acceleration – sometimes automatically – but we have already had front ride-height devices banned. As for aerodynamics, they went from fledgling anti-wheelie devices in 2016 to an integral part of the overall motorcycle design. The first wings helped only on corner exit. Those wings have been replaced by a complete aerodynamics package, which help in every single part of the track, including corner entry and turning.
The speed of this revolution has caught the Japanese manufacturers on the back foot. Where Ducati, KTM, and Aprilia have all brought in expertise from F1 – a sport utterly dominated by aerodynamics – the Japanese factories have been excessively cautious. Where the aero packages of the European manufacturers have changed quite radically over the past four years, Honda's aero has only had one major upgrade, and Yamaha's wings are virtually indistinguishable from the ones which appeared on the factory bikes in 2019.
Why is this? Talk to people inside the Japanese factories, or closely connected to them, and they will tell you (off the record – nobody wants to speak on the record) that the extreme caution with which they approach new parts and ideas is holding them back. Japanese engineers are unwilling to bring anything to the track that they are not certain is both a clear improvement, and will definitely work. They want to be sure before handing the factory riders new parts.
Contrast that with the approach of the European factories. With eight bikes on the grid, Ducati can afford to experiment with the satellite riders before risking a failure with the factory team. Johann Zarco's role in the Pramac squad has mostly been to test new parts in race conditions before handing them over to the factory squad. Aprilia have been willing to bring a string of new parts to the factory squad and have them fail, sometimes to the deep frustration of Aleix Espargaro. And KTM had to ease off their earlier strategy of bringing a constant flow of new parts, to concentrate on first making what they have work.
These two radically different approaches mean the gap between the Japanese and European manufacturers is growing ever wider. And with testing severely limited – there are just two in-season tests this year, instead of the usual three – it is getting harder and harder for them to catch up.
Could we see one or both Japanese factories leave MotoGP? After the departure of Suzuki last year, it is no longer unthinkable. But both Honda and Yamaha face far larger obstacles to a departure than Suzuki did. Suzuki's commitment to racing was always a little precarious, the board never really showing a great deal of support for the project. Or any form of racing, Suzuki having pulled out of World Superbikes in 2016, and MXGP in 2018. They pulled out of MotoGP before, at the end of 2011, though in that case, they had promised to return.
Honda have also pulled out of grand prix motorcycle racing before. The Japanese factory withdrew at the end of the 1967 season, after the FIM announced new technical regulations for 1970 onwards, limiting the 125cc class to a single cylinder, and the 250cc class to twins, and restricting gearboxes to six gears.
That brought an end to a spectacular line of machinery. In the years leading up to 1967, Honda had been racing a 50cc twin with 9 gears, a five cylinder 125, a six cylinder 250 and 350, and a rather conventional by comparison 500cc inline four. There were rumours that in search of yet more horsepower to take on the two strokes, Honda were building a 50cc triple, a six cylinder 125, and even a 250cc V8.
HRC returned in 1979 with the engineering marvel that was the NR500, a four cylinder four-stroke with oval cylinders that behaved like a V8. Well, in every way except being fast, light, and reliable. Three years later, Honda finally capitulated, abandoning the idea of making a four-stroke competitive, and built the NS500 two-stroke. HRC would start to dominate brand prix racing shortly afterwards.
There are echoes of that return at Honda at the moment. 20 years ago, it would have been unthinkable for HRC to use technology from outside of Honda. But they first ditched Nissin brakes for Brembo, then Showa suspension for Öhlins, willing to adopt better technologies if it could help them win. We saw a similar determination last year: HRC dropped the carbon fibre swingarm they designed themselves for an aluminium one produced by Kalex. And at Mugello, Marc Márquez raced a frame built by the German chassis maker.
These are signs that there is massive resistance within Honda to a withdrawal. They have threatened to pull out before, but had their bluff called. I once asked then HRC Vice President Shuhei Nakamoto what Honda would do if MotoGP introduced spec electronics. "We would have no reason to be racing," he told me. Without the ability to develop electronics, there would be no return on investment.
In 2016, MotoGP switched to a spec electronics package, with Magneti Marelli supplying both the ECU and the software which runs on it. Honda are still racing.
But the biggest obstacle to a withdrawal by HRC is political. That decision would have to come from the highest echelons of Honda management. Such a decision would go against the very ethos of Honda, and especially the man who founded the company and gave it its name, Soichiro Honda. In 1954, when announcing Honda's intention to enter the Isle of Man TT, he wrote, "Since I was a small child, one of my dreams has been to compete in motor vehicle races all over the world with a vehicle of my own making, and to win."
