I expected there to be more news over the winter break but the dominant discussion is KTM. They are more or less in the doo-doo but there are attempts being made to save their racing program in MotoGP.

https://www.motorsport.com/mot...News&utm_content=www

Bajaj owns the minority stake and they could buy them out. Then there are rumors that RedBull will take over the MotoGP program (huge, deep, pockets). KTM have a share holders meeting at the end of January. Other rumors are Lewis Hamilton is involved (with his management company), Mercedes as well, what a fucking mess. Apparently the root of the problem is Pierer who warned of a sales decline in 2024 but didn’t curb production to offset. They have 250,000 bikes (MX mostly) sitting in warehouses somewhere, not even shipped to stealers. They keep stating that the MotoGP program is a completely separate company from KTM and that they will remain, at least for the 2025/2026 seasons.

The 2025 team presentations from every mfr. are to be in the next few weeks and I’ll try to post them. At least we will get to see the new liveries for the coming season.

Here are the preseason testing dates:

Shakedown Test (Sepang): January 31st – February 2nd, MotoGP
Sepang Test: February 5th – 7th February, MotoGP
Buriram Test: February 12th - 13th, Moto2™ & Moto3™

Team reveals:

January 14th, Trackhouse (Aprilia), Charlotte, NC (USA)

January 16th, Aprilia (Factory), Milan, Italy

January 18th, Gresini (Ducati), Imola, Italy

January 20th, Ducati (Factory), Madonna of Campiglio, Italy

January 25th, VR|46 (Ducati), Jakarta, Indonesia

January 30th, KTM (Factory and Tech 3), Sepang, Malaysia

January 31st, Yamaha (Factory and Pramac), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

February 1st, Honda (Factory), Jakarta, Indonesia

February 8th, LCR (Honda), Bangkok, Thailand

February 9th, MotoGP season launch, Bangkok, Thailand

There will also be hoopla central around Assen this year. They are celebrating their 100th anniversary even though they haven’t been racing there for a full 100 years. Wars, Covid, etc caused breaks. MotoGP as it is now called started in 1949.

2025 Trackhouse Team Presentation:

https://www.youtube.com/live/7...?si=rJD6XmiSeiBR-6AT

July 18th is Brno!

Man, I had a good time at that track.
The elevation changes are awesome.

Glad to see it back, the Cz fans were both friendly and a shit-ton of motorcycles ridden there.

Factory Aprilia team presentation for 2025. Jorge Martin is not only using the #1 plate on this bike, he has it “all over the place”. He is definitely rubbing salt in Ducati’s pending wounds. This is worth the watch.

https://www.youtube.com/live/3...?si=ij8Z_jW8JOCElV1G

Gresini Team Presentation:

https://www.youtube.com/live/6...?si=IQ67z8fcF0FRO-jB

Ducati Factory Presentation:

https://www.youtube.com/live/M...?si=HKLr5qqkKcpMF2IR

VR|46 Presentation:

https://www.youtube.com/live/J...?si=mEaBxcwj-WXXsUjJ

The rest of the team presentations are on the MotoGP channel on YT if anyone cares to watch them.

First day of real preseason testing started today. Wrecks dominated the day.
Jorge Martin riding the Aprilia for the first time high sided. He crashed on turn 1 in Sepang. Remounted, and later on turn 5 he high sided himself to the moon. Busted his right hand and left ankle all up to shit. He went to the hospital and they are releasing him Thursday to fly home to Barcelona for surgery on both. His 2025 preseason is fucked. Sepang was colder than normal today and the riders should have been more cautious warming up the tires. Jorge was on some bullshit message deal trying to prove something when he should have just worked himself up to speed on a brand new machine.

Raul Fernandez, for the 2nd year in a row crashed himself out. His left hand is fucked, and he is also headed back to Spain for surgery. Like Martin, he’s pulled himself out of the Sepang test.

Fabio Di Giannantonio likewise did the same, he’s out of the Sepang test as well. He was doing practice starts, which turned into a wheelie, and he put the bike down, and broke his collarbone. So he is also flying home for surgery.

Fabio Quartararo was fastest on the day, Marc Marquez was 2nd, but the times don’t really mean a whole lot right now as all the riders are in shakedown mode on their new machines. They’ll matter more on Friday but even then people will be putting in softs to set qualifying times for press headlines. It’s tricky to see who is really the fastest out there with stacked lap times.

Highlights and the highside are here:

https://youtu.be/B2AI80ZgOps?si=44E3trDRT6OyHl2k

I’d embed the videos but Dorna doesn’t allow that. It would just say “blocked” and you have to watch it on YT. Kind of silly since it’s free content on a free platform. They’re just hurting their own exposure.

Day 2 times complete.

https://www.crash.net/motogp/r...sults-day-2-thursday

Looks like Yamaha and Honda have actually got some of their shit together. Fabio on the Yamaha has been at the top of the timesheets both days so far and Mir on the factory Honda is stating this is the best, most comfortable, he’s been on the Honda. Apparently both Japanese bikes have solid front ends now. Riders for both proclaiming how solid the front ends are. Jack Miller riding on the satellite Yamaha, but is a factory bike has been telling the press how rock solid the front end is on the Yamaha. I hope the Japanese are finally digging themselves out of the holes.

https://www.crash.net/motogp/r...sults-day-2-thursday

Wow, the highside where he slammed his head on the asphalt knocking off his shield looked like a banger.
I'd need serious painkillers and PT after that.

Hate seeing Marq in red.....

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:
I’d embed the videos but Dorna doesn’t allow that. It would just say “blocked” and you have to watch it on YT. Kind of silly since it’s free content on a free platform. They’re just hurting their own exposure.

I've always wondered about that, F1 does the same.
I'm guessing $/click must be different if not viewed directly on YT, vs linked on a site.