MotoGP 2024 Season Preview

Countdown to Qatar: The 2024 MotoGP Season Opener

Anticipation: (noun) the action of anticipating something; expectation or prediction. This definition doesn’t even skim the surface of what it’s like waiting for the 2024 MotoGP Season to start. The MotoGP Super Fan’s definition of the word equates to, “Hurry the f*@ck up, Qatar! March 8 to 10!” That sums it up perfectly. 

Every season in MotoGP is better than the last; we all say it. But this season? This season is that season. Why? Because of the drama of last season. Jorge Martin throwing everything and the kitchen sink into his failed attempt to unseat Pecco Bagnia as King of the MotoGP hill, Marc Marquez leaving Honda and now dating Ducati, and last but not least, a Rookie who’s walking through the door like he owns the place!

Yup! This season is poised to be the best on record. How could you not agree? How many times were the lap times of the top ten within a half-second of each other? And what always seems to be the last talking point is the Champ himself, two-time MotoGP Champion Pecco Bagnaia. But surely, others can shake shit up in 20224, and these are the teams and riders.

Aprilia’s Potential Final Run and Yamaha’s Comeback

The Aprilia Team has everything it needs to make a run. For some strange reason, I really believe this will be Aleix Espargaro’s last year in MotoGP.

Miguel Oliveira is the top Aprilia, closely followed by Maverick Vinales and Aleix Espargaro. Raul Fernandez will have a breakout season and may seriously inherit an Aprilia Factory ride if Aleix decides he’s had enough.

Fabio Quartararo will be back this season chewing bubble gum and kicking ass. I hear he’s all out of bubble gum! The bike seems faster, he looks happy, Yamaha will make up for lost time this season, and with the addition of Alex “Silky Smooth” Rins, Yamaha will wreak havoc on the field this season. Watch for Fabio to fight for podiums and wins this season. 

Brad Binder: KTM’s Hope and Ducati’s Quest for Consistency

‘Dem KTM Boyz! More Specifically, Brad Binder! Or, as I like to call him, “South African Marquez”! For the last three years, I’ve had to listen to commentators and fans alike all celebrate the genius and race craft of Brad Binder, only to reply at the end of the season, “Hey, uh, where’s ya’ boy? I don’t see him!”

This year will be different. In addition to having a top 3 bike, Binder is now a veteran, and say what you will, but they all feel the presence of the Rookie Boy Wonder, Pedro Acosta. In other words, when you feel another mule kicking in your stall… Well, you must act accordingly and Binder will work with a top 4 finish in the championship.

Marco Bezzecchi, or “The Bezz,” will have to reign in his consistency, and if he does that, along with his teammate Franky Morbidelli, things could get spicy at “Ducati Days” in Italia. Bezz has the tools, but can he build a championship season? It’s up to him.

As far as Honda is concerned? As they say Down South, “Bless their hearts.”

Jorge Martin’s Ambition and Marc Marquez’s Return to Form

Jorge Martin is chomping at the bit! He knows he has what it takes to beat the Champ. He’s gone all 12 with the Champ and lost. Can he pull a “Rocky II” and topple the Champ? He’s fast, and what lots and lots of alcohol and COVID masks were for unattractive people, the Sprint Races were for Martin! I might be talking about the 2024 World Champion if he can provide that consistency to Sunday’s race. But hold up… Wait a minute… Let me put an eight-time World Champion in it!

Marc Marquez is finally healthy. Last year, we saw glimpses of the old Marc. But now… New bike. New team. New girlfriend. Teammates with his brother. As the great street philosopher Tupac Shakur once famously said, “All eyez on me!” If Rhianna, Beyoncé, and Taylor Swift were all in the same room with Marquez, Marquez would get the most eyes. Even Swifties would wonder, “What does Marc think about our girl?” Marc is The Michael Jordan of the sport, and he is still the benchmark.

Can Marc be “Marquez” this season? That is the question! Even if he is, one man still has a say in all this. And that man is…

Pecco Bagnaia’s Quest to Silence the Doubters in MotoGP 2024

Pecco Bagnia might be the most underrated Champ in recent GP history. If he were a serial killer, he’d go down in history as an unsolved mystery.

But he is a serial killer on a racetrack. He doesn’t say much, but he’s the leader of the Blood Red Squad. He lets his smooth riding style do the talking. He can chase you down, lead from start to finish, and make daring passes, so why is he not talked about like other Champions?  

Because he’s “all about dat biznass!” Even during a very public drinking and driving arrest, he still managed to sweep that under the rug like a politician and kept on keeping on. This year will be his most challenging year. We will see if Pecco can fight off the hungry runner-up from last year, the eight-time G.O.A.T. 

Pedro Acosta: The Rookie with a Champion’s Swagger in MotoGP 2024

“Your name, please?”  

“Acosta, Pedro Acosta.”

And then there’s the rookie… He’s already a two-time World Champion, and the Rook walks in with the swagger of a young Conor McGregor. But the best thing about him is that the kid gets it. He knows the sport and what the fans want. If he backs up his bravado with at least a win and manages to piss off one of the Big Three? Then it will be mission accomplished!

---

About The Author