MotoGP 2024 Mid-Season Report Card: Ranking Every Rider and Manufacturer

Ranking: MotoGP Riders Midway Through 2024 Season

We provide a rating out of 10 for each MotoGP rider at the halfway point of the 2024 season.

The British Grand Prix held last weekend signified the midpoint of the 2024 MotoGP season, with 10 races completed and 10 more to go.

The race for the 2024 MotoGP championship is extremely close right now, with only three points separating Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia as the season progresses.

Ducati continues to set the standard in motorcycle racing, with six out of its eight riders reaching the podium this year. The brand's latest win at the British Grand Prix signifies an unprecedented seventh consecutive event where Ducati riders have dominated all three podium positions.

Ducati has evidently advanced beyond its competitors, with only Aprilia managing to secure one grand prix victory and two sprint wins in 2024.

Lower in the rankings, KTM has struggled to advance significantly with its RC16 motorcycle. However, newcomer Pedro Acosta has impressively secured two podium finishes in grand prix races, and Brad Binder has contributed an additional podium finish.

Currently undergoing significant rebuilding, Yamaha and Honda find themselves struggling at the lower end of the manufacturers' rankings. Despite this, 2021 world champion Fabio Quartararo has emerged as the top performer among the Japanese motorcycle riders.

With the second portion of the 2024 season commencing, we evaluate the performances of both the riders and manufacturers up to this point.

The riders have been categorized by manufacturer, and each has been given a grade that considers not only their results but also factors like the specifications of their bikes and the expectations placed upon them.

Ducati

Eight competitors

Top GP finish – 1st place

Top sprint achievement – 1st place

Top position in qualifying – 1

Title Winner – First Place (352 Points)

#1 Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Corse. Rating: B+

Halfway through 2024, the current two-time world champion should ideally be earning an A grade. However, Bagnaia's season has been marked by numerous highs and lows.

Throughout his 2022 and 2023 seasons, despite clinching titles, he frequently made errors, resulting in five instances where he failed to score points in both Grand Prix races and sprints this year. After a crash while leading the sprint race in Barcelona, he found himself trailing the championship leader by 44 points. However, he mounted an impressive comeback with victories in the Grand Prix races in Barcelona, Italy, the Netherlands, and Germany, which allowed him to enter the summer break with a 10-point lead.

However, crashing out of the sprint at the British Grand Prix and not having enough speed in the main race has caused him to lose the lead once more.

At his peak performance, Bagnaia is unbeatable on the factory Ducati, but he continues to make several expensive errors.

Enea Bastianini, rider number 23, representing Ducati Corse, receives a grade of B.

Bastianini’s rating would have been lower at this point in the season if not for his impressive performance at the Italian GP, which came after it was announced that he wouldn't have a spot in Ducati for 2025.

Podiums at Mugello and Assen, along with two wins, combined with his early-season podiums at Portimao and COTA, have propelled him into the championship race. He is now only 49 points behind the leader, Jorge Martin.

Injuries in 2023 hindered his ability to adjust to the GP23, and it was evident from the beginning that the braking features of the GP24 better matched his style. A short period of poor performance during the Spanish, French, and Catalan GPs interrupted the progress he had made in the initial rounds.

Silverstone showcased Bastianini’s potential as a title contender, though his steadiness is still uncertain.

#89 Jorge Martin – Pramac Racing. Rating: B+

Martin leaving Ducati after the 2024 season represents a significant setback for the company. Right from the start of this season, it was evident that he would pose a much stronger challenge to Bagnaia's position than he did in 2023.

However, similar to Bagnaia, crucial errors have occurred at inopportune moments. Falling out of the lead in both the Spanish and German Grand Prix events allowed main competitor Bagnaia to secure wins. This has significantly contributed to why his impressive performance in 2024 has resulted in just a narrow three-point lead in the championship standings at the halfway point of the season.

On the whole, the two have been quite evenly matched. Martin's resilience was evident when he moved past his crash in Germany to secure two second-place finishes, outperforming Bagnaia at Silverstone.

Number 21, Franco Morbidelli, racing for Pramac Racing. Rating: D-

Evaluating Morbidelli's debut season on the 2024 Ducati is challenging due to his absence from the pre-season, which was caused by a concussion he sustained during a training accident in Portugal.

In urgent need of time to familiarize himself with the bike and regain his confidence after a difficult period with the factory Yamaha team, Morbidelli has yet to show his full potential.

There have been moments of impressive speed, such as when he finished sixth at Mugello and led the race at Sachsenring before finishing fifth. However, these instances have been rare. Currently ranked 12th among Ducati riders, Morbidelli is lucky to secure a spot on the grid for 2025.

