The Catalan Grand Prix has only released an official announcement, the renewal of Fabio Quartararo by Yamaha until the end of 2024, despite the week between the race in Italy and the one in Barcelona had been marked as decisive and in which the majority of movements in the pilot market.
However, despite the fact that many pieces are already practically placed by word of mouth, we will have to wait a little longer for the relevant official confirmations. Although that does not mean that there are many rumors and, surely, most of them are correct.
As of today there are nine riders with contracts already closed for 2023: Marc Márquez (Honda), Brad Binder (KTM), Franco Morbidelli (Yamaha), Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati) and the two VR46 riders, Marco Bezzecchi and Luca Marini, that they already started the season renewed; They have been joined by Aleix Espargaró and Maverick Viñales, confirmed by Aprilia at Mugello, and this past Friday Fabio Quartararo, renewed by Yamaha.
Of the rest, some have already closed an agreement and others are negotiating their future, although the pieces of the puzzle are practically fitted. Jack Miller has closed an agreement with KTM to race next year in the official structure. In principle, the announcement was wanted to be made this Saturday, but Ducati, with whom the Australian has a contract until the end of the year, has stopped it, delaying the statement, which could arrive at any time.
That leaves Miguel Oliveira without the orange bike and as much as KTM offered him to continue in the Tech3 satellite, the Portuguese has moved quickly to reach an agreement with Ducati, which will almost certainly place him in Gresini Racing occupying the place of Enea Bastianini and together with Fabio Di Giannantonio, although he has also spoken with Aprilia, who wants him to place him in the RNF satellite team.
Bastianini is, right now, the main candidate to ride the bike left by Miller in the official Ducati line-up, but Paolo Ciabatti, sports director, assured this weekend that they will wait until the end of August to make that decision, trying to buy time for a result to arrive that justifies the choice of Jorge Martín as Bagnaia’s teammate, which is the brand’s wish. In any case, it is Enea or Jorge who goes to the official, the other will be the second home team, Pramac Racing, where everything indicates that Johann Zarco will continue for another year.
Another big piece of the puzzle is the 2020 champion, Joan Mir, whom everyone places in Honda for the next two years, a maneuver that is cooking over low heat but that has all the signs of ending up coming together.
That would leave Pol Espargaró out of the Repsol team and his destiny, everything indicates, will be to return to KTM, where he already spent five years, although this time in the Tech3 satellite team, where Remy Gardner will continue for another year.
Pol’s departure opens the door for Honda to make the difficult decision to keep Alex Márquez in LCR, something that has not materialized at the moment and if it seemed impossible a few weeks ago, now it is not so. Alex would be together with a Japanese rider chosen by the factory, who could well be, for yet another year, Takaaki Nakagami, or take on the young Ai Ogura, an option more to the liking of those responsible for HRC on the circuits and the team.
The one who, apparently, is not going to continue in Tech3 is Raúl Fernández, the Madrid native has asked to leave the team since he does not adapt to the bike and in KTM, seeing that the situation does not straighten out, they could end up giving in. If Raúl is finally released, the RNF team awaits him with open arms at Aprilia, although at Ducati they are also attentive in case they can make a last-minute move.
Another target of Noale’s house is Alex Rins, the Suzuki rider, who continues to give no clues about his future. Right now his clearest option would be to sign a contract as an Aprilia factory rider, riding a satellite RNF motorcycle, although his representative is also holding open talks with Ducati, which could assess his incorporation if Oliveira finally decides on Aprilia. What seems clear is that Alex and Miguel will be the ones who will occupy, to see each one in which place, the Ducati of Gresini and the Aprilia of Razlan.
This is the 2023 pilot market:
Yamaha: Fabio Quartararo / Franco Morbidelli
Aprilia: Aleix Espargaró/Maverick Viñales
Ducati: Pecco Bagnaia / Enea Bastianini or Jorge Martín
Honda: Marc Marquez /Joan Mir
KTM: Brad Binder/Jack Miller
VR46-Ducati Luca Marini / Marco Bezzecchi
Pramac-Ducati: Johann Zarco / Jorge Martín or Enea Bastianini
Gresini-Ducati: Fabio Di Giannatonio/Miguel Oliveira or Alex Rins
LCR-Honda: Alex Márquez/Takaaki Nakagami o Ai Ogura
RNF-Aprilia: Alex Rins or Miguel Oliveira/Raúl Fernández
Tech3-KTM: Pol Espargaro/Remy Gardner
*In bold the pilots who have a signed contract for 2023
