MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks

The vagaries of politics meant that MotoGP missed out on going to the Termas de Rio Hondo in Argentina in 2024, and the vagaries of politics mean we are going back again in 2025. Probably for the very last time, as next year there will be a race in Brazil, at Goiania, and possibly another near Buenos Aires, where Dorna Chief Sporting Officer Carlos Ezpeleta visited in February.

The vagaries of politics are why Termas de Rio Hondo was built and then upgraded to host MotoGP in the first place, the regional government hoping to attract tourism and economic activity to a relatively remote part of Argentina. That makes it one of the longest and most tiring journeys for everyone in the MotoGP paddock, and also one of the most expensive. And given the diminishing returns from all forms of journalism, it means there are fewer reporters on the ground than there are working class people on an F1 grid.

It is hard to imagine a greater contrast than going from Phillip Island to Buriram. You are going from the edge of the ocean to the heart of a peninsula, from freezing, blustery winds to calm air and broiling tropical heat. From a track that is open, fast, and flowing with nary a touch of the brakes, to a track where bikes alternate between being hard on the gas and then hard on the brakes. From hypothermia to hyperspeed.

To demonstrate just how very different the two tracks are, here's the data provided by Triumph in their Moto2 press release, from practice last year. The top image is from Phillip Island, the bottom from Buriram. The third trace from the top is the throttle opening, the line showing how quickly the throttle is opened and how long it is kept wide open.

In the Phillip Island data, you can see that the riders are having to gently feed in the throttle and rarely hit 100% throttle. It is only along the front straight that the throttle is held wide open.

Silverstone was the first chance the media got to ask the riders on the two big changes to MotoGP made over the summer break. In the second half of the 2023 season, Friday morning practice has been changed to no longer count toward qualifying, and from this race onward, tire pressures will be monitored to be above the minimum set out in the rules, and infractions will be penalized.

The reaction to these two changes was mixed through the paddock. The change to the schedule was welcomed, but few riders felt it would have a significant impact. Johann Zarco was one of the biggest fans of the change. "The Friday morning is easier like this because in case you want to use the soft rear tire for the long race on Sunday, it means it's the only tire that works well," The Pramac Ducati rider said. "And if you have to do a lap time on Friday morning because it can rain on Friday afternoon, you are too limited with the tires."

Having only Friday afternoon practice timed meant you no longer had to worry about the weather, "So at least you don't look at the forecast for the Friday afternoon. You just work on the morning, get this feeling and then you are focused as a qualifying at the end of the practice on Friday afternoon. So less stress and strategy, better with one tire saved," Zarco explained.