It’s been a pretty spectacular year for MotoGP. After the covid-19 pandemic dismantled the 2020 season leading to a greatly compressed championship that was more about survival than success, this year has been full of great races and storylines as well as the start of a return to normality. We’ve seen numerous riders have breakout races, and a new generation of young talent appears to be emerging through the field, which should excite long-term followers of the sport and breathe new life into the fanbase.
Now, with just three races left to determine the final outcome of the championship, I wanted to take a look at the biggest winners and losers this season has produced. Who has had the most gains, and who has fallen the most? Which riders have stamped their authority on the category, and who is already looking to 2022 for any hopes of revitalising their careers? Here are my top picks!
Ducati – Winners
This is an easy one. The defending manufacturer’s champions have had a fantastic season in 2021, with their 2021 model being arguably the best bike on the grid, and with a roster of four incredibly talented riders on factory machinery they’ve been able to get consistent top results since the first round in Qatar. While some individual inconsistencies and injuries have stopped any of their riders from challenging for the title, there is no doubt that they have been the ones to beat in 2021, and their qualifying record has been truly astonishing.
Yamaha – Losers
I understand this will be something of a controversial pick, but it has to be said. Yamaha have been all over the place this season, and despite Quartararo’s individual success it appears that the manufacturer has gotten somewhat lost in their approach. The points tally may fool most people – they are still in the running for the triple crown this season – but I actually think Quartararo’s success is causing people to overlook the negatives that have come from this season, much as Marc Marquez’s titles did with Honda in the past. Hopefully they will have a more well-rounded package in 2022 so more than one of their riders can fight for the title.
Aprilia – Winners
I was honestly wowed by Aprilia this year. Despite being my pick for the worst of the six manufacturers this year, their results with Aleix Espargaro have been both consistent and very competitive. The podium in Silverstone was a result of many years of hard work and desire for success, and with a rider of the calibre of Maverick Vinales being added to their rostrum for next season one has to imagine they’re only going to continue climbing from here.
Honda – Losers
I think everyone was hoping that this year would be better for Honda than 2020 was, but it simply hasn’t materialised. The bike still has a lot of issues, and the riders simply aren’t performing with any kind of consistency. Marc’s return was somewhat of a blessing and a curse, as they may fall into the trap again of viewing their success through him alone rather than their full outfit of riders, and even 2020 breakouts Alex Marquez and Nakagami haven’t been able to put any decent results together. This may be a problem that takes some time to fix.
Fabio Quartararo – Winner
2020 should have been a great year for Fabio, but his championship bid unravelled in a truly saddening manner. I had a hunch he would struggle to recapture his good form for this season, but I was dead wrong, and we have instead witnessed one of the strongest runs of form by any rider other than Marc Marquez in a long time. He’s been consistent, calm, and devastatingly fast on both a Saturday and a Sunday, and he will make for a very deserving champion.
Francesco Bagnaia – Winner
Bagnaia showed the world some of what he was capable of last year, but injury stopped him from showing his full hand. No such issues have held him back this time around, and a swathe of podiums and his first two wins in the premier class bode well for his future in MotoGP. He knows how to win a title in the lower classes, and I expect him to be a real threat to Quartararo’s title defence next season. In my opinion, Bagnaia is one of the three strongest riders on the planet right now, and if he can keep this current run of consistency next season it’s going to be hard to stop him.
Jack Miller – Loser
Another controversial pick here, especially given that he’s won two races this season, but Jack has once again not performed as well as people hoped this year. His continued lack of consistency is really starting to hamper his success as a factory rider, and now he faces the possibility that his position within the Ducati squad might be coming under fire soon in the form of Jorge Martin. There are a great many riders already looking to 2022 with a lot to prove, and I fear Jack may be among them. Still, my Aussie spirit really hopes he will break this current slump and return to the top step sooner rather than later.
Pol Espargaro – Loser
The younger Espargaro brother had a genuinely fantastic season last year, bagging a slew of podiums and showing the world exactly what the KTM was capable of once they were able to design a properly competitive package. The move to Repsol Honda likely seemed like a good one when he signed the paperwork, but the bike they’ve given him this year simply isn’t up to par, and it essentially killed his chances at replicating his results from last year. Should Honda find their spark again, he might actually have a couple of good seasons left in MotoGP, but I fear this may spell the beginning of the end for the Spaniard.
Jorge Martin – Winner
The Spanish rookie has been sensational all season. A win, three podiums, two pole positions and a handful of other top results – the rookie of the year battle would likely be over by now had he not missed so many races due to his frightening crash earlier in the year. Martin is wickedly fast, and will present Ducati with a real problem in the coming months as they try to sort out their roster for 2023 and beyond. Wherever he ends up, however, I guarantee he will continue to see plenty of success.
Luca Marini – Loser
On the other end of the rookie spectrum we find Rossi’s younger brother. The Italian showed so much promise in Moto2 over the last two seasons, coming seriously close to clinching the title in Portimao last year, and I understand that he’s on an older bike than most of his competition, but you can’t deny that Marini has essentially been nowhere this year. He is a person who likes to work on himself and slowly build confidence rather than rushing into things, I get that, but MotoGP doesn’t tend to hang around for riders who don’t get a grip quickly. Hopefully some factory machinery in 2022 helps extend his time in the premier class somewhat.
Team Suzuki Ecstar – Losers
How the mighty have fallen. Suzuki were the best team on the grid last year, especially in the second half of the season where it was fairly common to see both of their bikes on the podium, but something has gone astray for them in 2021. Maybe it’s the change in management, maybe it’s the return to a more normal championship structure, or maybe it’s the fact they spent their development time at the start of the season working on their 2022 bike – it doesn’t really matter what the cause is, the effect has been shocking. Alex Rins’s inconsistency hasn’t helped, either, so expect his seat to be under fire when contract talks start next year.
Tech 3 KTM – Winners
It’s been a tough season for the satellite KTM team in all honesty, with both of their riders struggling at the start of the year with the change in tire allocations for this season, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel that will give the team a lot of hope. Moto2 stars Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez have been confirmed as their lineup for next season, and more than anything this shows that Tech 3 were right in trusting KTM and their junior talent development program. Lecuona has even put in some solid finishes of late, proving that the KTM is a strong bike in factory colours or otherwise, and so I imagine the team will conclude this year feeling mighty pleased with everything as a whole.
Solomon Talks Bikes 