Marco Bezzecchi to Remain with Mooney VR46 Racing Through 2024

After some back and forth speculation as to whether Bezzecchi would be parting ways with the Mooney VR46 Racing team. The team has announced that Bezzecchi will be staying with the team at least until the end of 2024. The move is welcomed by fans as Bezzecchi made his MotoGP debut with the team and they have some unfinished business in the championship fight. Valentino Rossi has been vocal about his desire for Bezzecchi to stay with the team. The delay came due to Bezzecchi wanting a shot from a Ducati factory team. However, that opportunity never came to fruition on paper. Bezzecchi and Team Director Alessio Salucci had the following words regarding the decision.

Marco Bezzecchi – 72

“I am really happy to confirm that in 2024 I will be on track with the Mooney VR46 Racing Team. This Team has been crucial to my career until now and into the future. I arrived here in 2020, in Moto2, we then landed together in 2022 in MotoGP and this year we had an incredible season so far. Continuing to grow in this working group, with the support of Ducati, is the most natural choice for me. 2024 brings with it many expectations, but right now I want to focus on this season. We are currently fighting for the podium in the Championship, we have the Team Title open with Luca and I am sure that everyone in the Team will give their all, even more than they have done so far, to achieve these goals. Thanks to Vale, Uccio, Pablo, the VR46 Riders Academy and all those who made this possible. Remaining in the Vale Team is a great motivation as well as a pride”.

Alessio Salucci, Team Director

“I cannot hide the satisfaction of having signed this agreement with Marco. Not only because he represents a bet won within a long growth path in our Team from Moto2, but for the entire working group and also for all our partners, whom we thank for their support, and the fans who follow us. It was essential to be able to continue another year and I have to thank all those who collaborate with the management of the Team, Vale and Pablo for the collective work that has led us to achieve this goal. I’m happy because I know how much means for Marco to stay here in our Family. As a Team, together with Ducati, we will give him all the resources and commitment available to continue working with the same serenity and Team spirit that has allowed us to achieve extraordinary goals this season”.

Over the past week speculation has risen for multiple riders and their plans for the 2024 MotoGP season. The latest being Johann Zarco announcing his departure from Prima Pramac Racing. Zarco is headed for LCR Honda in a very questionable move from one of the fastest bike programs on the grid to the absolute slowest. It is a mystery but many suspect it is about the money and longevity of contract. Here is how the current grid stands.

Aprilia Racing

Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Viñales will retain their seats for the 2024 season. There are no changes to the Aprilia Racing team for 2024.

Ducati Lenovo Team

Francesco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini will retain their seats for the 2024 season. There are no changes to the Ducati Lenovo team.

Gresini Racing MotoGP

Alex Marquez is contracted through 2024. Currently Fabio di Giannantonio is contracted until the end of this year. No announcements have been made on his future with the team or elsewhere for 2024.

Prima Pramac Racing

Jorge Martin is contracted through 2024. Johann Zarco has confirmed he is leaving Prima Pramac to head to LCR Honda. There is an open seat at Prima Pramac Racing as of now. We are awaiting an announcement on Zarco’s potential replacement.

LCR Honda Castrol

Johann Zarco has been confirmed to join the LCR Honda side for 2024. Takaaki Nakagami still has not signed a contract for 2024. Alex Rins will be departing the team to join Monster Energy Yamaha.

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team

Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins will fill the seats for Yamaha in 2024. Franco Morbidelli is leaving the Yamaha side but does not yet have a home for 2024.

Mooney VR46 Racing Team ???

Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi both have contracts that expire at the end of 2023. Valentino Rossi has made it clear he wishes to retain Bezzecchi on the team but no official contract has been signed. Luca Marini’s future is implied but again no official contract has been signed to date. We cannot confirm that Marini is exempt from a move for 2024 at this time.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

Jack Miller and Brad Binder are both locked into contracts until the end of 2024 or beyond. There will be no moves at KTM Racing for 2024.