You may point out that despite that declaration, Honda pulled out of grand prix motorcycle racing at the end of 1967. But it is also worth noting that the president of the Honda Motor Company in 1967 was a man called Soichiro Honda.
Yamaha's history in motorcycle racing may not be quite as long or storied as Honda's, but the Japanese factory entered grand prix back in 1961, racing two strokes in the 125cc and 250cc categories. In 1973, they entered the premier class, Jarno Saarinen racing the YZR500, a reed valve two stroke inline four. Unlike Honda, though, Yamaha have never pulled out of racing, and have been a constant and consistently successful presence in grand prix for over 60 years.
Here, too, it would take enormous courage to step back from such a rich and lengthy legacy. The branding strength of having Valentino Rossi and Giacomo Agostini in their racing publicity shots would wither. Yamaha has a lot to lose by an exit from MotoGP.
It would be expensive, too. Dorna signs manufactures to five-year contracts, and the next one does not run out until the end of 2026. Leaving earlier than that would incur a serious penalty. It cost Suzuki all of its team equipment and material, and maybe more that we don't know.
Perhaps there is a lesson for the Japanese manufacturers in the remainder of Soichiro Honda's 1954 declaration. In preparation for the TT, Honda had entered an international race in São Paulo, Brazil. Mikio Omura, riding a modified Dream E-Type, crossed the line in thirteenth. His 125cc two-speed Dream E-Type had 6 horsepower, half that of the FB Mondial ridden by the winner, Nello Pagani, and Omura finished a lap and a half behind the Italian.
That result had made it clear to Soichiro Honda the scale of the challenge ahead, and what he had to do. "Now, however, reports on the recent international motorcycle race held in São Paulo have provided me with detailed information on the situation in the countries of Europe and America. I had thought that I was seeing the world with a fair degree of realism, without being caught up in fixed ideas, but now I realize that, after all, I have been blinded by my excessive feeling for Japan in its present situation. Even now, the world is advancing at tremendous speed."
"Conversely, however, as I have always felt, I am filled with an abundant, unshakable confidence that I can win. The fighting spirit that is my nature will no longer allow me to continue turning away."
"Now that we are equipped with a production system in which I have absolute confidence, the time of opportunity has arrived. I have reached the firm decision to enter the TT Races next year."
Perhaps Honda and Yamaha need to reread Soichiro Honda's 1954 declaration again, and take the lessons held within it to heart.
KTM
Riders or tourists working their way through central Europe this summer and autumn could be tempted to put ‘Mattighofen’ into their GPS system. Why? The KTM Motohall is definitely worth a stop. Visitors can track the history of Europe’s largest motorcycle manufacturer from humble Austrian beginnings to the transcontinental and motorcycle industry sector-crossing operation that it is today, as well discover the technologies that KTM apply to their bikes. The chronology of pristine historical models is the centrepiece of the exhibition and interactive space that gently rolls up the floors of the purpose-built facility (with workshops and event spaces for students and groups in the basement). The highlight is the racing legends array on the top floor that encapsulates the mammoth impact that KTM have had on motorsport since their first world titles in motocross during the mid-1970s. They have more than 330 now. The ceiling-to-floor video surrounds mean a fully absorbed experience among all the factory bikes and old riding apparel.
Post-pandemic the Motohall is reviving a lot of activities and temporary exhibitions. From May the hall has a ‘Legends of Dakar’ display; tagged with the line ‘a race of a million stories’ and in commemoration of Heinz Kinigadner’s first attempts at the race that KTM would eventually go on to dominate. ‘With a spinning compass and limited-service help, Heinz Kinigadner nursed his adapted LC4 Enduro bike to the very next bivouac in a bid to put KTM on the map and realize his dream of a Dakar podium. Little did the two-time Motocross World Champion know at the time that his vision of competing at the event would bring KTM the success it has had today, with 19 Dakar victories since Fabrizio Meoni‘s first win in 2001,’ the press release states.
‘The ‘Legends of the Dakar’ exhibition tells untold stories and re-visits moments in history of this incredible race, directly from those that have experienced the heat and the cold, as well as the highs and the lows, first hand. With 10 history-making Dakar bikes and numerous artifacts from this notorious race on display, the exhibition brings visitors closer to the action from Paris-Dakar, South America and Saudi Arabia.’
There is even a special limited ‘Legends of Dakar’ clothing range to go with the pageant. When you’ve done looking around and have also browsed the shop, then grab a table at the ‘Garage’ diner just outside. The food is as good as the bike-related interior décor.
