Summer Break News Recap – Silly Season, Concession Ranks and 2026 Calendar Announcements

This week on For The Love Of MotoGP:

Tim and Steve stretch out to enjoy the summer break and chat MotoGP.

Talking points for this episode include:

- The 2026 Calendar 
- Updated concession ranks
- Silly Season

The pair also spend some time basking in the reflected glory of the Lionesses – the English women's football team. 

Enjoy the show!

 Facebook

Join us in the Fantasy League

Code: ZA6ARYTM 

Patreon

You can also find us on Instagram @fortheloveofmotogp or you can reach us by email at [e-mail]

Reference material for this episode came from: https://www.motogp.com/ | https://www.the-race.com/ | https://www.wikipedia.org/ | https://www.motorsport.com/ | https://oxleybom.com/ |

Thanks for listening!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Steve, my good man. How the devil are you?

Speaker 2 (00:06):
I'm good, buddy, how are you?

Speaker 1 (00:08):
I'm very good, my friend. I'm still deep in the
celebrating football once again coming home, so I'm yeah, I'm
doing very well.

Speaker 2 (00:17):
Yes mate, I was impressed with that. The girls, uh,
they're just proud again.

Speaker 1 (00:21):
Did this proud again mate, and once again my hero
of the hour, Chloe Kelly just bossing it. So I
was chuffed to see that.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
Yes mate, she did play very well. So that Goldie
as well. Ellahampton Cover.

Speaker 1 (00:41):
Just the the entire squad just incredible, incredible women like it,
just an amazing team to pull this off, you know
Euro's World Cup final Euros again like just an incredible
bunch of athletes, just a great showing. Amazing. I'm so
happy for them and obviously Serena Viagman the coach manager.

(01:04):
Just an incredible group of people.

Speaker 2 (01:06):
Yeah, they really are. We watched several games through this
tournament and I too, what all these girls all over
the teams like Spain, all of them. It's such good
footballers and it's really good. You know, women's football has
now really coming on so strong. Yeah, they deserve all
the praise, but we watched the parade in London earlier

(01:29):
and one of the commentators the next women's football are
the same, you know, fourteen years ago and she played.
They maybe had one televised game and that was it.
They had beg people to let them play in their stadiums.
Are now the difference.

Speaker 1 (01:44):
Yeah, that's incredible.

Speaker 2 (01:45):
It's deserved as well. These girls and everyone involved has
put the effort in all over the world and they
all deserve it, and hopefully that can only get stronger
and better as years go on, and you know, grassroots
football can progress all over the world and all these
girls that want to play can and get the opportunity
to you know, play for the clubs and represent the country.

Speaker 1 (02:06):
Yeah, absolutely quite. I do wonder whether obviously we've seen
a massive explosion in women's football in the UK thanks
to or like the results I've just listed off. I
don't know globally whether it's had the same kind of
explosion as it's had here. I hope it has, but
I don't know that. There seems to be amazing teams globally,

(02:27):
like around the world of these women's teams, so I
can only hope that it is growing to the same
extent that part of me kind of thinks that it
would be very good for women's football as a game
in general for England to stop winning a little bit
or stop doing really well so that other countries can
have this same explosion that we've seen here.

Speaker 2 (02:43):
Yeah, yeah, I think now they're riding the cusp of
all this greatness that does need to be spread around
the world. Each country needs to have this explosion and
then get the praise, get the thanks, get the rewards
that come with it, and then they can throw that
back to the grassroots and teams and stadiums, facilities, everything

(03:06):
and really bring all these women on who just want
to go ahead and play. So yeah, exactly it does.

Speaker 1 (03:12):
But at the same time, part of me hopes that
doesn't happen quite so much because I'd like seeing them
keep winning, because it's a joy to be able to
celebrate like.

Speaker 2 (03:19):
That is it is. Yeah, that was really good. We
actually went out and watched it.

Speaker 1 (03:24):
Oh where did you go?

Speaker 2 (03:25):
Only down to football club where he plays. Okay, they
showed it there. Sarah played, so I brought the boys
down after nice she had a little kick about and
then yeah, we stayed, got some pizzas.

Speaker 1 (03:40):
And I bet it would have been great to watch
it with load of people, man, I bet it was.
That was just a great atmosphere.

Speaker 2 (03:47):
That was very very good. But yeah, well under line.

Speaker 1 (03:50):
ESTs, Yeah, quite well done. I got a squat out
of the hostel because I was a bit drunken, rowdy,
having a bit too much fun as soon as that
last goal winning. Yes, it was just me and surely
in the living room a bit pissed. And then their
colleague came in. She was, I think it's time you
guys leave now.

Speaker 2 (04:09):
The very patriotic Scots.

Speaker 1 (04:12):
Yeah exactly.

Speaker 2 (04:14):
Did you have your what do they call it the
butcher's apron on?

Speaker 1 (04:18):
I did not. I don't. The only Butcher's apron that
I own is on the back of my Chloe Jones
T shirt, which obviously has the Butcher's apron on the
back of that. So yeah, I'm careful not to wear
that too often around the Scots.

Speaker 2 (04:32):
No, I don't be wearing that in public. You might
not come back.

Speaker 1 (04:35):
No exactly. I get away with that on the East coast,
that'll be fine, and you're getting away with it on
the West coast though.

Speaker 2 (04:40):
No. No, very patriotically Scots, Bless them.

Speaker 1 (04:43):
Yeah, quite for anyone that doesn't know, the Butcher's apron
is the the derogatory term I suppose for the Union flag,
especially considered amongst people that are very pro independence from
the UK. So the the SMP voting Scott's, the Shinfein
voting Irish, the Applied Cumery voting Welsh would all call

(05:05):
it the Butcher's apron. Most people in England I don't
think would or would even know if that's a reference.

Speaker 2 (05:11):
No, no, I didn't until you mentioned it, and it's
just always stuck.

Speaker 1 (05:15):
Yeah quite, But yes that's the football Steve. So that's
the obligatory congratulations. Lions is done and now we have
to wait another year. What's next? Is the Men's Euros? Next?

Speaker 2 (05:30):
Then? I don't know. I don't know. I need Sarah
for this one. I think it's the men's Euros, but
don't quote me.

Speaker 1 (05:38):
When was the lot I got COVID during the Men's Euros,
which would have been twenty twenty one, I guess, yeah,
so then they would have that should have been the
twenty twenty so it would have been twenty twenty four
we had another euro So maybe it's the World Cup.

Speaker 2 (05:56):
Actually it might be the next World Cup. Yeah, it
wouldn't be us with that quick, No, exactly, let us
do that. When is the next World Cup? Yeah, it
will run from Thursday, the eleventh of June to Sunday,
the nineteenth of July twenty twenty six.

Speaker 1 (06:14):
Yeah, okay, oh yeah, Because I watched the twenty twenty
two World Cup in somewhere in South America. Must have
been Columbia. I watched most of that.

Speaker 2 (06:21):
No, well traveled man.

Speaker 1 (06:24):
Yeah, it's funny. I kind of work out where I
was in the world for various ornaments.

Speaker 2 (06:30):
Radically shifting around the world by different Yeah.

Speaker 1 (06:33):
And always with It's always fun though when you get
to watch it with people who are on the other team.
So I watched a lot of the World Cup with
a bunch of Americans. Last time I watched England lose
to Croatia in the twenty nineteen World Cup surrounded by
Croatians in Spain. So that was annoying. Yeah, it's good
for them obviously for me, I just shrunk awai at

(06:53):
the end of the game. Yeah quite.

Speaker 2 (07:00):
Oh dear, well, should we bring this back to our motorcycles.

Speaker 1 (07:05):
Let's do that, Steve. So we've got obviously we're in
the summer break now, so we've got not a huge
amount of news to cover. So this week, Steve, I
thought we could kind of when we do dive into it,
we'll have a look at the bit of news that's happened,
and then we'll kind of dive into the season. We've

(07:26):
hit the concession status updates points, so we'll talk about
that briefly, ye, and then I think we have a
chat about silly season and what's potentially going to happen
and what has been happening, and then that will kind
of bring us to the end of the show. Over
the next few weeks, we'll try and record. I think
we'll try and do a as we've done in previous years.
We'll go through each of the riders and see how
we think they've been doing, and we'll chat about their

(07:47):
seasons and stuff. But that's a show for another.

