5 MotoGP riders dealing with essentially the most stress in 2023 | MotoGP

The 2022 MotoGP season noticed a number of riders not solely assert themselves as stars of the long run, however stars of the current.

Whether or not that be Francesco Bagnaia after his sensational title win, Enea Bastianini who received 4 races and secured a manufacturing facility Ducati seat within the course of, or rookie of the yr Marco Bezzecchi.

Nonetheless, different performances all through the season left rather a lot to be desired which is why they’ve been included on this listing.

5 – Joan Mir

Whereas Mir has a two-year contract at Repsol Honda and is subsequently dealing with no threat of shedding his seat after 2023, the previous Suzuki rider will likely be trying to cease the pattern that entails teammates to Marc Marquez failing to get near him over a season.

The 2020 world champion has did not win a race since his title-winning season, and though the Spaniard was very constant in 2021 which led to him ending third, he wasn’t capable of match Alex Rins who received two out of the final three races on the finish of final season.

Mir has joined a group that’s the most profitable in MotoGP historical past, nonetheless, Repsol Honda have received simply three races within the final three years, all of which got here courtesy of Marquez. 

Whether or not it was Dani Pedrosa, Jorge Lorenzo or Pol Espargaro, all three riders have been unable to repeatedly problem Marquez when the eight-time world champion was wholesome, and for Mir, the identical consequence may very well be damaging to his potential choices ought to the Mallorcan-born rider be taking a look at an exit from Honda past 2024.  

4 – Johann Zarco 

Like Mir, Zarco is much less in want of a giant 2023 season in comparison with the highest three riders on our listing, though stress nonetheless stays for the Pramac rider.

Zarco remains to be with out a victory within the premier class as he watched Bagnaia, Bastianini, Jack Miller and Jorge Martin all win races over the past two seasons on equivalent equipment, or within the case of Bastianini a year-old bike.

Zarco’s presence within the Pramac Ducati squad is an excellent one for the group as he brings velocity and expertise, nonetheless, consistency has been a problem.

The final two seasons have seen Zarco begin the yr with a number of podiums and emerge as a title contender earlier than dropping off when it comes to efficiency.

If Bezzecchi or Luca Marini can add their names to the listing of Ducati riders to win in MotoGP subsequent season, then Zarco might want to obtain related outcomes to keep away from being beneath stress for 2024. 

3 – Takaaki Nakagami 

There’s little doubt that Honda wished to advertise Ai Ogura from Moto2 into MotoGP for subsequent season.

However with the Japanese rider within the midst of a Moto2 title combat that he ultimately misplaced to Augusto Fernandez, and feeling like he wanted one other season within the middleweight class, LCR Honda as an alternative elected to stay with the expertise of Nakagami.

Whereas that was a lifeline for Nakagami, the five-year MotoGP veteran is unlikely to get away with one other season like those he had in 2021 and 22.

Nonetheless with out a podium or win in MotoGP, it seems as if Nakagami will at the very least want to realize the previous of these two situations if he desires to stay within the premier class past 2023. 

As a consequence of his ties with Honda Nakagami is unlikely to be supplied a journey elsewhere which additionally hurts his possibilities of remaining in MotoGP ought to Honda select to not retain him. 

2 – Alex Marquez 

After three troublesome seasons with Honda, Marquez was surprisingly picked up by Ducati and the Gresini group to switch Bastianini.

A former Moto2 champion like Bastianini, Marquez’s outcomes are prone to be in comparison with what the Italian managed in 2022, which can make it very troublesome to stay as much as the potential proven by Bastianini.

The 2023 season appears set to be Marquez’s final probability to show himself as a MotoGP rider attributable to his struggles at LCR, albeit the RC213V proved to be a difficult bike for all of the Honda riders to carry out properly with.

With that mentioned, Marquez has arguably the perfect package deal on the grid at his disposal, so something apart from preventing for high ten finishes or higher will likely be thought-about a disappointing season and one that can depart him preventing for his premier class profession. 

1 – Franco Morbidelli

The one manufacturing facility rider with a contract that runs out earlier than 2024, Morbidelli’s Monster Vitality Yamaha seat may very well be hotly contested for subsequent season.

Morbidelli had a stunning 2023 season, ending nineteenth within the championship whereas team-mate Fabio Quartararo was second.

Lin Jarvis, Staff Principal of the manufacturing facility Yamaha outfit, made it no secret that they need to have signed Toprak Razgatlioglu from WorldSBK to switch Morbidelli, which may nonetheless be an choice for the group in 2024.

One other rider who may very well be within the working is Martin after the Spaniard misplaced out to Bastianini within the combat for a manufacturing facility Ducati seat. Martin received’t have the possibility to hitch the Lenovo Ducati group till 2025 on the earliest, so a doable swap to Yamaha may very well be tempting for the 24 year-old. 

All of it will rely upon Morbidelli’s type however except he returns to one thing related as 2020 when he was the runner-up, then a brand new rider may very well be becoming a member of Quartararo.