Gas It Out

Six-time British Superbike Champion Shane "Shakey" Byrne chats through his horrific neck injury, life as a pundit, and all things racing as he tells a tale or two from his revelatory new book "Unshakeable". The BSB star also chats about his stints in MotoGP and World Superbikes, and explains why he's not ready to call time on his racing career just yet.

Neil Hodgson and Gavin Emmett discuss the Top 5 talking points from the MotoGP and World Superbike paddocks ahead of the San Marino GP and following on from the Aragon SBK double-header. From Covid-19 testing to the future of some of MotoGP's most successful riders like Rossi and Dovizioso. Remember #Top5in5 for a chance to win some Triumph goodies.

Former MotoGP star John Hopkins joins the boys for a heartfelt chat through his rollercoaster career; from being thrown into the bear pit as the youngest-ever 500cc rider, to earning factory backing from Suzuki and Kawasaki, before the lows of injuries and off-track issues took their toll as he reinvented himself as a Superbike rider on the British, American and world stage. "Hopper" is now helping mentor young motorcyclists with the American Racing Team, where he has enjoyed instant success with Joe Roberts in Moto2.

Neil and Gav dissect the Top 5 motorcycle racing stories of the week, as ranked by a mathematical algorithm acquired at great expense to the podchat. Chewing the fat between the back to back Austrian/Styrian MotoGP events. Zarco vs. Morbidelli, Rossi and Viñales's miracle in the mountains, Pol Espargaro vs. Miguel Oliveira, Danilo Petrucci vs. Aleix E, and Hafizh Syahrin's big off all go under Hodgy's microscope.

Mettez les gaz!!!! A paddock legend in MotoGP, and perhaps the most charming man in the sport, Red Bull KTM Tech3 boss and IRTA President Hervé Poncharal rendez-vous with Neil and Gav from his hotel balcony in the Austrian hills. Fresh from KTM winning their first race, the Frenchman delves behind the scenes to give a snapshot of life in a Covid-affected MotoGP paddock, and running a satellite team in tough financial times.

With wall to wall bike racing this weekend, and guests all busy racing, the boys give a quick summary of the lie of the land across all the circuit racing disciplines from Triumph HQ in Leicestershire.

Been there, done that! Leon Haslam is still going strong at 37, and currently riding a factory-backed Fireblade for Team HRC in the World Superbike Championship. The former British champion has done it all though, across production racing and all MotoGP classes, he has mixed with the best time and time again over the years. He prepares to restart a year in development with Honda in SBK by chatting to the lads about golf, golf and more golf. And some bike stuff in between. Patience required with this one as there were quite a few drops due to signal in Jerez.

With a freshly drawn pint of bitter in hand, Julian Ryder may be watching the MotoGP racing from at home on his sofa but his knowledge and passion for the sport still shines through. The journalist-commentator has been a familiar face and voice to those following elite level motorcycle racing for years, and with an anecdote for every occasion, he makes this episode one of those fascinating discussions about everything going on in the sport after the first race of 2020.

Jack and cokes at the ready for a special 2020 season-opening celebratory episode of Gas It Out with pod favourite, Pramac Ducati's Jack Miller. Having signed for the factory Ducati MotoGP team in 2021, the Aussie is full of confidence and has nothing to lose heading into the shortened racing season. The Queenslander talks maturity, motocross and shoeys with the boys. Don't forget a video version is also available on all good video sharing websites. Or at least one of them.

Another Guinness man, perhaps surprisingly for a Frenchman, but the Suzuki test rider and former WorldSBK champ Sylvain Guintoli is no stranger to the pub, living now with his wife and five kids in the East Midlands of England. The amiable YouTube star(!) chats about the Suzuki GSV-RR ready to race finally in MotoGP in 2020, missing out on a World Endurance Championship medal, and French exchange trips...