Speaker 2 (07:49):
Week, Okay, but sounds like a plan.

Speaker 1 (07:52):
So Yeah, if you're happy, Steve, shall we dive in.
Let's go for it, buddy, good stuff. So I'm Tim,
he's Steve, and this is for the love of Moto GP.

(08:15):
If you are new to the show, welcome. If you
are returning, welcome, back. This is for the Love of
Moto GP, the show where Steve and I sit down
with a couple of beers and talk about Moto GP
like we would in the pub, including the obligatory what's
been going on in English football?

Speaker 2 (08:35):
Always got to catch up on English football?

Speaker 1 (08:38):
Yeah, only when we're doing well and it's a big
international tournament. So yeah, if you kind of get this
for a few weeks a year, depending on what the
tournament is.

Speaker 2 (08:46):
Yeah, get through the intro, just fast forward if you're
not interested.

Speaker 1 (08:51):
Exactly, Maybe we should put out as a disclaimer at
the start of the show rather than after the intro.
But what're you gonna do?

Speaker 2 (08:57):
Yeah?

Speaker 1 (08:57):
Who yeah?

Speaker 2 (08:59):
Quite?

Speaker 1 (09:00):
But yes, see, as I said to you at the
start of the show, Steve, I'm feeling particularly patriotic drinking
my British lager, which is literally what it's called. And
it's terrible.

Speaker 2 (09:10):
Well so it looks terrible, it tastes terrible, but it
probably makes the two together probably make it pretty good.
It's cold, so that's that's fine. That's all good.

Speaker 1 (09:22):
Yeah, exactly exactly. I kind of needed it. My legs
are recovering. Had a long run this morning, so I
needed something to get me.

Speaker 2 (09:32):
At all.

Speaker 1 (09:33):
No, yeah, that's fair. It's I imagine what's it like.
Is it's still hot down there because it's been shipped here.

Speaker 2 (09:40):
It's not too bad on and off showers, quite warm,
very British.

Speaker 1 (09:46):
Yeah, fair enough.

Speaker 2 (09:47):
You know, dressed for all seasons. When you go out,
you just don't know what you're gonna get.

Speaker 1 (09:52):
Yeah, that's the sensible choice, Steve. Always take a coat
no matter where you're going.

Speaker 2 (09:56):
That's it.

Speaker 1 (09:57):
I am going to have to take my you lay
off because I'm getting a bit hot.

Speaker 2 (10:00):
Yeah, you potched devil ugl.

Speaker 1 (10:03):
Yeah. Yeah, it's a branded one. I didn't have to
buy it. It was it's technically uniform.

Speaker 2 (10:08):
Okay, fair enough, and then it's okay.

Speaker 1 (10:11):
Yeah, quite right then Steve. We will now let's talk
Moto GP and let's go it at Moto GP.

Speaker 2 (10:19):
Shall we let's give it a whirl?

Speaker 1 (10:22):
Okay, excellent? So first up here then, Steve. The twenty
twenty six calendar has now been released.

Speaker 2 (10:29):
Finally, it seems like I.

Speaker 1 (10:31):
Think this is about the normal time for it. Isn't
it a provisional calendar obviously.

Speaker 2 (10:35):
Yeah, it was subject to change, but this one feels
like it's come out a bit later. I'm sure it hasn't,
but I don't know. I was looking at tickets, so
that kind of brought it to my mind.

Speaker 1 (10:45):
Okay, I feel like you spent half your life looking
at MOGP tickets.

Speaker 2 (10:49):
I do, dreaming hovering over the VIP button.

Speaker 1 (10:54):
I'm realizing you'd need to re mortgage the house of that.

Speaker 2 (10:57):
Yeah. Yeah. The next tab along is like, how which
going to sell body parts?

Speaker 1 (11:01):
For? Where to sell a kidney?

Speaker 2 (11:04):
Yeah? Good buys Dave down the road.

Speaker 1 (11:07):
We knew we buy any Augan dot com.

Speaker 2 (11:09):
Yeah. Literally, that testicle is point five million.

Speaker 3 (11:13):
Yeah, don't need these anymore.

Speaker 1 (11:17):
I'll tell you what I found myself watching for the
first time this year. I watched super Bikes at the
weekend because they were at Balton Park and I want,
obviously myogps going there this year. I kind of wanted
to see what it looked like. Oh, I don't know.
I don't know how I feel about this track. Man,
it's going to be weird with motor GP bikes. There's
some weird, tight, twisty sections. I'm not convinced that motor
GP is going to be very good around there, but

(11:38):
we'll wait and see.

Speaker 2 (11:39):
Yes, we will It's going to be interesting.

Speaker 1 (11:42):
Yeah, but anyway, Yes, the twenty twenty six Canadar Steve,
I'm going to run through it quickly here and then
we can kind of chat on any thoughts and feelings
we have about it.

Speaker 2 (11:52):
From there, let's go for it. Bike.

Speaker 1 (11:54):
So the twenty twenty six season will start once again
in Thailand before heading over to the America's three weeks
are later, but instead of Argentina, the series races in
Brazil for the first time since two thousand and four
before going north to Texas. Then, much like this year,
Qatar follows before the European leg of the season begins

(12:14):
in her Eath, followed by Lemon. Yeah, it's a good start. Actually,
I quite like this. It's still weird that Thailand's at
the start and not during the Flyaways. That seems like
an extra whatever, an extra added flights and costs.

Speaker 2 (12:31):
Every year does seem a bit strange. I quite like it.

Speaker 1 (12:36):
I kind of feel like it for me, it would
be better if we could just start in the America's,
you know, start in Brazil, do Texas, plug Thailand back
in with the rest of the Flyaways and kind of
hit the Americas, Europe.

Speaker 2 (12:47):
Flyaways and that does make more sense.

Speaker 1 (12:52):
Yeah exactly, but yeah, but generally it's a nice mix
of circuits there to start the year.

Speaker 2 (12:59):
Yes, it is from there.

Speaker 1 (13:01):
Catalineur is next and that will be much earlier than
this year, and then it's followed by Magello, which is
again three weeks earlier than this season, and then it's
onto Hungry, the aforementioned Balaton Park, which will take place
almost three months earlier than it will this year. Bruno
is also earlier, with Asen filling the usual spot towards
the end of June, and Saxon Ring rounds off the

(13:24):
first half of the year in mid July.

Speaker 2 (13:27):
Yeah again, European scating.

Speaker 1 (13:31):
Yeah exactly. It's kind of one of those pores. Once
you're in Europe, it sort of doesn't really matter where
the races are, like, you're just bouncing around between. Most
of the gear is going to be driven, is not
going to be flown, so that's fine. I know most
of the riots and personal they'll be flying, but the
really heavy staff, the freight and that will just be
driven between episode. Doesn't really matter what order it any
of this is in.

Speaker 2 (13:51):
No, the trucks will be flying all over Europe.

Speaker 1 (13:55):
Exactly. The summer break takes place a week or so
earlier this year, and the series returns to Silverston in
early August, which is the traditional place on the calendar.
That's the August Bank Holiday here in Then it's Aragon
taking place almost two months earlier than it will this year,
and Mazano in its traditional position on the calendar, before

(14:18):
Austria rounds out the European leg a month later than
it will do this year. Oh, the Flyaways are then
in their usual order, Japan, Indonesia, Australia and Malaysia all
within a calendar month. But there is a week break
between Mandalika and Philip Island.

Speaker 2 (14:35):
That's okay, give him a rest.

Speaker 1 (14:36):
It's high, yeah, quite, it's a yeah, you wouldn't want
to And fuck, man, do you imagine if four races
on the bounce were stupid like that would be mad.
That's not just bad for the riders, that would be
mad for everyone, like all the teams and that there's
just no thing is for the Flyaways. A lot of
these guys will stay out for the entire I know
the riders home for the week off, but the person

(14:58):
el and staff won't. They they'll be out there for
that kind of five week stretch.

