Scott Redding says early unreliability hurt performance during 2016
Pramac Ducati rider Scott Redding says early-season unreliability set back learning his new-for-2016 bike, which was still hurting him by the end of the MotoGP campaign
Having spent his first two seasons in the premier class on Honda machinery, Redding moved to the satellite Ducati squad in 2016, as the series also switched to Michelin tyres.
His only three retirements of the season came in the first six races, with two mechanical failures - headlined by an engine fault when he was set to finish on the podium in Argentina - and the other at Jerez related to tyre issues.
The Briton cited the front-tyre locking and then drive problems he endured during the Valencia finale as symptomatic of how that affected his year.
"Overall the season for me, I am happy and I'm not happy," he said.
"People forget the beginning of the season, how much shit I had and not finishing races.
"The problem with that is that you don't gain data from the race.
"The problem I had [at Valencia] could've been fixed five races earlier.
"But because I was doing five or six laps, then with something happening, we didn't get that experience or data."
Redding qualified on the front row of the grid for the first time and claimed his second MotoGP podium during the wet Assen weekend, then finished fourth in the drying German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring.
The 23-year-old, though, pointed to the Austrian Grand Prix as a standout performance, having qualified and finished eighth.
"Red Bull Ring was quite a good race," he said.
"I was kind of in trouble with the tyre but I managed to override it, and felt quite good.
"In the mixed-condition races you don't learn anything from the full race distance because you're pissing about with the wets, dries in between.
"Austria was the first time I said, 'guys, that was a good race, I've learned something from it'.
"This season was a long season. I'm not going to walk away with my head down, I've got another season in MotoGP next year, a better bike than this year.
"In the end it's all good."
Chaotic 2016 MotoGP season means 2017 rookies 'can dream' - Zarco
Ducati: Difficult to split with Andrea Iannone for 2017 MotoGP
Bagnaia grateful for British GP advice from MotoGP legends Rossi, Stoner
Silverstone race winner Francesco Bagnaia says he asked MotoGP legends Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner for advice after struggling in practice for the British Grand Prix.
Quartararo “disappointed” to “not lose more” with Silverstone MotoGP penalty
Fabio Quartararo says he is disappointed with his race because he thought he’d “lose more” with his MotoGP British Grand Prix penalty than he did, but could only finish eighth.
Espargaro FP4 crash pain 'no excuse' for Silverstone MotoGP struggles
Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro says the pain he felt from his 115mph crash in MotoGP practice for the British Grand Prix is “not an excuse” for his difficult Silverstone race.
Backtracking on tyre gamble led to Zarco’s “hero or zero” Silverstone MotoGP crash
Pramac’s Johann Zarco's decision to change to a medium front tyre before the start of the MotoGP British Grand Prix led to his “hero or zero” crash from the lead.
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
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