Valencia, Spain

Midweek MotoGP (And More) Link Dump: Yamaha's V4, The Valencia Track, And An Intriguing Honda Engine

By David Emmett |

With EICMA happening in Milan, Italy, and the clean up operation in Valencia progressing, news continues to rumble on. So a short list of links and items of interest that caught my eye over the past couple of days.

Yamaha's V4 engine

Barcelona Confirmed As Last MotoGP Round Of 2024

By David Emmett |

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is to host the final round of the 2024 MotoGP season. The Spanish track will take the place of the scheduled round at Valencia, which had to be called off after the devastating and deadly floods which hit the Valencia region and damaged the surroundings of the Circuit Ricardo Tormo. The race will be held on the originally scheduled dates, from 15th to 17th of November.

Finding a replacement track at such short notice proved to be a difficult task. The track had to be available, and close enough to the production centers of tire suppliers Michelin and Pirelli to be able to both produce tires suitable for the track and ship them there. A replacement track would also have be capable of handling the formidable logistics challenge a MotoGP round poses. 

Valencia MotoGP Round Canceled, Replacement To Be Announced In Due Course

By David Emmett |

The MotoGP round at Valencia, scheduled to take place two weeks from now, from 15th-17th November, has been canceled. In light of the devastating floods that have ravaged the area around the circuit, the local authorities and Dorna have decided to cancel the MotoGP race. 

Although the track at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo was not damaged in the flooding, the access road, car park, and area around the track was badly damaged. The circuit is also being used as an emergency shelter for people who have lost their homes. As a result, the local authorities and Dorna did not want any resources which could be used in the rescue, recovery, and clean up efforts to be used to stage the GP. 

Sepang MotoGP Thursday Round Up: The Convoluted Logistics Of The Tragedy In Valencia

By David Emmett |

Normally at this point you would be reading a preview of the upcoming weekend's MotoGP round, an analysis of the track, a look at the strengths and weaknesses of key riders at the circuit, and what to watch out for. But the events in the east of Spain have cast a pall over this weekend, putting into perspective that as entertaining as MotoGP is, it is entirely trivial in the grand scheme of things.

All eyes are on Valencia in the MotoGP paddock. As the death toll from the severe storm that lashed the region west of the city continues to rise - the current figure stands at 155 in the region, plus 3 more in other parts of Spain - minds in the paddock are more on Spain than in Sepang.

Not just because MotoGP is due to hold a race at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Cheste in one of the parts severely affected by the storm. But also because there is a sizable contingent in the paddock who have either direct or indirect links with the Valencia region. Some live there, but a lot have friends and family there.

A matter of respect

Heavy Flooding Hits Valencia Region, 51 Dead, Damages Infrastructure

By David Emmett |

A severe storm has caused enormous damage all across the eastern part of Spain, and especially in the region around the city of Valencia. Extreme rainfall has caused flooding in multiple towns and villages around Valencia, with 51 people reported dead so far by the Valencian emergency services.

The rainfall was so severe that 343mm (or nearly 14 inches) of rain fell in the town of Chiva, 4km west of the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Cheste. There are unconfirmed reports that up to 680mm fell in Godelleta, just south of the track. The city of Valencia itself escaped the worst of the flooding, but the A3 motorway to Madrid is closed, as is the AP7 motorway ringroad. 

Buriram MotoGP Saturday Subscriber Notes: Bagnaia vs Martin Round 1, And A Ducati Lockout

By David Emmett |

The sprint race at Buriram may prove to be a momentous occasion in MotoGP. Two important barriers were broken. One that gets broken every year in MotoGP. And one that hasn't seen its like since 1996.

The most important barrier was Jorge Martin extending his lead to 22 points over Pecco Bagnaia. That means that with three Sunday GPs and two sprint races left, Bagnaia needs help from another rider if he is to defend his title. If Bagnaia wins all five races, and Martin finishes second, Bagnaia would outscore Martin by 21 points, 1 point short.