Speaker 2 (15:03):
Yeah, that makes sense. Otherwise your mileage, airtime jet leg
would just be insane. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (15:08):
Quite. And then the series returns to Europe for Portugal
and the season finale in Valencia, and both are about
a week later than this season.

Speaker 2 (15:19):
Fair enough.

Speaker 1 (15:21):
There are no triple headers in twenty twenty six, but
the season will feature eight double headers instead. So yeah,
that's that's a lot of racing that's going to happen.

Speaker 2 (15:31):
That is. Yeah, back to back eight times, it's a lot.
But I quite like the idea rather than triple headers.

Speaker 1 (15:39):
Yes, I'm not a fan of a triple header man,
for any kind of racing sport. I like the I've
said it before. My ideal is a sixteen to seventeen
race season, never a double header, like just breaks between,
keep you wanting more, keep you anticipating, and it never
feeling luck. It's dragging.

Speaker 2 (15:56):
Yeah, yes, definitely.

Speaker 1 (16:01):
It's also worth noting, as we've said that this is
a provisional calendar and things could yet change. Brazil's slot
on the calendar is still subject to moligation, and interestingly,
the Hares Race is listed as subjects to contract. But
I think they've already pend a deal until twenty thirty one,
so that's likely a formality.

Speaker 2 (16:20):
Yeah. I think it's just like, let you say, crossing
the t's and dot the eyes and all that stuff.

Speaker 1 (16:26):
Yeah, and then the season opening celebration hasn't been announced
yet either. It was in Bangkok this year, but while
the event has been confirmed as happening, where it will
take place hasn't yet been announced. So hopefully it will
come to a scene near you, because it is a
fantastic event to go to. I was lucky enough to
be in Bangkok, which timed perfectly this year for me

(16:49):
to go to this, and it was fantastic. It was
a great event. So if anyone is anywhere near a
city that this is taking place here, like absolutely go
it is well worth it.

Speaker 2 (16:59):
The photos you were said, we were just nuts. And
the fact that you just wandered in, you know, a
little place, wanted.

Speaker 1 (17:05):
Into a press only area as well. I think that helped.
The thing is it helped in Thailand because the part
of it is if you're just a fucking white guy
and you just act with the arrogance of a mediocre
white man, you can sort of like people aren't gonna
question you. So I kind of just wandered into that
press only area without realizing it was there, which is
why I could just wander in and then no one

(17:26):
told me to leave. Fair enough that that's the calendar.
So yeah, you know, I'm happy the calendar is the calendar.
As per usual, there's some mixing around. I'm happy to
see Silverstone return to August. The weather will likely be British.

Speaker 2 (17:49):
It's going to be very British.

Speaker 1 (17:51):
It's either going to be, you know, pouring with rain
or everyone's getting sun burnt, so you can't tell over
the weekend.

Speaker 2 (18:01):
Yeah, I don't know when tickets are out, and just
see if the tickets are on offer yet. I don't
think they are.

Speaker 1 (18:08):
Doubt it, as this is a provisional calendar. I don't
think the tickets will be out until the calendar is confirmed.

Speaker 2 (18:13):
No, I think you are right. I think you are right.
Let me just get through to the next year. Yeah, nothing, Yeah,
absolutely nothing. You can sign up for. It might go
this year, we'll see.

Speaker 1 (18:29):
Well, I do know I'm going to be over in
New Zeeland for this season, so I'm a long way
from any of Phllip Island is going to be my
closest race likely. But even that's going to be a
fucking hoof.

Speaker 2 (18:39):
I was going to say, yeah, that is still yeah,
you get the logistics of getting back across there will
be a nightmare. But just go, buddy, plan it and
tell you really, you're taking it for a picnic.

Speaker 1 (18:51):
We're going to a lovely Australian island. It's going to
be beautiful, it will be amazing. The weather's going to
be fantastic. We'll get to see wallerbes, we'll get to
see a bunch of massive sea gulls potentially in fairings
in what doesn't matter. Don't worry about it.

Speaker 2 (19:08):
It'll be amazing. She would skin you alive.

Speaker 1 (19:13):
Yeah, she wouldn't be happy. She wouldn't be happy at all.
But you know, to be fair, I think she if
she knew, she'd be like, well, why don't we just
save the money and you just go and then that's fine,
do a little holiday of my own, much like she
did when we went to Valencia, Steve she went. She
was in the north of Spain the whole time, she
was walking a camino while you and I are watching MOJP.
So she'd just go and do her own holiday.

Speaker 2 (19:33):
I love that, but I think that's great. She's just like, yeah, you,
I'm off, you're doing it.

Speaker 1 (19:38):
She's like, you're going on holiday. I'm going on fucking holiday.

Speaker 2 (19:41):
I that I like the no, like just big balls attitude.
I'm off.

Speaker 1 (19:47):
Yeah. Wait, so there was me the whole time again
updates with sher hanging out with loods of European men
just walking through the north of Spain.

Speaker 2 (19:56):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (19:57):
Yeah, well that one looks like my dad. That's weird.

Speaker 2 (20:01):
This one's called Antonio.

Speaker 1 (20:06):
But yeah, that's that's the twenty twenty six calendar. So
things might change, Some of these dates might change. Brazil
might not happen at this point, Harreth potentially might not happen,
but I think it will whatever. So yeah, the only
one's truly up in the air is Brazil. And actually
they've not given themselves all that much time with it

(20:27):
being very early in the year to get their motgation.

Speaker 2 (20:30):
Yeah. I haven't thought about that. They're gonna have to
crack on with it.

Speaker 1 (20:35):
Quite. I think Brazil have got elections at some point soon,
haven't they. Twenty twenty six. Brazil have got general elections,
but it's not till the end of the year, so
that would make a difference like it did in Argentina. No,
fair enough, but that's that's it. That's the twenty twenty

(20:58):
sixth calendar. So from there, Steve, let's move it on
to concession statuses.

Speaker 2 (21:06):
Let's go for it.

Speaker 1 (21:08):
So the summer break marks the point in the season
where the concession status of the motor GPN manufacturers can
change depending on their performance, and this concession reset takes
into account performance from the second half of the twenty
twenty four season and the first half of this twenty
twenty five season. Yes, so are there any changes in short? No, No,

(21:33):
thether are not.

Speaker 2 (21:34):
No, nothing is happening.

Speaker 1 (21:37):
No. Brilliant came close to dropping down from rank C
to rank D, but a good final few rounds from
Berzeki and the return of Martin bringing in some more
points just about kept them in Rank C. Yeah, DOCTI
remain Rank A having won. This was mad when I
went back and looked at this. They have won every

(21:58):
sprint race since this point last year, and all but
two Grand PRIs.

Speaker 2 (22:04):
That's insane. They're definitely.

Speaker 1 (22:07):
No, they are absolutely not. And those two Grand Prix
obviously were Zarco at Lemon and Bazeki in Silverstone amazing,
and their dominance isn't just this like mad rather of
like oh my god, They're just unstoppable. It's also preventing
other manufacturers from rising up the concession ranks because the

(22:28):
rankings are based on a percentage of points scored out
of the possible total. Doukati have been taking all the
big points positions, making it almost impossible for anyone else
to score enough points to move up.

Speaker 2 (22:39):
Yeah, that I think needs is dressing. If these guys
still need to catch up and have the development, so
there needs to be a little change in there.

Speaker 1 (22:49):
Look well, but this is the point though, isn't it.
If they're not catching up, it means they've got development time.
So longer they are in lower rankings, the more testing
they can do and arguably the more likely they are
to to develop. So and probably if Catie didn't have
Mark Marquez right now, they wouldn't have won every race
like they have done. They had own way, So potentially

(23:11):
there would be some ranked BE manufacturers right now. Are
Prillier potentially would be a ranked B manufacturer if it
hadn't been for Matt Marquez and Dukati. So yeah, I
think the concessions as it is, I think is working
very well. Although no one has moved up as such,
everyone has I think, got closer to do Catti, and
that's kind of the point.

