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MOTO GP: The forgotten Championship?

2026-06-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

Move over Pinball wizard’, Thars’ a new Italian threat on the Hunt!

Ticking over the one quarter mark of the 2026 MotoGP season, I thought I’d finally get round to reviewing the season’s start. Although just thru Round 5’s French Grand Prix.

Since after all, France becomes the racing epicenter in June. At some place called Le Mans. With the MotoGP event taking place upon its Seester’ track…

Although pretty sure that ‘Ol Ettore Bugatti would be rolling over at my use of Seester’ nomenclature…

Surprisingly, the 2026 MotoGP grid remains largely unchanged, with the exception of two riders. Being the additions of Diogo Moreira and Toprak Razgatlioglu.

22 year old Brazilian Moreira is the reigning Moto2 champion. Replacing Somkiat Chantra at Pro Honda LCR.

29 year old Razgatlioglu. from Turkey, the reigning three-times Superbike’s champion. Replaces Miguel Oliveira at Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP.

With only three riders being replaced due to injures to date. As VK8 Gresini Racing’s Fermin Aldeguer broke His leg during training, and was replaced by Ducati Corse test rider Michele Pirro in Thailand.

Then at Circuit Of The Americas, (COTA) Maverick “Top gun” Vinales, also known as Batman withdrew after practice due to a loose screw in His shoulder.

Uhm, a screw from His previous injury in Germany last year was inflicting pain and caused Vinales to not race at Austin…

Undergoing further surgery, Vinals had hoped the extended break in the MotoGP calendar would allow Him to be ready for Jerez. But the Spaniard wasn’t deemed medically fit for His home race.

Adding insult to injury, substitute rider Pol Espargaro suffered a hand injury prior to Jerez, leaving the Red Bull Tech 3 KTM squad with just Enea Bastianini competing, before Vinales was replaced by Jonas Folger for the French Grand Prix.

Yet through the French Grand Prix on the Bugatti circuit, the rider who’s been fairly untouchable was Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi! As the Italian began the season where He’d left off, scoring His third MotoGP win in-a-row; following last year’s triumphs at Portimoa and Valencia.

Bezzecchi “Blitzed” the field in Thailand, and comfortably won ahead of Pedro Acosta by 5.5 seconds. While the Aprilia RS-GP26 is now clearly the Scooter’ to beat! With Aprilia claiming four of the top five spots. With Bezzecchi’s teammate thee Martinator’, nee Jorge Martin sandwiched between Trackhouse’s Raul Fernandez (third) and Ai Ogura. (fifth)

After passing polesitter Fabio Di Giannantonio in Brazil, Bezzecchi motored off to His fourth win in-a-row. Only the fifth rider to do so; behind Valentino Rossi, Marc Marquez, Jorge Lorenzo and Francesco Bagnaia.

Martin finished second, giving the factory Aprilia squad a 1-2 finish at Autodromo Internacional Ayrton Senna.

Circuit Of The Americas (COTA) saw Bezzecchi continuing His domination of MotoGP, claiming a fifth successive victory on the trot, with Martin runner-up again. While Ogura’s Aprilia “done blown Up!” With five laps remaining when in third.

“Watching”, Err listening to the Spanish Grand Prix highlights, the announcers screamed Oh No! Marc Marquez has crashed out again! As Marquez was chasing His younger brother Alex who was leading. With Alex snapping Bezzecchi’s win streak with His second win at home in Jerez, the second year in-a-row.

Also hearing that it was a belated 30th birthday present to the Spanish rider, with Bezzecchi settling for second.

Yet obviously, the biggest “Star” rider to suffer another injury was Marc Marquez at Le Mans Bugatti circuit! Crashing heavily during the Saturday Sprint race, Marquez suffered a broken foot. Then having surgery for both the foot and His shoulder. Removing two damaged screws from a previous surgery.

As the reigning MotoGP champion will miss the next few rounds, albeit no idea how long His recovery will take?

Listening to the highlights of this year’s French Grand Prix, with no idea Marc Marquez was out. Aprilia made history by claiming its first ever podium lock-out. With Jorge Martin hunting down Aprilia teammate Marco Bezzecchi and winning for the first time in 588 days! The Martinator’s las W’ being at Indonesia in 2024…

Bezzecchi had to settle for second, with Trackhouse Racing’s Ai Ogura third. Hearing that it was the First “Dry” podium for a Japanese rider since 2006! And first podium since 2012 “Wet” race.

Shinya Nakano was the rider at the 2006 Dutch GP. While Katsuyuki Nakasuga was the rider at the 2012 Grand Prix of Valencia. With both finishing second.

Yet what totally baffled me, was hearing the Announcer saying thee Martinator and Ogura very well may become Yamaha’s factory lineup next year, say What?

Apparently the door opens for Martin with Fabio Quartararo moving to Honda. And reportedly Francesco Pecco’ Bagnaia will take Martin’s Aprilia seat…

Although I cannot fathom why Martin would wish to leave Aprilia, since they’re the bike to have. Although I was totally unaware that next year MotoGP will move to its new 850cc format.

Whilst Martin had tried wriggling out of His Aprilia contract a year early last season. So who knows, will Jorge once again take the No. 1 plate to a new manufacturer, a la 2024?

Obviously, not if Marco Bezzecchi has anything to say about it!

MOTO GP: The Show must go On

2026-06-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

With riders Deaths and serious injuries just being part of the business…

Par of being a one band Blind Word Butcher, aka Basement dwelling Blogger is you can never keep up with the onslaught of racing news. Nor know how much is too Mucho content here upon No Fenders, Eh?

