Photo: motogp.com
Two rounds ahead of the final checkered flag of 2014, we bring you the first provisional entry list for the 2015 MotoGP World Championship. While at the top of the rider’s charts, things have not changed a bit, with the exception of salaries maybe, the rest of the grid has seen a lot of action.
The top 4 is unchanged
Top 4 has maintained its structure. Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa stay with Repsol Honda, and even though the former was probably the first confirmed rider this year, they both have a 2-season contract in their bags. The same goes for Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo at Movistar Yamaha, and both of them show a better form than in the early stages of this season. If the trend remains unchanged and they get along well with the new bikes, we’re in for quite a show, as both have some score to settle with Marquez.
Another maker makes its way on the grid as a factory team. Aprilia decided to not wait until 2016 as they first said. Noale will team up with Gresini Racing, and use their slots, with one of the bikes being ridded by Alvaro Bautista, the man who also brought Aprilia an 125cc world title back in 2006. His team mate is not known at the time of writing.
Tech3 Yamaha confirmed the same rider line-up for 2015, Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith, while Honda’s satellite team LCR will have Cal Crutchlow and Jack Miller on their bikes. Cructhlow will ride a Honda RC213V machine in 2015, the third new bike in three seasons. The other factory-backed Honda goes to Scott Redding and a new team in MotoGP, Marc VDS.
Not many things are expected to change on the grid, but we’ll keep you informed. Until then it’s the Malaysian round this weekend, the penultimate stage of 2014. Rossi, Lorenzo and Pedrosa are up for cut-throat action, as the second and third podium places at the end of the seasons are theirs to lose.
Top 4 has maintained its structure. Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa stay with Repsol Honda, and even though the former was probably the first confirmed rider this year, they both have a 2-season contract in their bags. The same goes for Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo at Movistar Yamaha, and both of them show a better form than in the early stages of this season. If the trend remains unchanged and they get along well with the new bikes, we’re in for quite a show, as both have some score to settle with Marquez.
Ducati
Ducati retains Andrea Dovizioso and replaces Cal Crutchlow with Andrea Iannone, who steps up from the Pramac satellite team. In 2015 Pramac will field their current rider Colombian Yonny Henrandez and have picked up Danilo Petrucci from IodaRacing.New factories return
One of the most important changes is of course, the return of Suzuki. House Hamamatsu will field the 2013 Moto3 World Champion Maverick Vinales and the best rider the CRT/Open Class has had during the last seasons, NGM Forward’s Aleix Espargaro. Suzuki also brings a completely new weapon to the fight, the GSX-RR, formerly known as the XRH-1 prototype. Hamamatsu thus ditches the V engines in favor of the in-line ones, and we’re dying to see how the GSX-RR behaves on the track.Another maker makes its way on the grid as a factory team. Aprilia decided to not wait until 2016 as they first said. Noale will team up with Gresini Racing, and use their slots, with one of the bikes being ridded by Alvaro Bautista, the man who also brought Aprilia an 125cc world title back in 2006. His team mate is not known at the time of writing.
Tech3 Yamaha confirmed the same rider line-up for 2015, Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith, while Honda’s satellite team LCR will have Cal Crutchlow and Jack Miller on their bikes. Cructhlow will ride a Honda RC213V machine in 2015, the third new bike in three seasons. The other factory-backed Honda goes to Scott Redding and a new team in MotoGP, Marc VDS.
Open fire!
NGM Forward will employ Stefan Bradl and Loris Baz, while Drive M7 Aspar will have once more Nicky Hayden at the helm of one of the bikes, with Eugene Laverty, brother to PBM’s current Michael Laverty will be his wingman. Karel Abraham strays with his family-owned Cardion AB team and Avintia will switch over to Open-class Ducati machines with Mike di Meglio and Hector Barbera behind the bars.Not many things are expected to change on the grid, but we’ll keep you informed. Until then it’s the Malaysian round this weekend, the penultimate stage of 2014. Rossi, Lorenzo and Pedrosa are up for cut-throat action, as the second and third podium places at the end of the seasons are theirs to lose.
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