From Perfection to Challenges: Ranking MotoGP Constructors at the 2024 Summer Break

"Evaluating the MotoGP Teams from Worst to Best as of the 2024 Mid-Season

Scoring the performance of each MotoGP team up to the summer break on a scale from 1 to 10."

As the summer holiday kicks off, the most recent episode of the Crash.net MotoGP podcast evaluates the riders and teams based on their achievements in the initial half of the season.

Following the individual scores out of ten for the riders, as discussed in the podcast linked above, host Jordan Moreland shifted focus to the teams.

Ducati earns a solid 10 from me. In my opinion, they've achieved perfection. Reviewing the rankings, their performance has been outstanding, and in my view, the GP24 is set to be remembered as one of the most iconic MotoGP motorcycles in history.

"Aprilia. The score was a toss-up between 8 and 7.5. I settled on 7.5 as I believe the bike has more potential that hasn't been fully tapped into yet, and its performance tends to vary. Maverick has shown impressive results, but for the rest, it's been a mix of highs and lows."

KTM earns a seven from me, thanks to Pedro Acosta's outstanding performance. He truly has been a key factor in their success. As for Yamaha, they get a six, possibly leaning towards a 6.5. They are showing signs of progress and seem to be strategically planning for the upcoming year, which looks to be a good sign.

"Honda has earned a rating of 4 from me. Acquiring Aleix Espargaro is a positive move, particularly with an eye on the future. This could potentially enhance their performance. A rating of 4 might seem somewhat severe, but we'll have to wait and observe their progress during the latter half of the season."

"Pete, what are your five scores?"

"For me, Ducati is almost flawless. I'd rate it 9.8, only because Vinales clinched the victory at COTA!" MotoGP editor Pete McLaren commented. "There was a bit of chatter initially, but aside from that, their performance has been nearly impeccable.

Aprilia earns a solid 8 from me, as they've surpassed KTM to claim the second spot in the constructors' standings. Their performance is now more consistent, a quality they previously struggled with. Vinales has notched up race victories, while Aleix triumphed in a Sprint race. The 24 model has enhanced their braking capabilities, though it seems to have slightly compromised their speed in the quick turns.

I would rate KTM around a 7 since they've seen a decline in performance from Binder, Miller, and Augusto Fernandez. However, Acosta stands out as a promising aspect for them. They've secured him for upcoming seasons, along with talents like Bastianini and Vinales, considering their off-track contributions too.

Bearing this perspective, Yamaha also deserves a 7 from me, but it's due to their achievements outside of actual racing this year. This includes successfully securing Quartararo again, partnering with Pramac, and bringing Max Bartolini onboard.

Currently, Honda stands at a 6. It's clearly still undergoing development, right? This year, they implemented significant modifications to their motorcycle, and it showed considerable potential during the Sepang trials.

"As the season progressed, the team's riders determined that their current strategy was misguided. The focus now shifts to anticipating the forthcoming enhancements, which are expected around September. This update likely represents the final opportunity to significantly improve Honda's performance in the current season."

Motorcycle racing correspondent Rob Jones subsequently shared his ratings:

If it were possible to rate Ducati higher than a perfect score, I definitely would! Their performance has been astounding. Vinales notably secured his victory at an opportune time, as I foresee a challenging period ahead for rival manufacturers to clinch any wins, particularly with Bagnaia and Martin contending closely for the championship.

They possess the top motorcycle in the GP24 and likely the runner-up motorcycle in the GP23 currently! Additionally, they have riders that are equally impressive in skill and in numbers.

April and Pete, both rated an eight, have demonstrated considerable strength, with Vinales particularly standing out in their performance.

"I believe there might be slightly more potential to extract from that motorcycle. However, we must acknowledge and commend their efforts, especially given Ducati's exceptional performance this year and how Vinales has managed to compete with them on some circuits. Thus, it's fair to consider them a solid runner-up."

This season, KTM hasn't quite lived up to my expectations, leading me to rate them a 6.5. As you both mentioned, Acosta has significantly boosted that score because of his outstanding performance. However, I've felt let down by the performance of the factory team and their results. That's primarily why my rating is what it is.

"I'd assign Yamaha the identical score as before, yet as both of you mentioned, due to divergent factors. The triumphs beyond the racetrack. Retaining Fabio, locking in Pramac, and achieving significant progress. These are the three crucial aspects that I believe they've successfully managed in 2024."

In my opinion, Yamaha has demonstrated significant improvement, and I believe we will witness them consistently vying for positions within the top 10 in the upcoming season.

"Following that, Honda, much like yourself, Jordan, I'll opt for a rating between 4 and 4.5. It's evident they're making efforts, and given the scale of Honda as a manufacturer, I'm confident they will eventually succeed."

"However, it has been an exceedingly challenging period. Whenever there appears to be a slight chance of improvement, it immediately gets crushed, and each advancement is met with double the regression."

"Clearly, the absence of Marc Marquez has highlighted, perhaps even more starkly, the challenges that were previously masked in the past few seasons. It appears to be an exceptionally difficult phase for Honda, arguably the most challenging they've encountered."

"I wish them success in overcoming this phase, as the season's final evaluations will play a crucial role in ensuring they kick off 2025 on a high note in terms of performance."

"Thus, it ranges between 4 and 4.5, yet there's hope for enhancements."

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