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Paddock Pass Podcast – Qatar MotoGP Preview Patreon Show

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A special treat for our Paddock Pass Podcast listeners this week, in addition to our regularly planned show that will come out Wednesday, today we are sharing with you one of our shows made just for the Paddock Pass Podcast Patreon supporters (say that three times fast).

In this one, we have Steve English and David Emmett on the mics and they discuss what to expect from the MotoGP teams as we head into the opening round at Qatar, with a preview of what we’ll see at the test (which happened this past weekend).

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MotoGP

What to Look for at the First Qatar MotoGP Test

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It has been a long winter. Longer than normal. Under normal circumstances, MotoGP bikes would have been on track in Sepang a month ago. But as we have learned the very hard way, these are anything but normal circumstances.

The Covid-19 pandemic has demanded the very utmost of human endurance and organizational ingenuity to try to have even the slightest semblance of normality.

But on Friday it starts, at last. The first official MotoGP test of the year kicks off with the shakedown test for the test riders, and an extra day of riding for the three true MotoGP rookies, Luca Marini, Enea Bastianini, and Jorge Martin.

The entire MotoGP grid will join for two days of action on Saturday and Sunday, and the prelude to the 2021 MotoGP season will be well and truly underway.

Entire MotoGP grid? Not quite. Marc Márquez will not be present at the test, the Repsol Honda rider still in the midst of the rehabilitation process from the broken right arm he suffered 8 months ago at Jerez.

He will not participate in either of the MotoGP tests. And it seems extremely unlikely he will participate in the first two races in Qatar either. But he will race this year, and his return will probably be sooner rather than later.

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MotoGP

Extra Qatar MotoGP Test Scheduled to Replace Sepang Test

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The cancellation of the MotoGP test at Sepang – a result of the state of emergency imposed by the Malaysian government in response to rising numbers of cases of COVID-19 in the country – threw a spanner in the works for the MotoGP teams preparing for the start of the 2021 season.

Losing days of testing meant less time for the MotoGP rookies to acclimatize to the new class, and less track time to gather data for the coming season.

To address this issue, Dorna and IRTA announced that there will be an additional test in Qatar at the beginning of March. In addition to the original test scheduled for March 10th – 12th, there will be three more days of testing a five days earlier.

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MotoGP

Sepang MotoGP Test Canceled – Early Part of 2021 Calendar Still Subject to Change

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The MotoGP Test at Sepang, due to be held from 19th – 21st of February, has been canceled, Dorna announced today.

The King of Malaysia, at the request of the Malaysian government, has declared a state of emergency in Malaysia, which is due to last until August 1st.

The state of emergency has been declared in an attempt to stem the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to spread around the world.

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WSBK

Assen, Donington Park, & Qatar Dropped from WorldSBK Calendar

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As the restart of the 2020 WorldSBK Championship draws near, Dorna and the FIM have issued an updated calendar.

In the previous version of the calendar, the British, Dutch, and Qatar rounds of the WorldSBK series were listed as to be determined.

These three races, at Doningon Park, Assen, and the Losail International Circuit, have now been canceled due to the organizational headaches created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Bikes

Take a Lap at Losail with Leon Haslam on the Honda CBR1000RR-R

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Trying to bring you as many breaks from the coronavirus news as possible, today’s installment features the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade. A new superbike for the 2020 model year, the venerable Blade earns its extra “R” by being the most potent liter-bike ever produced by the Japanese brand.

Already showing itself to be capable on the race track, we have high hopes for the machine when it finally comes to the USA later this summer.

Until then, we will mostly have to suffice ourselves on spec-sheet items, like the 215hp (160 kW) inline four-cylinder engine, which makes 83 lbs•ft of peak torque; the pod of aerodynamic winglets on each side of the fairing; and the wet weight of 443 lbs (201 kg) .

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MotoGP

Saturday MotoGP Summary at the Qatar GP: Dunlop’s New Front, Scooter Brakes, & Where Next

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It has been a decade, but it is here at last. The last time a rider from the United States of America took pole position in a Grand Prix was in 2010, at Indianapolis, where Ben Spies set the fastest time in qualifying. The last time an American rider was fastest in the intermediate class was Kenny Noyes at Le Mans in 2010. 2010 was a good year for Americans in racing.

Are we likely to see a revival of Americans in Grand Prix racing? Unlikely, given that there is only one rider from the US current in the entire series. But that doesn’t preclude seeing a lot of success for the US this year.

Joe Roberts has found something this year. The American Racing team (owned, ironically, by someone who is not American) have taken a big step forward with the Kalex, and the bike suits Joe Roberts’ riding style much better than the KTM did.

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MotoGP

Friday MotoGP Summary at the Qatar GP: New World Riders, Riding at Night, & KTM Gets Faster

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There is nothing like the sight of racing motorcycles entering a track for timed laps to bring a circuit alive.

If yesterday, the atmosphere was best described as eerie, the baritone roar of a pack of Moto3 bikes was enough to snap the MotoGP paddock out of its malaise.

We went from wandering around looking lost to watching the timing screens, and jumping out of the way of bikes as they entered the pits.

Walking up and down pit lane, and with a chance to focus on Moto2 and Moto3 exclusively, a few things catch your attention.

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MotoGP

Paddock Pass Podcast #134 – Qatar MotoGP Test

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Episode 134 of the Paddock Pass Podcast is out, and this one gives us a recap of what happened at the MotoGP preseason test at Qatar.

On-hand at the test was our man Neil Morrison, and he sits down to talk with David Emmett about the preseason test and what it could mean for the season.

Of note, this episode was recorded before the round at Losail was canceled for the MotoGP riders, so there are some mentions of the race there, which are obviously no longer accurate. Still, the show is packed full of good insights, and we think you will enjoy it.

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