Fear not because the 2023 MotoGP™ season is approaching rapidly! With just over three weeks to go before the opening race in Portimão, excitement and anticipation are growing in the hearts of fans all over the world. To prepare for this new campaign, motogp.com offers you a selection of 10 landmark events that could occur throughout 2023.
1. Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) and Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) both have the opportunity to make MotoGP™ history by winning with three different factories. The Spaniard, who has won in the past with Suzuki and Yamaha, will seek to triumph with Aprilia. Meanwhile, the Australian rider has tasted success previously with Honda and Ducati.
2. Staying on the theme of factories, Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team), Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol), and Miguel Oliveira (RNF MotoGP™ Team) will aim to win with a second manufacturer. The first two have achieved victory with Suzuki while the Portuguese rider has five premier class wins to his name all with KTM.
3. With 59 victories, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) can become the second most successful rider in premier class history if he manages to surpass Giacomo Agostini and his 68 triumphs. Moreover, the number 93 rider is knocking on the door of the Top 3 for wins across all classes. With a total of 85 successes, the Honda man is only five wins away from his compatriot Angel Nieto, which would make him the most successful Spanish rider in the history of Grand Prix motorcycle racing.
4. If the eight-time World Champion was to add another World Championship to his name in 2023, the Cervera native would join Valentino Rossi with nine World Championships. Joan Mir, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) are also in contention for a second MotoGP™ title.
5. The reigning World Champion, Bagnaia, can also enter the Top 3 most successful Italians in premier class history this coming season. With 11 victories to his name, the Turin rider is only two wins away from Max Biaggi in third and four from Andrea Dovizioso in second.
6. The Italian is on track to make history for his country as well as his manufacturer. Indeed, the number 1 is currently third in Ducati's history in terms of wins. He has three fewer wins than Andrea Dovizioso and 12 less than Casey Stoner. With four victories under his belt, his new teammate Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) can also climb up this ranking, with Loris Capirossi and his seven wins as the next target.
7. Fabio Quartararo can move even closer to the legendary figures at Yamaha. Currently sixth when it comes to podium finishes in the premier class for the famous factory, tied with Max Biaggi, "El Diablo" must finish on the rostrum eleven times this season to join Kenny Roberts and his 39 podiums.
8. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) can become the first Japanese rider to win in the premier class since Makoto Tamada at the 2004 Japanese Grand Prix. However, the Honda rider can still make headlines by becoming the first Japanese rider to step on a premier class podium in over a decade, with Katsuyuki Nakasuga the last at Valencia in 2012.
9. The only rookie on the 2023 grid, Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) has the opportunity this season to become the first rookie race winner in the premier class since Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) at the 2021 Styrian GP. In the MotoGP™ era, only the "Martinator", Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Marc Marquez, Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa have achieved this feat.
10. Nine MotoGP™ riders can reach the 50 podiums mark across all classes this year. These are Pecco Bagnaia (43), Miguel Oliveira (41), Enea Bastianini (40), Brad Binder (40), Gresini Racing MotoGP's Alex Marquez (40), Jorge Martin (36), Joan Mir (33), Jack Miller (32), and Fabio Quartararo (32).