Table of contents for 6 March 2024 in MCN

NEW MODELS Harley-Davidson have pulled the covers off a new Hydra-Glide Revival model, the firm's latest addition to their Icons Motorcycle Collection which draws inspiration from the 1950s. The £29,495 Revival will be limited to 1750 units worldwide and is the fourth model to be released as part of the special line-up. It follows the £32,595 2023 Electra Glide Highway King and marks the 75th anniversary of Harley's Hydra-Glide telescopic front suspension E and F models which first arrived back in 1949. This year's model also mimics the style of bikes ridden in upcoming movie The Bikeriders, starring Tom Hardy and Jodie Comer. The bike features a meaty 1868cc Milwaukee-Eight 114 V-twin, producing 115.1lb.ft of torque at 3250rpm. Capable of a claimed 51.4mpg, this is stuffed into blacked-out chassis derived…

‘It combines performance, agility and style' Following two social media teasers and countless spy shot photographs, Husqvarna have finally confirmed that a larger, parallel-twin Svartpilen 801 is on the way for 2024. There is not long to wait with the production model due to be shown to the world on Tuesday, March 19, and the firm previously hinting at its existence in two videos, which showed a prototype twin tackling both a flattrack oval and a frozen lake, complete with studded tyres. The new model was officially confirmed by the brand yesterday (Tuesday), alongside a handful of details on the machine as well as these dynamic photographs. In addition, MCN grabbed an advanced sneak peek at the bike during the recent Svartpilen and Vitpilen 401 press launch in Malaga, with…

THIS WEEK A years ago the idea that Honda would be taking cues from Royal Enfield in the development of new models would have been laughable, but such is the recent success of Enfield's line of affordable retro machines that it's all changed. Honda compete with RE in India with the CB350 range, but now it looks as if there are plans to expand the line-up into wider markets. The Indian-market models consist of the retro-styled CB350 which rivals the Enfield Bullet 350, the more ‘standard’ style H'Ness CB350, plus the tougher-looking CB350RS, which competes with the Enfield HNTR 350. These are known as GB350 models elsewhere. Honda now appear to have the Royal Enfield Himalayan 410 and Scram 411 in their sights, with designs for two new variants showing…

Send your first bike pics to: yourpics@motorcyclenews.com My mates Tuck with his Tiger 90, Dennis with one of the first 250 Hondas, and Giggs with his Thunderbird. Andrew Holtom Bought in 1975… agricultural and so indestructible that I rode it from Birmingham to Orkney. Brilliant! Darrell Harman Not my first, but probably most fun. On the way to Cadwell, late 1980s. Two XS11s (mine's red) and a Suzuki. David Gillick 1975 aged 17, nothing stopped me and my trusty Cotton riding around the streets of Bradford city centre. Craig Robinson My first motorcycle was this Greeves scrambler in 1964 – although I had to share it with my dad. Alan Sanders My uncle Norman with my dad riding pillion. Even in the dark days of war it put a smile…

FIRST RIDE BMW are about to give customers the chance to blend the thrill of a fullblooded superbike and the comfort of a tourer with the new M1000XR. The only downside is you'll need deep pockets. It arrives in dealers this month at £22,580 and the ‘M XR’ we're testing, here at its launch in Spain, is fitted with a £5100 ‘M Competition Package’, with lashings of carbon fibre (including wheels) and billet aluminium parts. Serious cash. Big on performance But then this is a serious bike. Based on the sports-touring S1000XR, it's fitted with the full-fat inline four ShiftCam engine from the S1000RR. It produces 199bhp, up 31bhp on the S1000XR, and displays all the hallmarks of an angry, race-derived motor when you pin the throttle. Acceleration so brutal…

Davide Barana Ducati Corse technical director Barana isn't as well-known as Ducati Corse boss Gigi Dall'Igna, but his role is huge. As technical director he leads development of the Desmosedici MotoGP bike, the Panigale V4 superbike and the MotoE bike. He joined Ducati from university as a CAE engineer, working on the first Desmosedici in 2001. (CAE is computer-aided engineering, which uses computer simulations to fix problems and optimise the bike.) “My father was a farmer, so I was always interested in mechanics,” says Barana. “I grew up as an engine engineer so I started as a calculation engineer, working on the performance and dynamics of the Desmosedici's engine. Then I expanded my role to look at different areas, because electronics and engine management strategies are closely connected to the…

