Tradesman explaining how he hopes to leave hospital

Although the Spaniard has recently been speaking about his intention, or rather hope, to reveal where he will race in 2024 during this weekend's grand prix at Motegi, there is no certainty that by the end of the race on Sunday he will have been able to resolve the dispute he created for himself by wanting to leave Honda one season before the contract he signed at the beginning of 2020 expires. Marquez landed in Japan on Tuesday morning. On Wednesday, he is scheduled to attend an event at Honda's engineering school in Tokyo. Given his sporting situation, one of his main objectives is to sit down with the manufacturer's executives, with whom he hopes to be able to agree on an amicable parting of ways. That meeting will most likely not take place until the weekend at Motegi, where the top brass of Honda Motor, the parent company, is expected to be present. That top brass, led by Shiniji Aoyama - the two-wheeled division's most senior boss - will be at the circuit. Koji Watanabe, … [Read more...] about Why Honda MotoGP team wouldn’t block Marc Marquez’s exit

On the approach to turn two at the Sochi Autodrom, drivers pass within about 250 metres of a restaurant called La Punto. There for 300 roubles you can buy a cocktail of tequila, sambuca and tabasco sauce which they call ‘Sample B’. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free The name is a reference to the site’s former purpose: It was the home of Russia’s state-run doping programme, where urine ‘B samples’ from athletes were switched so drugs cheats could compete undetected. So in the grand scheme of things, far worse crimes against sport have been committed in Sochi than when Valtteri Bottas waved Lewis Hamilton by on the 24th lap of Sunday’s Formula 1 race so he could win. Not that you’d know it from the borderline hysterical reaction on social media. Mercedes outmanoeuvre Vettel From the moment the five red lights vanished Mercedes gave Ferrari a lesson in team tactics, including those of the less-than-savoury kind. At Monza, Ferrari locked out the front row … [Read more...] about No backsies for Bottas: Hamilton wins on Mercedes team orders

Marc Marquez has the entire world neatly in the palm of his hands, hanging off his every word as the saga around his future plans for 2024 seemingly nears its conclusion. The eight-time world champion has a contract with Honda in MotoGP for next season, a fact he has repeatedly stated as uncertainty over his future continues. That hasn’t stopped shock links to Gresini Ducati emerging and persisting. They persist, however, because Marquez wants them to. Insight: How Ducati could be the key to reviving Honda's fortunes with Marquez By now, his struggles on the RC213V this season are well documented. His rather glum first impressions of Honda’s 2024 prototype he tried at the Misano test last week did nothing to dispel thoughts among many that he will, in fact, break contract with Honda. Then he tells Spanish media the day after that “the commitment is this: to try to succeed with Honda, whether in one year, two or three”. At the Misano test he outlined his deadline for … [Read more...] about How one Marquez’s MotoGP switch can inspire another

The 2019 world champion is out of contract for next season having penned a one-year deal with M-Sport Ford for the 2023 campaign, after leaving Hyundai with a year remaining on his contract. Tanak has endured a difficult return to the Ford squad that offered him his first full-time WRC season in 2012. The Estonian claimed victory in Sweden and finished second in Croatia, although those results are his only visits to the podium to date this year. Tanak says he wishes to continue competing in the WRC next year while M-Sport is hoping to secure his services for 2024. However, M-Sport bosses have admitted it won’t be a straightforward decision to keep Tanak. The British team’s future at rallying’s highest level next year has been questioned, although boss Malcolm Wilson says the squad has no intention to stop competing in Rally1 in 2024. Tanak revealed in Greece he’s had discussions with all WRC teams but admitted it is “difficult' to know how his future will pan out. … [Read more...] about Tanak in talks but WRC 2024 future yet to be decided

Before we got here this week Yas Marina Circuit was hit by a powerful sandstorm, which bent the trees backwards and dumped tonnes of sand on the track. This being Abu Dhabi they have a machine for sucking up the sand, so the racing will not be affected. I've been at plenty of championship showdowns over the years. There is nothing like being here to look the contenders in the eye and see how they are coping with the pressure. There have been some stormy ones, I recall Jerez 1997 for example and ten years later the acrimony at McLaren in the final race. But today we had a phoney war between the contenders in the press conference. Perhaps it is because this is not a duel for the title, but a battle between four contenders (albeit one with a slim chance) it seems to diffuse the tension. None of the drivers was giving anything away. Webber was subdued, not about to hand any more hand grenade quotes to journalists. Vettel was relaxed and bouncy, he has nothing to lose and he's … [Read more...] about Phoney war between drivers during calm before storm in Abu Dhabi

Months of uncertainty marred the build-up to MotoGP’s inaugural Indian adventure at the Buddh International Circuit, as requested track works had only recently been completed. Homologation was made official only on the Thursday of the grand prix, while the riders had already decided to unite if they felt the safety standards of the venue were not up to scratch. Thankfully, everything went off without too many problems and MotoGP’s first Indian GP was a truly memorable affair. VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi positioned himself as a genuine championship threat with a dominant grand prix victory, while Jorge Martin’s consistency continued. A mistake for championship leader Francesco Bagnaia in Sunday’s race wiped out his championship advantage, bringing to just 13 points as Martin fought through dehydration to finish second. Elsewhere, the Japanese manufacturers put on a strong showing as Fabio Quartararo scored his first grand prix podium since Austin, while Joan Mir ended … [Read more...] about 10 things we learned from the 2023 MotoGP Indian Grand Prix

Home Off beat The 4th edition of the JK Tyre Times Women's Drive, a celebrated motorsports event saw its grand kick-off at the Siri Fort Auditorium, Delhi. The event, hosted by Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi and Mr. Anshuman Singhania, served as a platform for about 300 empowered women from different backgrounds to compete. -Irwin Mills By Irwin Mills Published: Monday, September 25, 2023, 9:05 [IST] There was a palpable aura of excitement in Siri Fort Auditorium, Delhi this morning with the initiation of the 4th JK Tyre Times Women's Drive. The Chief Guest and flag-off honour was given to Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi, Minister of State of External Affairs and Culture, Government of India alongside Mr. Anshuman Singhania, Managing Director, JK Tyre & Industries. The event was graced by esteemed Padma Shree, Khel Ratna and Arjuna awardee, Deepa Malik, who was present to support the competing participants. The competition was comprised of … [Read more...] about Empowering Women in Motorsports: JK Tyre Times Womens Drive!