Knowing where you come from to know where you are going
By Adam Wheeler. Photos by Polarity Photo & Dorna
The demands and the cost of the MotoGP Sprint and the extra stress applied to Friday’s practice are still hot subjects of contention (“I think [there will be] some changes soon on the schedule…” Aleix Espargaro told us on Saturday afternoon in Germany) but the format has undoubtedly proved to be a hit when it comes to increased excitement and more interest. The brands involved in the sport have also reacted positively to the enlarged payback for their MotoGP investment. After lacklustre attendances in Portugal, Argentina and the USA in the first three races of the season the series has surged in terms of audiences with packed circuits in Jerez, Le Mans and Germany. Mugello was also an improvement over 2022.
Dorna and the various parties in MotoGP are chasing the golden egg of ‘engagement’. The TV production remains second-to-none for any motorsport I’ve seen anywhere and Dorna’s media department have boosted their quota of material on social media, as well as posting some spicy content (Pecco Bagnaia’s words after Le Mans and the spat with Maverick Viñales in the gravel after they had both collided, as well as Jack Miller’s fiery comment post-Sachsenring) but, in my opinion there is another underused source for tantalising MotoGP followers both current and new.
To paraphrase and mis-contextualise Albert Einstein, a clever chap if there ever was one, looking back might actually help to know the future. This dawned on me during the latest MotoGP Legends induction at the Sachsenring last week when three-times 50cc world champion between 1966-68, Hans-Georg Anscheidt, joined the gallery of 37 other riders.
These affairs are usually dedicatory and can be quite mundane. The previous week in Mugello Andrea Dovizioso had been the deserving subject of the triangular medal. The Italian was celebrated by family, friends and well-wishers with a few appropriate words and a short career highlights video clip. In comparison Anscheidt’s affair was like a multidimensional journey back in time with the charming 87-year-old having his words and memories translated by his son and sitting on the press conference stage flanked by his riding gear, the extremely rare 50cc Suzuki KR67 and even the old official wooden spares box that the Japanese used for freight from Hamamatsu.
"...much more can be done. Just look at the popularity of Classic races, annual fixtures like the Goodwood Festival of Speed on the UK and the retro movement that has even persuaded motorcycle manufacturers to look backwards for styling cues to apply to latest road-going hardware..."
The 30-minute event felt like a wonderful history lesson. There was a tangible sense of curiosity from everyone present in the room. Anscheidt was a monument to racing as much as his gorgeous KR; pristine, one of a kind, bicycle thin tyres and a 14-speed gearbox. “The bikes were like mopeds!” he said. “The 50cc was very challenging in terms of the technical development and it became very exotic. It revved high and the only usable range was between 17500 and 18000rpm.
“You could reach 100kmph in first gear,” he explained of the Suzuki. “At the end of the straight at Spa you had to change down 13 gears, lean into the corner and then work up through 13 again! It was a technical experience and a challenge because the machinery was so fragile and delicate; look at the tyres! We were not sliding!”
Even 77-year-old Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta seemed more overawed than usual with his role in proceedings. “I had the opportunity to see him racing in Spain in ‘63 or ’64, I think, when I was starting my feeling with bikes and I remember the sound of the Suzuki and all that work with the gearbox. It is a big honour to receive him.”
The 50cc category ran from 1962 to 1983. The 80cc class only another six seasons. Not only do Anscheidt’s feats seem like they are from another time but another sport altogether, yet his photo is there right on the website next to Dovizioso and Wayne Gardner and with other athletes that span almost all of the 1000 Grand Prix annals.
Anscheidt may not be a name familiar to many MotoGP followers outside of Germany but the stories created a connection. “Only Suzuki and Honda could produce the quality of machinery necessary,” he said of the 50cc championship battle. “That period established the semi-friendly war between the two Japanese brands. The machinery became exotic and privateers could not compete anymore.”
On a weekend where the debates of which highly advanced Michelin rubber would be appropriate for a 30-lap race and how launch devices were making the difference for MotoGP starts, this was a glorious remembrance of the primeval thrill of motorcycle racing, and at a venue that had its roots in Grand Prix in the ‘60s (with sad memorials scattered on the periphery).
Dorna are by no means dropping the ball with MotoGP history. They are regularly dipping into their own media archives that stretch back to 1992 (and much more purchased footage) for features. They will also run initiatives, such as the career-spanning collection of Valentino Rossi’s machines in Valencia 2021. The reception area of the VIP Village even had a travelling museum detailing the progression of onboard camera technology. For their own 25th anniversary of pulling the strings of the sport there was a dedicated book and documentary. And, of course, there is the steadfast commitment to swelling the MotoGP Legends gallery several times a year.
