Ahead of his final bow for Monster Yamaha Tech3, Johann Zarco looks over a MotoGP campaign of highs and lows plus what the future holds at Red Bull KTM
Ahead of his final bow for Monster Yamaha Tech3, Johann Zarco looks over a MotoGP campaign of highs and lows plus what the future holds at Red Bull KTM
Hafizh Syahrin opens up about life as Malaysia’s first MotoGP rider, the steep learning process and his role in his country’s continued rise in the sport
“The first time … was like a game, a pleasure and then when I grew up I started to be more serious and take this game like a job. But it’s always fun.”
'The plan is to do well this year, go for the Moto2 title next year and then to MotoGP' - Marcel Schrotter.
'At the moment we don’t even have a team manager. There are good people in the team and that’s why it’s still running and working but there are people at the top missing' - Tom Luthi.
'Some people will get it nailed straight away next year and some will be playing catch-up' - Sam Lowes.
Miguel Oliveira talks all things KTM, preparing for his MotoGP debut and what his dentistry studies mean for his future.
“This season when you feel good on the bike and you are close to the top six and the bike stops three times … [pause] it’s not easy to be calm at the next round.”
“When I won Japan in ’88 Lawson and Gardner were beside me and both said, ‘You’ll never do that again!’ So the next time we had some inclement weather in Germany I kicked their asses again…” - Kevin Schwantz.
“We need to make another step and be a good partner for [Zarco]. I feel fully responsible for that. I don’t want to destroy his career, to take him down from his level to our level. I want to lift our project to his level.”
The Moto2 championship leader discusses his recent improvements aboard a 600, choosing Ducati over Yamaha in MotoGP and sharing a flat with one of his main rivals.
'You’ve got to take your hat off to Dovizioso. He just kept working mainly on him, and what he needed to get better. There have been riders in the past that have done that. Wayne Rainey’s one of them' – Kenny Roberts.
'I actually went across the table after the dyno guy. I was going to kill him!' – Kenny Roberts.
“Come Qatar, I can almost guarantee that we’ll be much closer to the front. How close, I’m not too sure … hopefully we’ll be able to fight at the front from the word go.”
“I have to be realistic. I thought I was lucky to get this ride so of course if I go out there and I don’t have some good performances it’s going to be impossible [to continue in grand prix racing].”
“I’m proud of the way I’ve reacted … I’ve done it in a way where I’ve come back and I’ve chose to reinvent myself a little bit, change my approach, change my attitude, change my riding style.”
“It’s definitely smoothed out but it still has that character; the more you give it, the more it’ll take… It’s not a bull anymore. It’s maybe a cow!”
'I like the 2018 Ducati because you can use instinct more than method' - Danilo Petrucci.
Herve Poncharal, Monster Yamaha Tech 3: 'It was important to tell Jonas, 'you understand if you don't race in 2018 maybe you will never race in MotoGP again? He said, 'I know'.
"This is something you have to respect."
A closer look at oil testing in Moto2 after last year's disqualifications for Dominique Aegerter (1st, Misano) and Mattia Pasini (2nd, Catalunya).
“I think Jorge in a way helped [Dovizioso] to convince himself that he can be a top rider – not only a fast rider.”
'Iannone and Suzuki both expected more from each other… Now he sees the project with more confidence' - Davide Brivio, Suzuki MotoGP.
“I thought if one rider overtook me than I would overtake them again on the last corner, and [it would be] easy. Then eight of them overtook me. It was something to learn.”
"You need to be very strong in your head if the Michelin technicians and all other riders prefer another choice and you want your own choice. It’s not easy"
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