MOTOGP PREVIEW 2024 RIDERS POINT TO PROVE The big hitters facing a make-orbreak season in 2024 STRENGTHS He's Marc Marquez WEAKNESSES Pushing too hard and crashing. Injuries The unthinkable has happened. For the first time ever, Marc Marquez heads into a MotoGP season outside of the Repsol Honda garage. After yet another dismal year, Marquez pulled the pin and opted to jump on a year-old, satellite Ducati Desmosedici GP23 alongside his little brother. It's a bold move, but one that has triggered huge levels of anticipation and excitement throughout the paddock and fanbase. Yes, it's a year-old bike, but it's the bike which dominated last season in the hands of Bagnaia and Martin. Gresini Racing have been around the paddock for a long, long time and know how to win…

Carlo Luzzi Electronics Engineer MotoGP is becoming more and more like Formula 1. The technological drive, the demand for knowledge and the importance of hi-tech engineering solutions are much bigger than ever, which makes engineers more important. Engineers rarely changed factories in the old days but nowadays MotoGP manufacturers steal engineers from rival operations more than they poach riders from different squads. Carlo Luzzi was at the vanguard of this new paddock culture. He worked with the factory Yamaha team of Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo from 2007 to 2009, when the YZR-M1 had the best electronic control systems on the grid. He was then poached by incoming Honda MotoGP boss Shuhei Nakamoto, who knew the RC212V needed better traction control and so on. Luzzi has worked with Repsol Honda…

1 Fast, but only in a straight line Fabio Quartararo was hoping for a transformed M1 for 2024 after two grim years, falling further behind the dominant Aprilia, Ducati and KTM V4s. But no luck so far. He was nine-tenths off the pace at the Sepang tests and a second down in Lusail, struggling with both time attacks and race pace. The M1 is MotoGP's only inline-four and it's difficult to get as much power out of it, so Yamaha can't run as much draggy downforce aero as its rivals; ironically this gave the bike the highest top speed at the Lusail test. What Yamaha really need to fix is the M1's electronics strategies. 2 Playing catch-up Test rider Cal Crutchlow heads out for another run at Sepang, on an M1 fitted…

MCN MOTOGP PREVIEW 2024 RIDERS THE WANNABES Fast men dreaming of challenging for the ultimate prize STRENGTHS Naturally gifted rider who can ride beyond the M1's limits WEAKNESSES Yamaha's lack of power, aero and one-lap pace A pivotal year for Yamaha. If things continue the way they have been, there's no way Fabio Quartararo will stick around. He's already teetering on the edge and is frustrated with the lack of improvement compared to the European manufacturers. This year's M1 has a much more powerful engine, designed by ex-Ferrari man Luca Marmorini, and Quartararo has been lapping quicker than in 2023, but it hasn't been good enough to get him inside the top 10. The Frenchman was 11th at the Sepang test, and 14th in Qatar. And there's the big problem.…

Romano Albesiano Aprilia Racing technical director Albesiano has led Aprilia's race department charge since 2013, when Gigi Dall'Igna moved to Ducati. The following year he won the World Superbike title with Sylvain Guintoli and the RSV4. He's led the RS-GP project since it started in 2015, when the bike's best results were three 10th-place finishes. Last year it won two races. “When I was a kid my father and uncle always talked about bikes,” he says. “I lived in a village, where enduros were very popular. My first real bike was a KTM 125cc motocrosser with twin shocks.” Albesiano wanted to get into motorcycle racing, so did a degree in aeronautical engineering. “In Italy, mechanical engineering is more dedicated to industry, whereas aeronautical engineering was more related to high performance…

It hasn't been the most straightforward of pre-seasons for MLav Racing. Entering their third year in the Moto3 World Championship, both the team and riders Scott Ogden and Josh Whatley should be aiming for top results. Yet a combination of injuries and concerns over bike development meant the official test at Jerez wasn't ideal. Team Owner Michael Laverty has also spent the winter months searching for a new title sponsor after Visiontrack's departure. Ogden ended 2023 with a dislocated shoulder, while Whatley suffered a compound fracture of his left tibia and fibula in the penultimate race. Both spent the winter recovering to be ready for pre-season. Yet a crash at the official three-day outing at Jerez saw Whatley sidelined after just one session. “Scott got back on a bike quicker…

WELCOME Richard Newland, Editor Winter has felt like a relentless game of reaching for the waterproofs and dodging the floods – but with the World Superbike championship already spewing out a tsunami of action in Phillip Island, and MotoGP kicking off this weekend under the lights in Qatar, it feels like the racing monsoon has finally arrived. And I couldn't be happier. The debut round of MotoGP, while earlier than last year by a couple of weeks, has felt a long time coming. And if your brain took the same racing holiday as mine, it's time to get it trained back up for the season ahead. The MCN sport team have been burning the candle at both ends to shine the most light possible into every corner of the series,…

