The flow of racing news slows to a trickle this time of year. Content focuses on what's to come, with team, series and sponsor announcements, rather than race previews and coverage. That's why we choose this time of year to kick back and let the news stack up. Next week is our last update of 2023. We'll use it to recap the season's championships.

Between Christmas and New Year we'll be watching college football bowl games, visiting family and friends and generally overindulging. We hope you have the opportunity to relax and re-energize for 2024 as well.

Below we have some MotoGP test news and images, series announcements and sponsor news. Thanks to our readership.

For more on your favorite series, visit the home page of SARNIMOTORSPORTS.

Jay Geils Memorial TV Links:

If you have every MotoGP and Formula 1 GP saved on your DVR, now's the time to watch them.

ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY BREAK!

MOTOGP - If you thought that 2023 was an amazing year in the MotoGP World Championship (you would be right), but wait until 2024. Marc Marquez partners with his brother Alex at Gresini Racing on the preferred machine in MotoGP. At the recent Jerez test he debuted on the Ducati GP23 and was immediately among the top runners.

Marc Marquez was 0.171 off the top and only 0.078 off being the fastest Borgo Panigale machine on the timesheets. He ended the test in P4. But make no mistake, MM93 will be a factor in the 2024 MotoGP World Championship.

Marc had to ride beyond the limit on the Honda RC213V to merely be competitive in recent years, that will no longer be a factor on the Ducati.

All eyes inside the World Champion constructor focused on the elder Marquez in Valencia and he did not disappoint. Marc Marquez didn’t take long to start threatening the top of the timesheets as he made his debut on Ducati’s 2023-spec Desmosedici. The Spaniard's smile once he’d sat down after his first outing a sign to the paddock that he will be in the championship conversation in 2024.

Marc Marquez wasn’t the only rider getting used to a Ducati for the first time either. Franco Morbidelli began his new MotoGP chapter by inheriting Johann Zarco’s Prima Pramac Racing Ducati bikes from 2023, but with the additions of the updated tail unit and aero that the Frenchman had not been running. Morbidelli’s fastest lap of the 69 he completed was a 1:30.206, good for P16.

Pedro Acosta had his first outing with GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 in Valencia. Donning GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 red for the first time, the Moto2 World Champion made his MotoGP debut. The Spaniard had 2023-spec RC16s available and it was an impressive debut outing from the 19-year-old, with Acosta finishing the Test just 1.2s off P1. The only tiny negative was a small crash at Turn 2 with 30 minutes left on the clock.

Aprilia's Aleix Espargaro was forced to sit out most of the day after his injury – which was sustained in Qatar, but that didn't stop teammate Maverick Viñales from shooting to the top of the times. Trackhouse Racing Aprilia rider Raul Fernandez was able to try the 2023 RS-GP for the first time. The Spaniard spent most of the day well inside the top five and briefly sat top of the pile too. 

It was P1 and P4 at the close of play for Viñales and Raul Fernandez, with the former completing 86 laps – the most of anyone. Important data gained as Aprilia get set to unveil their full 2024 package at the Sepang Test in February.

The Sepang Shakedown is February 1st - 3rd. Three days later the MotoGP Official Test at Sepang runs from February 6th - 8th. The Qatar Official Test is February 19th and 20th. Round 1 of 2024 is the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar on March 10th.

Tomorrow night is the Ducati celebration of the victories achieved in the MotoGP, WorldSBK and WorldSSP world championships. the manufacturer has invited all enthusiasts to attend.

The Ducati party takes place at the Unipol Arena in Casalecchio di Reno, in the province of Bologna, and is free to attend. The event will allow all participants to share the 2023 season by celebrating together with the Borgo Panigale team.

All of the Ducati World Champions will be in attendance, as well as Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin. For details, click the highlighted link for CAMPIONI IN FESTA 2023. Forza Italia!

Check out the 2024 FIM MOTOGP ENTRIES.

WORLDSBK - After being impacted by rain at Portimao and Jerez, BMW opted for two days in Valencia to conclude a busy week for the team

It was a challenging week for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team as they went in search of valuable dry weather running to prepare for the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship with Toprak Razgatlioglu and Michael van der Mark. Initially planning for a day at Portimao and then two days at Jerez, the team ended up travelling across the Iberian Peninsula and their unexpected and unplanned ‘week’ of testing concluded in Valencia.

