Five major shocks which could stun MotoGP in 2024

Alex Rins to end Yamaha’s winless streak?

Alex Rins’ Yamaha move means he is now in contention to become the first rider of the MotoGP era to win races on three different brands of bike. Might he repeat last year’s LCR Honda heroics at the unique COTA circuit and snatch a debut Yamaha victory at round four?

Luca Marini to be top Honda?

Honda may have lost Marc Marquez, but it will still have two proven MotoGP race winners in former world champion Joan Mir and new LCR signing Johann Zarco. But could Mir’s new Repsol team-mate Luca Marini, the fastest Honda rider on his debut at the Valencia test, cause an upset?

Aprilia to deliver a title challenge?

Nobody will be too surpised if KTM takes the fight to Ducati this season, but Maverick Vinales finished 2023 believing he’d finally found a set-up that can make the Aprilia work on a variety of tracks. If Aprilia, which won two GPs and a Sprint last season, can indeed turn the RS-GP into a more consistent challenger, could it repeat 2022 and fight for the title?

Some young satellite Ducati stars will leave?

Assuming reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia re-signs, there is only one factory Ducati seat still available for 2025.

If Enea Bastianini revives his Gresini form he might well keep it but the Italian is sure to face pressure from a long list of satellite Ducati stars, such as reigning title runner-up Jorge Martin, multiple race winner Marco Bezzecchi or six time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez (see below).

Those that miss out on the official Ducati ride are likely to become a prime target for other manufacturers…

Marc Marquez to stay at Gresini in 2025?

…That said, if current bookies title favourite Marc Marquez is rejuvenated by the family atmosphere alongside his brother at the satellite Gresini team, perhaps he won’t be in any rush to return to the high-pressure grind of factory status in 2025.