On today's Tank Slappers, Lewis Duncan and Oriol Puigdemont discuss some of the biggest stories of the last week, including the possibility of reigning six-time World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea joining SRT for 2022.

The Tank Slappers with Lewis and Uri

70: How likely is Rea moving to MotoGP in 2022?

Valentino Rossi’s VR46 team is due to graduate to MotoGP in 2022 but there is continued confusion around a reported sponsorship deal with Aramco.  It could see Rossi riding for the team next year in order to secure the lucrative funding required to support a race team, rather than the line up of Luca Marini alongside Marco Bezzecchi.   During the Dutch Grand Prix, Aramco CEO Amin Hassan Nasser was one of Pramac's guests at the Assen race. Throughout the weekend, the senior executive held several meetings in which he made it clear that the company he heads has neither signed with VR46 nor intends to do so.   From Rossi's perspective he has said: "I talk to the prince often and everything is fine". The uncertainty around the project has spiced up the 'silly season'. Lewis Duncan and Oriol Puigdemont take you through the various statements made to Autosport over recent weeks and piece together the possible outcomes 

69: Explaining The Sponsorship Mess Surrounding Valentino Rossi's VR46

It was widely reported over the weekend that Viñales was considering a split, but this morning we heard confirmation that he is leaving Yamaha at the end of the season. He'll be leaving the best package on the grid, a lucrative contract and yet his options seem limited. What does Viñales want to find in another team? On the podcast today Lewis Duncan and Oriol Puigdemont analyse his decision and where could ride next.

68: Maverick Viñales Quits Yahama

 Marc Marquez returned to the top step of the podium yesterday at the German MotoGP Grand Prix. After missing 2020, and showing his form since his return to competitive action, he finally completed his comeback 581 days after his last victory at Valencia in 2019. Lewis Duncan and Oriol Puigdemont analyse how Marc took the lead and kept the field at bay to clinch victory.  

67: German MotoGP Review - The Return Of The King

Today's podcast is partly recorded in a noisy airport as Oriol and his family are finally able to travel home to Spain after 15+ months of being in Australia due to the pandemic outbreak whilst he was there.We wish him a safe journey home and can't wait to get back to recording in the same location again.On the show today, Lewis and Uri look at the key moments in the Catalan MotoGP. Following the race there was controversy as Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo lost third place due to a time penalty, and was also penalised for discarding his chest protector when his leather suit became unfastened.

66: Catalan MotoGP Review + Uri Comes Home

Lewis Duncan and Oriol Puigdemont bring us their thoughts, and insight from the MotoGP fraternity, following the tragic death of Moto3 rider Jason Dupasquier last weekend. There was debate in the paddock about the decision to hold Sunday's MotoGP Italian Grand Prix, but the event went ahead as scheduled, and today we discuss the different opinions about that choice.

65: Making Sense Of A Tragic Weekend At Mugello

Lewis Duncan and Oriol Puigdemont make sense of a frantic flag-to-flag race in France.

64: French GP Review

In a special edition of the Tank Slappers Podcast, 1993 500cc world champion Kevin Schwantz guests to discuss the current MotoGP season.  In a wide-ranging interview with Autosport's Lewis Duncan and Motorsport.com's Oriol Puigdemont, the former Suzuki rider discusses the situation with MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi at the moment and gives his assessment of the Doctor's season.  Having scored just four points from the first four races, this is Rossi's worst start to a grand prix season ever in his career - and has come at a point where he is set to make a crucial decision on his racing future.  In the MotoGP paddock, a 16-year-old Moto3 rookie by the name of Pedroa Acosta is taking the world by storm having won three of his first four races and taken a commanding 51-point lead in the standings.  Acosta happens to idolise Schwantz. The American legend gives his views on Acosta's rapid rise in his rookie season and offers advice to the 16-year-old as the pressure continues to build on his shoulders.  Elsewhere, Schwantz talks about Marc Marquez's return from a nine-month injury lay-off and Honda's current situation in general with its bike, while also discussing the somewhat low-key start to Joan Mir's title defence with Schwantz's old team Suzuki. 