WHAT'S NEW IN TECH Honda are pulling no punches with the new CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP, now promising some of the most advanced technology on the market, in a bid to take top spot in the latest superbike arms race. This includes a new two-motor throttle-by-wire system that promises improvements in engine behaviour at relatively little expense - a system that is likely to spread across the range after its debut on the latest SP. The idea is a logical extension of the ride-by-wire throttles that have become ubiquitous on modern bikes. Those already eliminate the direct connection between right wrist and butterflies, allowing reduced emissions, better economy, and improved response. Honda's two-motor throttle-bywire is essentially a set of four throttles that are operated in two pairs, each with their own…

Drop in for a quick look and you'll leave hours later JUST BREW IT Ride out to Britain's best biking cafés THE DETAILS ● Weds-Sun 10am-3.30pm; from April 7 days, 10am-4.30pm ● Bashley Cross Road, New Milton, BH25 5SZ It couldn't be easier to spend the day at Sammy's – even when they don't have an event on! A perfect rideout destination on the edge of the New Forest, the museum houses over 500 bikes, each of them more spectacular than the last and many with their own unique stories to tell. Must-sees include a ‘one of a kind’ prototype owned by the original boss of Norton, a rare Ascot-Pullin, Triumph prototypes and more modern metal including the 1966 Honda Black Bomber and Sammy Miller MBE's Ariel GOV 132. Alongside…

SERVICE CREW 2 Pattern makers/seamstresses 1 Moto3/Moto2 race service technician 1 MotoGP race service technician 1 Additional race service technician when Red Bull Rookies/Asia Talent Cup is included in the race programme 1 Tech-Air airbag technician 1 Helmet technician 1 Athlete [rider] manager HOSPITALITY STAFF 4 Waiters 3 Chefs 2 Support 1 Manager 100+ Alpinestars staff working on motorsport products back at HQ in Asolo, northern Italy 12+ hours (on average; may be more) working inside the paddock on each day ATHLETES 11 MotoGP – A Marquez, Rins, Bastianini, Quartararo, Bagnaia, Miller, Martin, M Marquez, Viñales, R Fernandez, Acosta 2 Boots only – Oliveira, Nakagami 2 Moto2 – Deniz Oncu, Sergio Garcia 7 Moto3 – David Alonso, Angel Piqueras, Adrian Fernandez, Filippo Farioli, Joel Esteban, Jose Antonio Rueda, Taiyo Furusato HELMETS 3 MotoGP – Martin, Miller, Acosta…

ESSENTIAL KIT 3100 miles ON TEST ‘Keeps me cosy to the core' Tested by Justin Hayzelden for four months When I first started riding, the warmest winter commute was when I'd pick up my copy of MCN from the newsagents and slip it down the front of my battered Wolf leather jacket as extra insulation. How things have changed… for the past four months I've been flitting about in sub-zero temperatures with nothing more than Keis’ B601RP heated bodywarmer, a base layer and winter textiles. And it's been absolute bliss. Heating comes from micro carbon-fibre elements on the back, either side of the chest and around the nape of the neck, and once activated they become noticeably warm in seconds. The construction is super stretchy and provides a figure-hugging fit…

BUYING USED EXPERT GUIDE TO During the early 2000s there was an influx of supermoto road bikes from not only specialist brands such as Husqvarna or KTM but the likes of Suzuki, Yamaha and even Honda. Although these were fairly shortlived as fashions changed – which is when supermotos evolved again – with the adventure bike market growing, firms realised sticking 17in wheels on these big-capacity bikes made sense. Better handling and just as comfortable, the big supermoto emerged as a practical, and still fun, new style of bike. YOUR EXPERT Jon Urry is MCN used bike guru. He's a massive fan of big supermotos and has ridden (on one wheel a lot of the time) every one of these bikes… £3500-£9000 (2013-2021) Triumph Tiger 1050 Sport The British big…

THE FAVOURITES It's going to be tough to beat these men in 2024 Jorge Martin was arguably the strongest rider in the second half of the season last year and came very close to clinching his maiden MotoGP title. Through his own mistakes and tyre controversy, it wasn't to be, but the Spaniard had certainly confirmed his status as a MotoGP front runner, and the fastest racer in the class thanks to some stunning qualifying and Sprint performances. In fact, Martin became the king of the Sprint, ending his campaign with nine Saturday victories to his name. Nobody could get close. “The Sprint is more about the speed,” Martin told MCN. “You can push almost 100% all of the laps, and you don't have to think about managing the tyre…

