In recent years, MotoGP riders have turned their number into a brand, a sign of identity with which they are perfectly recognizable and rarely change. In fact, since Valentino Rossi gave up wearing the champion’s ‘1’ in 2002, more and more people have followed this trend. Casey Stoner, in 2012, was the last to do so.
In general, what was seen in 2021 is maintained, although five new rookies and the independent Gresini team arrive.
The bibs (numbers) of each MotoGP rider for 2021
| Dorsal (Number) | Pilot | Equipment |
| 4 |  |
WithU RNF Yamaha |
| 5 |  |
Pramac Ducati |
| 10 | |
VR46 Team |
| 12 |  |
Aprilia |
| 20 | |
Yamaha |
| 21 | |
Yamaha |
| 23 | |
Gresini |
| 25 | |
Tech3 |
| 30 |  |
Honda LCR |
| 33 |  |
KTM |
| 36 | |
Suzuki |
| 40 |  |
WithU RNF Yamaha |
| 41 | |
April |
| 42 | |
Suzuki |
| 43 |  |
Ducati |
| 44 | |
Sling |
| 49 | |
Gresini |
| 63 | |
Ducati |
| 72 | |
VR46 Team |
| 73 | |
Honda LCR |
| 87 |  |
Tech3 |
| 88 |  |
KTM |
| 89 | |
Pramac Ducati |
| 93 | |
Sling |
Why does every MotoGP rider wear that number? The explanation
- Johann Zarco: He wears the 5 in honor of his former manager, Laurent Fellon, when he was racing in the 1980s. Although he debuted with the 14 in the World Cup, he hasn’t let go of it since he was able to pick it up.
- Luca Marini: Rossi’s brother initially wore 97, the year he was born, but when he got a fixed place in Moto2 in 2016, Xavi Vierge had it and he opted for 10 , the day of his birth.
- Maverick Viñales: the one from Roses (Girona) arrived at the World Championship with 25, but changed to 40 in Moto2 for commercial reasons. In MotoGP he recovered his original number, but in 2019 he decided to wear 12 because with it he beat Marc Márquez as a child.
- Fabio Quartararo: The Devil was not complicated and shot the day he was born, 20 .
- Franco Morbidelli: before the World Cup he was running with 12, but since he was busy he decided to combine his favorite numbers backwards and took 21 .
- Enea Bastianini: the Beast has found his usual 33 occupied by Brad Binder in MotoGP, so of those available the most similar was 23 .
- Takaaki Nakagami: the Japanese made his debut in the 125 with the 73, but later opted for the 30 assigned to him in the Red Bull Rookies Cup and he has stuck with it.
- Brad Binder: his original number was 41, but when he arrived in MotoGP he found that Aleix Espargaró was wearing it and he chose 33 because it resembles his initials (BB).
- Joan Mir: his cousin Joan Perelló wore the 36 in the World Cup and uses it for him.
- Aleix Espargaró: his childhood idol was the Japanese Youichi Ui, who wore 41 . In 2006, in 250cc, being busy, he had to choose the 42 temporarily and in MotoGP he made his debut with the 44 for his brother Pol.
- Álex Rins: when he started running he used the 14, but then he changed to the 24. In 2008 that one was occupied and he invested it. Only in 2016 did he have to wear 40 for commercial reasons.
- Jack Miller: When he was a kid in motocross he was assigned the 543. In speed three digits are not allowed and he dropped the five. With the 43 he won the 125cc IDM in 2011, but when he arrived at the Moto3 World Championship he was busy and opted for the 8. When he debuted in MotoGP, Héctor Barberá had it and he went back to basics.
- Pol Espargaró: his favorite number is Alex Barros’ 4, but in the World Cup he was busy and decided to wear it twice, 44 .
- Pecco Bagnaia: his original number was 21 in Moto3, but in Moto2 he was busy and multiplied it by two, 42. In MotoGP neither of them was available and he added 21 more, 63 .
- Alex Márquez: in the FIM CEV he rode with his favorite number, 23, but when he debuted in the World Championship Antonelli wore it and changed to 12 with which he won the Moto3 title. When jumping to Moto2 Luthi had it and 23 for Schrotter, so he subtracted his year of birth (96) minus the day (23), 73 .
- Miguel Oliveira: also when he was little he liked the 41, but in a race there was no 1 and he used two 4 until MotoGP, where Pol Espargaró took it and doubled it, thus leaving the 88 .
- Jorge Martín: Oliveira ‘took’ the 88 and after thinking about it he decided to add one, 89
- Marc Márquez: the Cervera champion was not complicated and chose his year of birth from a young age.
Meet the MotoGP riders in 2022
What numbers cannot be used in MotoGP and why?
In MotoGP, only one and two-digit numbers can be used. 1 is reserved for the champion if he decides to use it and the last one available is 99. In the past, many drivers used the previous year’s classification as a number, but that is part of another era.
For now, there are five numbers withdrawn. The 34 and 65 are retired by Kevin Schwantz and Loris Capirossi, while in MotoGP the 74 , 58 and 69 of the ill-fated Daijiro Katoh, Marco Simoncelli and Nicky Hayden cannot be used either. Hopefully the 46 will join the list after Valentino Rossi’s retirement.
The rest of the numbers can be used by any pilot if they are not occupied, and it is also allowed to change from one year to another, although not within the same season.
If a rider goes up, down in category or races as a guest and his usual number is taken, he will have to opt for another free one.
The last 500cc/MotoGP champions who wore the ‘1’
Photo de: Hazrin Yeob Men Shah
Photo de: Hazrin Yeob Men Shah
Foto de: Bob Heathcote
Photo de: Honda Racing
Foto de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Repsol Media
Photo de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
