The 2024 MotoGP season was marked by a significant increase in the performance of riders and bikes, clearly evidenced at the Italian Grand Prix, held in Mugello. The time difference between the 2023 and 2024 races is impressive: the top 15 drivers who crossed the finish line this year completed the distance of 23 laps faster than Francesco Bagnaia, winner of the 2023 race. Among those who have improved significantly is Yamaha’s Alex Rins, who finished 15th in 2024 with a time of 41m 14.998s, faster than Bagnaia’s winning time in 2023, which was 41m 16.863s. However, victory again went to Bagnaia, who bettered his own time by 25.478 seconds, underscoring just how competitive the 2024 season has become. Championship leader Jorge Martin emphasized the high level of competition: “The level is so high, we have to try really hard, the times are incredibly fast. In the Sprint we did the qualifying lap time of three years ago. But it’s normal now. The tires are better and the bikes too.” Among the riders who have made the biggest personal improvements is Aprilia’s Maverick Viñales, who was 33 seconds faster in 2024 than the previous year. However, Viñales still wants to improve: “But… only P8! I would like to improve 45 seconds to win the race!” Viñales also commented on Ducati’s advantage: “They took a step. I don’t know if it was occasionally like at Mugello, but at Le Mans I also had a good race and only came in P5! We have to take a step. Let’s have a look at Assen, a track that might suit our bike better than Mugello.” Aprilia technical director Romano Albesiano confirmed Michelin’s rear tire changes, which appear to have benefited some bikes more than others. For KTM, newcomer Pedro Acosta explained that he and the factory worked hard to avoid chatter caused by the revised rear tire’s increased grip. “Since Le Mans we’ve somehow managed to avoid that,” Acosta said. The performance of the pilots in 2024 leaves no doubt that technological evolution and the adaptation of pilots to new conditions are key factors in increasing competitiveness. The time sheet shows that the best drivers of 2024 not only surpassed the 2023 times, but did so by a margin that demonstrates the rapid evolution of the sport. In summary, the 2024 MotoGP season saw a significant jump in overall performance, with the top 15 riders at Mugello 2024 proving they could have won the previous year’s race. This evolution promises an even more exciting and competitive championship.

Raul Fernandez, one of MotoGP’s most promising young talents, is about to receive a significant upgrade to his bike. The Spanish driver, who currently competes for Aprilia, should get the 2024 RS-GP specification at Silverstone, with a 90% chance, as he recently stated. This update has been eagerly awaited by Fernandez, who has faced several challenges this season. Although homologation rules prevent in-season engine modifications, other parts of the bike can be improved, including aerodynamics, which are essential to performance. Aprilia is working to introduce a new aerodynamic package, which should not only improve overall performance, but also solve the overheating problems they have faced in previous rounds. Fernandez commented on the anticipation of taking the new bike to Silverstone: “I will take the new bike to Silverstone, 90%. They are checking to give me the bike there.” This upgrade is vital so that Fernandez has a spec bike as close as possible to the other RS-GP riders, including his teammate Miguel Oliveira. Unfortunately, Fernandez’s plans to put in more laps on the 2024 bike during the final test at Mugello were hampered by bad weather. The idea was to better understand the new bike and prepare it for Silverstone. “The idea for the Mugello test was to try to understand the bike and prepare it for Silverstone,” explained Fernandez. The 23-year-old, who led a MotoGP race for the first time at the Catalunya Sprint, is currently 12th in the world championship, three places ahead of Oliveira. Fernandez underwent surgery for compartment syndrome after the Mugello test, due to the difficulties he had experienced in the final rounds. “Also in Barcelona, ​​when I was with Marc and Aleix, I lost the fight for the podium because of this problem,” he said. With the future of the Aprilia team still up in the air for 2025, Fernandez is well-placed to keep his place, especially with the confirmed departures of current factory riders Aleix Espargaro (retired) and Maverick Vinales (Tech3 KTM). Fernandez and Oliveira’s experience on the bike will be crucial in ensuring continuity for the team. However, VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi is a strong candidate for one of the factory seats, in line with Aprilia’s intention to sign a fast Italian rider. Fernandez hopes the bike’s improvement at Silverstone marks a turning point in the season. With the new bike specification and confidence and performance issues resolved, he looks to further improve his results and consolidate his position in the MotoGP elite.

The 2024 WorldSBK season has been marked by ups and downs for Álvaro Bautista. The Spanish driver, who dominated last season, now finds himself in a period of uncertainty and frustration, especially after his inconsistent performance at Misano, where he was overtaken by Toprak Razgatlioglu in all three races. Lack of consistency has been a constant problem for Bautista, who has also seen his teammate Nicolo Bulega achieve superior results in several races. These difficulties have raised questions about Bautista’s future with the Ducati team, but so far no decision has been made. Despite the presence of Ducati Corse general manager Gigi Dall’Igna at Misano, Bautista revealed that this had no bearing on discussions about his future. “I talk to Gigi all the time, after every test and race,” explained Bautista. “We are always in touch, not only when he comes to the races. He knows what I need and look for. The fact that he’s here doesn’t change anything about the information.” Bautista mentioned the existence of a new model of the bike, but expressed his disappointment that he did not have access to it yet. “Honestly, I wish I had something new now that I’m competing; next year is too far for me. Who knows what might happen?” Bautista’s performance this season has been a shadow of the dominance he has shown in 2023. With Razgatlioglu and Bulega very close in the championship standings, there is a real chance Bautista will fall short of a third straight title. Furthermore, Bautista stressed that his current focus is on restoring confidence in the bike, rather than the need to secure a new contract. “This weekend was important because we came from strange weekends like in Australia, Barcelona is a complicated track and Assen with mixed conditions. This weekend was a more normal situation. It was important to recover the feeling, but I couldn’t. It feels like we’re working.” On his future, Bautista was clear saying that there are no set deadlines to decide whether he will continue with Ducati or retire. “At the moment, I don’t have any deadline for my future. There are several questions in my mind and the main one is why I don’t have the same confidence as last year and what do I need to improve? I have no idea about my future and neither Ducati nor Aruba have asked me what I want to do. Maybe this month, before Donington, we’ll talk or not. I’m more concerned about regaining my confidence on the bike than deciding my future.” With a month until the next race, Bautista hopes to find answers to his questions and regain the form that made him champion. Meanwhile, his future remains uncertain, and he remains in limbo, waiting to see what fate has in store for him.