Elbows Down

Struggling to know your Red Bulls from your Repsols? Use this guide for a breakdown of each team competing in the 2023 championship.

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Aprilia have a sporadic history with MotoGP, but recently, they are ensuring they are not to be ignored. In 2022, after several years as an independent or satellite team, Aprilia became a fully fledged factory team, with Aleix Espargaró and Maverick Viñales. finishing 3rd in the Teams Championship, and Aleix finishing 4th in the Riders Championship, Aprilia have emerged as genuine contenders.

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Ducati have been a factory team since 2003, and have had varied results. They won their first championship in 2007, with Casey Stoner, but failed to achieve this again until 2022 with Pecco Bagnaia. Looking at the 2022 and 2023 seasons, it is hard to imagine a time without their complete dominance on the grid- but it has only been thanks to the recent efforts of the “3 wise men” of Ducati. General Manager, Gigi Dall’Igna, Sporting Director Paolo Ciabatti, and Team Manager, Davide Tardozzi, were brought in throughout the 2010’s, and have helped turn Ducati into the factory we know of late.

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Despite being an independent team, Gresini have been active in the MotoGP grid since 2002, making them one of the longest running teams in the series. They raced under Honda from 2002 until 2015, achieving their best result of 2nd in the championship, 3 times. In 2016, they changed to an Aprilia satellite team, and remained with the Italian manufacturer until 2022. They now race as one of 3 Ducati satellite teams, and have already achieved 3rd in the championship with Enea Bastianini in 2022.

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LCR made their MotoGP debut in 2006, with Casey Stoner as their sole rider on a Honda. They only expanded to a 2-rider team in 2014. LCR have had a troubled history with Honda, and have only achieved a handful of podiums, the first of which being in 2016 with Cal Crutchlow. That same year they achieved their highest championship position, finishing in 7th. Watch out for the 2 different liveries they run!

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Now only 1 of 2 Japanese manufacturers on the grid, Yamaha have been feeling a little lost in recent years. They first entered the premier class of racing in 1999, and have been active on the grid ever since. With 4 championships won with Rossi, 3 with Lorenzo, and most recently the 2021 championship with Fabio Quartararo, it is important to look beyond more recent results.

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The newest team on the grid, and passion project of Valentino Rossi, Mooney look to be one of the most promising. Having built up experience (and won a championship) in Moto3 and Moto2 since 2014, Mooney made the move up to MotoGP in 2022, with the support of Ducati. If the first few rounds of 2023 are anything to go by, they are certainly ones to watch.

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Prima Pramac in its current form has been around since 2006, although has previous MotoGP experience prior to a merger, and have raced under Ducati since. They have been the most consistent feeder team to Factory Ducati, although that is beginning to change with 2 other Ducati satellites now active. Their best result was in 2021, with Johann Zarco finishing 5th in the championship.

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Despite being most well known as off-road bike producers, KTM entered MotoGP in 2017 under the management of Pit Beirer. After a slow start in the first few seasons, the team began to climb with the singing of Brad Binder in 2020. That season they secured their first MotoGP win, the year after Brad finished 6th in the championship, and 6th again in 2023. This year, with the signing of ex-Ducati rider Jack Miller, things are really looking up for KTM.

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Honda are the most decorated team ever in MotoGP, claiming 313 MotoGP victories at time of writing. They have had the fortune of Marc Marquez since 2013, who has won 6 world championship titles w=on the Japanese bike. Their history also boasts 4 championships from Mick Doohan, 1 from Àlex Crivillé, 2 from Valentino Rossi, 1 from Nicky Hayden, and 1 from Casey Stoner. Whilst their successful history is something to be applauded, it’s clear the talent of Marquez has been hiding a multitude of sins, as they have struggled to maintain results since Marc’s injury in 2020.

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Tech3 first joined the MotoGP grid in 2001, as a satellite team to Yamaha. Although not always achieving headline results, under Yamaha the team nurtured some of the biggest names of recent years, including Andrea Dovizioso, Cal Crutchlow, and Carlos Checa. In 2019, Tech3 partnered with KTM. Again, not always achieving the best results, but has successfully supported several rookies. A re-brand for the 2023 season, and the singing of Pol Espargaró hoped to be a turning point for the team, but they have yet again been plagued with injury. Augusto Fernandez, however, remains a promising talent.

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RNF in its current form joined the grid in 2022, although as a rebranded continuation of the Petronas Sepang Racing Team. In 2022, RNF raced as Yamaha’s only satellite team, although only lasting one year. They entered the 2023 season as Aprilia’s first satellite team. It is hard to judge the success of RNF, but looking at the success achieved by the Sepang Racing Team with Quartararo in 2020, and the continuation of Razlan Razali as principal, hopefully good things are to come.

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