In between supping pints of Guinness, Bradley Smith also races motorcycles, and does very well at it too. The Aprilia MotoGP official test rider confirms to Gas It Out that he WILL take part in the eagerly-awaited opening MotoGP race of the year, and discusses how he is preparing to be back in the shark tank that is the pinnacle of the sport. And also what seasonal produce he'd put in his soup. Don't let it be said Gas It Out isn't hard-hitting journalism. 

James Whitham has done it all in motorcycling... a British Superbike Champion and former World Superbike, World Supersport, GP and TT campaigner (among many others) and now well-respected TV pundit, the straight-talking Yorkshireman now gets to add Gas It Out to the CV. I'm sure he's delighted.  Yes, Hodgy, Gav and the Gas It Out Guests are back with the motorcycle racing season imminent.

Yee-haw! Chuck a couple of rocks in a Tito's handmade vodka, mix it with anything (but not what looks like coke in the plastic bottle) and have a listen to double World Superbike Champ, MotoGP stalwart and fellow BT Sport pundit Colin "Texas Tornado" Edwards. From his motocross dad shed, Colin joins the boys to discuss the fun of being teammates with the likes of Valentino Rossi and Noriyuki Haga, and battling again and again with Troy Bayliss for titles. Apologies for the technical glitches, it was a bad lockdown wifi day all round! 

Get your litre and a half of beer charged, and get ready for Danilo Petrucci’s bar crawl around his home town of Terni. The affable factory Ducati Team rider discusses being a full suitcase heavier than other MotoGP riders, the “cruel” world of contract negotiations and the rumours around his seat for 2021. The self-deprecating Italian also reveals his possible shock Dakar-switch dream, the proposed new 2020 calendar, and spotting the one remaining Hodgson replica scooter on the streets of Tuscany!

Decant yourself a glass of Brunello di Montalcino, and settle in for an absorbing chat with the LCR Honda Team owner and principal Lucio Cecchinello, himself a seven-time grand prix winner. Having been living in the team’s workshop during lockdown (and drinking the entire reserves of hospitality wine!), the expressive Italian narrates some incredible stories about his career and some of the riders he’s worked with like Casey Stoner or Cal Crutchlow. He also offers the lowdown on current contract negotiations and managing a team in this challenging environment.

Squeeze some extra lime into your caipirinha as the boys catch up with the Italo-Brazilian 2017 Moto2 World Champion and current Petronas SRT Yamaha rider Franco Morbidelli. The uber-cool "Franky" is perhaps the most laid-back rider on the MotoGP grid, and gives out advice about how to take things easy, how he likes a good curry, and how he intends to make an impact when MotoGP gets going again. He also reveals what he knows about a possible tie-up with Valentino Rossi next year... 

Pop an umbrella in your Bacardi and Coke and tune in for tales aplenty from three-time British Superbike Champion and 500cc GP legend Niall Mackenzie. The popular Scot chats to the boys about racing among the greats in the golden era of the 500s, including which of them didn’t know when to stop drinking. He recounts how he was offered retirement as a motivation tool, which of his BSB racing sons Taylor and Tarran is his favourite, and how to negotiate a deal worth twice what you expect.

Crack open your can of ale ready to cheers, because to celebrate VE day in the UK, the only Brit in MotoGP, Cal Crutchlow, joins Neil and Gav from California. A former World Supersport Champion, and three-time MotoGP race winner the LCR Honda Castrol rider gives away some of Marc Marquez's data secrets, divulges how to negotiate a MotoGP contract, explains where the British Quartararo is coming from, and reveals who his dream team-mate would be. 

Grab yourself a tumbler full of single-malt whisky and settle in for a fascinating and revealing catch-up with the two-time World Superbike Champion, rock-star, TV pundit and property mogul - the over-talented James Toseland. He discusses his latest surgeries, the tough start to his racing career, as well as his grandpa rejecting his hand-me-downs and Paolo Nutini getting his ear chewed off. 

With your espresso martini in hand, take a moment to enjoy an eye-opening chat with the five-time World Superbike Champion Jonathan Rea MBE. The record-breaker opens up about his future, MotoGP offers, relations with his rivals, as well as amazing revelations about his pre-race hamburger diet, arm-wrestling with Marc Marquez and trying to beat a six-year-old at FIFA. 

