One week after Formula 1, MotoGP resumes this weekend of March 9-10.
For the 76th edition in its history, the drivers will compete for the title of world champion at the 21 meetings of the year around the world, starting with Losail, in Qatar.
Here's everything you need to know about the 2024 MotoGP season.
French chances
Will the two French drivers on the grid be back at the front this season?
World champion in 2021, Fabio Quartararo will have to make us forget a very disappointing 2023, finishing in 10th place in the driver rankings.
But his Yamaha could cause him harm again.
Much less efficient than all the Ducatis on the grid, his bike has not, for the moment, reduced the gap.
“We will need a lot of time to find our potential,” explained the 24-year-old from Nice after the winter tests.
The cause is a lack of grip and very poor performance on a lap, particularly in qualifying.
But “El Diablo” has not said his last word.
"We're still a long way off, it's not fun. The team's mentality has completely changed" 🏍
Fabio Quartararo measures the work that remains to be done after the Sepang tests.
#MotoGP pic.twitter.com/ygWP2nrlir
— CANAL+ MotoGP™ (@CanalplusMotoGP) February 21, 2024
For Johann Zarco, the 2024 vintage will be very different.
The one who went for his first victory in the premier category in Australia last season is embarking on a new challenge.
The 5th in the rider ranking left Pramac for LCR Honda, and a bike that appears less efficient on paper.
Nevertheless, the 33-year-old pilot seems satisfied with his mount, “easy to handle” in his words.
Unfortunately, not from there to seek several victories, but rather Top 10. “It would be a very good result,” he warns.
Bagnaia favorite to his own succession
The two French people should therefore be far from the mark this season, and especially far behind Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), big favorite for this year 2024. Already double title holder, the one who has just extended until 2026 with his team is best placed to be crowned for the third time in a row, like Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi before him.
“Pecco will be the man to beat,” admitted his main rival last year, Jorge Martin.
The Pramac driver, second last season, will have to calm his enthusiasm and limit mistakes to believe in his title chances.
Among the other competitors for the title, we must not forget Bagnaia's teammate, Enea Bastianini, author of a season too disrupted by injuries in 2023.
🤝 We're thrilled to announce that @DucatiCorse and @PeccoBagnaia are teaming up for another two seasons!
The two-time @MotoGP World Champion with the #DucatiLenovoTeam will continue riding the factory #DesmosediciGP in 2025 and 2026!
💥#ForzaDucati pic.twitter.com/bcfJJmAGCt
— Ducati Corse (@ducaticorse) March 4, 2024
On the outsider side, Marc Marquez will still be there to seek a seventh title and beat the record of the legend Valentino Rossi.
To do this, after ten years at Honda, he joined the Italian team Ducati-Gresini where his brother Alex was already playing.
The season calendar
As in 2023, the 22 drivers on the grid will compete in two races per weekend: a sprint on Saturday, followed by the traditional Grand Prix on Sunday.
The drivers’ grid
Ducati Lenovo Team:
#1 Francesco Bagnaia (Italy) /#23 Enea Bastianini (Italy)
Aprilia Racing:
#12 Maverick Viñales (Spain) /#41 Aleix Espargaró (Spain)
Repsol Honda Team
:
#10 Luca Marini (Italy) /#36 Joan Mir (Spain)
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing:
#33 Brad Binder (South Africa) /#43 Jack Miller (Australia)
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing:
#20 Fabio Quartararo (France) /#42 Álex Rins (Spain)
Trackhouse Racing:
#25 Raúl Fernández (Spain) /#88 Miguel Oliveira (Portugal)
Prima Pramac Racing:
#21 Franco Morbidelli (Italy) /#89 Jorge Martín (Spain)
Gresini Racing MotoGP:
#93 Marc Márquez (Spain) /#73 Alex Márquez (Spain)
Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team:
#49 Fabio Di Giannantonio (Italy) /#72 Marco Bezzecchi (Italy)
LCR Honda:
#30 Takaaki Nakagami (Japan) /#5 Johann Zarco (France)
GasGas Tech3 Factory Racing:
#37 Augusto Fernández (Spain) /#31 Pedro Acosta (Spain)