Thus being fully ensconced in the single day Qualie’ at Mother Speedway, and awaiting the canned, highlights MotoGP package upon Ye Intrawoods’. Naturally I was totally unaware of the devastating outcome for two of these ultimate Kneedraggers’, i.e.; Alex Marquez and Johann Zarco.

Thanks to Raymond Hando’s Musing from the Weekend post on For the Love of Indy Blog, this is where I first became aware there had been two serious crashes at Circuit Barcelona de Catalunya’s Grand Prix.

Listening to the highlights, it sounded like KTM’s Pedro Acosta suddenly slowed for no reason. And as His hand shot up to warn riders behind Him, Alex Marquez who was in His slipstream had absolutely nowhere to go! Seeing Marquez presumably “High-side” with His bike’s carbon fibre bits exploding,! Cart-wheeling from striking Acosta’s rear tyre, reportedly at some 250kp/h! Wit the hapless rider tumbling in lock-step with His stricken Ducati thru the gravel trap!

Acosta’s Scooter’ had slowed suddenly due to an unexpected electrical problem. While Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo said He had “Goosebumps” riding past the accident scene!

Then upon the race’s restart; having been red flagged for Marquez’s savage accident. Pro Honda LCR’s Johann Zarco fell, causing the unexpecting duo of Luca Marini and Francesco Bagnaia to be caught up in Zarco’s accident. With one of Zarco’s leg’s becoming tangled between Bagnaia’s rear wheel and motorcycle!

Naturally I was stunned reading Monday morning, following the Catalan Grand Prix that Alex Marquez had suffered a broken neck and shoulder in this incident! Whilst Zarco tore ligaments and had a fibula tear in the ankle region. But acknowledged He hadn’t broken His femur…

As I hesitate to even remotely speculate upon Marquez’s injury, while Zarco got off with less serious damages to an extent, albeit will surely also be out of action for awhile.

Marquez underwent successful shoulder surgery to repair His fractured right collarbone. With no surgery performed upon His C7 vertebrae.

“Not Necessary”: Champion rides say MotoGP should have been Axed

IndyCar Rolls On

2026-06-02T15:27:00.000-07:00

And the future’s so bright, Oh Never Mind!

Was going to pontificate upon IndyCar’s bungling of its T-Shirt fiasco prior to the Indianapolis 500. But I’m certain that Bud Denker, Mark Miles and All of the top Braintrust at Starship Penske would tell us Thars’ nothing to see here. All the suites were sold out for Detroit. We’ve had more sponsors sign up, ticket sales are up and everybody just loves IndyCar, Spew!

IndyCar’s ‘One Nation, One Race’ controversy is no surprise amid its rightward drift

Yeah, I realize after this year’s race and the amazing finish, my topic will probably be moot to many. Wallowing in Felix-the-Cat’s comments following His monumental victory; “I’m not thinking about Detroit right now!”

Nor am I still thinking about it. Being an Uber good weekend to step away from the All consuming keyboard and go for Walkabout’ in Mother Nature, thanks to Tacoma Bureau chief Mary Ellen…

Nevertheless, I’ll still briefly try tackling what’s been on my mind during this Month of May, until race day. When Mother Nature was “Tops of the Pops!” Although allowing us to run all 200 miles…

Yet I’m sure many have thought about preceding the race. That being the lack of bumping this year, and how “Quite” this made qualifying.

What I still don’t understand, albeit having guessed that Andretti Global was loathe to give-up its fourth Honda engine lease for fear of loosing it permanently? Is the fact that there was a spare Honda lump’ available this May.

So why couldn’t Bryan Herta and Andretti Global have run a fourth car program with Stefan Wilson, who reportedly had the necessary budget?

Although in hindsight, the three Andretti Global entries didn’t exactly light up the field during qualifying…

This led me to pondering if both Chevrolet and Honda were required to field 18 engines apiece, meaning we’d have 36 entries and three drivers going home. Would this be beneficial sporting-wise?

And who’d make up these three entries? Since today, almost the entire field is comprised of current IndyCar teams fielding extra entries, with the exception of Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and Abel Motorsports this year…

As Geo. Phillips of Oilpressure fame, Ye “Oldest” IndyCar blogger has already opined. We need a third engine manufacturer a la Buick to ease the load upon Chevy and Honda. Although they seem content having a stranglehold upon IndyCar and the Indianapolis 500…

Yet I’m guessing this option’s already been taken away from us with the highly cough-cough! Anticipated Dallara IR28 chassis and 2.4-litre V-6 twin turbo hybrid lumps arriving for 2028. When IndyCar becomes a completely “closed Shop” with two final charters going to the engine suppliers, and 27 charter entries being the maximum grid allowance. With the exception of the Indy 500.

Obviously, the main obstacle is cost, since there hasn’t been a third OEM engine supplier since the perpetually underperforming Lotus by Judd lumps’ Wayback in Gory 2012, Yikes!

And I can only Arse-sume that nobody has found the return on investment (ROI) to be enticing enough to join IndyCar, El Correctomundo?

Also, I’m not an Engineer and don’t know if technically possible or not? But why couldn’t a “Boutique” manufacture of high performance Supercars engine be allowed. Say something from Koenigsegg, Glickenhaus, Isotta Fraschini, Vanwall, etc. Since for instance, the Isotta Fraschini Tipo 6 uses a 3.0-litre hybrid V-6 twin turbo produced by HWA.

As perhaps I’m wrong? But it really seems like IndyCar has made it virtually impossible for a third engine manufacturer to ever enter the series, which is a shame! Along with presumably Andretti Global and Honda not willing to allow the likes of Stefan Wilson to enter this year’s Indy 500.

Since after all, isn’t the Indianapolis 500 supposed to be all about having the fastest 33 racers in the field?