The team planned to test at Portimao on December 4th before heading to Jerez on December 5th an 6th. However, with poor weather forecast, the No. 54 took to the track on the 3rd before getting limited running across the two days. Razgatlioglu and van der Mark didn’t fare much better in southern Spain either, with rain continuing to hamper their running. Due to this, the team opted to spontaneously head a bit further across Spain to Valencia where they were able to get some key laps in to allow the 2021 Champion to adapt to the M 1000 RR while the No. 60 was able to test some new components for 2024.

After four years on the Yamaha YZF-R1 machine which he won the 2021 title with, the Turk left the Japanese manufacturer to join BMW for 2024.

Toprak Razgatlioglu: “We have not really been lucky over these past days. Also in Valencia, it started to rain a bit on Friday morning and the track was fully wet. But this track dries really fast and we could ride again in the afternoon. We made big improvements, especially on the last three outings, and I am really enjoying the BMW M 1000 RR. Especially with the engine brake and the electronics we made big improvements. With every lap I am still learning my bike but now I know it, I know the grip and the reactions, and this makes me very happy. I am still learning because it is a completely different bike, but we did a very good job, especially on the final day. Thanks to all the guys because everyone really works hard to give me a good bike. I am still adapting to the bike and the guys in the team are learning my riding style, so it is teamwork. But we are not far off, we are coming, the feedback also has been better every day.”

BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Marc Bongers: “After the Bonovo Action BMW team tested with Garrett Gerloff and Scott Redding immediately after the season finale at Jerez, we now have been able to start testing with Toprak Razgatlioglu, Michael van der Mark, and the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team. Overall, it was great to welcome Toprak to the team. His initial impressions of the BMW M 1000 RR he conveyed to us have been very positive. He adapted well to the bike right away. However, the conditions were challenging, and we had no reference from the competition. Therefore, making an assessment is still difficult. The days in Portugal and Spain were demanding. The weather was not on our side. Initially, we had some bad luck in Portimao and could only complete a few laps; the situation was no better in Jerez. Since it was crucial to gather test information, we traveled to Valencia with Michael and Toprak to hit the track there together with our BMW Motorrad Motorsport test team. Michael also tested new components with the test team that will be available to the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team and the Bonovo Action BMW team for the upcoming season.”

WORLDSBK 2024 CALENDAR:

23rd – 25th February: Phillip Island, Australia

22nd – 24th March: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain

19th – 21st April: TT Circuit Assen, the Netherlands

14th – 16th June: Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”, Italy

12th – 14th July: Donington Park, United Kingdom

19th – 21st July: Autodrom Most, Czech Republic

9th – 11st August: Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, Portugal

23rd – 25th August: Balaton Park Circuit, Hungary*

6th – 8th September: Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, France

20th – 22nd September: Cremona Circuit, Italy*

27th – 29th September: MotorLand Aragon, Spain

11th – 13th October: Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto

*subject to homologation

MOTOAMERICA - Cory Texter Racing, promoter of the Mission Foods Winter Throwdown Flat Track race presented by Holeshot Powersports at Callahan Speedway in Callahan, Florida, has announced a partnership with MotoAmerica to live stream the event for the first time in on the MotoAmerica Live+ streaming service.

This will be the sixth annual Winter Throwdown event, which has grown to become the biggest Amateur Flat Track race in the world in terms of entries and attendance.

Aside from it being a major AMA event, the Mission Foods Winter Throwdown presented by Holeshot Powersports attracts some of the fastest professionally licensed riders from around the world. 

The weekend will kick off on Thursday, January 11th with the second annual 1st Impressions Racing King of Throwdown 1v1 Bracket Challenge presented by Yamaha Racing. Top riders from around the globe will qualify to earn a spot on the 20-rider bracket. There will then be best out of three, single elimination, 1v1 races to determine the winner. Streaming will start at 5:30 PM EST. 

The event will continue Friday, January 12th and Saturday, January 13th with the Mission Foods Winter Throwdown Flat Track event presented by Holeshot Powersports. Streaming will begin both days at 10:30 AM EST for Group 1 and 3:00 PM EST for Group 2.

MotoAmerica COO Chuck Aksland: "We are delighted to extend our support to Cory and his Winter Throwdown event, showcasing flat track racing to our fan base through MotoAmerica Live+, our live streaming package. Many of our fans share an enthusiasm for flat track racing and, with a few MotoAmerica racers participating, it presents a great opportunity to provide exciting racing content during our off-season. The one-on-one competition aspect of this event adds a unique dimension, and I am really looking forward to watching it. We hope fans enjoy MotoAmerica Live+, and we extend our best wishes to Cory for a successful event."