Repsol Honda Team

Both Marc Marquez and Joan Mir will be staying with Repsol Honda for 2024. Marquez was rumored to be exiting the Honda side after a very disappoint 2023 campaign so far this year. He was tied to a KTM Racing move but with Binder and Miller both having contracts in place for 2024 there is no room for such a move. This gossip can be put to rest.

RNF MotoGP Team

Both Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez are contracted with RNF through 2024. We do not anitipate any changes to the team for 2024.

Tech3 GASGAS Factory Racing

Both Pol Espargaro and Augusto Fernandez are contracted through 2024. We do not anticipate any changes to the team for next year.

We will continue to report updates on the contract signing in the MotoGP paddock as they become available.

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo) pulls the double for the weekend leaving Austria with maximum points after winning the Austrian Grand Prix and Sprint races. The wins came at a key moment in the season where Bagnaia was losing ground to his competitors queuing up a dramatic finish to the season. It appears that that drama will have to hold off for now as Bagnaia extended his championship lead to 62 points over Jorge Martin. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing) finished P3 for a bit of damage control after a disappointing Sprint race yesterday. His teammate Luca Marini finished behind in fourth.

Brand Binder stayed consistent this weekend finishing P2 in both the Grand Prix and Sprint Race. Binder sits P4 in the championship after this weekend trailing Bezzecchi by 23 points. The KTM’s seem fired up as of recent. Bind has made strides in the past few races. While championship contention isn’t quite in the discussion yet; being 91 points behind Bagnaia. KTM Racing has proved they are in MotoGP to compete.

Marc Marquez Finishes a Grand Prix

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) finally completed a Grand Prix in Austria and finished P12. This was the first race he has completed this season after suffering from multiple crashes and injuries this year. His brother Alex Marquez secured another top 5 finish for Gresini Racing MotoGP. Marquez scored 4 points for the finish. However, Repsol Honda suffered yet another crash in the case of Joan Mir. Crashes have been an issue for Repsol Honda. Mir hasn’t finished a Grand prix since the series was in Portimao. Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez also did not finish the race.

Below are the Race Results

Championship Standings

Francesco Bagnaia wins the Austrian Grand Prix Sprint Race at the Red Bull Ring. Bagnaia dominated the race; winning the race by over 2 seconds. Bagnaia was in a mood today as he came off of a blistering qualifying placing him on Pole for Sunday’s race. He wasn’t finished and the win makes the statement that the reigning champion has not fallen out of form recently. Brad Binder (KTM) continues to impress and improve. Binder has moved up one position each session this weekend. Binder finishes second in the sprint showing the strides KTM have made over the season to drastically reach championship contending pace. There is a long way to go in the season so anything is possible but for now Bagnaia hold reign over the grid.

Jorge Martin who sits 2nd in the MotoGP championship finished third for a good points finish to keep him ahead of Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing). Bezzecchi did not finish the sprint race and thus score zero points. Rounding out the top 5 was the Gresini Racing Ducati of Alex Marquez in fourth and Alex Miller in fifth. KTM was able to put both bikes in the top 5 again this season. A great result for the KTM side.

Pol Espargaro Returns to Form

After suffering a seemingly season ending injury Espargaro has worked his way towards getting back to racing form. Espargaro finished P6 in the sprint race. His best finish since returning from injury. His Brother Aleix who won the British Grand Prix at Silverstone finished behind Pol in P7 in the Austrian Grand Prix Sprint.

One man who was happy to get back in the points is Marc Marquez. Marquez had the following comments after the sprint, “It was an interesting Sprint, when I tried the new aero yesterday I knew more or less what would happen in the Sprint – and it did happen. So it was good in a way to understand this new aero more. We’ve been working with a lot of different setups over the weekend, but we have a clear idea for what to do tomorrow. We benefitted a lot from the falls of others, we have to be honest. Without this we would have been in 15th position more or less. We keep on working and see what we can achieve in tomorrow’s main race.”