Speaker 2 (23:32):
Yeah, they are definitely getting closer, but like you said,
they're not moving up, but they are still closing that gap. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (23:38):
Yeah, the numbers here don't tell the full story, no,
so they really don't. Yeah, I think they are working,
but yeah, at admitted to Castie is just still on
top of the fucking world. And like I say, a
large part of that is thanks to mart Marquez, because
look at the other GP twenty fives. If it wasn't
that mar Marquez right now, a GP twenty five wouldn't
be leading the championship.

Speaker 2 (23:58):
No, not at all.

Speaker 1 (23:59):
No, Katim though they had a solid end to twenty
twenty four and have had a reasonably good points all
so far this year, so they also remain a rank
C manufacturer with a Prillia rare enough and Honda and Yamaha,
while both improving dramatically from last year, I yet to
score enough points to drag themselves out of the D ranking,

(24:21):
so they continue to get all the testing advantages that
come with it. And unless something dramatic changes, I can't
see either of the Japanese factories moving up to Rank
C by the end of the year. But that probably
suits them quite well because it allows them to do
all of this testing for the twenty to a seven
rule change. Like I think, no one actually probably wants

(24:43):
to move up right now. It's probably beneficial for every
factory to say were exactly where they are and let
you know, do Katty be at the top with limited
testing and everyone else can set themselves up really nicely
for this move into the new rule set in twenty
twenty seven.

Speaker 2 (24:59):
Yeah, so I completely agree. I think it's although I
said they need to be changed earlier. Now listen to
you chat about it doesn't make sense. They're all getting
exactly what they need.

Speaker 1 (25:09):
Yeah, And I guess for anyone who needs a quick
update here on what happens to these different manufacturers and
what they get or what they don't get for moving
for their concessions rank Rank A manufacturers. And this is
for teams that have scored up to eighty no more
than eighty five percent of the total points. They get

(25:32):
a limited number of test tires. They get one hundred
and seventy tires to test. They are only allowed to do
private tests with their test riders. They're only allowed to
test at three Grand Prix circuits. They're not allowed any
wild cards. They're allowed seven or eight engines per season,
depending on how many races they end up being. They're
not allowed any engine development, and they're not allowed any

(25:53):
eer updates.

Speaker 2 (25:54):
Nope.

Speaker 1 (25:56):
Ranked B manufacturers for people with more than sixty percent
but less than eighty five percent of the points, get
one hundred and ninety sets of tires to test. They're
only allowed to test to their test riders. They're only
allowed to test the three grownd Pre circuits, but they're
allowed three wild card entries. They get the same number
of engines. They're not allowed to develop the engines. They
get one aerow update. Ranked C manufacturers this is KTM

(26:18):
and Aprillier and these are teams with more than thirty
five percent of the points but less than sixty percent.
They get on two hundred and twenty sets of tires
to test. Private testing can only be done with a
test rider and again only at three Grand Pre circuits,
but they get six wild card entries seven or eight engines. Again,
they're not allowed to develop the engine, and they only

(26:38):
get the one aero update and then the D rank,
the one hundred and the yamahas here less than thirty
five percent of the total points. They get two hundred
and sixty sets of tires, they get ninety sets of
tires more, they can do private tests with anyone. They're
test riders, they're actual riders. They can test any Grand

(27:00):
Prix circuits. They're allowed six World Card entries. They're allowed
nine or ten engines a season, and they are free
to develop their engines throughout the year. And they get
two arrow updates as opposed to one.

Speaker 2 (27:13):
There's bonuses for being at the bottom.

Speaker 1 (27:16):
There is, and that's a really good thing. I like this.
What is it called it? It's a negative feedback loop,
isn't it?

Speaker 2 (27:22):
I think? Yeah?

Speaker 1 (27:23):
Or is it a positive feedback? I think it's a
negative feedback where the people at the people at the
bottom get more advantages in order to track and close
the field up. And I just think that's a fantastic
way of doing it, and that's a fantastic way of motorsport,
and that's the way it should always work.

Speaker 2 (27:35):
Yeah, yeah, I completely agree. I think that works very
very well.

Speaker 1 (27:41):
Quite and it takes a little while to see though,
Like we are seeing the effects of it now. Yeah,
it's not instant at all. And I know I always
bring this back to Formula one. Formula one. I've been
doing this for a little bit longer than Motorgipe have
and part way through last season and this season especially,
we started to see the effects of this negative feedback

(28:01):
loop working in Formula One, where Red Bull dropped from
absolutely dominant to just managing to scrapen to title at
the end last year to now not being really in
the title fight at all, whereas other teams have climbed up.
So we will see that in Motor GP in the
next few years. But I also think that we're going

(28:22):
to hit it a weird time where the twenty twenty
seven rule set is going to come in and just
throw everything in the air.

Speaker 2 (28:26):
Anyway, Yeah, exactly. It's working for the meantime.

Speaker 1 (28:30):
Though, Yes, yeah, quite, he's bringing everyone closer. He might
not feel like it at the moment, but everyone is
getting closer. Yeah, And like we say, mar Markets is
the guy that's making him feel like everyone's not.

Speaker 2 (28:47):
Yes, yeah, he is solely to kind of just holding
Ji Catty at the top of the minute.

Speaker 1 (28:52):
Yeah, quite, it's just silly. Let's just I don't know, man,
We've I've run out of ways to just explain just
how amazing that man is.

Speaker 2 (29:04):
No, no, it's too difficult.

Speaker 1 (29:06):
Yeah. Quite that sound a bit like a broken record.

Speaker 2 (29:10):
Well, nothing wrong with being a fan boy.

Speaker 1 (29:13):
No, quite, mate, Quite right, Steve. We are working our
way through these notes pretty quickly today because there's not
a huge amount going on in the world, so let
us take a quick break. When we come back, we
can dive into what's going on in silly season this year.

Speaker 2 (29:32):
That's a good one, right, Let's have a break.

Speaker 1 (29:36):
Good stuff. So guys, bear with us for just one moment,
and we will be right back with you. Thank you

(29:58):
for bearing with us. We are back, lad As are empty.
Beer is still half full, so not going to crack
another one. Steve's got almost the entire glass of orange
juice there, so he's well away. Steve's juiced up. I
actually had a beer before we started recording, while Steve
and I would just have an our weekly catch up.
So I'm not gonna bother opening another one now, because

(30:21):
three seems a little excessive.

Speaker 3 (30:23):
Yeah, maybe for a school night, especially when it's quote
British lager dangerous attitude.

Speaker 1 (30:33):
Yeah, yeah exactly. This is like I would say, it
tastes a bit like it as you hadn't thought about it,
But I would describe it as cheap, stellar, not good.
It's got that kind of it's got that flavor you
know of like a stubby European bottle.

Speaker 2 (30:50):
Yeah, like a counselor.

Speaker 1 (30:53):
Yes, exactly, it's got that kind of vibe about it.
But like I said, it's free. So what you're gonna do?
Free booze is good booze.

Speaker 2 (31:00):
Free booze is good booze woman.

Speaker 1 (31:03):
Exactly So Steve, Yes, this second part of the show,
my friend, let's talk silly season.

Speaker 2 (31:10):
Let's have a look at it.

Speaker 1 (31:13):
So most seats are locked up already for next year,
but locked up is a pretty loose The locks can
easily be pried open with enough incentive to do so.

Speaker 2 (31:26):
Yeah, at the flick of a shredder, that contract has gone.

Speaker 1 (31:31):
Yeah exactly. I think most of these contracts have probably
got like a mission impossible. This message will self destruct, yeah, exactly,
three two one built into them. Somewhere there's a kill
switch built into them.

Speaker 2 (31:41):
Yeah, there's not a tab where you sign that ignites
the explosives.

Speaker 1 (31:46):
Yeah, exactly. They're like, you've looked at this now eighteen times,
which means we think there could be a problem, and
you look at it once more and it will just.

Speaker 2 (31:54):
Burn it will blow up.