Marc Marquez, rider number 93 for Gresini Racing. Performance Rating: B

One of the most talked-about events this year has been the eight-time world champion's debut season riding the 2023 Ducati model.

It’s evident that he has regained his confidence after struggling for the last few years with the factory Honda team. He started the season strong by finishing fourth on the first night in Qatar, and followed that up with consecutive sprint race podium finishes. He then secured his first Grand Prix podium in Spain after an intense battle with Bagnaia.

Performances that started outside the top 12 and ended up on the podiums in France, Barcelona, and Germany were surprising. However, his qualifying sessions have been ordinary, with Marquez achieving just one pole position and two additional front-row starts.

Adjusting to the GP23 on different tracks is becoming more challenging than anticipated, and the older model is beginning to reveal its limitations compared to the newer GP24s.

He remains a contender for the championship, but he must improve his performance in the final 10 races to become a formidable competitor.

#73 Alex Marquez – Gresini Racing. Evaluation: C-

In several respects, it was the younger Marquez sibling who set the stage for Marc's move to Gresini Ducati in 2024, having made a similar transition last year and delivered a strong performance.

Alex Marquez hasn't quite matched his performance from last year, but his podium finish at the German Grand Prix demonstrated that he is still capable of achieving significant results.

Performing consistently on Sundays has maintained his position within the top 10 of the standings, making him the sixth best among Ducati riders. However, he also needs to improve in the latter half of the season.

#49 Fabio Di Giannantonio – VR46 Racing. Evaluation: B

Di Giannantonio was at risk of losing his spot for the 2024 season even before Marc Marquez became a factor at Gresini. His strong performance towards the end of the previous season resulted in a victory at the Qatar Grand Prix, which eventually secured him a GP23 with the VR46 team.

Though initially considered an outsider within the VR46 team, he has been embraced by the group and has delivered an impressive season in return.

Although Di Giannantonio hasn't made it to the podium in the first 10 races, he is currently the second-highest performing GP23 rider, trailing only Marc Marquez. He has managed to score points in all but one race, placing him eighth in the overall rankings.

He has outperformed his well-regarded teammate Marco Bezzecchi, who was a title contender last year. As a result, he has secured a factory bike with VR46 for 2025, establishing himself as a sought-after talent in the rider market.

Number 72, Marco Bezzecchi, racing for VR46 Racing. Performance rating: C-.

At the time, Bezzecchi's choice to stay with VR46 and ride an older Ducati rather than switching to a factory bike at Pramac for the 2024 season was praised as a wise and mature decision by the young Italian.

It's difficult to think that he doesn't regret it now. He had a strong performance on the GP22 last year, winning three grand prix races and contending for the championship until the final stages of the season. However, that performance has almost completely vanished on the GP23.

Dealing with similar issues of engine braking and understeer that Bastianini encountered last year, Bezzecchi has managed to reach the podium once.

Level on points with Morbidelli, Bezzecchi aims for a stronger performance in the last 10 races to start his stint with Aprilia on a positive note.

Four racers from Aprilia

Top GP finish – 1st place

Top performance in a sprint – 1st

Top qualifier – 1st place

Titleholder – Runner-up (192 points)

Number 12, Maverick Vinales, racing for the Aprilia Factory team, receives a B- grade.

The 2024 season appeared to be a crucial one for Vinales, as he had not been able to achieve significant results with Aprilia since he became part of the team in mid-2021.

At first struggling to adapt to the 2024 RS-GP during the winter, Vinales and his team made significant progress by the time of the Portuguese GP. He won the sprint race and was on track for a podium finish on Sunday before a late gearbox problem disrupted his run.

Everything turned out well in America when he won the sprint race and overcame a terrible beginning, where he fell to 11th place, to finally secure his 10th grand prix victory.

Since his last two sprint podiums, Vinales has not finished in the top 10, with his last top 10 finish being at Assen. Despite this, he remains fifth in the standings.

The primary reason for this is the recent difficulties the Aprilia team has faced in handling its tires. Vinales observed during the British Grand Prix that the bike's performance has "decreased its potential."

Rider #41 Aleix Espargaro from Aprilia Factory Racing has been given a grade of C+.

The experienced Spanish rider has had a stable final season in MotoGP, but a decline in Aprilia's performance has prevented him from reaching the two-time grand prix race-winning success he achieved in 2023.

Espargaro continues to demonstrate that he can occasionally be the quickest Aprilia rider. After Bagnaia’s accident, he secured a victory in the Catalan GP sprint, and later finished fourth in the main GP race, despite facing the RS-GP’s tire management issues towards the end.