Full Sprint Race Results are Below

Franceso Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo) secured pole position for the Austrian Grand Prix after setting a 1m28.539 in qualifying this morning. The finish marks his 50th consecutive front row start in MotoGP. The lap came in the closing seconds of the qualifying session. Bagnaia had previously posted a time that secured him third fastest but pushed on for an addition lap which would be the one to give him pole position in Austria. Bagnaia secured pole by a margin of 0.037 seconds. Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) finished P2 ahead of Brad Binder (KTM). Binder who was fourth fastest in Practice improved one position.

The Red Bull Ring is a home race for the KTM side. Binder’s teammate Alex Miller will start P4 on the grid. The two will try to improve to shoot for a double podium this weekend. Both bikes are in striking distance as long as they stay poised. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing) will have his work cut out for him starting P7 in a difficult and disappointing qualifying for the Italian. All 23 riders on grid completed the session.

Full Qualifying Results are Below

Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team Ducati) continued his recent good form in the MotoGP championship in Practice Friday afternoon topping the table. Bezzecchi set a 1m28.533 as riders started to dip into the 1:28s. Bezzecchi’s fastest lap set a new lap record on Lap 23 of the session. He had a mechanical issues late in the session but the issue did not affect his ability to stay a top the table. Maverick Viñales ran second fastest by a margin of 0.044s improving on his finish from FP1 by moving up one position. Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia ran third fastest but was just under 3 tenths off of the lead. Bagnaia didn’t seem to have an answer for the pace but there did not appear to be any major concerns for only amounting to third.

Iker Lecuona who is stepping in for the injured Alex Rins finished 23rd in the session. Lecuona was almost 1.7 seconds off of Bezzecchi’s fastest lap. It appears Lecuona will be filling in for Rins as Lecuona’s World SBK season schedule allows.

Marquez Woes Continue

Mac Marquez has yet another off into the gravel. Marquez was able to save the bike but Marquez and his time in the gravel is something he will soon like to move past. Repsol Honda brought a new aero package to the Red Bull Ring and Marquez commented on the progress stating “There was a lot of work to do today, it was very mentally demanding as we worked across two different aero packages. Your riding style needs to change quite a lot for the new aero.”

Bezzecchi Continued

“We will keep using it here because at this type of track it has some improvements that are clear, but we will need to keep trying it at other tracks. I pushed very hard at the end of the afternoon session and we improved our lap time, unfortunately we lost our last fast lap – but this can happen. The target is understanding the aero package and seeing what’s possible tomorrow.”

The latest whispers of the paddock suggest that Marquez may be on his way out from Honda and possibly landing with KTM. However, such a move is still just speculation and Marquez has stated he is not thinking about this transition at this time.

Full Practice Results are Below

The MotoGP championship lands at the Red Bull Ring this weekend for the CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich 2023. MotoGP returns after a short break in the season schedule. The playing field appears to remain dominated by Ducati but this isn’t the end of the story. The championship is very much not over with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo) now only leading the championship by 41 points.

There may be a shake up at the top of the table after the dust settles this weekend. This is especially true if today’s FP1 results are any indication of what is to come for the weekend. In FP1 Johann Zarco ran fastest setting a 1m29.838 best lap. He was the only rider to dip into the 1m29s in this session. Second fastest went to Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) which has unfortunately been an uncharacteristic occurrence for the former world champion. Quartararo and Yamaha have struggled to keep up with the strides made by Ducati this year. This coupled with some crash plagued races have ushered Quartararo to P11 in the championship. There is almost no hope of competing for a world title this year. Instead this year will be a building year as we know that Quartararo will return to MotoGP next year with Yamaha.

Full Practice Results are below

Current Championship Standings

Ducati have given Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing) an ultimatum regarding his future on riding a factory Ducati. Ducati feels Bezzecchi has definitely earned the honor after his performances thus far in the 2023 campaign. However, this opportunities comes with caveats. Ducati do not appear to support Bezzecchi staying with the Moony VR46 Racing Team as a part of this deal.