Speaker 1 (31:56):
Yeah, that was what Juge Martin and alber Vallera were doing.
They're like, we look could it enough, Surely it will
just fall apart. So let's talk. I guess we'll go
factory by factory and we'll just have kind of a
chat about who's there, who's confirmed, what's likely to happen,
and because I think there's only like four seats a'ly open, No,

(32:24):
not at all, So we'll start off with the Prillier
and Bazeki fully signed up until the end of next year,
and after much rumor, speculation and bullshit, Juge Martine is
also confirmed until at least the.

Speaker 2 (32:38):
End of next year.

Speaker 1 (32:39):
Is now yeah, quite so that's uh, it's all. They're
all standing pact there. There are no changes at all,
and the same is true of Trackhouse. I Agora and
Ralphernandez both signed up until the end of next year,
Although there was some speculation, wasn't there that Fernandez his
performances were pretty crappy at the start of the season,

(33:01):
and there was some speculation that maybe a mammal Gonzalez
who tested that bike could be in the running if
Fernandez didn't get a shit together. But Fernandez, as we
said in the last show, I think Fernandez. Yeah, so
he's coming good. Now finally in his fourth, third or
fourth year Remoto GP.

Speaker 2 (33:22):
I think it's his fourth, but yeah, finally the results
are starting to show, so yeah, hopefully they'll retain him.
Is his fourth or is it his third? I'll say third,
you say fourth, and one of us will get it right.

Speaker 1 (33:38):
That's the easy way. Steve, I like that hedge the bets.
We can't get a correction corner. If we've hedged our.

Speaker 2 (33:42):
Bets exactly, everyone at homes like, damn it.

Speaker 1 (33:45):
Yeah, then we have Katim so Brad Binder signed up
until the end of next year, and Pedro Acosta the same.
But there have been constant rumors and speculation all year
that a Costa is trying to find a ride elsewhere.
Initially it was VR forty six, then it was Honda.

(34:06):
Now it's VR forty six again. But all the sensible
money says he'll stay put for next year.

Speaker 2 (34:11):
Yeah, I think it's with all the rumors, I think
it's probably given that he's going to stay.

Speaker 1 (34:19):
It's a little bit of a shame that it would
be good to see him on a do Catty, wouldn't it.
But then obviously there's so many ryders that I'm like
to be great to see them all exact.

Speaker 2 (34:26):
We just want everyone on the JUCASTI at the minute,
but we can't have it. So he's doing well at
the minute on a KGM, and I just think he
should stay.

Speaker 1 (34:35):
Yeah, I think he will stay. I think he's likely to.

Speaker 2 (34:37):
I think he will.

Speaker 1 (34:38):
The problem means for a lot of these riders is
this year is going to finish, and then the ones
that don't want to stay, I think they may see
a lot of one year deals next year. Yeah, yeah, exactly,
because it's gonna be a lot of riders well I
want to move, but fuck knows who's going to have
a good machine, who's going to perform really well.

Speaker 2 (34:58):
It's a massive So I think you're right. I think
twenty twenty seven will be a one year deal, almost whitewash.
And then unless you're very confident in your manufacturer's abilities,
you know, I think we're going to see a lot
one year contracts and a lot of a two year
silly season, if you will.

Speaker 1 (35:19):
Yes, I think that's fair. But that's fun. That's a
fun thing to talk about. I do imagine though, a
lot of the riders are going to have a better
idea of where the twenty twenty seven machines are at
than we do, like they will be. The riders themselves
are going to be talking amongst themselves. They're going to
be talking to each other. They're going to know what
different manufacturers have said to their own riders, but they're
also going to know, you know what, different like Mark

(35:41):
Marquez is very much going to be talking to his uh,
what was his? Santi Andandez very much talking to santy
Andez about what he thinks the Honda is going to
be like. And that's going to be true across the board.
Different manufactries are going to be different riders are going
to be talking to their contacts within different manufacturers and
really trying to get an idea on who's going to

(36:01):
have the best machinery coming into twenty twenty seven. And
I think for you and I we're just gonna have
to fucking wait and see. I'm sure twenty six we're
going to be talking about it. We're going to be
discussing rumors and what people have been saying. But really
none of us will know, and none of us are
going to have the same ideas as many of these
riders who are getting ready to pre pen to paper
will have.

Speaker 2 (36:19):
No exactly that.

Speaker 1 (36:22):
So the Tech three squad then for KTM, Vignalees and
Basionini both signed up until the end of next year,
but there are rumors are plenty that Bastini is looking
for a way out.

Speaker 2 (36:36):
Yeah, I understandable, I think, but I don't know. I
think we'll stay.

Speaker 1 (36:44):
I think he's likely to stay, just because options are
running pretty short. They are, but there are potential links
to the Paranak squad for next year for Bastianini, but
there are at least three other riders also looking at
that seat, so I think, and it's unlikely anything's going
to come of them. I suspect you're right. I think

(37:05):
he's going to end up with Tech three again, especially
because he had this amazing weekend in Bruno that coming
and had this moment probably of well, fuck, I can
ride this bike after.

Speaker 2 (37:15):
All, exactly. Sometimes that realization after you've done it is
like up crap to stay. I could get it done
it once, I could do it again.

Speaker 1 (37:24):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (37:25):
Quite.

Speaker 1 (37:27):
And Vis obviously, like Vigni is getting on with that
bike better than certainly better than I saw coming. I think,
better than anyone saw.

Speaker 2 (37:37):
Yeah, yeah, I completely agree.

Speaker 1 (37:41):
So Honda then is up next Steve, you know, and
Miir already signed up until the end of next year.
Honda aren't likely to get in the miror then I
going to have been him off a mid contract. And
I'll be honest, I think there is any potential suitors
that are willing to pay to get Mere out of
his contract, even if he wanted to running Now his
market value has dropped through the floor, and I think

(38:04):
that's a very sad thing for the twenty twenty world champion.
But this time at Honda has absolutely destroyed him. It
destroys his reputation I suppose, as opposed to destroying him.

Speaker 2 (38:15):
Yeah, yeah, it really has, which is a shame. I
don't know. I can't see many options for me apart
from just staying on it.

Speaker 1 (38:23):
No quite. And Luke Marini officially his contract runs out
at the end of this year, so that seat is open,
although it does look like through reports that are coming out.
I read a report on mostsport dot com, which is
also sports other website. I still don't really understand why

(38:46):
autosport and motorsport aren't just the same thing. They seem
to be exactly the same writers, exactly the same editors.
It seems to be the same people. They just write
under two different names for some reason.

Speaker 2 (38:57):
Variety.

Speaker 1 (38:58):
Yeah quite. I wonder if a sport took over motorsport
at some point and just sort of left it, got
some good links to the website that the SEO is
good to keep it or whatever. But yes, so they
are reporting that Marini has actually just signed a deal
taking him through to the end of next year, although
this is yet to be formally announced. But again, when
Auto support most Sport or reporting things, it's usually true.

Speaker 2 (39:22):
Yeah exactly. You can put quite a bit of stock
in there, get right.

Speaker 1 (39:26):
Yeah quite, And that's good I think for Marini. I
think Marine absolutely deserves to say in that Honda family.
After those massive injuries he had for Honda testing out
the zukerbike, I think he was performing pretty well anyway.
They seem to like his development chops that he's got
going on there, so it makes sense that they'd be
keeping him until at least twenty twenty seven. And I

(39:49):
think even if they get rid of him, I think
Marini finishes his career as Honda test rider.

Speaker 2 (39:54):
Yeah, yeah, I completely agree with that. He's been around
a while now. I think that's completely feasible. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (40:04):
ELSIR then getting juicy over at ELSR, So there is
some exciting stuff going on here. Zarko has yet to
confirm his deal for next year, but all signs point
to him staying put at ELSR. I think Luciello wants him,
Honda want him, he wants to stay, so I think
it's just a matter of time before he signs probably

(40:26):
another one year deal to stay there. Although knowing Zarko,
he might punt for a two year deal because that's
what took him to ELSR in the first place, over
staying at Doukati. He wanted this security of a two
year deal, and I think, to be fair, it would
be stupid of both Honda and ELSIR did not offer
him that two year deal, take him through to through
twenty six through twenty seven, and then reassess after one

(40:50):
year of the new rules.