That doesn't mean that the title is in the bag for Martin. Far from it. The chance that Jorge Martin finishes second in every sprint race and GP is about as slim as Pecco Bagnaia winning all five races. Enea Bastianini and Marc Márquez have proven they can win races and end up on the podium, playing a role in determining the outcome.

2025 Provisional MotoGP Calendar: 22 Races, Kazakhstan, India Out, Hungary, Brno In

By David Emmett |

The 2025 MotoGP calendar has been published at last, at least in its provisional form. The calendar contains 22 rounds, starting on March 2nd at Buriram in Thailand, and ending as usual at Valencia on November 16th.

The calendar looks a little different this year, in several different ways. Firstly, Qatar is now the fourth round, being held in mid April, rather than the first round. Argentina and Austin follow the season opener in Thailand, with MotoGP heading back to Europe after Qatar.

Jerez and Le Mans are in their traditional places, at the end of April and the middle of May respectively, before MotoGP heads to Silverstone, and a much earlier date for the British GP at the end of May. From the UK, the series heads back to Spain, to Aragon, again a much earlier race at the beginning of June. From Aragon, the series heads to Mugello in the middle of June, in a race that is back-to-back with Assen.

2025 MotoGP Preseason Test Dates Announced - Sepang And Buriram To Open Preseason

By David Emmett |

The MotoGP preseason testing dates have been announced. As always, MotoGP is to kick off testing at Sepang, starting with a shakedown test at Sepang, from January 31st through February 2nd. The shakedown test will see the factory test riders prepare the bikes for the main IRTA test, as well as the factory riders for factories with Concessions in category D (currently Yamaha and Honda), and of course the rookies entering the class, Fermín Aldeguer, Ai Ogura, and Somkiat Chantra.

After a two-day break, the entire MotoGP grid will take to the Sepang International Circuit for three days of testing between the 5th and 7th of February. 

A week later, MotoGP reconvenes at Buriram, scene of the first race of the MotoGP season on 2nd March, for a two-day test. The test takes place on February 12th and 13th, with the season opener from February 28th to March 2nd. 

Mugello MotoGP Sunday Subscriber Notes: An Italian Festival, Why Better Tires Make Worse Racing, And Ducati's GP24 vs GP23

By David Emmett |

Mugello is the most Italian of racetracks. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Tuscan hills, it is a bucolic location. And the 2024 Italian Grand Prix took that to another level: held on June 2nd, the day Italy celebrates the foundation of the Republic, which created the modern iteration of the country after the Second World War. On the grid, the famous tenor Maurizio Marchini belted out Il Canto degli Italiani, Italy's boisterous and rousing national anthem, while Eurofighters of the Italian air force flew so low over the circuit that we saw the hat of someone up on the VIP deck at the top of the building flutter past, blown off as they passed.

On the second row of the grid stood two blue Ducatis. Yes, blue. The factory Ducati Lenovo team were kitted out in the colors of the Azzurri, Italy's national sporting teams. On the backs of the shirts of riders, mechanics, engineers, and managers, their names were displayed in white letters. The Ducati Lenovo team were Italy's national team in MotoGP, was the message they conveyed. And just like Italy's national soccer team, when they turn up for a contest, they come to win.

MotoGP Rider Market Round Up: That's Why They Call It Silly Season

By David Emmett |

With 19 riders out of contract at the end of the 2024 season, the MotoGP rider market for 2025 and beyond was always destined to be irrationally exuberant, to steal a phrase from a former central banker. After a spate of early announcements - Pecco Bagnaia staying with Ducati to the surprise of no one, Fabio Quartararo choosing money and promises from Yamaha over a pay cut and a chance to be immediately competitive on the Aprilia, and the early elevation of Fermín Aldeguer to MotoGP with Ducati - the rider market hit a quiet patch.

Too quiet, perhaps. The lack of announcements has kicked off a wave of speculation that has stretched credulity and ventured into the fantastical. Paddock rumor is matching riders with manufacturers in pairings that would have sounded more fever dream than plausible option even just a few short weeks ago.

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