But much more can be done. Just look at the popularity of Classic races, annual fixtures like the Goodwood Festival of Speed on the UK and the retro movement that has even persuaded motorcycle manufacturers to look backwards for styling cues to apply to latest road-going hardware. F1 currently have an official exhibition in Madrid where history forms an important part. Apparently, London will be the next site. With the 75th anniversary happening in 2024 (this year is the 75th ‘season’) there is no better excuse to invest in the past motorcycles, the memories, the names, the liveries, the photography to show MotoGP’s journey and how fantastic it has been since the days of Hans-Georg Anscheidt. Even MXGP cover sections of their paddock set-up with canvas drapes of former world champions and heroes; it feels like there is an absence of heritage at MotoGP itself, both the events or any external activation, and it’s a ripe field to stir fans’ fascination even further with what they are currently watching on a Saturday and Sunday.
Recently we spoke with COO Dan Rossomondo about the subject for an episode of the Paddock Pass Podcast (being released soon). The American has been wading through the deep end of the sport since accepting his job role after almost twenty years at the NBA but has his eyes wide open to the potential and possibilities of MotoGP, present, future and past: “You have to celebrate the history that is known by a lot of the core fans, they will want it and it will resonate with them,” he says “but you also have to present it in an elementary way to explain it to new fans.”
Show it, talk about it, applaud it. Also, make it more palpable. Something more than simply a well-made TikTok clip. Whether it’s a mobile multi-media ‘pop-up’ that can appear in town centres or tracks, a collection of era-defining motorcycles that can make a parade lap around a circuit or across, say, Tower Bridge, a collection of coffee-table magazines, celebratory apparel or posters. It’s a melting pot for potential but needs that focus and attention, perhaps in the same way that certain sports are now looking at broadcasting specifically for kids and younger viewers (F1 will do this for the first time through Sky and in the UK and Germany around the Hungarian GP in July). The history won’t go anywhere but how it’s used could provoke more appeal for the sport at a time when the fight is intense for people’s attention and their fixation.
MotoGP 2023
Videogamers: the latest version of ‘MotoGP’ is now ready for download for PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch™ and Steam after launching the week of the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley at Mugello. As usual, the Milestone studio have been charged with not only updating the game to reflect the 2023 series (all the riders and colours and, yes, Sprints as well) but also including some new features. Milestone have been the custodians of the MotoGP title for over a decade and for the game that forms the basis of MotoGP eSports.
The graphical quality of the game is nothing short of staggering (the lighting effects still amaze) and the grabs of the replays/cutaways here are getting closer and closer to photo-realism. Milestone knew they needed to juice-up the substance of the title as much as the style, and the main selling points for 2023 involve a re-worked Career Mode that have Turning Points to ‘shape careers and bike development based on the performance and choices of each player. For the first time in the franchise, the game also integrates a fictional social network, a new feature that will enable interaction with other riders and teams – beyond the racetrack.’ A new dynamic weather function and flag-to-flag settings mean races become more realistic and trickier and as well as neural aids to make the game playing more intuitive MotoGP 2023 also has the ‘Academy’ mode to help players with their technique.
Multiplayer scope is extended through Cross-play (although this won’t work for Nintendo Switch or PC players) and the split-screen two-player option is apparently back. Milestone have also upped the ante with customisation that allow fans to go deep with their on-track look.
Grab the title now from whatever source is appropriate for your platform.
A difference maker?
Some of the reasons why Alpinestars might have created your next essential helmet choice and how they used MotoGP to show it off…
By Adam Wheeler. Photos by Polarity Photo.
Firstly, be patient. Alpinestars finally talked about the ‘Supertech R10’ at the recent Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland and the lid that Jack Miller and Jorge Martin have been wearing since the opening MotoGP tests of the 2023. The intro came almost a full year after Andrea Dovizioso wandered out of the pitbox at the Misano test and unveiled a carbon black test version of the R10; the road-going expression from a DNA strain of the Supertech M10 motocross model. The presentation in Sachsenring was for a limited edition run of just 200 units (probably all gone by the time you read this or unobtainable anyway) with the full launch expected early in 2024. The event wasn’t only to introduce the ways in which the omnipresent Italo-Americans have tried to innovate with their helmet technology but also to illustrate why it seems to be working effectively in the harsh test bed (or proving ground) of MotoGP; an environment that can veer from high temperatures and humidity, to the type of rain and mud found at Termas de Rio Hondo in Argentina for round two to the winds of Phillip Island and, of course, all the acute demands and stresses the riders face while competing at 360kmph+.
