Tank Slappers - A Motorsport Network MotoGP Podcast

On today's podcast, Lewis and Uri are talking about Vinales leading every lap of MotoGP's Malaysian Grand Prix to take a dominant win ahead of Marc Marquez and Andrea Dovizioso.

The victory was as straightforward as they come for Vinales, the Yamaha rider taking the lead on the opening lap and never looking back.

Both Marquez brothers enjoyed title success in 2019 - with Marc triumphing again in MotoGP and Alex winning Moto2. But for the latter, it has been a painful journey back to glory, riding in the shadow of his brother's success.

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 and look ahead to what we can expect from him this weekend in Malaysia.

Oriol and Lewis also look at Jorge Lorenzo’s Australian GP nightmare, and discuss KTM’s new line-up for 2020 – and the rift this has caused.

KTM’s quest to find a replacement for Johann Zarco in its factory MotoGP team for 2020 may be nearing its end with a surprising name.

Numerous riders, including World Superbike star Alvaro Bautista, ex-KTM man Bradley Smith and Moto2 frontrunner Remy Gardner, have been linked to the vacant works RC16 for the 2020 season.

Test rider Mika Kallio’s call-up for the final six races of the season appeared to be a dress rehearsal for a full-time bow next year, but his performances have so far gone wanting.

Now it appears KTM has settled on double Moto2 podium finisher and current American Team KTM rider Iker Lecuona to join Pol Espargaro – if strong rumours emerging in the German press are to be believed.

The latest edition of the Tank Slappers podcast with Motorsport.com’s Global MotoGP Editor Oriol Puigdemont and Autosport’s Motorcycle Racing correspondent Lewis Duncan dig further into this rumour.

They also ask if the successes of Petronas SRT rookie Fabio Quartararo has prompted KTM to take its own gamble on an unknown quantity in MotoGP, and look ahead to this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix from Phillip Island.

The Tank Slappers podcast is Autosport and the Motorsport Network’s weekly podcast for all things two-wheeled, and can be found on Apple Podcasts via iTunes, Google Podcasts and Spotify – simply search for ‘Tank Slappers’.

Johann Zarco’s dramatic 2019 MotoGP season took another twist this week, as LCR Honda announced he would be joining the team for the final three races of the year.

After announcing his renewal with the team for 2020, LCR also confirmed Takaaki Nakagami will be undergoing an operation on a shoulder injury after his home race of the Japanese Grand Prix this weekend.

Zarco, who was dumped from KTM’s line-up following the Misano race - having already asked to get out of his two-year deal with the team in Austria amid a difficult campaign – will take over Nakagami’s 2018-spec RC213V.

On the face of it, this is Honda and LCR looking at the best available option to them to do a good job replacing Nakagami.

However, this move is also being seen as Honda’s way of evaluating Zarco – who it wanted for its 2019 line-up originally – as a potential replacement for the struggling Jorge Lorenzo next year.

Motorsport.com’s global MotoGP editor Oriol Puigdemont and Autosport’s Motorcycle Racing Correspondent discuss the thinking behind this in the latest edition of the Tank Slappers podcast and ponder Zarco’s hopes of realistically making it onto the grid full-time next year.

They also ask if Zarco will force more performance out of Lorenzo, and indeed if Honda has brought Zarco in to put pressure on Lorenzo and perhaps force him to decide to call time on his HRC career a year early.

Today, Lewis and Uri look at the career of Marc Marquez who has won eight grand prix world titles after clinching his sixth MotoGP world championship in Thailand.

The Honda rider has re-written the rulebook on what a fast rider is supposed to be ever since he stepped onto the scene, and has been a near-unstoppable force across the last decade through all three classes of the World Championship.

In MotoGP, he has romped to success largely on bikes not capable in any other rider’s hands of doing so in MotoGP’s most competitive era – with 2019 arguably his toughest challenge yet.

Now joining nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi (seven 500cc/MotGP) and 15-time world champion Giacomo Agostini (eight 500cc) as the only six-time premier class title winners, the question has been raised: is Marquez the greatest rider of all time?

Uri joins the podcast from Thailand to reflect, with co-host Lewis, on the first session today.

In the latter stages of Friday’s first practice, Marc Marquez suffered a violent highside, which demolished his RC213V and left him unable to breathe for five seconds afterwards.

Has that crash has left Marquez rattled ahead of his first match point?

Jorge Lorenzo has dismissed the idea of quitting Honda's MotoGP team a year early in the same way Johann Zarco has done with KTM, despite saying he is "not happy".

Lorenzo has endured a similarly miserable time in his debut Honda season, with the triple MotoGP world champion yet to register a top 10 finish in a year marred by difficulties in adapting to the RC213V from the Ducati he previously rode and numerous injury setbacks.

Have we seen what MotoGP will look like in the next decade? This week Lewis and Uri talk about an incredible GP at Masano, one which has given us a glimpse into the future of Moto GP. Championship leader Marc Marquez won MotoGP's San Marino Grand Prix, after seeing off rookie Fabio Quartararo in a breathless last-lap battle.

We are now one month down the road from KTM's shock announcement that Johann Zarco will be leaving the team at the end of the year, but we still no closer to knowing who his replacement will be for the 2020 MotoGP season. However an unlikely candidate from the World Superbike paddock has emerged as a potential favourite for the seat in the form of ex-MotoGP rider Alvaro Bautista. Before we into his potential deal in World Superbikes next year, Bautista is not a bad option due to his experience in MotoGP.

Without the budgets of Honda, Yamaha or Ducati, we explore how Suzuki are using their resources to punch above their weight.