MotoGP pre-season test in Sepang recap

The three-day MotoGP testing in Sepang was filled with excitement, drama, and some unfortunate injuries.

On the first day, Fabio Quartararo topped the timesheets, just 0.051 seconds ahead of Marc Marquez. Alex Marquez secured third place, with rookie teammate Fermin Aldeguer impressing with his pace.

However, the day was marred by injuries, as defending champion Jorge Martin suffered a nasty highside crash, fracturing his right hand and left foot, forcing him to withdraw. Fabio Di Giannantonio also had a tough day, breaking his collarbone, while Raul Fernandez sustained a broken left hand and a fractured toe on his right foot. Both riders had to leave for surgery.

The second day saw Franco Morbidelli set the fastest time with a 1:57.210 lap, with Quartararo just 0.114 seconds behind. Alex Marquez was once again among the frontrunners, finishing third. Meanwhile, Francesco Bagnaia climbed up to fifth despite a small crash at Turn 15. Marc Marquez had a more difficult day, dealing with a technical issue at Turn 2 before crashing at Turn 9, ultimately finishing 14th.

On the final day, Quartararo continued his strong form, becoming the only rider to break into the 1:57s with a 1:57.794 lap. Jack Miller finished second, three-tenths behind, while Honda HRC test rider Aleix Espargaro snatched third on his final lap.

Teams were busy testing technical updates, with Yamaha introducing a new chassis, swingarm modifications, and aerodynamic refinements that helped Quartararo’s pace. Aprilia’s Lorenzo Savadori tested a different 2025 bike spec, and rookie Ai Ogura trialed new components, showing the team’s confidence in his feedback. KTM focused on rear-end developments, with Pol Espargaro finishing fifth and Dani Pedrosa in ninth.

LCR Honda reveals 2025 liveries in Bangkok

LCR Honda was the final team to reveal its 2025 MotoGP liveries, unveiling the Castrol Honda LCR and Idemitsu Honda LCR designs in Bangkok on Saturday. The team has retained its familiar look, ensuring continuity with previous seasons.

The event featured the entire LCR team, with riders Johann Zarco and Somkiat Chantra presenting the new bikes. Following the launch, the riders took part in a short parade through the city streets before returning to their hotel. For Chantra, this included passing billboards featuring his own image in his hometown.

Netflix wants F1 broadcast rights in the USA

Autosport reported that Netflix is bidding for the rights to broadcast Formula 1 in the U.S., challenging ESPN, whose exclusive renewal period has ended. With F1’s growing popularity in Miami, Austin, and Las Vegas, the price for these rights could rise well above ESPN’s current $90 million per year.

If Netflix wins, it would be a major shift, as the platform has never aired a full sports season. It has some live sports experience, having streamed NFL games and the Tyson vs. Paul boxing match, but this would be on a different scale. Its connection to F1 is already strong through Drive to Survive and an upcoming Ayrton Senna series.

The biggest challenge is making the deal profitable. Unlike ESPN, which earns from ads and cable subscriptions, Netflix relies on memberships. To justify the high cost, it would need to attract more subscribers or introduce ads. Another shift would be in the broadcast itself—ESPN currently airs Sky Sports’ coverage, while Netflix would likely produce its own U.S.-focused version.

A deal with Netflix could bring in more American fans, but Liberty Media may hesitate to leave a traditional sports network for a platform still new to live sports. If it happens, this move could redefine how people watch F1 and sports in general.

Zhou Guanyu named Ferrari 2025 reserve driver

Ferrari has confirmed Zhou Guanyu as its reserve driver for the upcoming season. The Chinese driver previously spent three seasons racing for Sauber under the Alfa Romeo and Stake names, scoring 16 championship points. However, with Sauber transitioning into Audi’s works team, he was not retained for 2025.

This also marks a return to Ferrari for Zhou, who was part of the team’s junior programme earlier in his career. With hopes of securing a race seat in 2026, this role keeps him involved at a top level.

Zhou, who lost his Sauber seat at the end of 2024, will share the role with Antonio Giovinazzi, who has been Ferrari’s reserve since leaving Sauber in 2021, while also competing in endurance racing.

Release date for season #7 of Drive to Survive is known

Netflix has revealed that season seven of Drive to Survive will premiere on Friday, March 7, just a week before the 2025 season begins.

While the full episode list hasn’t been released, teasers suggest plenty of drama. As in previous years, the series is expected to have 10 episodes covering key moments like Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, Max Verstappen’s title defence, McLaren's Constructors' Championship victory or Adrian Newey’s switch to Aston Martin.