Five bombshell rider moves that shocked MotoGP

With Marc Marquez confirming his shock departure from Repsol Honda ahead of a switch to Gresini Ducati, we look at five other huge moves that took MotoGP by storm.

Robert Jones

Updated: 23 Jan 2024

Valentino Rossi, MotoGP, Spanish MotoGP 30 April

An argument could be made that none are bigger than Marquez’ soon-to-be move to Ducati after spending 11 years with the Japanese manufacturer.

A six-time MotoGP with Honda, Marquez's career with the Repsol team at one stage looked like a relationship that could not be broken.

But that’s exactly what has happened due to Honda’s performance over the last few seasons, falling from top dogs to arguably the worst bike on the grid.

But what other moves shocked MotoGP?

Valentino Rossi leaves Honda to join Yamaha

A three-time champion in his first three seasons with Repsol Honda, Rossi took a huge gamble by leaving for Yamaha, who at the time had not won a premier class title in 12 years.

It was a huge gamble from the Italian, but one that paid off as he continued his stunning success.

Many thought Rossi made a mistake by leaving Honda, but as he showed in 2004 and 2005, the ‘Doctor’ took Yamaha back to glory before winning another two championships in 2008/09.

Casey Stoner swaps Ducati for immediate success with Honda

Like Rossi, Stoner made a big call to leave Ducati for Honda in 2011, however, it was a decision that brought immediate success as he won the title that season.

Stoner became Ducati’s first-ever MotoGP champion in 2007 before finishing runner-up to Rossi in 2008.

But after two fourth place finishes, Stoner left the Italian brand to join Dani Pedrosa at Repsol Honda.

Stoner’s title win was Honda’s first since Nicky Hayden got the better of Rossi during the 2006 season.

Rossi’s switch to Ducati backfires

After sustained success with Yamaha, Rossi joined Ducati after they lost Stoner to Honda, but the nine-time world champion was unable to replicate the Australian’s results.

Hoping his bold move would pay off the way it did when he left Honda for Yamaha, Rossi instead failed to win a single race in two years.

The only manufacturer he didn’t win with in MotoGP, Rossi’s time at Ducati was one to forget while Yamaha continued to enjoy success following his departure.

Jorge Lorenzo leaves Ducati and struggles

After making a big move from Yamaha to Ducati in 2017, Lorenzo was again on the move in 2019 as he joined Honda alongside Marquez.

But while it was a big signing for Honda, Lorenzo began finding his best form with Ducati just weeks before his switch to Honda was confirmed.

Lorenzo was beginning to out-perform Andrea Dovizioso but it wasn’t enough to remain with Ducati, as he instead joined Honda before retiring a year later.

Like many of Marquez’s teammates, Lorenzo struggled aboard the RC213V as he failed to record a single top ten result, while Marquez won or was on the podium in all-but one race.

Maverick Vinales exits Yamaha before shock move to Aprilia

The man who replaced Lorenzo at Yamaha in 2017, Vinales appeared to be in a dream situation as he was teammate to Rossi before the expected role of team leader was supposed to come his way.

But that never happened as he struggled to get to grips with Fabio Quartararo in 2021, before a shocking mid-season departure took place.

Angry at Yamaha for not listening to him, Vinales was sacked after the Styrian Grand Prix when he was caught over-revving the engine in a bid to damage his machine.

But Vinales was soon back on the grid as he completed a surprise move to Aprilia just three rounds later.