MotoGP rider moves that could shake up 2024 season
With a lot of moves yet to happen as it relates to the 2024 MotoGP rider line-up, here are some of the latest rumours ahead of a busy summer break.
The obvious place to start is with Ducati and their satellite teams as Paolo Ciabatti and Jorge Martin both suggested that he will stay at Pramac for next season.
This seems to also be true for Johann Zarco, who following an impressive start to the 2023 season looks set for a fourth consecutive season with the team. It was briefly suggested he might lose his seat and be moved to WorldSBK.
Marco Bezzecchi has made it clear that he wants a factory Ducati seat if he’s to move on from Mooney VR46 Ducati, and despite rumours linking him to Pramac, especially if Martin was to depart, the Italian seems set to stay put before challenging for a factory seat in 2025.
Where Ducati could change their line-up is at Gresini, as Fabio Di Giannantonio’s days appear to be numbered.
Tony Arbolino is one of the leading contenders for that seat, with Ducati confirming they have an interest in the Italian, however, GPOne.com are reporting that Franco Morbidelli could be an option if he leaves Yamaha.
Morbidelli’s future continues to be a hot topic. Recent rumours have suggested that Alex Rins could be looking for a way out of Honda in order to replace Morbidelli alongside Fabio Quartararo at Yamaha.
If Rins were to leave Honda, it could mean LCR has a brand new line-up as Takaaki Nakagami’s future also remains unclear.
Back to his best in Assen, Moto2 rider Ai Ogura seems to have put his injury woes behind him and could be back in Honda’s plans going forward.
Rins is not the only Honda rider who has been linked with trying to force a way out from the Japanese manufacturer, as Marc Marquez has seemingly reached breaking point with Honda.
However, rumours of him offering himself to KTM were squashed by the eight-time world champion, who is contracted to Honda until the end of next year.
Where there could be further changes to the current grid is with KTM. The Austrian manufacturer is set with their factory pairing of Brad Binder and Jack Miller, but the not-so-small matter of promoting Pedro Acosta is on KTM’s radar.
Despite a very solid beginning to his MotoGP career, Augusto Fernandez could be the odd man out as KTM remain desperate to keep Acosta, who has completely ruled out the possibility of staying in Moto2.