1 There's work to do Brad Binder was at full gas during the final Qatar tests he and teammate Jack Miller were still six and seven tenths off Pecco Bagnaia's blistering outright fastest time and a second or so slower in race simulations. That is not encouraging but KTM are renowned for their ability to react superquickly to fix problems. And they need to – the Austrians are the only MotoGP factory that hasn't scored a dry GP victory in the past two and half years. 2 Next-gen carbon The KTM's carbon frame, introduced late last season is a beauty. The main advantages of the part fibre, part metal composite are less weight and stiffness that can be designed exactly into each element. The technology also allows KTM to accurately measure how…

POINT TO PROVE The big hitters facing a make-orbreak season in 2024 STRENGTHS A generational talent, excellent race craft and personality WEAKNESSES Qualifying, MotoGP experience Pedro Acosta has arrived, and he's poised to make a huge impact in the premier class. The 19-year-old Spaniard has been on everybody's radar since joining the Grand Prix paddock in 2021 after winning the Red Bull Rookies the previous season. Making an instant impact, Acosta won the Moto3 title at the first attempt – including victory in Qatar despite starting from pit-lane – before being crowned Moto2 Rookie of the Year with fifth in 2022. That year was hampered by a broken femur. Then, in 2023, he reached the top of the mountain in the intermediate class and now finds himself in MotoGP still…

Takahiro Sumi General manager, Motor Sports Development Division, and Yamaha Motor Racing president Takahiro Sumi is the man charged with getting Yamaha back on top of MotoGP. The factory has won only one title in the past eight seasons, when Fabio Quartararo held off Ducati's Pecco Bagnaia in 2021. Yamaha has struggled since 2016, when MotoGP switched to spec electronics and Michelin tyres. “The change of tyres and software at once was too big an impact for our development; we suffered more than the others,” said Sumi some years ago. In 2022 Sumi was promoted from Yamaha's MotoGP group leader to his current role. “My job consists of creating the best conditions to allow all the people involved in racing in Yamaha Motor Company, Yamaha Motor Racing and the MotoGP…

MCN MOTOGP PREVIEW 2024 RIDERS THE WANNABES Fast men dreaming of challenging for the ultimate prize STRENGTHS Race pace and overtaking WEAKNESSES Consistency & Aprilia reliability High expectations heading into the season were the downfall for Aleix Espargaro and Aprilia in 2023. Much was expected following the breakthrough 2022, and Espargaro did enjoy two GP wins and a Sprint success. Aprilia also celebrated a one-two for the first-time at Barcelona. And yet there was disappointment when they considered what could have been. Now is the time to forget all that and move on to something bigger with the RS-GP. Espargaro is certainly going about it the right way. The veteran, who may or may not be entering his final season, was best of the rest behind the leading Ducati riders…

Fermin Aldeguer Age: 18 Team: Speed Up Racing Boscoscuro 2023 stats: 5 wins and 7 podiums Pre-season favourite? Going off the last year's finale, when he became only the second rider in history to win four straight Moto2 races, yes. Not even Pedro Acosta had an answer for Aldeguer's relentlessness last autumn, as he rose from eighth to third in the championship in that final run. Rumours indicate he has signed up with Ducati for a shot at MotoGP in 2025. Tony Arbolino Age: 23 Team: Elf Marc VDS Racing Team Kalex 2023 Stats: 3 wins and 8 podiums How to judge Arbolino's 2023? Critically for bottling it in the season's second half, or praised for consistently fighting for positions higher than he qualified? Either way, three wins and a…

MOTOE As well as racing Ducati's V21L electric prototype for the first time in 2023, last year's MotoE World Championship boasted a title fight that went right the way to the wire, while its variety was unmatched, with eight riders bagging at least one win. The series has pulled off a coup in landing former WSBK star Chaz Davies for 2024, with the Welshman set to compete for the new Aruba Cloud squad against reigning champion Mattia Casadei and other podium regulars. “MotoE is an important sector for the team and through having a long-term relationship with them, we got stuck in,” Davies told MCN. While he took some time decide on accepting the team's proposal, the 37-year-old was swayed by the chance to race the Ducati V21L, which he…

