Among the greats: Bagnaia equals Schwantz with 25 premier class wins

Francesco Bagnaia’s (Ducati Lenovo Team) 2024 Austrian GP victory signalled something a little more significant than just another 25-point haul in an incredibly classy campaign to date.

Pecco’s seventh win of the year – his equal-best season tally – saw the #1 reclaim a points advantage over Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) heading to Aragon. Not only that, Bagnaia now boasts 25 premier class wins, meaning the Italian is now level on the number of wins with MotoGP™ Legend Kevin Schwantz.

“These are crazy numbers, it’s a great emotion,” said the reigning World Champion to Sky Sports MotoGP™ about drawing level with the American great. And with nine races left in 2024, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that Bagnaia catches more Legends before the curtain is drawn on this season.

Eddie Lawson and Dani Pedrosa sit on 31 victories apiece in the all-time tally table, so if the World Championship leader wins six of the next nine Sunday outings, he’ll be etching his name alongside two more huge names. That, of course, will be a tough ask.

On a more distant horizon, the 37 victories for Mike Hailwood and 38 pocketed by Casey Stoner would be the next target, with Bagnaia already surpassing Stoner’s 23 wins with Ducati earlier in the season. In addition, Bagnaia is also within reach of equalling – or bettering – the Australian’s magnificent 10 wins from the incredible 2007 campaign the two-time World Champion unravelled with the Bologna brand.

Below is the all-time premier class victories list. Bagnaia’s name being on there cements the three-time World Champion’s name among the very best we’ve ever seen race in Grand Prix motorcycling. But the 27-year-old isn’t done yet – far from it.

Valentino Rossi: 89
Giacomo Agostini: 68
Marc Marquez: 59
Mick Doohan: 54
Jorge Lorenzo: 47
Casey Stoner: 38
Mike Hailwood: 37
Eddie Lawson: 31
Dani Pedrosa: 31
Kevin Schwantz: 25
Francesco Bagnaia: 25