His performance has been supported by two pole positions, but the lack of a Sunday podium finish has negatively impacted his ratings. Additionally, missing races at Assen and the Sachsenring due to injuries has certainly hindered the progress he made in Barcelona.

Driver #88 Miguel Oliveira, representing Trackhouse Racing, received a grade of D.

Since joining the RNF team and switching to Aprilia in 2023, and later moving to Trackhouse in 2024, Oliveira has found it difficult to achieve the same race-winning performances he had during his time with KTM.

Taking his time to get used to the 2024 RS-GP and not yet completely satisfied at the midpoint, he has achieved minimal results so far.

His bursts of speed earned him a front-row starting position in Germany. He then turned this advantage into a second-place finish in the sprint race and a sixth-place finish in the grand prix.

However, their inconsistency has not matched the high standards expected from a rider of his talent.

Raul Fernandez, driver for Trackhouse Racing and ranked 25th, receives a grade of D+.

Fernandez's experience with Aprilia has largely mirrored that of Oliveira, but the 2021 Moto2 second-place finisher faced a notable challenge throughout much of 2024, being the sole rider on the 2023 RS-GP.

Amid concerns about his position with Trackhouse for 2025, Fernandez took the lead in the Barcelona sprint but later crashed, ultimately securing a respectable sixth place after starting from the front row.

This has been Fernandez's peak performance to date, but he has evidently demonstrated sufficient skill to earn a two-year deal with Trackhouse.

Making his first appearance in the race on the 2024 RS-GP, though it had the 2023 engine as required by regulations, didn't provide any indication of his potential performance in the last 10 races, as he crashed during the opening lap of the British Grand Prix.

KTM

Four competitors

Highest GP finish – 2nd place

Top finish in a sprint race – 2

Second place in qualifying

Third place in the championship with 178 points

#33 Brad Binder – KTM Factory Racing. Evaluation: C

KTM has evidently not achieved the progress against its competitors that it had anticipated throughout a strong 2023 season. However, Binder continues to be a reliable performer for the Austrian company.

Starting the 2024 season with two second-place finishes in Qatar, Binder has not yet returned to the podium but has scored points in every race except one. Additionally, he remains the only KTM rider to have finished every round in the points in either of the races.

The debut of the impressive newcomer Acosta will make everyone evaluate Binder's true abilities, yet Binder has not succumbed to this challenge and is striving to make the RC16 significantly more competitive.

#43 Jack Miller – KTM Factory Racing. Rating: D-

Miller’s engaging demeanor and straightforward public relations tactics have earned him a solid fan base. It's important to note that KTM's handling of his situation this year, particularly concerning their 2025 plans, was far from ideal. Initially, they instructed him not to negotiate with other teams, indicating they wanted him to stay, but eventually decided to let him go. This treatment is hardly fitting for someone who has won four grand prix races.

Despite this, Miller has had a tough time on the KTM motorcycle this year. After 10 rounds, he has only accumulated 42 points, with his highest finish being fifth place in Portugal. Additionally, he hasn't secured any other top 10 finishes, which is underwhelming for a rider of his skill level.

He hinted that the feedback he provided about the Ducati he used to ride has been considered, but new developments based on this feedback have been slower than expected.

The timing of Acosta joining the KTM team has come at a difficult moment for Miller, who is currently facing challenges. This situation seems to suggest that regardless of Miller's performance in the remaining 10 races, his position on the 2025 MotoGP roster is unlikely to be secured.

#31 Pedro Acosta – Tech3 GASGAS. Rating: B

There was never any uncertainty that Acosta's entry into MotoGP in 2024 would bring about some excitement.

In spite of the excitement surrounding him, he has approached his work with maturity, achieving podium finishes in grand prix events in Portugal and America, as well as securing spots in sprint events in Spain, Barcelona, and Italy.

Although Acosta has not been on the podium recently, he remains the highest-ranked KTM rider in the standings.

The likelihood of him achieving additional podium finishes, and possibly securing his first victory, is strong. However, this will hinge on KTM's ability to enhance the speed of the RC16 further.

#37 Augusto Fernandez – Tech3 GASGAS. Rating: F

The 2022 Moto2 titleholder didn't have a lot of expectations riding on him before his MotoGP debut with Tech3 last year. Many people thought he was just a temporary placeholder until Acosta was prepared.

Quick bursts of performance on a challenging setup in extremely tough conditions, especially without a competitive teammate to assist in his development, secured him a place for 2024. However, it's worth considering whether this would still be true if Pol Espargaro hadn't sustained such severe injuries.