Speaker 2 (40:51):
Yeah, yeah, I completely agree with that. I think it'd
be crazy to leave at a minute, I think he
just needs to stay put.

Speaker 1 (40:58):
Yeah. Now the Chantra one is a bit more interesting.
Cantra officially has a deal until the end of next year,
but suggestions right now are that he will be dropped
at the end of this year, potentially for the Ogo Morrera,
who is rumored to have already signed a three year

(41:18):
deal with Honda to ride for the LCR squad. Now,
this would be huge because this will be a complete change.
This would no longer be an Iedomitsu bike. This would
then be probably a castro bike, much like Ja Anzaco's
bike is, And it would be the end of the

(41:39):
Idomitzu deal and the end of an Asian rider that
has to be on that machine. So it would be
a massive change for Honda, for ELSR, for that whole
setup if Morrera came over. But there are some rectical
sources now reporting that Morrera has already signed a three
year deal with Honda to ride that machine.

Speaker 2 (41:56):
Yeah, these rumors are starting to bubble, so it does
look that way.

Speaker 1 (42:02):
Yeah, and it's worth remembering here that Marrera is one
of those players in for the Pramak seat, and he
has already got a sponsorship deal with Yamaha Brazil. Actually,
so this would be a really interesting turn of events,
especially because, as we've said, it's a massive shift for
Honda to do this, but it's also a massive shift

(42:23):
for Morrera after just you know, spending the last six
months promoting Yamaha in Brazil to then move to Honda.

Speaker 2 (42:30):
Yeah, it would be I think a too big a shift.
So I can't see him going to a Yamaha deal,
not after all the work that he's already done doing deal. Yeah, sorry,
So after all the work he's already done, it wouldn't
make sense.

Speaker 1 (42:52):
I feel like, yeah, I can see it happening. I
think I could see if Yamaha were like, okay, Diogo,
like we would really like you. But we thinking for
next year, we've got top rat coming into Pramak. We're
not going to mess with that. We'll get on Yama
at a minute properly, but we're not going to mess
with our factory squad. So we're going to keep your

(43:12):
motive to for a year and then we'll guarantee you
a seat in twenty three seven, and then Honda come
along and like, we'll just give you a seat next
year and we'll put you on a three year deal
on the factory contract ride for Elsier job done. Someone
like Marera isn't going to say no to that, even
for Honda, Like he's not. He's watched Joe Roberts turned
down and a brilliant ride and then probably spend much
of his career regreting it since then. But at the

(43:33):
same time, he's watched Diagora turn down a Honda ride
and then getting a brilliant ride out of it.

Speaker 2 (43:37):
So yeah, it has swung both ways right in his face,
but just kind of balances on what he thinks it's
going to be the better deal.

Speaker 1 (43:48):
Yeah, And I don't know, it's still hard. I still
think it's hard to bet against Honda coming into a
new rule set in twenty three seven.

Speaker 2 (43:56):
Yeah, yeah, Honda will be placed hedging all bets on that,
so would. I don't know. It's a big risk, it's
a big gamble, and I'm glad I haven't got to
make the choice.

Speaker 1 (44:08):
But for a three year deal, man, you think you
take the punt on it and make sure the contract's
fucking water tight. But you'd I think I'd be easy
for me to say sitting in a shipping container in
a car park on the out of the sky, but
I think I'd absolutely taken the pun.

Speaker 2 (44:23):
I think I take a pun as well.

Speaker 1 (44:28):
And that does bring us on to Yamaha then, so
as we said, we will go Paranac first. Here Pramak
have signed top Rack. He's confirmed and he will be
on one of the seats, but the other seat is
completely up in the air at the moment. Miller's contract
expires at the end of this year, and although Olivera
is officially on a two year deal, it looks likely

(44:50):
he's going to lose his ride for next year. That
seems to be a clause in his contract that says
that if he is the fourth of the four Yamahas,
then Yamaha can end that deal. It does looked likely
that he is going to score enough points to drag
himself up from that fourth position. And where is he
actually right now?

Speaker 2 (45:06):
He got.

Speaker 1 (45:09):
Twenty fifth in the championship or six points. The next
full time Yamaha is Alex Rinz in eighteenth, but on
forty two, so too much. Yeah, Mira's got to outscore
him by like thirty six points over the second half
of the year, and that is likely to occur.

Speaker 2 (45:29):
Yeah, that doesn't seem like it's going to happen. So
this is looking at the vacant seat.

Speaker 1 (45:36):
Yeah, so it looks like he's going to lose his ride.
So this second seat currently is a battle between Miller, Olivera,
potentially Bassinini, and potentially Morera if Morera hasn't signed that
Honda deal, which but I don't know. I think he
probably has, but probably nothing is confirmed yet.

Speaker 2 (45:58):
Yeah, it's going to get juicy over there.

Speaker 1 (46:01):
So it's going to get juicy. And there's also, let's
not forget there is also there's other guys in Moto
two right now. There's Manuel Gonzal, there's a Moto two
right now. We know Aaron Canner is looking at a
World Superbike ride if not staying in Moto two, but
there are other Moto two guys they could be looking at.
I think Barry Baltas is going to be getting some attention.

(46:23):
Jake Dixon looks like he's probably going over superbikes, but
Dennis on Chu for example. Guys, Yeah, there's other guys
in Moto two that you might be looking at rather
than keeping Miller, Oliver EA bringing Bassiamini on, Like, there's
a lot of going on for that seat. But at
the same time, Pramaco bringing in top rank Yamaha might

(46:48):
want someone with a lot of Mr. GIP experience, at
least just for next year, to help continue to guide
the project and move them forward, especially if they're going
to be getting a V four.

Speaker 2 (46:58):
Yes, yeah, that would makes sense. So I know it's
gonna be juicy. I like this one. It's gonna be fun.

Speaker 1 (47:05):
Yeah, me too. And actually, who has a lot of
V four experience? Well, fucking all of them?

Speaker 2 (47:09):
Actually, yeah, literally all of them.

Speaker 1 (47:11):
Yeah, Miller's got the Duke. Well, Miller has Honda V
four four, Katim V four experience, OLIVERA has got the
KTMV four experience, Bastine you need you, Catty, and KATIMV
four experience. So if you're looking for all that experience
across multiple machines, Miller is a safe bet signing on
another one of your deal. See how he does reassess

(47:33):
for twenty seven.

Speaker 2 (47:34):
Yeah, that would be the safe bet.

Speaker 1 (47:37):
Yeah, sure, I think that's what i'd do if I
was pak. I think I just made up my mind.
If I was Paler Kamperotti. I'd just be signing for
another year.

Speaker 2 (47:44):
Yeah, yeah, I think that you're right. That is the
safe one.

Speaker 1 (47:48):
Yeah, and just sucking up the crash bill because Yamahara
giving you three bikes anyway.

Speaker 2 (47:52):
So yeah, exactly, like, yeah, just go do it.

Speaker 1 (47:55):
Jack, Yeah, yeah, shure, that's what I would be doing. Okay, Yeah,
all right, that's it. Miller's out and the job done. Yeah.
The factory team though, Quato obviously is going nowhere. Quad
is staying until the end of next year, and then
fucking quateron Yamaha.

Speaker 2 (48:15):
He's just gonna he bleeds blue. He'll be there forever.

Speaker 1 (48:18):
Yeah, he's going to die as a Yamaha ambassador. Like
there's no way is getting anywhere. Rins, though, is the
interesting one. He is signed until the end of next
year as well, but there is constant speculation because of
his performances.

Speaker 2 (48:32):
Yeah. It's a bit up and down this one, isn't it.
There's no sort of solid links to his ride anyone
going there, but it just feels a bit.

