Podcast: Did Zarco's MotoGP Honda debut meet expectations?
Johann Zarco made his return to MotoGP action in Australia with LCR Honda following his dismissal from KTM following September's Misano race
Encountering tricky conditions throughout the weekend as he tried to learn the 2018-spec RC213V, Zarco showed flashes of speed and ended up just 26 seconds from the victory in 13th spot.
His debut Honda weekend performance split opinion in the paddock, with some feeling he could have perhaps shown more.
On this week's Tank Slappers podcast, Motorsport.com's Global MotoGP Editor Oriol Puigdemont and Autosport's Motorcycle Racing Correspondent Lewis Duncan evaluate Zarco's first weekend on the Honda.
They also look ahead to what we can expect from Zarco this weekend in Malaysia.
Oriol and Lewis review Jorge Lorenzo's Australian GP nightmare, and discuss KTM's new line-up for 2020 - and the rift this has caused.
They also touch on some of the interesting 2021 rumours that emerged around the Phillip Island weekend, including Ducati expressing interest in Maverick Vinales, and discuss the impact this could have on Yamaha's decisions going forward.
The Tanks Slappers podcast is Autosport and the Motorsport Network's weekly podcast for all things two-wheeled. It can be found on Apple Podcasts via iTunes, Google Podcasts and Spotify - simply search 'Tank Slappers'.
Honda: MotoGP triple crown shot "incredible" given Lorenzo's form
Zarco needs Malaysia MotoGP top seven to show he is still frontrunner
Espargaro diagnosed with heel fracture after 115mph Silverstone MotoGP crash
Aprilia has confirmed Aleix Espargaro, following further medical checks on Monday, has been diagnosed with a heel fracture following his violent 115mph Silverstone MotoGP crash.
The signs Quartararo’s 2022 MotoGP title is slipping away from him
Prior to the summer break, the 2022 MotoGP title looked like it was Fabio Quartararo’s to lose. But a crash at Assen and the consequential penalty he had to serve last weekend at Silverstone stopped him from capitalising on a main rival’s injury woes, while a resurgence from another, plus the rise of a former team-mate, look set to conspire against the Yamaha rider
MotoGP announces 2023 pre-season test dates
MotoGP has announced the provisional dates for 2023 pre-season testing, with three days in Malaysia in February followed by two in Portugal in mid-March.
Vinales “never” doubted Aprilia MotoGP move following Silverstone podium
Maverick Vinales says he “never” doubted his move to Aprilia from Yamaha would pay off after he scored his second-successive podium of 2022 in the MotoGP British Grand Prix.
The signs Quartararo’s 2022 MotoGP title is slipping away from him
Prior to the summer break, the 2022 MotoGP title looked like it was Fabio Quartararo’s to lose. But a crash at Assen and the consequential penalty he had to serve last weekend at Silverstone stopped him from capitalising on a main rival’s injury woes, while a resurgence from another, plus the rise of a former team-mate, look set to conspire against the Yamaha rider
Why Marquez’s toughest MotoGP foe is stopping at the right time
On the eve of the British Grand Prix, Andrea Dovizioso announced that he will be retiring from MotoGP after September’s San Marino GP. The timing of his departure raised eyebrows, but his reasoning remains sensible and what has happened this year should not diminish a hard-built legacy
Why a Suzuki refugee feels he deserves MotoGP's toughest challenge
Alex Rins’ MotoGP future was plunged into sudden doubt when Suzuki elected to quit the series at the end of 2022. Securing a deal with Honda to join LCR, he will now tread a path that many have fallen off from. But it was a move he felt his status deserved, and it’s a challenge – he tells Autosport - he faces with his eyes wide open…
How Formula 1 has driven MotoGP's changing nature
The hiring of technicians from Formula 1 has clearly contributed to a recent change in the MotoGP landscape, with the role of engineers gaining greater significance relative to the riders. Here's how this shift has come about
The revolution behind Aprilia's rise from MotoGP tail-ender to pack-leader
Coinciding with the arrival of Massimo Rivola as head of its MotoGP division, Aprilia has undergone an internal revolution that has spurred it from occupying last place in the team standings to leading the table in the space of just two years. Those entrenched in the project reveal how the ex-Ferrari F1 chief has achieved the dramatic turnaround
The battle Yamaha's wayward son is fighting to be fast again in MotoGP
Franco Morbidelli was long overdue a promotion to factory machinery when it finally came late last year, having finished runner-up in the 2020 standings on an old Yamaha package. But since then the Italian has been a shadow of his former self as he toils to adapt to the 2022 M1, and recognises that he needs to change his style to be quick on it
Why Honda and Yamaha have been left behind in MotoGP's new era
The once all-conquering Japanese manufacturers are going through a difficult period in MotoGP this season. With Suzuki quitting, Honda struggling to get near the podium and Yamaha only enjoying success courtesy of Fabio Quartararo, Japanese manufacturers have been left in the dust by their European counterparts. Key paddock figures explain why.
Who is Valentino Rossi’s newest MotoGP star?
Valentino Rossi’s protégés stole the show at Assen as Francesco Bagnaia stormed to victory to arrest a recent barren run. But it was the rider in second, on Bagnaia’s old bike, who had all eyes on him. Securing his and the VR46 team’s first MotoGP podium, Marco Bezzecchi has all the characteristics that made his mentor special