Fernandez's top performance has been an 11th place finish in Portugal with his KTM, a bike he has found challenging to handle since adopting the carbon fiber frame this year, and his results have not improved since.

At the midpoint, he has accumulated just 15 points, with no indications of a significant improvement in performance for the remaining 10 rounds.

Yamaha

Two motorcyclists

Top GP finish – 7th place

Top sprint finish – 5th place

Top performance in qualifying – 8

Title Race – 4th Place (53 Points)

Fabio Quartararo. Rating: B

Considering Yamaha's performance this season, a B grade might seem generous. However, 2021 world champion Quartararo deserves significant recognition for his efforts.

Currently in a phase of reconstruction, Quartararo has transitioned from an irate world champion hampered by an underperforming motorcycle to a racer with a grasp of the broader context. This shift has been significantly influenced by Max Bartolini's arrival from Ducati as the technical chief.

Although advancements have been gradual yet noticeable, Quartararo consistently maximizes the performance of his M1, accumulating 49 points, which places him 35 points ahead of his competitors in the 'Japanese Cup'. If it weren't for an unlucky penalty due to tyre pressure, he would have secured a podium finish by enduring the chaotic Jerez sprint and finishing in third place.

If it weren't for Quartararo, Yamaha's situation would be much more dire. Making significant progress in the last 10 races will be challenging, but Quartararo is probably the one who will secure those improved outcomes.

Alex Rins. Rating: D

Evaluating Rins’ performance this season is challenging due to three main reasons: he is getting used to a new bike for the second consecutive year; he hasn't completely healed from a significant leg injury sustained in 2023; and he has been dealing with recent injuries.

With only eight points and no top 10 finishes, it's difficult to rate Rins any higher in our rankings.

Rins has shown moments of quickness, especially in comparison to his well-regarded teammate. However, the remaining 10 races will focus solely on improving the bike and deepening his knowledge of it, with the aim of making a significant advancement next year.

Honda

Four motorcyclists

Highest GP finish – 12th

Top sprint achievement – 9th place

Highest position in qualifying – 13

League Standing: 5th Place (26 Points)

Joan Mir, wearing number 36 for the Repsol Honda Team, receives a D

Honda shouldn't anticipate a very impressive performance record for its team of four riders, considering how disappointing 2024 has been up to this point.

Joan Mir once seemed more likely to end his MotoGP career than renew his contract with Honda for 2025. The 2020 world champion won't be pleased with having a best finish of 12th place.

Considering the significant lag of the RC213V and the challenging situation HRC found itself in at the beginning of the season due to a flawed design approach, Mir has frequently been the sole rider on an RC213V demonstrating steady progress throughout a race weekend.

Despite this, it often results in accidents. Mir performs well in terms of speed, and any improvements from Honda in the last 10 races will demonstrate this.

Luca Marini, rider number 10 for the Repsol Honda Team, receives a failing grade.

Despite Honda’s challenging season, Marini has been especially underwhelming.

Honda did not have many options for replacing Marc Marquez in 2024, and Marini's performance this year has not provided much evidence that his two-year contract was a good decision.

Switching from riding a Ducati to a Honda is quite challenging, but Johann Zarco is demonstrating greater success with this transition compared to Marini.

With only one point to his name, which he received in Germany because of a penalty and then lost a chance for an actual point in Britain due to his own penalty, Marini must significantly improve in the remaining 10 races.

Johann Zarco, rider number 5 for LCR Honda, received a grade of C-.

As previously stated, Zarco is transitioning from a successful Ducati team to a struggling Honda team in 2024, and he has performed commendably given the situation.

Comparable to Mir in terms of top performance, Zarco has scored an additional point and frequently emerges as the fastest Honda rider, securing the brand's best qualifying position of the year thanks to the Frenchman.

Following a disastrous stint with KTM in 2019, Zarco's switch to Honda has provided him an opportunity to demonstrate his ability to genuinely develop a faltering project.

Up to now, following 10 races, his addition to HRC is showing to be a beneficial decision.

Rider #30, Takaaki Nakagami, representing LCR Honda, received a failing grade.

At this point, Nakagami, a veteran Honda rider, should be achieving significantly better results on his bike in 2024 than he has managed so far.

Although no one is getting much out of the RC213V, Nakagami ought to be at the forefront for Honda rather than trailing behind Mir and Zarco in third place.

As Nakagami faces uncertainty regarding his future with LCR, especially with Somkiat Chantra being a possible candidate for HRC in 2025, his hopes of continuing his MotoGP career for an eighth season depend on delivering impressive performances in the last 10 races.

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