Author: Myanna Wedes

The upcoming 2022 season of MotoGP has arrived and we are more excited than ever with new aerodynamic bikes, changes to designs, increased performance and the hunger to challenge one another to the absolute limit at an all-time high. The testing schedule at Sepang and Mandalika that took place certainly created new rivalries with chassis development, new aero packages and bike designs that are pushing teams to reinvent the wheel every year. The one team that has hit their goals by the looks of things is Honda, after such a tormenting couple of seasons, they appear to have a bike that is competitive not only for their lead rider Marc Marquez, also their other riding talents like Pol Espargaro, Takaaki Nakagami and Alex Marquez. This is vital to their campaign to be World Champions once again.

With the start of the season getting underway in Qatar, we have noticed some key contenders for the World Title in 2022 after winter testing and they include the following:

Honda | Marc Marquez.

Ducati | Pecco Bagnaia.

Yamaha | Fabio Quartararo.

Suzuki | Joan Mir.

Ducati | Jack Miller.

Ducati | Jorge Martin.

The strongest bike from testing appears to be the Honda followed by the Ducati. With that said, they could also be equals on track with such varying tech available to each rider. Out of the group mentioned above, we had to throw in Jorge Martin primarily for his talent, results and ability to adapt. He is a dark horse alongside Enea Bastianini who time after time shows up out of the blue with a rocking result. He knows how to work the Ducati for maximum output and achieve the results. He is the kind of rider that does less talking and more riding.

Enea Bastianini (EB23):

“I must say we are super ready. Testing was very good and as a team we are gelling very well together as a team. I like the Qatari track and I did quite well in my MotoGP debut last year. We have more experience now so it’s time to stop talking and start racing! My physical preparation went very well, and I felt the bike as my own since the first day in Malaysia.”

Whilst we look forward to seeing the young Italian rider shaking things up, we must discuss the key noticeable differences with the 2022 MotoGP machines include the following:

• Suzuki: similar bike chassis and more powerful engine. Plus, electronic changes, new swingarm and aero updates.
• Yamaha: power and top speed deficit. This is their key area to improve their already polished World Championship machine. They have also tested a new style of aero with Darryn Binder’s MotoGP machine.
• Aprilia: revised engine, new air intake, updated air box, new chassis, new aero to provide more cooling and downforce, smaller wings, updated tail unit and new exhausts. Aprilia have found more acceleration and power which is key to their success as a manufacturer.
• Ride height devices across all manufacturers: Ducati using a front ride-height device on Johann Zarco’s MotoGP machine. This area of technology has become vital to the success of the bike performance in competing with one another.
• Honda: new chassis, new engine, new aero, new fairings all around, new seat, new tail unit, new exhausts and a revamped balance with the back end of the bike changing considerably. In short, the top exhaust is now on the side to accommodate a large boxy tail unit, suspected mass damper inside the tail unit and with that not being confirmed, it is possible there is cabling or electrical components inside to help with balancing the bike in order to find rear grip. Very clever! Honda will still develop their engine into 2023 in order to have power reflective of other manufacturers like Ducati, Aprilia and KTM.

When you watch the bikes on track, be sure to look out for the new items! Now, it is time to focus on a few of the key riders with their upcoming thoughts for the first event and outlook on the season after completing their testing programs and getting their psychological/emotional minds ready for battle.

Repsol Honda MotoGP Team:

Marc Marquez (MM93):

“Well, what can I say about the start of 2022? After what we have overcome recently my motivation to start the season is huge, we have come through something difficult and now it’s time to enjoy. But not just enjoying riding, enjoying competing and enjoying fighting at the front again. This is my tenth year in the MotoGP class and now I am one of the most experienced in the class, there’s many new competitors but the goal is still the same: to fight for the World Championship. We arrive with a new bike, so we need to see how it behaves in Qatar, but we have built a good base and I am looking forward to the weekend and to racing again. It will be my first-time racing in Qatar since 2019, but I am ready. Let’s get the season started!”

One of the best riders on the grid and in the history of the sport has had one of the most turbulent two years in motorcycle racing. Marquez has overcome serious injuries to step up to the plate once again for Honda. He is the king of the brand and with his eye recovering over the winter break, it is superb news to see him back out on track, hungrier than ever and also in peak performance to charge down his rivals to win the ultimate crown.

The focus for Marquez during testing was feeling the power points of the new bike, race pace, setup and understanding the feeling with the front end. Marquez was able to complete laps in the wet and dry, building upon his rhythm, testing new ideas whilst shaping the bike and himself to the style required to ensure the Honda is at its best.

Pol Espargaro (PE44):

“Coming from the good tests we had, of course I am excited to get started with a new season. I have been training to my maximum in the winter to be as physically prepared as possible. We arrive now in a very different situation to 12 months ago, I know Honda, I know my team and although this RC213V is new – I am understanding it more and more. Yes, we had a good pre-season but when you go racing everything is different. This weekend in Qatar is about making a base line and improving on it each week, I want to be fighting at the front each weekend but it’s early. Let’s see what happens, who appears with what and how the slightly different race time will change the conditions. Overall, I’m just happy I get to ride again.”

In 2022, it feels like Pol Espargaro has found his feet and is settling in nicely with the Repsol Honda Team. He is faster than he was previously and during testing, he was able to find a positive mindset and setup for the long runs, one lap speed and build upon his confidence levels. The data obtained over the Malaysian and Indonesian tests will be vital in order for both Honda bikes to be competitive and at the top of the time sheets both on Saturday for qualifying and then lights out on Sunday for race day.

Ducati Lenovo Team:

Pecco Bagnaia (PB63):

“The first Grand Prix of the year is always a special moment, and having it at night in Qatar makes the atmosphere even more impressive. After the winter break, we only had five days of testing at Sepang and Mandalika to prepare for the start of the Championship, so it will be crucial to make the most of Friday and Saturday for the final fine-tuning ahead of the race. The Losail International Circuit is a track that suits very well the characteristics of our Desmosedici GP, so I'm confident and, as always, I'll aim for the best result!”

The strongest Ducati rider at present, Pecco Bagnaia is ready to rock and roll on track in 2022. It was a heart breaking end in 2021, to lose out to Fabio Quartararo, although, Bagnaia has just inked a new deal enabling him to stay with the red bullet factory for the upcoming 2023 and 2024 seasons. The Italian factory believe in him to bring home a World Championship and know that he is defying the odds with a bike that has been difficult to tame over the years. The fact that he can relax and focus on the job is probably one of the best moves Ducati have pulled in order to keep their main rider happy.

“Being a Ducati rider in MotoGP has always been my dream, and knowing that I can continue with the Ducati Lenovo Team for another two seasons makes me happy and proud. I have found a serene environment in the factory team: I feel very much in tune with my team and know that we can do great things together. Now I can only concentrate on doing well in this Championship. A big thank you to Claudio, Gigi, Paolo, Davide and all the Ducati Corse staff. I'll try to repay their trust with my results on the track!”

Whilst Bagnaia celebrated a new contract, he also worked the testing schedule to a fine art with the goal being to stick to the Ducati development programme. The Ducati bike has been innovative year upon year, although teams like Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha have caught up. The one team still behind is KTM, although witnessing the success of other teams is sure to keep them going and the desire to win red hot. We anticipate the desires of Brad Binder, Miguel Oliveira, Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez with their new Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager Francesco Guidotti to move forward at a rapid pace in order to stay with the front running teams. During the testing in Indonesia, Bagnaia was keeping a close eye on his tyre performance levels, testing new components, race simulations and management of his mindset. It appears Ducati focused on development rather than fast lap times and are hoping the gamble pays off.

With that said, there has been speculation that the engine choice for 2022 has not been completely ideal, primarily centred around Bagnaia. It was confirmed by Davide Tardozzi that they have developed an engine spec for the styles of Bagnaia and Miller. It was said by numerous people that the team was going to revert back to the 2021 engine, rather than the more aggressive 2022 engine for both their key riders. However, on live television, Tardozzi said this was not true and that the Ducati Lenovo Team are happy with the rider’s choice though they are fully aware it will be a tough, long and very competitive 2022 season.

Jack Miller (JM43):

“I'm ready for the first GP of the season in Qatar! This year, as never before, I feel determined and strong, physically and mentally. In 2021, here in Losail, we were fast both in testing and in practice, but then we could not get the desired results in the race. I hope this year will be different and that I can start the season as a protagonist right away!”

This year is crucial for Jack Miller in order to stay with the team and also succeed in the premiere class. The expectations are real and the threat of other riders very close by. During testing, Miller was able to focus on testing a lot of new items, feeing information back to engineers and also finding where he feels comfortable on the bike. Miller needs to have the ultimate trust with the bike in order to push it to the extreme levels in order to beat the field which is 100% capable of completing.

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team:

Fabio Quartararo (FQ20):

“I’m happy we’re starting the 2022 season now. I spent the off-season usefully, but I still prefer to be midseason and have my eyes on the goals that we need to achieve. We have good memories of this place from last time. I won my first GP with the factory team in Losail last year. The goal for this week is to hit the ground running. We need to make a good start on the Friday and try to make another step compared to last year.”

During the testing schedules, Quartararo was testing the soft and medium tyres to determine where the bike needs to improve. A lot of discussions took place with regard to tyre performance so the first race in Qatar will showcase if the bike is working in an overall capacity: rider, chassis, tyre, speed and stability.

We have seen a slightly more frustrated Quartararo throughout testing so it will be very important to see how his qualifying plays out and what level of comfort exists after the first race. We will be monitoring his commentary to see what he expresses as the French rider is straight to the point when things are working and when they are hard to overcome.

Franco Morbidelli (FM21):

“We are in Qatar now and ready to start the new season. This GP weekend will be important for me to see where we stand in terms of fitness level during a race weekend. But judging by the tests, I’m in pretty good shape. We made good steps during the tests, especially in Indonesia, so I’m looking forward to getting to work here.”

Whereas, for teammate Morbidelli it was more or less about pace. He is aiming to be fast and consistent. We feel if the Italian rider can improve his speed, the rest will follow.

Team Suzuki Ecstar:

Joan Mir (JM36):

“I like visiting Qatar, as soon as you arrive you know you’re about to start another adventure and another new season! I can feel that the 2022 GSX-RR has a lot of potential and I’m eager to go on track for the first time on Friday. We will welcome our new Team Manager into the team this weekend, and I can’t wait to work all together.”

The one driving force of Suzuki is Joan Mir. He has high expectations of the team and is utilising his negotiation power in order to get them to stump up a bike that works well and is Championship worthy since he won a title and was lost in 2021. Whilst on track in Malaysia and Indonesia, the feelings were positive. Mir was demanding change at the end of 2021, with a frustrated and annoyed persona due to the lack of performance from his team. The electronics are an area where improvement is required and unfortunately for Mir, he was unable to finish his testing schedule in Indonesia due to a stomach bug. The news that will help relax Mir is the appointment of Livio Suppo to Team Manager. This frees up project leader and team director Shinichi Sahara so he can work on the Suzuki package and allow Suppo to manage the team. We must remember that Suppo is very well experienced formerly working at Repsol Honda. His ideas, intel and creativity will be vital to the success of Suzuki in 2022.

Alex Rins (AR42):

“Starting the season in Qatar is fantastic, it’s what we always think of when we think about the opening round! The darkness and the lights make it a very special race with a different atmosphere compared to everywhere else. I have been taking time in this break to rest but also to train very hard, and the team have done a great job all winter, this weekend we’ll begin our work with Livio, so I feel ready to start!”

In terms of Alex Rins, 2022 will be one of the most important seasons of his career if he is to remain in the sport and also with the blue outfit. During testing, Rins was able to complete a decent number of laps and commented that he could feel the increase in the engine power whilst understanding where improvement is necessary in order to be consistent. This year, Rins must not crash as often and finish up in the top 5-7 at the very minimum. We know Rins has the talent to win because he has done so in the past. The

Livio Suppo (Suzuki Ecstar Team Manager):

“I am very proud to become Suzuki Ecstar’s Team Manager and happy to re-join the MotoGP Championship after four years. I’m also very honoured to be involved in this great project with Suzuki; for sure it will be a challenging task to be part of an historic manufacturer in MotoGP, who recently achieved the crown in 2020 in the year of their 100th anniversary. I also feel it will be a great experience to start working with two talented riders like Joan Mir and Alex Rins, both capable of fighting for the top in MotoGP. Sahara-san’s proposal came at the perfect time for me, I had been busy setting up my e-bike company but I was certainly missing the paddock and ready to come back. Racing has been my life for almost all my career and I will do my best to bring my experience to Team Suzuki Ecstar.

I know they are a great team, but also a great group of humans, so this could help a lot to achieve our goals sooner. MotoGP nowadays is more and more exciting, with many very fast riders and competitive motorcycles from all manufacturers. It’s a difficult challenge for everybody involved, where all the small details can make the difference, I am ready to be part of the game again and give my all to be on top with Suzuki. Of course, I will do my best to come back to the paddock and adapt as quickly as possible to the team and their way of working, I’m looking forward to starting. However, I’d like to underline that it’s important this weekend to try and give some smiles for a few hours to the people who are suffering in these moments. And good luck to everybody. Let’s make sport, not war!”

We look forward to bringing you more coverage for the 2022 season and are thrilled to see the bikes already out on track with their dynamic shapes, designs and colour schemes. Who is your money on this year for the title?

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