Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports, reflected during the last Grand Prix of Catalonia on the situation of MotoGP in 2023. The unexpected news of Suzuki’s departure shook the paddock of the premier class of motorcycling a few weeks ago. Now that the Japanese manufacturer is about to sign the agreement to break the current contract with the promoter of the World Championship, it is time to look to the future to find out what the configuration of the grid will be in the following seasons.
At this point in the campaign, it seems clear that no manufacturer will fill Suzuki’s gap next year. Neither will any private team, although there are no shortage of candidates, for economic reasons. The number of motorcycles on the track will therefore be reduced from the current 24 to only 22. This does not seem to be a problem for Carmelo Ezpeleta According to his latest statements: «For us, 20 bikes are already enough for the championship, so 22 is an ideal number.».
Not only the pilots who are left without a seat are affected by this reduction in the grid. Yamaha will only have two bikes in 2023 after the agreement reached by RNF and Aprilia for the creation of the first satellite team of the Italian firm. Once Fabio Quartararo’s renewal was announced until 2024, it only remains to be seen if the other available Yamaha will be piloted by Franco Morbidelli. The Italian has a valid contract with the fingerboard brand, but his poor results so far this season could leave him out of the official team.
However, the situation of Yamaha could be different for 2024. This is how the CEO of Dorna has expressed it: «Next year Yamaha will have just two bikes; the following I think not». It would be logical that the return of the satellite team of the Japanese manufacturer occurs hand in hand with the VR46 team. The formation of Valentino Rossi has a valid contract with Ducati, but some voices point to its breaking after the next course for the formalization of a new alliance between the legendary pilot and what was his home for years.
Thus, the future MotoGP scenario begins to be defined in the absence of knowing the definitive rider line-ups of the different teams. 2023 will be the first season with only five construction companies since the 2016 campaign, although that year KTM rode his MotoGP for the first time at the Valencia event. The abandonment of Suzuki, although it was a setback at the beginning, does not diminish the health of a championship that has always known how to adapt to the circumstances of each moment.
Photos: MotoGP