Speaker 1 (48:43):
That's the really interesting thing, isn't it, Because you're kind
of hearing these rings. Isn't doing well enough? Ridg isn't
doing well enough, but then you're not hearing the continuation
of that rumor, which is so, and so he's looking
at getting his machine like it seems to be the
Rins will be there until the end of next year
kind of no matter what, and he's just got a
really good contract. I suspect, and I kind of suspect

(49:03):
Yamaha are hoping the V four will bring him back
to the front.

Speaker 2 (49:06):
Yeah, I think so. I think i'd just you know,
give him some time to learn to walk again and
get used in your bike and he'll be right. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (49:18):
I also suspect, Actually, now I think about it, Yamaha
do want as much experience as they can get with
a V four top rack? Yeah, okay, he has V
four experience, but it's fucking irrelevant because it's in super
bikes and it's not e mogip. If they keep Miller,
that's really good news because they can have a fast guy,
the guy that can be very fast on his day

(49:38):
and you know, a lot of the four experience Rins
has got. That year on Honda, he won a race
on a V four, so he's Miller's won a race
on a V four, so to be fair Coaatero has
never ridden a V four an in line boys, so yeah, exactly.
So it makes sense actually for them just to keep
Rins unless they go really fucking left field and they go, Rins,

(50:02):
You're done. Now this is stupid, silly season, but hear
me out, they go Rins, you're done. Miller, you get
a year in the factory team. You can you can
do a year in Blue, but we can't guarantee you
anything from there. And then maybe that maybe Rins goes
down to Branak. Maybe that opens the other barac seat
up to someone else. I don't think that's going to happen,

(50:23):
but it's a fun thing to consider.

Speaker 2 (50:25):
Yeah, that's a straight swap like that is always interesting
that I'm not so sure, but it would be cool.

Speaker 1 (50:31):
Yeah, but rinses v for a year or a V
four experience does probably help his cause to keep him
on that machine for next yearly, and then we have
do Catties. So Marquez and Bagnier both signed up until
the end of next year. Boulega is signed on as
the official test rider for next year and maybe the following.

Speaker 2 (50:55):
Year as well.

Speaker 1 (50:55):
Follow the years, okay, and I can't see either of
Marquez or Bagni are going anywhere. But Steve, I know
that you do have some conspiracy theories about this, So,
oh my god, I've just worked out, Steve. Maybe you're right.
Maybe they do bin rins off. Maybe Bagnia moves over
to Yamaha with all his V four experience.

Speaker 2 (51:15):
Potentially. Yeah, I've always I don't know, since Markets has
coming in and been so dumbinant, I've always thought he
was gonna jump ship. But I don't know. I'm starting
to swing back the other way. The more I think
about it, the more I think about the new bike
in twenty twenty seven, I just think maybe Bagnia hangs
on just byes this time. It's very sensible, watches and

(51:37):
learned from Markets and gradually gets closer to him, and
then they come out a level pegging on the new
bike in twenty toty seven.

Speaker 1 (51:48):
So I have always been on board with the idea
that Bagnya isn't going anywhere. That my last comment of
going over to Yamaha is a bit left field. I
think Bagnier stays, I think Bagner stays. Will you catty,
I think Bagnia has earned enough credit with Ducati either
They're not going to bin him off anytime soon. He'd
have to start doing really, really badly over the next
few years for them to choose to bin him off,
especially if they've got Marquez winning everything. So Bagnia stays,

(52:12):
he learns things from Marquez, he waits for the new machines.
Marquez ain't going to be around forever. Bagny's got a
good few years after post Mark Marquez World. Maybe Bagni's
best chance of another title is to wait till Marquez
leaves or retires, and then he can take the number
one mantle again within that team, and I think maybe
he holds on.

Speaker 2 (52:32):
For that potentially, Potentially, I just can't see Marquez going
anywhere anytime soon.

Speaker 1 (52:40):
I still think Marquez is looking over at Honda, and
if Marquez thinks Honda stand a chance, even if he
stays for twenty seven with Dukati and Honda, you know,
he managed to scrape a couple of race wins, and
Marquez goes if you know, if Meer could win a
race or two on the Honda, make can probably win
a championship on that bike. So I think Mark goes

(53:00):
for a romantic two year reunion to end his career
at Honda, he gets the Red Bull sponsorship back, he
stays the Honda ambassador for the rest of his career,
and whether he wins a title or not, his career
ends in the same place it started and Bagnia gets
to live and rule do Catty in a post Mark
Marquez world.

Speaker 2 (53:21):
That's very romantic. I like it potentially, yes, but I
don't hope to have to sit on our laurels and
wait this.

Speaker 1 (53:30):
Even I know this is a really long one because
we could potentally have to wait five years.

Speaker 2 (53:36):
We'll just put this one on the backburn and we'll
just kind of forget about this one exactly.

Speaker 1 (53:41):
But you remember, Steve at twenty past ten on the
twenty ninth of July twenty twenty five, I did say this, yeah, exactly.
This is my nostrodamus moment. I predicted Mark Marquez moving
to Chrissini, So this could be another blinder that I've
played the rest of the Ducati fold. Then VR forty

(54:05):
six digit is signed up to a Ducatti factory contract
to race for VR forty six until the end of
next year. He ain't going anywhere that bike is his
performance might not be what anyone wanted, including himself, But
that bike is clearly not the machine that anyone expected
it to be, and it's only the magic of mar
Marquez that has kept that machine at the top of

(54:28):
the championship exactly. Morbidelli, on the other hand, is not
signed up for next year yet, so that seat is
up in the air. The team claim it's just a
matter of time, but I suspect it's also a matter
of a Costa. I think if a Costa could find
a way out of his KTM deal, VR forty six

(54:48):
would look at dropping Morbidelli in order to get a
Costa on there. I think that yes, Morbidelli is the
VR forty six Academy rider. He's the guy that started
the academy. He is arguably the guy that Valentiner Rossi
needed after he lost Marco Simonicelli, the guy that kept
him going and built the academy around him. But I

(55:11):
also think Valentier Rossi is a fucking ruthless bastard, and
if he saw a chance to get Peder Acosta on
that machine, he would at the expense of Frankie Morbidelli.
And I don't think Frankie Morbidelli would be left without
a ride for very long, he will he'd easily get
ride over in super bikes. I suspect he'd managed to
find a ride in my gip regardless. But yeah, I

(55:32):
think the team are holding on until they know a
Costa is not available before they signed morbid Delli.

Speaker 2 (55:37):
It certainly feels that way. It's got that heir to
it where they're kind of stalling. Yeah, you're right. It's
a business now for Rossie so and it's run by
other people, so they would drop him if the potential
for someone who could give you better results comes along,
you're going to take it in a business world, So

(55:59):
I think completely right. I think they are just stalling
until they know exactly what is happening with the Costa,
and then when they get the nod will here.

Speaker 1 (56:09):
Yeah, yeah, I think that's true. And you know, if
Valentino Rossi's BMW hadn't blown up, and if he had
gone on one Lilamon twenty four hours like he was
supposed to, then maybe Morbidelli would be more likely to
get that right. But as sequence of events happened and
Valentinero Rossi really wants to fucking win something. So if
that means getting a costa over at the expense of Morbidelli,

(56:29):
then yeah, I could see him doing.

Speaker 2 (56:31):
So yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 1 (56:33):
That And then we round out with Chrisini. Steve, Marquez
and Aldegaer both signed up for next year. There don't
seem to be any rumors about this, and they're why
would there be? Both performing incredibly, Alex Marquez having the
best season he's ever had in MOGP and Fermin Aldergare

(56:54):
for a rookie right now is just having a good year,
So yeah, there's no reason to drop either.

Speaker 2 (56:59):
Of No, these two seem like the most solid of
all of them on the grid.

Speaker 1 (57:06):
Isn't that weird to think Alex Marquez and a rookie
emojip he seemed to have the safest seats out of
or at least the safest combined seats out of any
team right now.

Speaker 2 (57:17):
It is, but it just makes sense, you know. Gracilia
finally like having the best season, Alex markets is having
the gross season, rookiees having his best season. It's all rosy,
so why change it?