Ducati sporting director Paolo Ciabatti told Speedweek, “Honestly, there’s a possibility he’ll join Pramac, but it’s not certain. On the one hand, Pramac has the contractual option of getting current factory machines for both riders. And if they exercise that option, we have to respect that. And for internal reasons we can only equip four riders with current factory machines. Building more bikes like this is too complicated. We did that for 2022, it didn’t work. At that time, Luca Marini got a fifth factory Ducati.”

Pramac currently houses Johann Zarco and Jorge Martin. Its not clear which of these riders would be leaving if such a move occurred. What we do know is a deal like this comes with an expiration date. The team will soon begin plans for next season and will need to know who their man is.

Does Bezzecchi’s Loyalty Play a Role Here?

Mooney VR46 Racing has invested heavily in Bezzecchi over the years helping him jump start his career and ultimately his MotoGP debut. Bezzecchi will have to decide if he wants the bike she’s dreamed of to be more competitive in the championship or to take a risk by forgoing the opportunity and potentially running into new challenges with a new manufacturer. Mooney VR46 has been rumors to be moving in the direction of Yamaha.

Nothing is in stone but its clear that Ducati wants Bezzecchi to stay but on their terms. We will continue to report on this story as it develops.

Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) secured the team’s first win of the season at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix. Espargaro started the race from P12. The race was yet again plagued with rain. Some teams opted for rains but the rain seemed to subside as soon as rain tires went on.

Espargaro’s win came at the demise of Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo) who Espargaro passed on the second to last corner to take the lead and win the race. Brand Binder rounded out the top three in the race. It was heartbreaking for Bagnaia after he had bounced back after a slow start to the weekend. Bagnaia finished p14 in the Sprint Race and looked to bounce back. The P2 finish in the Grand Prix was a bit of damage control for the championship standings. Bagnaia had lost ground to Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) due to the result in the Tissot Sprint Race. Bagnaia held a 27 point lead prior to the Grand Prix ahead of Bezzecchi. Bezzecchi missed the opportunity to close the gap as he crashed out of the Grand Prix. Bagnaia extends his championship lead to 47 points due to the Bezzecchi DNF. Bezzecchi also loses a position to Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) who now sits in seconds place; 41 points behind Bagnaia.

There were 5 retirements in the Grand prix which included, Marco Bezzecchi, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda), Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo), Alex Marquez (Gresini Ducati) and Joan Mir (Repsol Honda). It was a disappointing day for the Repsol Honda team. Both riders had made progress over the weekend but to have both riders DNF is not how the team wanted to end the weekend.

Full Race Results are Below

New Championships Standings

After securing pole position Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) was not able to capitalize on track position and had to settle for P2 in the Tissot Sprint Race at Silverstone. Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) came out of the block on fire to secure his first win in MotoGP in the Tissot Sprint Race at the Monster Energy British Grand Prix. The conditions in the sprint race were an improvement from qualifying and stayed mostly dry with reports of very light rain in some sectors of the circuit. By lap 6 Marquez had built a 1 second lead however Bezzecchi made a late charge to cut the lead down to 0.366 seconds. Bezzecchi was not able to get past Marquez before the checkered flag flew. Given that conditions had vastly improved relative to rain plagued qualifying. Lap times began to drop dramatically and tires started to heat up.

Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo) had an extremely poor start. His start eliminated his chances of catching the front runners by the second lap of the race. Bagnaia finished 14th, one of his lowest finishes of the season. Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing) made up 5 positions to secure a podium in the sprint race. In fourth place was Johan Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) and Vinales’ teammate Alex Espargaro finished in fifth.

Bezzecchi on the Charge

The race had implications in the title race with Bagnaia now only holding a 27 point lead over Maroc Bezzecchi who gained 9 points on Bagnaia by finishing 2nd in the Sprint race. With the Grand Prix tomorrow the championship lead is nearly in reach based on the outcomes of this weekend. Bezzecchi could climb to withing 2 points of the championship lead if Bagnaia does not score any points on Sunday.

Full Tissot Sprint Race Results are Below

Post Tissot Sprint Race MotoGP Championship Standings