MotoGP 2016 season preview: Teams and Riders

MotoGP has always been a spectators’ sport. All the changing positions on every lap, the spectacular crashes and of course, the battles, most on the track though some off it are nothing short of pure entertainment. If we talk about the 2015 season, it was one-of-the-most if not the most eventful season in forever. I mean, who can forget the famous (or infamous, depends on who you’re rooting for) Rossi comment before the Malaysian grand prix and the on track duel between the defending champ, Marquez and the top contender Valentino Rossi. The end to the season was rather anti-climatic with the spat earning Rossi, the last place on the starting grid and Lorenzo walking away with the title. 

Though it was clear that ‘it’ isn’t over and the 2016 season promises to take on where 2015 left off, like a sequel to a Rocky movie but very, very real. But more on that later (you didn’t think we would spill the beans yet did you?). For now we tell you about the riders and their rides this season and though I would’ve liked to end it with just a line that the grid has remained more or less the same, but I’m under quite an obligation to elaborate. So here goes: 

Team: Repsol Honda

Riders: Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa 

Marc Marquez was the defending champion last season and began the season with a lot of promise and a dash of bad luck. Though he did win five races but crashed out in six out of the eighteen. In addition most of his duels with Valentino Rossi ended up with Rossi coming out on top. Dani Pedrosa on the other hand sprung a couple of surprises especially in Malaysia. Both riders will be looking for a great year ahead and if the results of the Philip Island tests are anything to go by, Marquez will be eyeing the championship this year 

Team: Movistar Yamaha

Riders:  Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo 

Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo were the top two contenders for the title last year but the spat with Marquez at Sepang and the consequent penalty of three points resulted in Rossi starting the final race of the season dead last. Though he did make it to fourth place in a fantastic display of skill and determination but it was all in vain as Lorenzo crossed the line in first place. This year, it’s clear that the battle will resume between the two of them and the bad blood between the two could affect the team harmony but how it will affect the final standings? We’ll just have to wait and see. 

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Team: Ducati

Riders: Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone 

Andrea Iannone pulled a fast one on Rossi and Marquez at Philip Island last year by overtaking both on a single corner and clinching the third place right from under Rossi’s nose.  That little display if magic showed everyone what Iannone is really capable of. Even Dovizioso clinched five podium finishes last year but neither of the Ducatis were able to score a win. This year however, Ducati promises things to be different the team boss has even claimed that they will win four out of the first five races. 

Team: Suzuki Ecstar

Riders: Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales

Suzuki made a comeback to MotoGP last year but with less than desirable results. They agreed that the motorcycles they had weren’t as competitive compared to the top factory teams. But in 2016, that won’t be the case. In testing at Philip Island Vinales held the fastest lap on day 3 and Espargaro too has been clocking some decent lap times. This year Suzuki at least will look to put a dent in the top teams’ title hopes if not win the title outright. 

Team: Aprilia Racing Team Gresini

Riders: Stefan Bradl and Alvaro Bautista

Aprilia made its comeback to MotoGP last year after a hiatus of two years and though they didn’t score too high on points, the team still saw an eventful 2015. They switched as much as three riders and finally settling with Stefan Bradl after the German grand prix with the other rider (constant) being Alvaro Bautista. But Bradl only has his seat till 2017 which is when Sam Lowes from Moto2 will move to Aprilia for the 2017 season. 

Team: LCR Honda 

Riders: Cal Crutchlow

LCR Honda bagged quite a deal with signing Cal Crutchlow last season from Ducati. But this year the team has downsized its motorcycle lineup and is only running one motorcycle this season with Cal Crutchlow retained for the 2016 season. The LCR team runs the Honda RC213V, the same motorcycle used by the factory team and Crutchlow did get the team its first podium since 2013 at Argentina but then retired from the next three races. This year he will hope to turn his fortunes around as he will get the undivided attention of the team.

Team: Octo Pramac Yakhnich 

Riders: Danilo Petrucci and Scott Redding 

Pramac Racing sports the coveted ‘Factory supported Team Ducati’ badge and has the riders to boot. For the year 2016, Pramac has retained Danilo Petrucci who finished second in the British grand prix last season. But Yonny Hernandez has been replaced by Scott Redding. Both riders will be riding the Desmocedici GP15 bikes but will receive support from Ducati. 

Team: Marc VDS

Riders: Jack Miller and Tito Rabat 

Marc VDS ran with only one rider last year, Scott Redding. But for the 2016 season, the team has increased, the number of riders by 100 percent which is to say that they will be running two bike this season. The first rider is the Australian rookie, Jack Miller who was previously with LCR Honda alongside Cal Crutchlow. The second signing of the season is the 2014 Moto2 World Champion Tito Rabat.

Team: Avintia Racing

Riders: Hector Barbera and Loris Baz

Avintia racing made a full-fledged shift to Ducati Desmosedici GP 14 machines from Kawasaki in 2015 and the team will be working with the same machines this year as well. Hector Barbera has been retained for the 2016 season but Mike Di Meglio’s seat has gone to Loris Baz who was racing with Forward Racing last year. 

Team: Aspar MotoGP Team

Riders: Eugene Laverty and Yonny Hernandez 

Aspar team was home to one-time World Champion Nicky Hayden. But post his departure at the end of the last season to World Superbike Championship, Yonny Hernandez has been assigned the ride at the Aspar team. Eugene Laverty however retains his seat for his second season in MotoGP. And for the 2016 season Aspar team has ended its association with Honda and will no longer be using its RC213V. Instead they have moved back to Ducati and will be using the Desmosedici GP14 bikes in the world championship. 

Team: Monster Tech 3 Yamaha

Riders: Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith

Monster Tech 3 Team has seen no changes, so far, in its 2016 lineup. Both Bradely Smith and Pol Espargaro will be racing with Tech 3 for the 2016 season. The team will still be running the Yamaha YZR M1.

Moto2

The Moto2 category promises some great action too for the 2016 season with lots of shuffling of riders between teams while some teams opting out of the championship altogether. Team JiR Moto2 have withdrawn from the championship altogether whereas Dynavolt Intact GP who were running just one motorcycle last year will expand its lineup to two motorcycles. Despite Suter announcing its departure from the Moto2 Championship, the JPMoto Malaysia has decided to stick with its bikes. Other teams to withdraw are AGP racing and IodaRacing Projecct SRL. Sam Lowes has signed a deal with Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 and replaced Xavier Simeon as a part of his contract-signing with the Aprilia Team for the 2017 season.

Moto3 

Thanks to the sheer number or riders on the starting grid and the fact that most motorcycles run similar setups, the Moto3 category is hard to predict. This year the homegrown Moto3 team Mahindra will be running three riders on its MGP3O bike that was recently unveiled at the 2016 Auto Expo. Mahindra’s factory team rider lineup includes Italian Francesco Bagnaia, Spaniard Jorge Martin and Japanese Tatsuki Suzuki. As far as the bike goes, it is the first new product to come out of Mahindra Racing’s new development facility in Varese, Italy and the company has been actively involved in the development process. The entire powertrain has been developed from scratch and the twin exhaust on the single-cylinder engine are courtesy Arrow. According to Mahindra, the bike was developed with prime focus on power delivery, acceleration, top speed and handling. How the company fairs on the points table remains to be seen. But seeing an Indian team in racing series of such a large scale is something to be proud of.