This weekend sees the long awaited return of the world’s greatest motorcycle racing championship – MotoGP.
Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo lines up in Qatar on Sunday looking to defend his title for the first ever time. The 22-year-old had a sensational start to the 2021 campaign and was able to control his points advantage, despite an arm pump scare in the early part of the year. Despite Yamaha reportedly having made little developmental progress with the YZR-M1 over the winter months, Quartararo should again be a real contender again in 2022.
Quartararo’s main challenge came from Ducati’s Pecco Bagnaia, who had a very strong end to the season. He’s many pundits’ favourite for the 2022 title, especially as Ducati seem to have made a big step forward with bike development over the winter break.
After two challenging years, Honda is another company who have made big changes to their motorcycle for 2022. After dominating MotoGP between 2013 and 2019 (winning six out of seven years), Marquez has suffered massive injuries over the past two seasons. Despite his woes, the Spaniard was still able to win three races during the 2021 campaign and, with Honda promising a hardware upgrade, he goes into the season as some bookmakers’ favourite. It’ll be a tough ask for Marquez, but no one can ever write him off. Ever.
Such is the depth of field in MotoGP, there are a number of riders capable to winning races. We haven’t even mentioned 2020 champ Joan Mir, who once again leads Suzuki’s effort, fan favourite Jack Miller and a quartet of improving KTMs, which include race winners Brad Binder and Miguel Oliveira, as well as last year’s top two in the Moto2 series – Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez. Look out too for Valentino Rossi’s new VR46 squad. The legend may have finally hung up his leathers, but his team have acquired a pair of Ducatis for half brother Luca Marini and Moto2 front runner Marco Bezzecchi. Look out too for another Ducati-mounted Italian, 24-year-old Enea Bastianini, who enters his sophomore season after an impressive 2021 rookie campaign.
But enough of what we think, we asked Carole Nash backed Moto2 star Jake Dixon, who competed in two MotoGP races as a stand in rider last season. See his opinion in this exclusive video below.
In the support classes, you can find Jake and fellow Brit Sam Lowes battling for honours in the intermediate Moto2 championship, where all eyes will be on last season’s rookie Moto3 champion Pedro Acosta as he looks to continue his meteoric rise to the top of the sport. The 17-year-old Spaniard topped the official pre-season test in Portimao, where Jake put in strong showings in all sessions to end eighth overall.
In Moto3, there will be plenty of interest in the new, all British, Visiontrack Honda squad. Run by former racer and BT Sport pundit Michael Laverty, it is the first British team in the MotoGP paddock since 2014 and fields class rookies Scott Ogden and Josh Whatley. Italy’s Dennis Foggia, runner-up in 2021, topped the pre-season test and he, along with Aspar GASGAS team-mates Sergio Garcia and Izan Guevara will start the season as favourites. Britain is also represented by former Grand Prix winner John McPhee, who has joined Max Biaggi’s Husqvarna team for what will be his final year in Moto3, due to the class age limit.
You can watch every minute of every session in all three MotoGP classes live on BT Sport, sponsored by Carole Nash motorcycle insurance.