If you are already a subscriber to the MotoAmerica Live+ package, this is a separate subscription package. For the live streaming main page visit MOTOAMERICA LIVE+.

The 2024 MotoAmerica season begins with the 82nd running of the Daytona 200, a non-points-paying Supersport race that will take place at Daytona International Speedway, March 7th - 9th.

2024 MOTOAMERICA CALENDAR

Follow the link to make a donation to the ROADRACING WORLD ACTION FUND.

FORMULA 1 - Looking towards the future is what happens this time of year and planning for a sustainable planet to guarantee there even is a planet that humans can live on, is a responsibility being addressed through technology. The irony is that the source of a great deal of greenhouse gasses comes from fossil fuels. To have a worldwide corporation, that is based in the petroleum industry, embrace net zero initiatives is indeed forward thinking.

On their website, bp lists its purpose as:

Our purpose is reimagining energy for people and our planet. We want to help the world reach net zero and improve people’s lives. 

We will aim to dramatically reduce carbon in our operations and in our production, and grow new low carbon businesses, products and services.

We will advocate for fundamental and rapid progress towards Paris and strive to be a leader in transparency.

We know we don’t have all the answers and will listen and work with others. 

We want to be an energy company with purpose; one that is trusted by society, valued by shareholders and motivating for everyone who works at bp. 

We believe we have the experience and expertise, the relationships and the reach, the skill and the will, to do this.

In just over two years in Formula 1, sustainable fuel that complies with the requirement of the FIA 2026 Formula 1 Technical Regulations, must deliver a minimum greenhouse gas emission reduction consistent with the EU Renewable Energy Directive.

BWT Alpine F1 Team is utilizing its sponsor partner bp to support its net zero journey at its site in Enstone, Oxfordshire UK, where the team designs, develops, manufactures, and builds parts and systems for its Formula 1 cars.

Women presenting in the FIA Girls on Track come from every part of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, including teams, partners and sponsors. Presentations are delivered on topics including broadcasting, health & safety, technology, engineering, driving and media roles with participating girls getting a complete behind-the-scenes access to race day operations.

Formula E, CBS Sports and Roku announced a multi-year broadcast deal for the U.S. market following the first ABB FIA Formula E World Championship race at the Portland International Raceway last summer.

Beginning in January 2024, five races will air live on CBS Television Network and simulcast on Paramount+, with both channels already featured and integrated prominently on Roku’s platform. Roku users that subscribe to Paramount+ can easily enjoy the races airing on the service through the Paramount+ app on Roku’s Sports Experience. CBS Sports Network will also show one highlight program per round.

The 2023/24 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship begins in Mexico City on Saturday, January 13th. Season 10 features new races in Shanghai and Tokyo, with returns to Diriyah, Hyderabad, São Paulo, Berlin, Monaco, Portland, London plus Misano in Italy.

FIA WEC - Toyota Gazoo Racing has unveiled the new livery for the cars that will compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship in the 2024 season. The unveiling included the WEC GR010 HYBRID as well as the World Rally Car; the GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID.

There are two concepts for the all-new matte black livery. One of the concepts is "Speed" representing Toyota's spirit, "Hate to lose". The other one is the “Prototype” which represents making ever-better Motorsports-bred cars and to keep evolving.

The new livery will be used not only in the WRC and the WEC, but also in other competitions in which TGR participates.

Lamborghini Iron Lynx have finalized the lineup which will contest in next year’s FIA WEC with Edoardo Mortara named as the squad’s third driver.

Swiss-French-Italian driver Mortara will partner Mirko Bortolotti and Daniil Kvyat for the 2024 WEC season, giving the SC63 its competitive debut in the season-opening Qatar 1812km March 2nd. Mortara brings over a decade of experience racing at the highest levels of single seaters and GT racing. Known as “Mr Macau”, the 36-year-old has amassed a staggering seven outright victories at the famous Guia Circuit.

Earlier this week, Lamborghini Iron Lynx completed a two-day test with the SC63 at the Circuit of The Americas, which will be the site of Round 6 of next year’s WEC. 

