Podcast: How Yamaha stole Ducati’s Qatar MotoGP races
Fabio Quartararo doubled Yamaha's delight in Qatar by storming through from a lowly start to claim victory in the MotoGP Doha Grand Prix.
The Frenchman was worried about the overtaking potential of the 2021 Yamaha after pre-season testing, but carved his way through from ninth after the early laps to claim victory by 1.4 seconds and end a podium drought dating back to last September's Catalan GP.
Quartararo headed an historic French 1-2 in Doha, with Pramac's Johann Zarco in tow. This is the first French 1-2 in the modern MotoGP era and the first in the premier class since 1954.
Zarco's redemption arc from near-career-ending KTM exit in 2019 back to factory status with Ducati at Pramac in 2021 continued in Doha, the Frenchman's second netting him a four-point lead in the world championship for the first time in his MotoGP career.
Completing the podium was rookie sensation and Pramac team-mate Jorge Martin, who stunned on Saturday by claiming pole to head Pramac's first ever 1-2 in qualifying.
Leading the race as if he was a veteran of MotoGP for the first 17 laps of the Doha GP, Martin crossed the line third at the chequered flag to complete a dream weekend - dedicating his success to his former Moto3 team boss Fausto Gresini, who tragically died in February after losing his battle with COVID-19.
In the latest Tank Slappers podcast, Autosport's Lewis Duncan and Motorsport.com's Oriol Puigdemont discuss whether Yamaha is really back on form after several years of inconsistency and assess why Zarco is flourishing at the start of the year.
They also discuss the controversial collision between Ducati's Jack Miller and reigning world champion Joan Mir, questioning Race Direction's decision not to penalise Miller for the incident.
Vinales: You have to be “crazy” fighting Ducati MotoGP riders
Binder was "scared" about Doha MotoGP tyre gamble
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
How Quartararo is evoking an absent MotoGP great in 2022
OPINION: Fabio Quartararo has seized control of the 2022 MotoGP world standings after another dominant victory as his nearest rivals faltered. And he is very much heading towards a second championship echoing how the dominator of the last decade achieved much of his success
The human importance of Marquez’s latest enforced MotoGP absence
OPINION: Marc Marquez will likely sit out the remainder of the 2022 MotoGP season to undergo a fourth major operation on the right arm he badly broke in 2020. It is hoped it will return him to his brilliant best after a tough start to the season without a podium to his name. But it’s the human victory that will far outweigh any future on-track success he may go on to have
Why Ducati holds all the power in its MotoGP rider dilemma
OPINION: The French Grand Prix looks to have made Ducati’s decision on its factory team line-up simpler, as Enea Bastianini stormed to his third win of the campaign and Jorge Martin crashed out for a fifth time in 2022. But, as Ducati suggests to Autosport, it remains in the strongest position in a wild rider market
The seismic aftershock left by Suzuki's decision to leave MotoGP
Suzuki's sudden decision to leave the MotoGP World Championship at the end of the season has acted as a stirring element in a market that had already erupted. Autosport analyses what this means for the grid going into 2023
How the real Ducati began to emerge in MotoGP’s Spanish GP
Ducati’s 2022 MotoGP bike has had a tough start to life and the expected early-season title charge from Francesco Bagnaia did not materialise. But the Spanish Grand Prix signalled a turning point for both the GP22 and Bagnaia, as the 2021 runner-up belatedly got his season underway after a straight fight with Fabio Quartararo
How Honda's praise for its 2022 MotoGP bike has turned into doubt
In a little over two months, Honda has gone from setting the pace in MotoGP testing with its new RC213V prototype to being at a crossroads - caused by the discrepancy in its riders' feedback. After a Portuguese GP that underwhelmed, serious questions are now being asked of Honda in 2022