How MotoGP riders are preparing for the physical stress of sprint races

The physical demands on MotoGP riders have increased exponentially in recent years. There are more and more races and the bikes require more strength to handle them, a circumstance that is transforming the riders into real athletes.

This increase in energy requirements will be drastically increased next year, when two disruptive factors will converge: on the one hand, the longest calendar in history will be faced, initially consisting of 21 events. And on the other hand, a sprint race will be introduced every weekend. These 21 'mini' races, which will be held on Saturdays and with half the laps of the full-length grands prix, will add 1,285.56km to the total number of races run in 2022. To compensate for the effort, the fourth free practice has been eliminated, but it must be kept in mind that the physical and mental strain of a practice session is much less than that of a race, in which all the meat is put on the grill from start to finish.

PLUS: The Ducati rider who is much more than just the brother of a MotoGP legend

The 2022 season kicked off in Qatar on 6 March and ended in Valencia eight months and 20 grands prix later, once Finland's withdrawal was confirmed. Between Assen and Silverstone, the competitors enjoyed five 'free' weeks. The sum of the distance of those 20 races amounted to a total of 2,272.60km, resulting in an average of 113.63km each Sunday. In 2023, in the period between the first round in Portimao on 26 March and Valencia on 26 November, that figure will be increased by almost 1,300km, which will raise the average race distance each weekend to 170km. It stands to reason that the riders' bodies will feel the difference.

"The introduction of the Saturday races will affect, above all, the recovery of the riders. What will make the difference will be the ability to recover from Saturday to Sunday. Although the sprint race has fewer laps, the muscular stress is very high, and nerves also play a relevant role," says Marc Rovira, Pol Espargaro's personal trainer, in conversation with Autosport.

"To work on it, we will increase the intensity of the exercises, but decreasing the recovery time. In this way we will increase the fatigue in the work. What we intend is to educate the muscle, so that it recovers faster. Here, intervalic work, both short and long duration, will play a determining role. As the grand prix approaches, we lower the duration, but maintain the intensity. This way we also avoid the possibility of overtraining.

"There are many riders who find it difficult to relax, so it will be important to reduce stress as much as possible before going to sleep. Either with meditation, breathing exercises or with the method that each rider usually uses."

Although the increase in physical demands in 2023 will be evident, the leap in quality of most riders in their preparation has been increasing in recent times.

Aprilia's Aleix Espargaro is one of the grid's fittest riders

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

"The change has been brutal in that aspect," explains Aleix Espargaro. "Now, practically all riders are athletes. The bikes are becoming more and more physical. They put out 300 horsepower and we're using practically all of it, but the arms are the same as they were before. Not many years ago we couldn't get more than 200 or 225 horsepower to the ground. It is essential that your physical level is very high, since the equality is maximum. It is no longer just important to be slim and strong to be able to arrive fresh to the last laps, with a low heart rate to be able to think clearly, but also mentally, the more you train and the better prepared you are, the faster you go", explains the Aprilia rider, one of those who puts more care into his conditioning.

In addition to the strength and mental challenge required to race in MotoGP, taking care of the body will be another key factor in avoiding injuries and/or coping with them in the best way possible.

The new MotoGP weekend format will create a physical and mental demand that will be maximum for the riders, but also for the team members

"I've always worked with the physios at Clinica Mobile, but next year I'm evaluating hiring a personal trainer. With so many races and not knowing very well how the new system is going to work, maybe it will be good for me to work with someone permanent," Maverick Viñales told this writer about the upcoming changes.

The Aprilia rider addresses a concern that seems to be widespread among the riders, who don't quite know how the challenge of facing two races every weekend will affect their bodies.

"This winter it will be very important to prepare well physically. With the new format of sprint races, nobody really knows what to expect," admitted Marco Bezzecchi during the last test in Valencia. "I won't be taking a lot of vacations, because I think we'll have to take a step forward physically."

In 2023, the only rookie will be Augusto Fernandez, Moto2 champion and new Tech3 GasGas rider. On that test day in Valencia, the Mallorcan experienced what awaits him after promotion to the senior category.

"MotoGP is very demanding physically. But, more than because of the power it has, because it allows you to play a lot with your body; you have to go from side to side to turn it, throwing it to the ground; you have to move a lot on top of the bike," he explained after his debut.

"I will try to prepare as well as possible, and regarding food, I will allow myself to eat a bit more, because being in MotoGP demands a lot of energy. With Moto2 you play on the limit of having just the right amount of energy, in exchange for weighing a little less," continued the Spaniard, another of those who combines different disciplines in his training process.

MotoGP's only rookie for 2023 will have to up his physical preparations substantially

Photo by: GasGas Factory Racing

"Apart from training with other bikes, I will do a lot of motocross, which is what makes you stronger, and we will make good use of the Sepang tests, which are going to be very hard," explains Fernández, who this winter plans to visit the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center (APC) in Thalgau, Austria, where he will have access to nutritionists, physiotherapists, psychologists and personal trainers, all specialised in high performance, to understand what habits he should introduce or modify in his preparation.

The new MotoGP weekend format will create a physical and mental demand that will be at an all-time high for the riders, but also for the team members - especially in the case of the technicians and mechanics, who will have to face these 42 races without the teams considering increasing, or reinforcing, the staffing.

"In principle, the team in the 2023 races will be the same as this year," according to Ducati. "There are no changes, everything will remain the same", adds Honda.

It won't just be the riders who will suffer from the addition of sprint races in 2023

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images