Speaker 1 (57:28):
Yeah? Why change it? And that then Steve does kind
of bring us to the end of the silly season
and it's bringing us towards the end of the show.

Speaker 2 (57:39):
It is, buddy, We've we've.

Speaker 1 (57:42):
Nearly got an hour out of this, considering nothing had
happened so and by the time we've done, we will
have an hour because we do need to have a
quick chat about the Fantasy League.

Speaker 2 (57:52):
Obvious we do.

Speaker 1 (57:54):
We've not done this for a couple of weeks because
it was a busy couple of weeks. It was the doubleheader,
so we haven't spoken about it for a while. I'm
a little bit disappointed we didn't because I was up
in like sixteenth or seventeenth at one point, but now
I have dropped back down to twentieth, so a little
bit sad. What are you going to do? The last
round of Bruno coindor Alex Marquez screwed me in that one.

(58:15):
But aside from that, I'm not feeling too sore about
it because I'm still ahead of you, so that makes.

Speaker 2 (58:20):
Me certainly waiting for mine to load up.

Speaker 1 (58:24):
I've got you down here in twenty ninth, Steve on
two thousand and four point five points, and I am
twenty with two thousand and fifty three points. Who did
you have a real team? Oh? You also got screwed
by Alex Marquez again. He double screwed you because of
the Grassidi team there as well, I know, I know, terrible,

(58:45):
although you do Bazeki there, so Bozeki scored you a
good chunk of points in.

Speaker 2 (58:52):
He did all okay.

Speaker 1 (58:57):
But the top ten, Steve, now, I looks it. There
is one boost left in the top ten right now.
Everyone else has used all theirs, and the guy in
eleventh place, I say, guy, I don't know. The person
in the eleventh place real Jurassic Racing there has got
two boosts left, as does Midi in thirteenth, so there
are still there's still some movement here and sixteenth yeah.

Speaker 2 (59:20):
Twenty first has got all.

Speaker 1 (59:21):
Three yeah yeah, wow yeah they do wow. Okay, so
there's a lot and they have exactly the same squad
as me as well.

Speaker 2 (59:32):
There's a few boosts left around, so.

Speaker 1 (59:35):
Let's people there are and it's still tight, and like
between the top and twentieth where I am, it's less
than two hundred points, so a good boost could move
you from you know, the bottom end of the top
twenty well into the top ten.

Speaker 2 (59:51):
Really good.

Speaker 1 (59:54):
So Steve less run through the top ten as but
usual let's have a look. In tenth place from Great
Britain is Sharold. I don't think we've seen Charald before.
That's not a name I recognize, Charald, Welcome to the party.
In ninth place, also from Great Britain, actually only point

(01:00:18):
five points clear is G five ODI, and then in
eighth from Canada again only another point five points clear
is race box Mate. This is all so tight.

Speaker 2 (01:00:34):
It is very tight.

Speaker 1 (01:00:36):
It's so tight. Seventh from Great Britain is case Stoner,
who is only two point five points clear, and then
a slightly bigger gap to sixth Camhead from the USA
with what's about five point five points clear. Okay, it's
not that much of a bigger gap, Nope, but there

(01:00:56):
is a bit of there's a twenty something point jump
here now twenty six point yeah exactly, and that is
Joystick Racer from Australia. And in fourth from the USA
is Team punk Ass Racing.

Speaker 2 (01:01:10):
Love it, but again only two point five points ahead.

Speaker 1 (01:01:15):
Yeah, it's it's tight, man, It's it's actually really tight
until the top spot where there's a big jump. Third
place from Australia with two thousand, one hundred and thirty
three points is Jason J and second from Great Britain
is Crumpers with two thousand, one hundred and fifty six points,

(01:01:37):
and then we have the big jump to Kebab Spider
from Great Britain with two thousand, two hundred and thirteen points.

Speaker 2 (01:01:47):
Best no absolute best.

Speaker 1 (01:01:48):
No, yeah, there's still some good ones, man, I'd like
what I'd looking at earlier. I saw in the bag nire.

Speaker 2 (01:01:57):
There.

Speaker 1 (01:01:58):
Yeah, we've said before, I let's go good name like
that one. So yes, there are some good ones here.
But even if you look down at the average points
for everyone here, it's so tight.

Speaker 2 (01:02:12):
Everyone's roughly scoring the same because everyone's got the Marquez
Brothers manufacturer. Nearly everyone's either got the Novo Jiacassi or
Grassini Gicassi as the team. And then it's just the
real mixture of silver riders most have got for Zeki,
I said, a few Martins stuffed in there.

Speaker 1 (01:02:34):
Yes, some people did jump on Martine pretty quickly. I
looked at dropping him in, but he was already more
expensive than I wanted him to be, so I couldn't
actually afford him.

Speaker 2 (01:02:42):
No same here, but yeah, there's all to play for.

Speaker 1 (01:02:45):
Still, Yeah, there's still a lot. It's all still there's
there's still a lot that could happen yet.

Speaker 2 (01:02:51):
Yeah, you're still kicking my arms in there, so you're happy.

Speaker 1 (01:02:55):
I've got to be beating you somewhere, mate, because our
prediction league you are crushing me our person or battle
here sor if I can beat you in the Fantasy league.
I don't mind losing out so much in the in
in our prediction league, but if you beat me in both,
I will be fuman.

Speaker 2 (01:03:12):
No, there's no hope but that.

Speaker 1 (01:03:15):
I think though. If you beat me in our prediction
league this year, I think we're going to be about
equal pegging. I think I've been doing this, no, neither
of I I could go back and check. I've got
all the shadows saved. That feels like quite a lot
of effort.

Speaker 2 (01:03:27):
Yeah, that does sound like a lot of event.

Speaker 1 (01:03:29):
Yeah, but that then, insteed, is the end of the show.
Unless there is anything else you want to add.

Speaker 2 (01:03:37):
I don't think so, buddy. Let's just all enjoy a
little summer break. It's the summer holidays over here now
in the UK, So good luck with the kids. Exactly
exactly driving me metal.

Speaker 1 (01:03:54):
Love to ripe children.

Speaker 2 (01:03:54):
My friend tell me about it. God Jesus times hindsights
is a great thing, or.

Speaker 1 (01:04:05):
Your x any works both, So then that does bring
us to the end. Steve. So guys, thank you all
very much for listening. If you have any questions, any comments,
anything you want to say to us, you can find
us on We are.

Speaker 2 (01:04:21):
For the Love of MotoGP and you can find us
on Instagram and Twitter, or come and join the Facebook community.
Come and get involved, have chats lovely people over there.
Come and put your points across. If you got anything
else you wants, drop us a line, anything to say Hi,
send us an email. We are for the LOVEMOTOGP at
gmail dot.

Speaker 1 (01:04:40):
Com and we are also over on Patreon. So if
you want to help us out and get access to
monthly bonus shows, then you can sign up over there
links in the show notes. Sign up at any paid
level and you will get access to the bonus shows.
We will be sitting down to record a couple more

(01:05:01):
of those during the off season or the not the
off season, Rake, so yeah, they'll be We'll be getting
getting close to actually, Steve to committing to actually doing
at least one a month for the entire year. So
we're doing well so far. We've managed it every month
this year, so we're better than we've managed to do

(01:05:24):
any other point throughout history of having a Patreon account
and having this show.

Speaker 2 (01:05:29):
That's amazing.

Speaker 1 (01:05:31):
Yeah, we're doing very well. So we'll put ourselves on
the back and that's we'll end this show.

Speaker 2 (01:05:36):
Hero, Yes, on a high.

Speaker 1 (01:05:39):
Exactly. So guys stay safe and look after each other,
and we will speak to you next week with our
mid season review of how everyone's doing, our very uninformed
opinions about them.

Speaker 2 (01:05:52):
Yeah, we'll tear them apart and then they'll be absolutely gutted.

Speaker 1 (01:05:56):
Yeah, exactly. So guys, stay safe and look after each Bye, Goodbye,
take care, guys. Music is by Andrew Greenwood. Thanks for listening. Goodbye,