The technical specs and the depth of engineering in the R10 are vast. So, here’s a video to give a run down and the splash page (below) will let you go to the full list but the gathering on Friday in Germany was held with Roberto Parissenti, Head of Helmet Development, Chris Hillard, Media Manager, and both Jorge Martin and Jack Miller offering up more info.
Unless a rider has decided to bury their head into the sand rather than a more advanced form of head protection in the last five years, then purchasing a new lid without the means to tackle rotational acceleration is plain dumb. Rotational acceleration – if it still needs explaining – is the consequence of an impact (oblique, so, at an angle) and the force that leads to concussion, brain injury and, in severe cases, even worse. Safety systems like Mips, 6D’s Omni-directional suspension technology, Fly Racing’s Rheon, Leatt’s Turbine 360 and Bell’s Spherical concept and more have tried to limit these forces.
Alpinestars are using Mips with their off-road M10 but have crafted their own patented module for the R10 therefore increasing its significance. “Safety is paramount for us. It’s first on the list and then we go about developing the other items,” says Parissenti, a technician with a lot of experience in the industry and a former employee at Schuberth. “We refer to the ECE 22.06, which is the new test standard much tougher and harder than the 22.05, and we worked a lot on how the helmet is made internally. We have two patents that are helping to control the forces of rotational acceleration.
“We went from a sculpture that we had in the liner with air channels to a very smooth, plain surface. We worked on tooling to get the surface as smooth as possible and then coated it with a paint that is part of the patent. This helps to reduce friction. We try to keep it simple. 6D have something more complicated because it is a rubber connection between two layers. Mips went before us with the smooth surface and rotation of the head versus the helmet but we expanded it.
“The second thing that we did is make a connection between the soft bedding around the head linked to the front and rear of the helmet with an elastic fabric that facilitates this movement,” he adds. “The most important thing is the low friction.”
“It allows the comfort liner to move against the EPS, the result is increasing rotational force management allowing the rider’s head to move independently inside the helmet,” Hillard explains further. “It can significantly reduce the force that affects the brain, the head, the neck, the spine and oblique impacts, simultaneously it helps reduce the chance of a concussion.”
The R10 is a result of five years of testing and R&D. The resources and the cost invested into the street lid must be enormous. Alpinestars even counted on the collaboration of Ducati and KTM for wind tunnel testing and this was key when it came to fine-tuning the aerodynamics and hone the race spec helmet. It might be new and new-fangled but the company has a strong reputation for getting products right, it’s why the likes of Martin and Miller were not difficult to convince.
“I don’t know exactly what goes into it [new helmet tech] but I do know that the testing to get it homologated these days is quite rigorous,” the Australian KTM rider said in Germany. “The FIM are taking massive precautions, and I agree with that. Earlier in my career I put on some things that I shouldn’t have…especially because I used to test the gravel trap more often than not! Now, and for my years in MotoGP, I wasn’t going to do that again. You need to have the best possible equipment, not only for your safety but also [to do] your job because if you get concussed then you are not coming back for a couple of weeks. You pay attention to what you are putting on your body.
“It was always going to be a challenge swapping to a new, untested project but as soon as the idea was put to me then I knew there was no other company I’d trust with that mountain to climb,” he continued. “I know through using Alpinestars boots, leathers, gloves and everything they put their fingers-on they are 100% motivated by rider safety and giving us the best performance as well as protection. So, I was all-in when I heard about the idea and the helmet has been awesome from the get-go. Once we’d tweaked a couple of things after the wind tunnel then I was happy straight away, also with the visibility and the air flow through the helmet.”
The protective capabilities of a helmet should be any rider’s main concern and will undoubtedly affect the budget. The R10 is likely to sit in the upper price range and similar to high-level products from other brands. But, realistically for road riders, the unseen tech is just one aspect and needs to be balanced with other considerations: fit, aero capability (for stability), comfort and ventilation, the effectiveness of the visor and the style.
Alpinestars easily tick the last box. Like many of their other wares, aesthetics is not a concern and the R10 is compact, shapely and both Miller and Martin’s designs are fetching. The form is distinctive. “The chinbar; you can see from the side that it is quite aggressive and comes up, this is on purpose and something we developed with the M10 motocross helmet to take the carbon shell away from the collarbone and there is a softer material underneath it to protect it,” reveals Hillard.
Aerodynamics is a pertinent subject in MotoGP and the helmet get the same scrutiny. The race version of the R10 has a larger fin (which the company have chiselled to fit the TechAir leather suits for both riders) and even its own ‘winglets’. Don’t underestimate how much these modifications assist when the guys are tapped-out on the Desmosedici and RC16.
“We came up with something that we believe is unique which are the sidewings,” Parissenti says. “The combination of these with the race spoiler brings a further reduction of 25% of the helmet’s drag and increases stability, so less buffeting and movement.”
