MotoGP: 2022 Season Preview

February 28, 2022 February 28, 2022

The start of the MotoGP season is only a week away and this years 21 round campaign is guaranteed to be a year to remember,

This years there will be six manufacturers and 12 teams with 24 riders piloting the machines.

Across the 24 riders seven nations and four continents are represented.

The 2022 calendar sees the MotoGP circus travel to globe to 17 countries and five continents.

Ducati Lenovo Team:

The reigning constructors Champions come into 2022 as the out and out favourites for the Championship.

There rider lineup is the same as 2021 with Francesco Bagnaia and Jack Miller.

Bagnaia finished runner up in the riders Championship in 2021, with nine podiums and four wins to his name. The Italian will be looking to carry across his incredible form from the end of 2021 into 2022 for a title charge.

Miller comes into 2022 with a point to prove, his contract with the team runs out at the end of the season. If the Australian wants to stay in the factory Ducati fold he must finish better than his fourth place in 2021.

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP:

The team that aided their rider to win the 2021 MotoGP riders Championship have already played down their chances for 2022.

The factory Yamaha squad have kept the reigning Champion, Fabio Quartararo, and 2020 runner up, Franco Morbidelli.

Quartararo wanted to defend his title this season and practically begged Yamaha for more top speed to help him. However, it seems his cries for more speed have fallen on deaf ears as Yamaha remained towards the bottom of the top speed charts! The Frenchman may have a tough season to come.

Morbidelli had injury problems throughout 2021 as he missed five races due to a knee problem. Now after a few months off to recover the Italian will be hoping to be back in contention for podiums and race wins.

Team Suzuki Ecstar:

Suzuki should now feel more confident going forward into 2022 with the appointment of Livio Suppo as Team Manager. The veteran Italian should be able to steady the ship for the 2020 Champions.

Suzuki have also not changed their lineup for 2022 as they have kept Joan Mir and Alex Rins.

The 2020 Champion, Mir, finished third last season but wants to challenge for the title again this season. The Spanish rider may be able to do so with the new engine developments that Suzuki have bought to the table this season.

Rins finished a disappointing thirteenth in 2021 and crashed out of five Grands Prix. If Rins wants to keep his Factory Suzuki ride for 2023 then this season is crucial for him.

Pramac Racing:

Pramac Racing have the most exciting satellite team lineup for this season! They have kept the experienced Johann Zarco and the young Jorge Martin.

Zarco finished fifth in 2021 and had four podium finished, but he is still chasing that first MotoGP win. This season could be the year Zarco stands on the top step of a rostrum in MotoGP.

Martin entered MotoGP with a bang in 2021 as he finished third in only his second race! The Martinator did encounter injury issues which sidelined him for four Grands Prix. However, he scored three more podiums and a race win when he returned!

Watch out for this dynamic duo this season.

Repsol Honda Team:

The Repsol Honda Team have had a tough couple years in 2020 and 2021. However, 2022 could be a turning point for the squad. Marc Marquez appears to be back to near full fitness and Pol Espargaro has gelled with the 2022 RC-213V.

Marquez is a eight time World Champion and has struggled with injuries in the past two seasons. After finished seventh in 2021 with three race wins the Spaniard will be hoping for more this season.

Espargaro had a poor year with Honda in 2021 as he finished twelfth overall. But 2022 could be a turning point for the 2013 Moto2 Champion. The 2022 Honda looks more rider friendly and Espargaro topped some pre-season tests, so his confidence will be high for the season opener.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing:

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing had a troubled 2021 season despite their two race wins as a team.

Brad Binder finished sixth in 2021 with one race win. However, it was his consistency that allowed him to finish so high last year. This season the South African will hope KTM have improved as he has signed with KTM until the end of 2024.

Miguel Oliveira had a poor 2021 season despite the fact that he had two podiums and a race win. The Portuguese rider finished fourteenth in the standings last year. In 2022 he is in danger of losing his ride for 2023 if he does not improve this year.

LCR Honda:

The satellite Honda team have been struggling in recent years just like the factory team. Lucio Cecchinello will be hoping his team can find form this season.

LCR Honda have kept the same lineup from the 2021 season.

Takaaki Nakagami remains with the team for his fifth season in MotoGP. After finishing fifteenth in 2021 Nakagami must improve this season. If the Japanese rider does not find form there is a chance he will get dropped in favour of Ai Ogura.

Alex Marquez remains with Honda for his third season in MotoGP. The younger of the two Marquez brothers finished fifteenth in 2021. Just like his teammate Marquez must improve on his 2021 season results.

Aprilia Racing:

Aprilia Racing made a step forward in 2021 and have the best rider lineup that they have ever had in the modern era!

Aleix Espargaro has stayed with Aprilia for this season. After finishing eighth and finishing on the podium for the first time for Aprilia in 2021, this season could be even better for Espargaro!

Maverick Vinales continues with Aprilia after making the switch from Yamaha in the 2021 season. Vinales seemed to have good one lap pace in testing, but will he have the confidence to fight in races is the question.

WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team:

The Petronas Yamaha SRT squad have now become the WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team. After a difficult 2021 season their issues may continue into this season.

Andrea Dovizioso makes his full time return to MotoGP after sitting out of the majority of the 2021 season. The veteran Italian could struggle this season or he could thrive on a Yamaha.

Darryn Binder makes his debut in the MotoGP class this season as he makes the jump from Moto3 straight into MotoGP. The South African rider will not have an easy transition year this season and his results will likely reflect that.

Tech3 KTM Factory Racing:

The experienced MotoGP satellite team has a full rookie lineup this season. The French team will be hoping that the young blood in their squad will help them improve from last season.

The 2021 Moto2 Champion, Remy Gardner, joins the Tech3 squad for this season. The Australian is another MotoGP rookie and struggled in pre-season testing with injuries he had. Gardner could be one to watch this season.

Another exciting rookie is last years Moto2 runner up, Raul Fernandez. The young Spaniard is an exciting talent that will be highly competitive in future years. But this season he will just be wanting to make sure he beats his teammate.

Gresini Racing MotoGP:

A new team for 2022 is the Gresini Racing MotoGP satellite team. The Gresini name is once again attached to its own squad and will be running two Ducati machines. Their riders this season are two Italian talents.

Enea Bastianini was a stand out rookie last season in MotoGP. This season Bastianini had made the upgrade from a Ducati GP19 to a GP21. The improvement in bike will allow Bastianini to be more competitive, which he was in pre season. The Italian could become a MotoGP race winner this season.

Fabio Di Giannantonio joins Bastianini at Gresini and in MotoGP. After finishing seventh in Moto2 in 2021 the Italian rider has been promoted to the premier class. Di Giannantonio may have a difficult season in his rookie year with a Ducati.

Mooney VR46 Racing Team:

Valentino Rossi has expanded his VR46 Racing Team to a two bike squad for the 2022 season. Rossi has kept his half brother, Luca Marini, in his squad and has promoted Moto2 rider, Marco Bezzecchi.

Marini debuted in MotoGP last season and had a classic learning year on the big bike. However, in the Mandalika pre-season test for this season Marini looked strong and could potenitally challenge for a podium this seaon.

Bezzecchi joins his old Moto2 teammate Marini in MotoGP this season. The Italian finished third in the 2021 Moto2 season and Rossi had seen enough to promote him. Bezzecchi has shown that he has talent in testing, but racing in MotoGP is a different ball game.