Dave Myers, one half of the motorcycle riding cooking show duo the Hairy Bikers has died aged 66 following a battle with cancer. Myers passed away last week surrounded by his family and with co-star Si King – who announced the news to fans early the following morning via a statement on the Hairy Bikers website – by his side. “Most of you will know Dave has been fighting cancer for the past couple of years,” it read. “Last night, on 28th February 2024, with Lili, Dave's wife, his family, close friend David and myself by his side, he passed away peacefully at home. “All who knew Dave are devastated at his passing. His beloved wife brought him such happiness as did her children, Iza and Sergiu who Dave loved…

Dorset Police have shared images of four stolen off-road motorcycles, in a bid to return them to their rightful owners. The bikes, including a lowcapacity Honda CRF and two Yamaha PW50s, were located following the search of an address in Poole on Tuesday 20 February. A 21-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen goods and remains on police bail while the investigation continues. As we went to press, a Dorset Police spokesperson confirmed to MCN that no vehicles had yet been returned to their owners, with the force now keen for people to come forward. “An investigation is underway into this incident, and we are carrying out inquiries into the theft of the items,” PC Mark Carlton told us. “I am issuing images of the stolen items…

No such thing as bad weather… Spring is coming, but that doesn't mean we should throw caution to the wind, park the waterproofs and go full mesh kit just yet. In fact, given our changeable conditions, wet weather gear is something that should always be fairly close to hand, so this week we've been digging up deals on a range of clothing to keep you dry when you get caught out. First up is this all-season adventure touring jacket from Weise which, thanks to a triple layer system, should help you adapt to almost any situation. Under the tough 600D outer layer are separate detachable waterproof and thermal liners which, together with generous air vents, provide full climate control. CE certification is to AA standard, with Level 2 armour for…

Urban electric brand Vmoto have confirmed that their new Stash model will be available to UK customers in the next few months, offering top-level tech, impressive performance, and a competitive launch price of £6299 (plus OTR). The plug-in firm, who were previously known as Super Soco, launched the Stash as a concept in 2023 and say the finished machine will be available from either late April or early May 2024. Rideable on a CBT from the age of 17, it was penned by British designer Adrian Morton and includes a TFT dash, onboard storage for a helmet, Pirelli tyres, and a boost button for rapid overtakes. It will enter one of the UK's most hotly contested electric markets, with new and established manufacturers now bringing small-capacity offerings to the table…

“The defining moment of my life would be getting the MBE,” says Roy. “It was awarded by Queen Elizabeth II herself, which was huge honour. And of course, we have quite a strong link with royal family via Princess Anne who actually got this property for us by talking to the borough. “We used to be in Docklands using derelict land on licence from the development company. On the last night of operation on this derelict land, Princess Anne had been invited to attend. “As she finished with her visit, she said to the Chairman of the Dockland Corporation, Mayor of the borough and other officials ‘now you're closing down, what are you going to do for my Imps? They will be homeless.' “The Chairman looked embarrassed and said he…

INSIDE STORY ALPINESTARS RACE SERVICE It's Friday morning in Valencia at the 2023 MotoGP season finale, and the Alpinestars Race Service truck is a hive of activity. Riders or their assistants are visiting with feedback and requests, meanwhile the suits of riders unfortunate enough to have crashed in FP1 have been delivered for essential repair work. There's not a second to spare – as I found out over the course of the weekend, having been granted exclusive behind-the-scenes access to every department within Alpinestars’ in-paddock operation. Race suits galore Eleven riders in the premier class use Alpinestars suits, with a further two in Moto2 and seven in Moto3. With each rider having at least four suits with them at the circuit, it's a massive job to service and keep them…

FIRST RIDE WHAT'S NEW AND HAS IT WORKED? FIRST RIDE BMW's new £14,420 R12 nineT replaces the outgoing R nineT, one of MCN's favourite big-cubed retros and an instant hit when it arrived in 2013. It's essentially the same bike with a new name, fresh styling and an uprated chassis, but its ethos remains pleasingly intact. The new R12 nineT, just like the old one, is less about performance and more about its looks and how it makes you feel. There's no big change in the way it goes, but the devil is in the detail. We went along to its world launch in southern Spain to find out what makes it tick. 1 Familiar punch It's still powered by the 1170cc air/ oil-cooled DOHC flat twin engine that can trace…