“It’s been extensively developed in a full-scale wind tunnel with MotoGP and Moto2 motorcycles,” says Hillard. “Andrea Dovizioso helped us a lot with this and the CFD has helped us optimise low drag performance in both the tuck position and for leaning into turns. The attention to specific air distribution causes minimal lift and reduced strain on the neck when transitioning through positions; this was a top priority for our team.”
“I saw it one year ago and I thought ‘no way…’” smiles Martin. “There is nobody else doing something like that. It works well and I felt amazing at Mugello because normally when you are braking from 360kmph everything is shaking and you cannot see the corner but I really felt more stability this year.”
“When you sit up at 360kpmh and you have other bikes around you then it sounds bad but it’s true: you cannot see the corner,” Miller agrees. “Your head is shaking, and helping to eliminate that has been a massive boost. Being able to work with one company on everything make so much sense. It helps for the turbulence in the tuck position. They have put it together, and I have a package that ties-in perfectly. You look at any other helmet/[leather] hump combination out there and nobody has it as tight as us.”
Comfort and fit is helped by the patented ‘A-Head’ system. “We are quite proud of this,” says Hillard. The modifiable 12-position interior is a carry-over from the M10 where it was “well appreciated by the riders”. Martin and Miller seemed particularly complimentary about this facet. The R10’s weight comes in at 1540g in a medium size and after meeting ECE, DOT and FIM standards. Ventilation is primed thanks to 11 different vents.
A dependable visor was another first contact point for stringent development. The R10 has a metal closure system and hinge and the shape of the lens provides a decent 220 degrees of lateral vision with 57 degrees vertical, “which gives a good panoramic view and the feedback from the riders, Jorge and Jack, was about the visibility being a real point of difference,” Hillard states.
The quick-change unit had a baptism of fire (or ‘water’?) in Argentina; a sodden Grand Prix where Alex Rins was photographed prizing open his HJC visor on the main straight to stop misting. “The first wet race was always going to be the first real test because you are going more than 300ks and with essentially a Karcher blasting at you, and I think the helmet proved itself there because I did not have an issue all race long,” Miller recalls. “To tell you what it was like I couldn’t see through the bike’s windscreen all race. We were covered head-to-toe with water and mud. It basically means you are heading down the main straight and putting your helmet into the maximum airflow and waterflow. There was no fogging or water on the inside of the helmet, the only issue I had was the mud sticking to the visor and I had to use my thumb like I was wearing a motocross goggle but there was nothing that could be done about that. It was the perfect test ground.”
Hillard was quick to add a curious piece of information that shows the amount of thought and consideration that go into the minutia of product development. “We did extensive testing in Asia during Monsoon season. We had a team that had experience in rain conditions. We were nervous about Argentina because it was real-time, high-stakes, so we were very grateful for the reaction after.”
Patience then until 2024. Martin and Miller have arguably exceeded expectations on the track with their results so far – the Spaniard emerging as a serious title contender and Miller in play for silverware from the ‘off’ with the KTM – so their personal gear is by no means an impingement. With the Supertech R10 Alpinestars could be superseding their own potential and motorcyclists will be spoilt with even more possibilities for head protection.
No way back?
By Neil Morrison. Photos by Polarity Photo.
There are bad weekends. And there’s Honda’s 2023 German Grand Prix. In years gone by, Marc Marquez not winning at the Sachsenring, where he had placed 1st in every one of his previous eleven races, would be considered newsworthy. Disastrous even.
But the seventh round of 2023 was so much worse. There were five crashes for Marquez and one for Takaaki Nakagami, more scary moments than either rider would care to remember and a haul of two meagre points on territory it used to call its own. Considering the severity of some of the falls, the Catalan could count himself lucky to come away from the ordeal with ‘only’ a small fracture in his left hand and ankle.
For a factory that has won 21 rider’s titles and 313 races over the past four decades, recent numbers are damning. As well as sitting last in the Team’s Championship, with just 20 points, neither of Repsol Honda’s riders made the race for the second time in seven outings. Honda was missing 75% of its rider line-up on Sunday afternoon due to injury. And the one RC213V that did finish was 14th, 25.3s behind the victor.
To listen to Takaaki Nakagami over the weekend was to understand that even HRC’s most loyal employees are starting to speak out on the bike’s wailing deficits. “There’s no grip and the front end is always closing mid-corner,” said the Japanese rider. “And, (on) exit the rear grip is really bad. The bike is moving (and) shaking a lot.”
In the age of electronic aids, no other manufacturer suffers highsides, never mind with the worrying frequency HRC’s machines do. It didn’t seem Marquez did anything wrong before the warm-up fall that put him out of the race. “He wasn’t overriding, he didn't miss the apex,” said Nakagami, following close behind. “When I saw this, honestly, I was scared, because I'm on the same bike, and a couple of times I had the same feeling.” Remember how Joan Mir (broken finger) and Alex Rins’ (right tibia and fibula fracture) have also fallen foul of the bike’s defects and it’s entirely fair to say the bike had become a liability, unsafe to ride.
Yet even more worrying than the numbers and the RCV’s chronic lack of performance is the general feeling this project is sinking toward further depths. The Sachsenring offered up evidence of the frustration building within the Honda camp. Has there ever been a time when an eight-time champ has given his bike the middle finger mid-session? And in those minutes after his warm-up crash when Marquez sat ruefully trackside, gathering his thoughts, it was entirely feasible to imagine him plotting a way out of his current contract which runs for the next 18 months.
Honda is stuck in a stasis. Adamant its methods are superior to all else, it appears unwilling to take on expertise from elsewhere. Yet the reality is its technical team in Japan have remained frozen, unsure which development direction to take over the past 18 months. Compared to Ducati, Honda is lagging so far behind in aerodynamics and electronics set-up, it’s embarrassing.
In times of crisis, leaks get out. One startling admission last weekend was how personnel in both Honda’s MotoGP teams have not heard of any updates regarding next year’s bike, or major improvements incoming. With the Misano test less than three months away, this is baffling and suggests the factory is already on the back foot for next year.
What’s most perplexing is that Marquez met with Shinji Aoyama – the second highest ranking executive at Honda Motor Company – and Koji Watanabe – president of HRC – at Mugello. Could either boss not see how its machine performed there? Or the image of its lead rider standing over his stricken machine with arms outstretched. If that didn’t set alarm bells ringing, what will? And it begs the question: is Honda even interested anymore?
Of course, this current malaise isn’t solely affecting HRC. A similar article could be written on Yamaha, who only performed marginally better on Sunday. Lead rider Franco Morbidelli came home in twelfth, meaning this was the first premier class race with no Japanese machine in the top ten since 1968. “We can all it a Japanese crisis,” said the Italian soon after. “Something got lost along the way. And the Europeans were able to work better, especially the Ducatis and the KTMs.
In Germany I was told how one of Honda’s past riders instructed a senior HRC technician how to improve the launch control. This rider had come from a rival manufacturer, roughly understood how its superior system worked and wanted to transfer it to the RC213V. Instead, he was told bluntly that after months of discussions, meetings and then testing back in Japan, this would take a full year to find its way to his bike. Compare to the recent approaches of Ducati and KTM.
If the past can offer up a lesson, it’s that such problems can be solved by an open mind, an open chequebook and some aggressive hiring of personnel from rival factories. Honda themselves benefited from this exact strategy in 2009 and ‘10, when Casey Stoner and Livio Suppo were brought in from Ducati, and three electronics engineers – Carlo Luzzi, Andre Zunga and Cristian Battaglia – from Yamaha. By 2011 they were world champions again.
Problem is, Shuhei Nakamoto was then in charge – an engineer and boss who carried the authority to pull-off such moves, to get things moving back in Japan. And then Honda was at least showing some balls, some initiative to tackle the problem head on. Those traits are sorely lacking right now.
It’s hard to not look at the Sachsenring as the moment when key members of Honda’s operation – Marquez included – lost total faith in its ways. Worse still, these recent races raise the question whether Honda even sees itself as part of MotoGP’s future in years to come.
Alpinestars
When Alpinestars were able to pull Fabio Quartararo away from the high-level IKKS fashion brand then they could work on the new El Diablo collection with 2024 goods. The former world champion has helped design two jackets, two hoodies (one in the ladies’ Stellar range), a fleece, two types of shoes and five different gloves with his distinctive ‘horned’ 20 logo and red and blue colours. “The inspiration of the collection was based on my first helmet with a devil, so that's why we came up with this idea for the capsule,” he says in the press release. The gear is a mix between performance and casual and even includes branded backpacks. The T-SPS and Zaca jackets are also TechAir compatible.
The full list of items includes: FQ20 Zaca Air Monster Jacket, FQ20 T-SPS Air Monster Jacket, FQ20 Chrome Ignition Monster Hoodie, FQ20 Legit Crew Fleece, FQ20 Stella Chrome Sport Hoodie, FQ 20 Faster-3 Rideknit® Shoes, FQ20 Sektor Shoes, FQ20 SP-8 v3 Monster Gloves, FQ20 SMX-1 Air v2 Monster Gloves, FQ20 Reef Monster Gloves, FQ20 Reef Gloves, FQ20 Copper Gloves.
