Episode 193 of the Paddock Pass Podcast is out, and this one is one of three season-preview shows that we will be releasing this week. Of course, we are starting with the MotoGP Championship
On the mics, we have Steve English, David Emmett, and Adam Wheeler, and they are joined by MotoGP pitlane reporter and ex-grand prix racer Simon Crafar.
Simon brings with him a host of information and knowledge from a life in the paddock, and it was a genuine pleasure and privilege to have him on the show.
2017 has been a strange year in motorcycle racing. We have had one of the best ever seasons of racing in MotoGP, with close finishes and a surprise title challenger.
We have seen one of the best ever WorldSBK riders stamp his authority on the series, though that has also seen the championship suffer partly as a result.
We have seen young talent come through in the support classes, and older talent recognized and appreciated. There has been much to celebrate.
But there has also been much to mourn. 2017 saw two of the most iconic names in motorcycle racing lose their lives, ironically, both in traffic accidents and not on motorcycles.
Nicky Hayden was killed while out training on his bicycle, hit by a car as he crossed a road at a treacherous crossroads. Angel Nieto suffered head injuries when he was hit by a car while out riding a quad bike on Ibiza.