IMSA WTSC - Porsche Penske Motorsport can look back on a successful debut year with the new Porsche 963. In the world’s two largest endurance racing series, the new factory squad celebrated numerous successes with the hybrid prototype from Weissach. The positive balance sheet for the first season in the FIA World Endurance Championship WEC and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship includes three race wins, two pole positions and a total of nine podium finishes.

Porsche Penske Motorsport underlined the enormous potential of the Porsche 963, especially in the IMSA series. In the nine events with the two works cars in the USA and Canada this season, the team based in Mooresville, North Carolina, celebrated three victories, two pole positions and four more podium results. At the Road Atlanta finale in October, Porsche narrowly missed out on clinching the manufacturers’ championship with second place. The two driver crews Nick Tandy/Mathieu Jaminet and Matt Campbell/Felipe Nasr wrapped up the season in fourth and fifth place tied on points.

Between the first race weekend at the end of January and the season finale in October, the works team’s two Porsche 963 racing cars turned 5,768 laps as part of official sessions – a total of almost 17,709 miles. After a disappointing start to the season at Daytona, the hybrid prototype demonstrated its potential for the first time at Round 2 in Sebring. In the finale of the 12-hour classic, both 963 Porsches were at times on course for victory, only to retire simultaneously after a bizarre accident with seven laps to go. However, the eagerly-anticipated maiden victory followed on April 15th, on the streets of Long Beach.

For the sprint through the streets of the harbor city just outside Los Angeles, Porsche Penske Motorsport put its faith in a bold yet perfect strategy. The factory squad opted against a tire change during the pit stop, which saved crucial time. Thanks to this, both Porsche 963 swept into the lead of the race. Tandy and Jaminet defended themselves against repeated attacks from rivals to take the flag in first place. The sister car driven by Campbell and Nasr rounded off the weekend with third place. This triumph gave the entire team a huge boost.

Managing Director Porsche Penske Motorsport Jonathan Diuguid: “The Long Beach race will go down in history as one of the defining moments for our team. To be able to achieve the first victory with the Porsche 963 in just our third race of the IMSA season was an incredible moment for us. That very same weekend, the WEC crew backed this up with our first podium finish in Portimão. In order for us to achieve such a success, the entire Porsche Penske Motorsport team put in a lot of work leading up to that point. That day in southern California, we played the strategy game, which was certainly risky, but it paid off. Once the No. 6 car got out in front, the sister car played it perfectly to help defend the lead. That race was the starting point of our run for the IMSA championship and was a monumental moment for the team moving forward. That weekend is something we will never forget.”

The systematic improvements in the areas of vehicle set-up and team processes quickly yielded more highlights. At the fourth weekend of the season at Laguna Seca, Campbell clinched the Porsche 963’s first pole position. At the following six-hour race at Watkins Glen, Tandy/Jaminet crossed the finish line first. But, shortly afterwards, the victory was rescinded during the technical inspection: the front skid wear was less than one millimeter outside the legal tolerance.

Director Factory Motorsport LMDh Urs Kuratle: “Around the mid-season mark, the progress we were making in the IMSA series and the FIA WEC became obvious. The strong performances and valuable successes have motivated the entire team enormously and shown that our systematic work to improve in the areas of vehicle setup, racing strategy and team processes is bearing fruit.”

At the following race in Mosport, the two Porsche 963 finished in mid-field – but then came the big comeback: Campbell/Nasr celebrated their first win of the season at Road America. Six weeks later, the two Porsche Penske Motorsport racing cars achieved a commanding one-two result in Indianapolis, putting Porsche at the top of the the standings ahead of Petit Le Mans.

At the final race of the season, Lady Luck was not with the team. The No. 6 entry shared by the title hopefuls Tandy and Jaminet was shunted into retirement due to an accident caused by another competitor. Bad timing with the full course yellow phases thwarted the sister car’s chance for victory.

VP of Porsche Motorsport Thomas Laudenbach: “Although it’s a shame that we didn’t crown our maiden season in the IMSA series with a title, all in all the season was positive. The competition in North America was close and gripping for the whole season. Every manufacturer added highlights and the championship was full of suspense until the very last round. It was a spectacle for the fans and a treat for everyone involved. Next year we’ll be back in full force with all the experience we’ve gained!”

The 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship opens January 19th - 21st at Daytona International Speedway with the annual Roar Before The Rolex 24, followed on January 25th - 28th by the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Get tickets for the ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA.