Who will ride for which team in the 2024 MotoGP season and which rider contracts expire with this season? The overview of all confirmed and open seats
The current MotoGP season is still in full swing. But for some riders it is not only about good race results and World Championship points, but also about their future in the premier class. Not all of the regular drivers in the field have contracts that will secure their stay beyond this season.
We take a close look at the driver market for 2024: Which driver contracts run for how long and whose contract expires at the end of this season? So where could changes happen or up-and-comers from Moto2 dock?
Ducati: In the World Champion Ducati team, current factory riders Francesco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini are also set for 2024. Bagnaia extended his contract with the Bologna-based manufacturer at the beginning of 2022, even before he became World Champion.
Bastianini was promoted to the factory team after his strong 2022 season with Gresini-Ducati, in which he finished third in the World Championship, beating out Jorge Martin, who had to stay with Pramac-Ducati. However, Bastianini injured himself in a collision in the first sprint race and was subsequently out for a longer period.
Pramac-Ducati: In Ducati’s main satellite team, Johann Zarco is only under contract until the end of this MotoGP season. The Frenchman wants to stay, the decision loves at Ducati. Jorge Martin did not rule out a change of brand, but has already confirmed that he will fulfil his two-year contract. Zarco, on the other hand, is leaving the team.
VR46-Ducati: In Valentino Rossi’s team, his half-brother Luca Marini has a contract until the end of 2024. Marco Bezzecchi’s contract would have expired at the end of 2023. At the end of August, however, Bezzecchi signed for another year up to and including 2024.
Gresini-Ducati: Alex Marquez, who only joined the team this season, will remain with Gresini in 2024. The team extended with the Spaniard for another year after his sprint win at Silverstone and also announced that it will continue its collaboration with Ducati until 2025. Marquez’ current teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio’s two-year contract expires at the end of the season. His future is still open.
Yamaha: Fabio Quartararo, 2021 World Champion with Yamaha, is still under contract with the Japanese until the end of 2024. Franco Morbidelli’s contract was not extended. Instead, Yamaha has reached an agreement with Alex Rins for the 2024 season.
Honda: Even though there has been repeated speculation that Marc Marquez could terminate his contract early due to Honda’s problems, the Spaniard denied rumours about a possible Honda departure. His contract, which he signed at the beginning of 2020, runs until the end of 2024.
Joan Mir only switched to Honda this season. He has a two-year contract that also runs until the end of next year. However, he is not yet getting to grips with the Honda.
LCR-Honda: Mir’s former teammate at Suzuki, Alex Rins, joined Honda’s satellite team LCR in 2023 and signed a two-year contract, but with an exit clause should a factory team come knocking. Yamaha came forward and signed Rins for 2024. Johann Zarco was confirmed as the Spaniard’s successor at LCR.
Takaaki Nakagami’s contract with LCR-Honda expires at the end of this season. Whether the Japanese rider will be extended by another year or lose his place is still unclear. In 2022, his contract was already on the line until the decision was made to extend it. At that time, the last vacant seat was taken up.
KTM: With Brad Binder, KTM has relied on continuity since 2020. As early as mid-2021, the Austrian brand extended its contract with the South African by a further three years up to and including 2024. This season he got a new team-mate in Jack Miller. He received a two-year contract until the end of 2024.
Tech3-GasGas: For the 2023 season, KTM’s second team on the MotoGP grid reformed as the GasGas factory team – and from a rider’s point of view, too. Pol Espargaro returned after two unsuccessful years with Honda and signed for two years, but injured himself right at the start of the season.
Augusto Fernandez, the reigning Moto2 champion, moved up to MotoGP and signed a one-year contract with GasGas. His future is open for the time being, as Moto2 rider Pedro Acosta will move up to MotoGP in 2024. It is open how KTM will solve the rider question.
Aprilia: At Aprilia, the current rider duo is set until 2024 inclusive, consisting of Aleix Espargaro, already riding for the Italians since 2017, and Maverick Vinales.
While Espargaro does not rule out that 2024 could be his last season in MotoGP, Vinales is not yet planning to end his career. He joined Aprilia in the second half of the 2021 season after an early split with Yamaha.
RNF-Aprilia: Aprilia’s satellite team is also banking on continuity for 2024. Both Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez did not move to RNF until the start of the 2023 season, which in turn saw them switch from Yamaha to Aprilia. Both riders were given a two-year contract and will stay until the end of 2024.
Teams and riders for the 2024 MotoGP season
- Ducati: Francesco Bagnaia / Enea Bastianini
- Pramac-Ducati: Jorge Martin / ?
- VR46-Ducati: Marco Bezzecchi / Luca Marini
- Gresini-Ducati: Alex Marquez / ?
- Yamaha: Fabio Quartararo / Alex Rins
- Honda: Marc Marquez / Joan Mir
- LCR Honda: Johann Zarco / ?
- KTM: Brad Binder / Jack Miller
- Tech3-GasGas: Pol Espargaro / ?
- Aprilia: Aleix Espargaro / Maverick Vinales
- RNF-Aprilia: Miguel Oliveira / Raul Fernandez
