With Marc Marquez becoming a member of Francesco Bagnaia within the Ducati Lenovo Crew, Pedro Acosta entering into the manufacturing facility KTM squad, and Jorge Martin becoming a member of Aprilia in 2025, there’s a lot to be enthusiastic about for MotoGP this yr. However what about outdoors of motorbike racing’s premier class? Who’s going to catch the attention elsewhere?
Toprak Razgatlioglu
Toprak Razgatlioglu’s 2024 season was, by way of numbers, probably not that spectacular in any respect once you evaluate it to Alvaro Bautista’s 2023 marketing campaign.
The place Bautista received 27 races in his second world title yr, Razgatlioglu managed solely 18 in his. Plus, Razgatlioglu’s closing factors tally in 2024 was 101 lower than Bautista managed the yr earlier than.
A lot of that, in fact, was due to Razgatlioglu’s crash in apply at Magny-Cours wherein he punctured his lung, which left him out of motion for 2 rounds, and due to this fact six races.
Of the races he began, Razgatlioglu completed off the rostrum in three: two of these had been on the first spherical in Phillip Island (oe of which was a terminal bike failure), and the opposite was a ninth place within the Assen Superpole Race the place he destroyed an SCQ tyre in about three laps.
It’s simple to overlook that Razgatlioglu’s title-winning 2024 was his first yr on the BMW M1000 RR, a motorcycle which hadn’t received a race within the dry ever, and which hadn’t received in any respect since 2021. BMW as a producer had by no means been champion earlier than this yr, and neither had the SMR crew that runs BMW’s manufacturing facility effort because it joined WorldSBK from BSB in 2016.
The implication of that, in fact, is that there’s nonetheless room for Razgatlioglu to enhance with BMW, which presumably isn’t an particularly enthusing idea for anybody else lining up on a WorldSBK grid this yr.
In reality, it won’t be such an attractive prospect even for some followers watching at house. Razgatlioglu is certainly one of the crucial thrilling riders in latest bike racing historical past, and arguably probably the most thrilling of all at the moment second, however folks get tired of dominance.
In spite of everything, nobody may moderately argue in opposition to the concept Marc Marquez is an thrilling rider, however his dominance of MotoGP in 2014 had grow to be comparatively boring by Indianapolis.
David Alonso
The 2024 Moto3 season was a spectacular show of dominance from David Alonso. 14 wins and 15 podiums from 20 races, successful when he was the quickest in addition to when he wasn’t, and usually displaying himself to have a larger racing mind than any of his rivals.
Naturally, after such a season, Alonso is transferring as much as Moto2 for 2025. The first concern is his dimension, which appeared excellent for Moto3, however may be much less suited to an even bigger, heavier Moto2 machine.
Actually, ought to Alonso’s dimension show to be a difficulty, the intelligence, humility, and quietness he displayed in 2024 must be of help in his seek for an answer.
Ought to Alonso’s dimension be not hinder his efficiency, the Colombian is properly able to turning a aggressive bundle right into a victory: his 18 wins thus far is the same as new MotoGP World Champion Jorge Martin, and Alex Rins, and among the many riders competing full-time in 2025 is fewer solely than Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez.
Usually, the signal of a rider destined for greatness is their velocity in adapting to a brand new bike or a brand new class, and we are going to get to see how shortly Alonso — clearly probably the most thrilling expertise within the decrease classes for the time being — can adapt in 2025.
Davey Todd
Davey Todd had been earmarked as a possible TT winner since not less than 2022, and he lastly made {that a} actuality in 2024, successful each the second Superstock TT and the Senior TT final yr.
The Englishman will not be solely an particularly competent rider, but in addition fairly a spectacular one.
He’s not essentially one to wrestle the bike in fairly the dramatic means of Michael Dunlop, for instance, however he’s a lot able to placing the bike sideways — typically as if he’s driving a brief circuit — in a means that appears completely managed.
Except for the TT, Todd will certainly be the person to beat on the North West 200 this yr on the massive bikes, particularly with Glenn Irwin having stepped away from highway racing for 2025.
Plus, Todd shall be again in BSB this yr, having received his second Nationwide Superstock title in three seasons in 2024. The BMW won’t have proven to be probably the most aggressive bundle within the championship final season, however the FHO crew is one which received with BMW in BSB as not too long ago as 2023.
All in all, 2025 may see Davey Todd distinguish himself as the very best all-rounder, able to successful on the roads, and preventing it out with the very best in Britain on the quick circuits.
Nicolo Bulega
Whereas Toprak Razgatlioglu distinguished himself as the very best rider in WorldSBK final yr, Nicolo Bulega proved himself to be the rider capable of be closest to him.
Whereas that isn’t particularly thrilling in itself, it was Bulega’s rookie season and one wherein he needed to set up himself in a manufacturing facility Ducati crew that had revolved round Alvaro Bautista for the earlier two seasons.
A second yr within the Superbike class can hardly be anticipated to see Bulega decline, and whereas Razgatlioglu will certainly discover enhancements in his second yr with BMW the Italian shouldn’t be discounted from making the 2025 season a extra close-run affair than 2024.
Guido Pini
Guido Pini has been a late addition to the Moto3 World Championship grid in 2025, having introduced his signature with the Intact GP crew solely final month.
He’ll accomplice David Munoz at Intact, one other rider who got here to Moto3 with a whole lot of promise, which he has usually did not reside as much as thus far.
Pini, who is not going to flip 17 till later this month, solely raced seven occasions within the JuniorGP collection final yr, however completed second within the championship at his first try with three wins, two seconds, and a pair of fourth locations.
The Italian is at the moment underneath the administration of Emilio Alzamora, who has beforehand guided the careers of Alex and Marc Marquez, however can also be at the moment recovering from his second main damage within the area of a yr.
Pini’s low race mileage in 2024 was due primarily to accidents sustained at first of final yr which stored him out of the primary three rounds of JuniorGP, and solely final week the Italian teen fractured each legs in a coaching accident.
All of meaning it’s going to seemingly be a difficult starting to life in Grands Prix for Pini, who can also be notable for his peak, however he is available in with a stellar CV: he additionally received the European Expertise Cup in 2022, and completed as runner-up in the identical collection the yr after, ending behind Max Quiles who, underneath the steerage of the aforementioned Marc Marquez, can even make his World Championship debut this yr with the Aspar crew.