63: MotoGP legend Schwantz on Rossi, Acosta and Suzuki

Jack Miller took his first MotoGP win in five years at the Spanish Grand Prix to put his 2021 season back on course following a tricky start.Miller didn't make the start to life at the factory Ducati squad as was expected of him, the Australian admitting pre-Jerez that he was "in the shit" having come in for criticism for his performances to that point.But the Australian proved his doubters wrong at Jerez on Sunday with his first dry-weather MotoGP win, inheriting the lead at mid-distance when Yamaha's Fabio Quartararo was struck by arm-pump problems.In the latest Tank Slappers podcast, Autosport's Lewis Duncan and Motorsport.com's Oriol Puigdemont discuss Miller's Jerez win and what he needs to do next.They also look at Yamaha's contrasting fortunes at Jerez and discuss MotoGP's new championship leader Francesco Bagnaia.

62: What Miller needs to do now after Jerez MotoGP win

Lewis Duncan and Oriol Puigdemont analyse a thrilling MotoGP Portuguese Grand Prix, which also saw an emotional return to racing for Marc Marquez.

61: Portuguese GP Review and Emotional Marquez Return

Honda finally announced the return of Mark Marquez over the weekend. Which version of Marquez will we see at Portimao? After being off a MotoGP bike for so long, it was always going to be a challenge to come back, let alone at a particularly difficult circuit. Lewis Duncan and Oriol Puigdemont analyse the challenges facing Marquez, and tackle some of the questions raised about how he will fare this weekend.

60: How will Marquez fare on his MotoGP return?

It was a race which ended in a commanding victory but was anything but predictable.  Relive the drama in Doha with Lewis Duncan  and Oriol Puigdemont.

59: Doha MotoGP Review

Maverick Viñales drew first blood in the 2021 MotoGP World Championship with a commanding victory on his Yamaha in the Qatar Grand Prix. The Spaniard had shown strong race pace throughout testing and practice for the Qatar GP, but all too often in recent years has that form disappeared and Vinales left to offer a meek showing on Sundays.But, despite being monstered by four Ducatis at the start, the new-and-improved Vinales took control of the improved Yamaha to carve his way through from sixth at the end of lap one to score his ninth MotoGP victory by over a second. World champion Joan Mir transformed his fortunes in the race from 10th on the grid only to be denied a podium on the run to the line by Johann Zarco and Francesco Bagnaia. Pol Espargaro’s Honda debut was an “amazing” start - though he was left “angry” by the end result - while Fabio Quartararo was at a loss to explain his deficit to his Yamaha team-mate Vinales. 

58: Qatar GP Review - Viñales Storms To Commanding Victory

Marc Marquez will not race in this weekend's opening round of the 2021 MotoGP season in Qatar, nor in the follow-up Doha Grand Prix as he continues recovering from injury. The Honda rider has only recently been able to start training on motorcycles again following his third operation on the right arm he broke in last July's Spanish GP. In the latest Tank Slappers Podcast, Autosport's Lewis Duncan and Motorsport.com's Oriol Puigdemont discuss Marquez's decision and what effect it will also have on the grid this weekend in Qatar. 

57: Why Marquez’s Qatar MotoGP absence hints at a stronger rider

The 2021 MotoGP season is just around the corner and it’s a big one for Suzuki rider Joan Mir.The Spaniard stunned the world in 2020 by winning his first MotoGP world title in just his second year in the class, ending a 20-year wait for Suzuki in the process. Now he gears up for the new campaign beginning on 28 March in Qatar with the target firmly on his back as he braces for the defence of his title. Pre-season testing was solid for Suzuki, though Mir admitted afterwards he felt only “70%” ready for the first race having not had enough time to properly evaluate the 2021 Suzuki chassis. The results from the Qatar tests suggest MotoGP is set for an even tighter campaign in 2021. So we sat down with Mir and his crew chief Frankie Carchedi to discuss their pre-season, their championship-winning bond and how they are feeling ahead of the new season for a special edition of the Tank Slappers Podcast.

Joan Mir Interview: Previewing The MotoGP World Champion's Title Defence

It it goes fast on two wheels, you'll find it here on the The Tank Slappers podcast, with Lewis Duncan and Oriol Puigdemont! The best of MotoGP, World Superbikes, British Superbikes, and Road Racing.

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The Tank Slappers with Lewis and Uri

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