LONGTERM TESTS KAWASAKI NINJA H2 SX SE TOURER 14,750 MILES (17,520 MILES TOTAL) Ridden just about everything. Gets off on modern and classic superbike racing and touring. 18 miles With just PDI mileage showing on its bold TFT dash I start my 11-month journey with Kawasaki's big sports-tourer. I've never lived with anything like this before. It's unashamedly huge, but I fancy the idea of a something I can do big miles on in comfort, with a bit of sporty riding thrown in. My Ninja H2 SX is the allsinging SE Performance Tourer model with panniers and lots of electronic goodies, and it's not cheap at £27,645. I've only toured on superbikes and super-nakeds until recently, but after enjoying a couple of big trips on my Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Explorer…

1 Rear end focus Marc Marquez rides a GP23 but few MotoGP insiders doubt he will be in the title fight with GP24 riders like reigning champ Pecco Bagnaia and 2023 runner‑up Jorge Martin. Marquez spent much of preseason testing adapting his riding technique from the Honda. He won his six MotoGP crowns with devastating corner-entry speed; now he is learning to rely less on the front end and more on the rear. The Ducati has massive power and corner-exit traction, so that's where riders focus their mental and physical energies. There's bad news for Ducati's rivals – although it didn't seem possible, the factory has made a bigger step forward than it did in 2022 and 2023. Ducati are simply on another level, not only in engineering but also computer…

STRENGTHS Adaptability to conditions, single lap pace WEAKNESSES Struggling to gel with the GP23 Marco Bezzecchi was one of the stars of 2023, especially in the opening rounds of the year when he dominated in Argentina and France. On his day there was simply no stopping the VR46 Ducati man, but his season ended on a low when he suffered a broken collarbone after crashing during a training session at Rossi's Ranch. Heading into pre-season it was assumed Bezzecchi would continue to shine, but the three days in Sepang didn't go to plan. The Italian battled to get to grips with the GP23, struggling on the brakes and with his trust of the front end. “I struggle to put power to the ground as well,” he added. “The engine works…

Paul Trevathan Pedro Acosta's crew chief Trevathan is looking after MotoGP's latest prodigy: reigning Moto2 World Champion and former Moto3 champ Pedro Acosta. He's probably the perfect engineer to look after the young rookie, a bit like Jeremy Burgess was the ideal guy to look after Valentino Rossi. Trevathan is a New Zealander, who raced motocross, then came to Europe 30 years ago to see the world and never went home. He worked as a motocross mechanic, then moved into MotoGP in 2004, working with the WCM team. “Like everybody involved in racing I fell in love with motorcycles when I was little,” he says. “When I was four or five I saw something on TV and that was that, I was hooked. They've been the focus all my life.”…

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4009 The 22 riders that make up the MotoGP grid have totted up a combined total of 4009 GP starts between them. An impressively serious effort! 8 Eight riders including Alex Rins, Jack Miller, Andrea Dovizioso, Casey Stoner, Maverick Viñales, Max Biaggi, Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo have won for two different factories in the modern four-stroke era. Johann Zarco, Franco Morbidelli, Joan Mir and Marc Marquez could all add their names to that list in 2024 30 Fabio Quartararo has not won or led a single lap since the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring in mid-2022, which is 30 races ago 321 Aleix Espargaro is the most experienced rider on the grid and Qatar is scheduled to be his 322nd GP start 346 This year's grid have claimed…

POINT TO PROVE The big hitters facing a make-orbreak season in 2024 STRENGTHS Tyre conservation, late-race pace & pure speed WEAKNESSES Lost winning momentum from 2022 season Go back 12 months and everybody was talking about the mouth-watering prospect of Enea Bastianini and Pecco Bagnaia going head-to-head as factory Ducati teammates. After all, Bastianini had beaten Pecco with Gresini in 2022 and pushed him into mistakes, so surely a fierce rivalry was on the cards. It wasn't to be thanks to Bastianini fracturing his shoulder in the season opener, and then his ankle at the Barcelona round. His Malaysia win aside, 2023 was a write-off. A year to lock away, never to be revisited. Things are already looking up in 2024. As Davide Tardozzi said during the Sepang test: “He…

1 The perfect start Espargaro preparing to make a practice start during the Sepang test, with the forks and shock fully compressed, which turns the RS-GP24 into a drag bike until it reaches the first corner when the devices (hopefully) disengage. Espargaro was the only rider in the final pre-season test to challenge Ducati in race simulations. Now Aprilia need to make sure they nail the set-up at every race. Note the various ground-effect aero accoutrements: the bulging fairing sides and those fitted to the front wheel and swingarm. The idea is always the same – to speed up airflow between the bike and the asphalt to create a low-pressure area, so the higher pressure above the bike pushes the tyres into the asphalt for more grip. Aprilia's aero department is…