Rack yourself up a #cottongin and allow the soothing Yorkshire tones of 12-time World Trial Champ Dougie Lampkin melt your eardrums. Doug charts his carrot cake fitness regime, knocking down an ornate wall with his bike at Goodwood, getting arrested for illegal beach riding and Robbie Williams, Rob to his pals, singing the theme to Kickstart. Did Hodgy mention #cottongin?

Settle yourself in with a Disaronno and Coke and hear some of those comical top bunk stories from the older half of the Lowes twins, Sam. The former World Supersport Champion and current Marc VDS Moto2 rider chats about using an alias of his brother on dates, how Aleix Espargaro is one of the good guys, mammoth press-up sessions before racing, and having posters of Chris Walker on his wall #stalkersbiggestfan.    

Another long one, but this is searingly brutal honesty from the reigning British Superbike Champion Scott Redding. He discusses everything from being scared while racing, to the rivals he's rated or not, the frustrations of MotoGP and the possibility of a return, his hopes for World Superbike, and what food he would choose upon leaving a club at 4am. All the important stuff. 

Is he a MotoGP rider yet? Or doesn’t it count because he still hasn’t made his debut? We’re not sure, and nor is Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder, who chats to the lads while still eagerly awaiting his maiden premier class outing. The chilled-out South African gives the lowdown on lockdown in SA, teaches Hodgy about braai, and discusses the possible return of MotoGP to the rainbow nation. This is a long listen for the Easter weekend!

The boys enjoy a candid and comical conversation with the 23-time Isle of Man TT winner John McGuinness, whose ability to tell a tale is up there with his talent for getting the most out of the mountain course. Find out why Foggy still owes him £30, and why he ranks a 10th place finish as one of his greatest-ever achievements.

TV Presenter Suzi Perry becomes the first female and first non-racer to get to Gas It Out with Gav and Hodgy, and let's the boys into the secrets behind her career in motorsports as well as serving up a few stories from the paddock over the years. This one's a long one so strap yourselves in!

The world's most famous lorry mechanic joins Hodgy and Gav for a chat, albeit sounding like he is down a hole, wearing scuba gear, submerged in engine oil. Perhaps he was. The all-round legend that is former TT racer  Guy Martin brings his best to the pod, without the mention of a cup of tea once. This time, don't blame Gav for the sound quality! And stay for the extras to see just how utterly useless the two Gas It Out men are...

Twice a grand prix winner, John McPhee rides a Honda for the Petronas Sprinta Racing team in the Moto3 World Championship, finishing fifth in the world in 2019. The Scot reveals how much some of his rivals are PAYING to take part in the championship, and which of the world champions he raced again that he doesn't really rate!! He also gives advice on how to pronounce the name of his hometown (we're none the wiser) and what steps he took to become a racer instead of an accountant!

Episode 2 and Gav & Hodgy (Godgy) are joined by the current leader of the World Superbike Championship, Kawasaki Racing Team's Alex Lowes. One half of the #22 twins with brother Sam (who rides in Moto2), Alex dishes the dirt on his top-bunk brother as well as revealing the mental challenges of racing at the top level and lining up as the multi-World Champ Jonathan Rea's teammate. *Stick around at the end for bonus content!*

World Superbike Champion Neil Hodgson joins MotoGP broadcaster Gavin Emmett for a brand new motorcycle racing podcast “Gas It Out”. At least that’s what it’s called for now! The BT Sport pundits chat about what’s going on in the world of bike racing, albeit not much after the delay to the start of the 2020 season.  In this first, impromptu episode, made as a result of the Coronavirus lockdown, Godgy are joined by Petronas Sprinta Racing’s Jake “Dixie” Dixon who currently competes in the Moto2 World Championship (and according to Jake in Formula One eSports!) and finished 14th in the opening race of the season in Qatar. Any audio issues are with Gav’s recording and not your device!