Order a product from the Alpinestars website or visit a dealer for more info or to try a garment for size.
Unfinished Business? 2023 Isle of Man TT
By John Close. Photos by Taku Nagami.
Record breaking, utterly unique, blisteringly fast. The superlatives roll out far too easily when it comes to describing the Isle of Man TT. The annual event held between late May and early June arguably epitomizes motorcycle racing prowess in its rawest form; where riders test their limits and chase immortality on the treacherous 37.73 mile, 260+ corner, Snaefell Mountain Course.
The protagonists of the TT are not Grand Prix superstars either. Instead, they are a curious mix of talented amateurs, weekend-warriors, and a smattering of British Superbike Championship competitors. The former collective working for eleven months of the year to pay for a fortnight’s road racing.
It’s a well-documented story by now of course but one that still keeps thousands of fans riveted to the action every year. Better yet, the 2023 edition will unquestionably be remembered as one of record-breaking achievements, and in some ways a prelude to a much bigger headline splash scheduled for 2024. Allow us to explain…
At the heart of this story are three so-called aliens of the current TT paddock. Three riders whose skill, bravery, and speed transcend even the lofty TT benchmark to simply ‘be’ on the startline of Glencrutchery Road with a 220+ bhp Superbike. Peter Hickman, Michael Dunlop, and Dean Harrison.
Between Hickman and Dunlop alone, all of the eight available solo class wins fell their way, while Harrison mopped up six further podium finishes. Not only that but the Hickman-Dunlop duo also traded blows by setting, and breaking, each other's new outright speed and lap records.
Dunlop went first by unofficially smashing the record during qualifying with a stunning lap of 135.531mph - faster than Peter Hickman’s official lap of 135.452mph set in the 2018 Senior TT. Come race week Dunlop upped the ante once more; winning his first Superbike race since 2018, and setting his fastest ever TT lap of an average speed of 135.046mph. In the Supersport class Dunlop broke new ground, with a stunning first-ever 130mph lap - something previously thought impossible.
Not to be outdone, Peter Hickman reminded fans why he is a force to be reckoned with by scorching to a double victory in the Superstock class. Hickman had initially struggled with an ongoing list of technical issues on his FHO Racing BMW M1000RR, however he simply rode through them to take a podium finish anyway.
For those that missed the specifics, the English rider contested the 226 mile six-lap Superbike race with intermittent front brakes, a broken quickshifter, and heat issues which were slowly cooking his right foot inside his boot. On the first lap, while approaching the blind-apex 130mph left hand corner known as Ballagarey; Hickman pulled the front brake lever - which promptly pulled right back to the bar with no effect - so Hickman simply “dropped it down a gear, and tipped it in”.
In addition to winning the second Supertwin race, and joining Dunlop’s newly established 130mph club in the Supersport category, Hickman went on to take his third Senior TT win - bringing his career tally to 13 victories overall - putting him 9th on the all-time winners list, one victory behind the legendary Mike Hailwood.
“To be one win behind Mike Hailwood, oh my god, what a statement!” explained Hickman. “It’s just nice to reward everyone with the Senior win and with four wins, three seconds and a third, it’s been a hell of a TT for me.”
Despite the fanfare of the double Superstock wins, and the Senior TT eluding him, it was Dunlop however who held the focus of the headlines post-race. The Northern Irishman now sits tantalizingly close to his uncle’s (Joey Dunlop) all-time record of 26 wins - following his incredible winning performances, which place him second on the list with 25.
While most mere mortals can only dream of finishing a TT, scoring four wins, setting new records but missing out on the Senior TT win meant disappointment for Dunlop. “We’ve won four races this week. It’s good for the team and it’s good for me to become the second most successful ever person around the TT. I won on the big bike, I won on the 600 and I won on the twin; I don’t know, I’m a bit disappointed because I thought we had more but it just wasn’t to be.” he said - typically a man of few words.
Nevertheless the 34-year-old now stands on the very cusp of greatness - with his legendary surname set to raise the road-racing bar once more. It’s just a shame we will all have to wait eleven months more to see it happen. Unfinished business? Just maybe…
***
Our final thoughts go to Spanish rider Raul Torras Martinez, who lost his life after crashing in the opening Supertwin race. The 46-year-old was a popular and experienced TT racer, making his debut on the island in 2017 and competing in a total of 21 races. He was the fastest Spaniard ever to lap the TT course, recording his fastest speed at 125.470mph (201.924km/h) in the opening Superstock race this year.
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