P1racenews AI automatic summary:
To quote the late, great Murray Walker ‘Anything happens in Grand Prix racing, and it usually does’. Would you raise an eyebrow at any of these…
With Alex Rins now riding for Yamaha, he has the potential to become the first rider in MotoGP history to win races on three different brands of bikes. He could replicate his success from last year’s LCR Honda team and secure his first victory with Yamaha at the COTA circuit. Although Honda has lost Marc Marquez, they still have two established MotoGP race winners in Joan Mir and Johann Zarco at their disposal. However, Mir’s Repsol teammate Luca Marini, who was the fastest Honda rider during the Valencia test, could potentially cause an upset. It wouldn’t be surprising if KTM challenges Ducati this season, but Maverick Vinales has shown promise with Aprilia after finding a setup that works well on different tracks. If Aprilia can continue improving their RS-GP, they might have a chance at competing for the championship like they did in 2022. Assuming Francesco Bagnaia stays with Ducati, there is only one factory seat left for 2025. Enea Bastianini has the potential to claim that seat with his strong performances for Gresini, but he will face competition from other talented satellite Ducati riders such as Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi. Riders who miss out on the official Ducati ride could become targets for other manufacturers. However, if Marc Marquez regains his form and benefits from the family atmosphere at Gresini alongside his brother, he might be inclined to stay with the satellite team instead of rushing back to a high-pressure factory status in 2025.
