The riders start the 76th edition of the MotoGP championship this weekend in Qatar, which promises a fierce fight despite the announced dominance of the Italian brands.
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The 2024 MotoGP season, which begins on Saturday 9 March with the first sprint race before the first Grand Prix on Sunday 10 March, has several highlights, including a new track and the renewal of sprint races each Grand Prix weekend. In particular, Francesco Bagnaia, the two-time title holder, will face Marco Marquez who has switched teams. At the Losail circuit in Qatar, the Spaniard will make his first competitive outing on a Gresini-Ducati motorcycle to compete with Bagnaio.
Francesco Bagnaia, “the man to beat”
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati), crowned in 2023 at the end of uncertainty, aims for a third consecutive world title. The away winner is always a natural favourite, and that’s even more true when he just broke the course record during pre-season testing in Losail (Qatar) on February 20. His last year’s runner-up, Jorge Martin, dreams of overthrowing the head of the discipline.
“‘Pecco’ is the favourite. He’s won the last two seasons, so he’s the man to beat.”
Jorge Martin (Ducati-Pramac), current vice-champion of the worldon MotoGP.com
Alongside the runner-up in the 2023 rankings, Francesco Bagnaia has an equally natural competitor: Marc Marquez, the six-time MotoGP world champion. The Spaniard left his long-time team, Honda, to join a team better equipped to fight for the title, Gresina, Ducati’s satellite team. After four seasons ruined by crashes and injuries, he wants to return to the forefront. Enea Bastianini, Bagnai’s Ducati team-mate, can also claim the world title, as can Aprilia’s Spanish riders, Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales.
Frenchmen Quartararo and Zarco in training
Fabio Quartararo, the world champion in 2021, should bite his head again this season. After a disappointing 10th place in 2023, his Yamaha still seems far from the best bikes. So much so that this year could be his last in the Japanese company, as his contract expires at the end of the season. He is joined by his new teammate Alex Rins from the Honda-LCR team.
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The other Frenchman on the grid, Johann Zarco, has just joined Honda-LCR. He left Ducati-Pramac after finally securing his first MotoGP win in October, at the Australian Grand Prix. A feat that will be difficult to repeat this season as Honda’s bikes, like Yamaha’s, seem to underperform their Italian rivals.
New circuit and sprint race
As last year, the MotoGP championship should be held on 21 tracks and offer 42 races. The sprint race format, tested last season, is being renewed in 2024. Around twice the length of the Sunday race and awarding half as many points, the sprint race will therefore be held on the Saturday afternoon of each Grand Prix.
As for the calendar, Qatar regains its status as the first event of the year, after being postponed until the end of the season due to works in 2023. A new Grand Prix also appears: that of Kazakhstan, on the Sokol circuit. This was already in the program for 2023, but was canceled due to unfinished works on time. The Indian Grand Prix, which was marked by almost unbearable heat at the Buddh circuit last year, has been restored. To see the drivers in France, you’ll have to go to Le Mans, May 10-12.