With Razgatlioglu having tied up the title, Steve and Gordo discuss just how tight the championship was, and how any one of Jonathan Rea, Toprak Razgatlioglu, or Scott Redding could have won the title had things played out only slightly differently. They discuss how the track changed, how the rain affected the circuit, and how Toprak Razgatlioglu's training methods gave him an advantage on a green track. They kick off with a review of the Mandalika International Street Circuit, the brand new track on the island of Lombok in Indonesia, and what it was like to take a long haul flight to a race again. With the WorldSBK finale finished and the title wrapped up, Steve English and Gordon Ritchie sit down to review the last round of World Superbikes and look back at the season on the latest episode of the Paddock Pass Podcast sponsored by Fly Racing and Renthal Street. ↑ Back to top Barcelona Circuit Renews Contract As MotoGP Shifts Focus Out Of Spain
Read more about Casey Stoner On Competing, And Why Qualifying Is Better Than Racing.At media debriefs on site, Valentino Rossi would carefully arrange the various voice and memo recorders placed in front of him to for a neat configuration, rather than the chaos created by journalists flinging their recorders onto the table at the last moment. Andrea Iannone's nickname "The Maniac" was not given to him for his wild riding, but for the obsessive way he would arrange everything, in his pit box, in his motorhome, in every aspect. This attention to detail can become quite compulsive. By doing everything the same way on each exit, it makes it easier to ensure they haven't forgotten anything: boots, leathers, gloves, helmet are all securely fastened, correctly fitted, and not causing discomfort, and therefore distraction. The many rituals you see riders go through before they get on the bike and leave the pits is part superstition, but also a way of eliminating errors. That pursuit of perfection explains their obsessive attention to detail.
The pursuit of perfection, of wanting to do everything just right to extract the maximum performance from themselves and from the bike is one of the most important motivations for most motorcycle racers, and indeed, most elite athletes. One subject which he was particularly interesting on was the question of competition, why people race, and what drives them, and especially, what drove him. Just as when he was still racing, his observations were well worth listening to, and without the pressure of race weekend and an endless string of media commitments, was even more thoughtful and insightful than usual. After a prolonged absence, Casey Stoner returned to the paddock at Portimão, where he gave an extensive press conference to the media present on site and via zoom.