#Motogp

A fixture in the Grand Prix paddock for more than 40 years, Francesco Pileri helped many of the sport’s legends get their start. Riders who have worked with Pileri include the likes of Angel Nieto, Fausto Gresini, Paolo Casoli, Loris Capirossi, and Alex Barros, just to name a few.

With the start of the 2017 MotoGP season only weeks away, we turn to our trusted MotoGP Correspondent, Bruce Allen, still foolishly bucking for promotion, for a look ahead at what will be on offer for racing fans this year. The racing begins on March 26 in Qatar.

Ah, the legendary Phillip Island circuit, the scene of many epic battles among two-wheel gladiators like Gardner, Rainey, Schwantz, Corser, Stoner, Rossi and Iannone, which has long been on my bucket list of racetracks to ride before I die. With significant elevation changes along 2.76 miles of twisting tarmac on the shores of the Indian Ocean and an average GP speed of more than 110 mph, it would be a challenge to learn on any bike, let alone on Suzuki’s most powerful literbike ever.

Ducati welcomes its golden boy, Jorge Lorenzo, and best hope for winning a MotoGP championship since Casey Stoner’s crown in 2007. Oh, and Andrea Dovizioso is there too. Enjoy the english dub over.

What do you get when you combine the budget and might of Red Bull, MotoGP champion Marc Marquez, his Honda RC213V, and a ski slope? The title says it all. You get one of the most talented motorcycle pilots on the planet piloting a 260 hp beast through the snow and up one of the toughest slopes in the World Cup of skiing.

Yamaha officially presented its 2017 factory MotoGP team, introducing riders Maverick Vinales, Valentino Rossi and the updated livery for the YZR-M1.

Being able to ride a motorcycle is one thing, but being able to ride it proficiently is another thing entirely. This is especially true when it comes to navigating corners during a street ride. Not only does the rider have to deal with the dynamics of the specific corner, but other things like road conditions and oncoming traffic are both important obstacles to consider.

MO’s editorial staff met for a week at a glorious resort in Cabo to review our notes and statistics for 2016 in order to bring the following analysis to our faithful MotoGP readers. Before commenting or criticizing our difficult decisions, we ask that you do the same. —BA

If you think the competition in MotoGP is fierce, then you haven’t seen what it’s like to race CBR250Rs in Japan. In this video, shot during the Honda Racing Thanks Day 2016, Repsol Honda MotoGP stars Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa line up alongside some of the best CBR250R Dream Cup racers Japan has to offer, at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit.

With the flip of a calendar page, everything changes for Jorge Lorenzo. In 2017, from the looks of his Twitter account, he’s not wasting any time in getting with the new program. Over the past three days, three notable changes occurred on 99’s official twitter account.

Honda Racing TV’s last episode of 2016 stars reigning MotoGP champ Marc Marquez and reigning MXGP champ Tim Gajser, with a visit from Nicky Hayden at the 9:56 mark (in case you want to jump ahead). Marquez and Gajser introduce a review of their MotoGP and MXGP seasons. Nicky Hayden is visited in an installment of A Life Behind the Bars with the Kentucky Kid, and there’s also a recap of Honda’s new models at the EICMA Motorcycle Show.

2016 MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez won the Superprestigio this weekend over second-place finisher Toni Elias, and last year’s defending champion, Brad Baker. With a defeat in 2013, a win in 2014 and another loss last year, Marquez was hungry to reclaim the crown. Number 93 escaped the melee early in the Superfinal and kept his head down as Toni Elias gave chase – with Baker suffering slightly a little further back. With Elias and Baker unable to catch him, Marquez took the flag for his second Superprestigio win.

More often than not, a world press launch is held somewhere not far off the beaten path of familiarity. The local language may be French, Spanish, Italian or some other Latin dialect, but the sights and sounds don’t fall under the guise of the really exotic. The 2017 KTM 1290 Super Duke R launch in Qatar was a little different. While Qatar is very westernized (I saw an Applebee’s in downtown Doha, for chrissakes!) there’s no forgetting you’re visiting an area of the world that’s  fundamentally dissimilar. Architecture, fashion, culture and cuisine are constant reminders that things are different. And sand, lots and lots of sand.

Riding a motorcycle quickly isn’t easy, which makes it all the more inspiring to watch those who have mastered the art. It’s always fun watching and analyzing quicker riders, but personally, I’ve long been interested in what the best riders in the world do with their feet. Other than the Rossi leg dangle, not much attention gets paid to a MotoGP rider’s lower half – we’re all too busy watching everyone get their elbow down – but there are three very important points on the lower body we should be paying attention to: the butt, and both feet.