Shifting Gears: The Unfortunate Casualties of MotoGP’s 2025 Rider Market Reshuffle

The most significant casualties in the 2025 MotoGP rider market overhaul

Who suffered the greatest setbacks in the 2025 rider market?

The roster for the 2025 MotoGP competitors is finalized after Yamaha disclosed its agreement with Jack Miller to join Pramac Racing for the upcoming season.

Miller's selection was largely anticipated just before the Pramac-backed Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, especially after it had been rumored to be a done deal for a few weeks subsequent to a British Grand Prix event that left the Australian's prospects in MotoGP seeming far less promising than they currently do.

In June, the motorcycle racing world was taken aback by the unexpected move from Ducati and Marc Marquez to clinch the open factory team spot with the Italian brand. However, beyond this, there haven't been many unforeseen developments regarding which riders have found themselves without a seat now that the musical chairs have ended.

However, there are multiple riders from both MotoGP and Moto2 who are currently on the sidelines, watching as the 2025 season unfolds.

We select the most distinguished individuals.

Joe Roberts

Undoubtedly, Roberts, a leading contender in Moto2, stands out as the most unexpected exclusion from the 2025 MotoGP lineup.

The idea of Trackhouse Racing expanding from NASCAR into MotoGP to fill the void left by the dissolved RNF team had already sparked speculation about Roberts being considered for a possible 2025 position.

Ultimately, it was logical for a team from the United States to include a rider born in the US.

Following an impressive beginning to the 2024 Moto2 season with American Racing, where he topped the championship standings following the Spanish Grand Prix and managed to stay competitive despite sustaining an injury at Assen, a transition to Trackhouse seemed probable.

It has been confirmed that Trackhouse had discussions with Roberts regarding a seat for 2025, but in an unexpected decision by the American team, they opted for Ai Ogura, who is presently leading the Moto2 championship, over him.

Despite Roberts' fluctuating performances in the recent six rounds and Ogura's sustained strength, it's clear that the more deserving rider was chosen. However, the decision by a US team to overlook the paddock's sole promising American prospect at this time is a bitter pill to swallow, potentially closing the MotoGP opportunity for Roberts for good.

Sergio Garcia not securing a seat for the 2025 MotoGP season stands as a stark illustration that, contrary to common perceptions, holding a Spanish passport can sometimes be a significant disadvantage.

The rider from MT Helmets competing in Moto2 was prominently considered for the Pramac team spot next to Miguel Oliveira, a position that has since been filled by Jack Miller.

Garcia subsequently revealed that three MotoGP teams had approached him with proposals, yet none of these opportunities materialized. Specifically, in the case of the Pramac team position, the championship's desire to maintain an Australian presence among the racers proved to be a disadvantage for Garcia.

Garcia, who led the championship for an extended period and secured two victories this season, deserved a promotion to MotoGP. However, his prospects faded, and the resulting mental toll has led to a significant decline in his performance. Since the race in Austria, he's only managed to accumulate six points, causing him to relinquish his top spot in the rankings to his teammate Ogura during the San Marino GP.

Garcia's aspirations to compete in MotoGP will have to wait until after 2025. However, if his team and those around him are unable to help him overcome the setback he perceives as unjust in 2025, his opportunities might completely vanish.

Alonso Lopez

The Spanish rider's performance in the Moto2 season hasn't quite matched that of competitors such as Ogura or Garcia, yet he has consistently demonstrated strong form and still has a shot at the title.

However, Lopez’s downfall lies in the reality that among the Speed Up team duo – himself and Fermin Aldeguer – he has consistently found himself on par with his significantly more esteemed colleague.

Prior to the commencement of the season, Aldeguer had inked a two-year contract with Ducati to ascend to MotoGP in 2025, joining a satellite team. Previously, Lopez had associations with Yamaha, and given that the Japanese brand will have a satellite team by 2025, he was among the contenders considered.

Failing to secure a spot at Pramac, Lopez is set to stay in Moto2 for an additional year. However, considering that Aldeguer hasn't quite met the expectations set for him in 2023, Lopez can justifiably believe that he has performed equally well as his colleague this season, meriting a promotion to MotoGP.

Upon the initial speculation of Ai Ogura transferring to Trackhouse, it seemed as though Nakagami's opportunity to remain with LCR Honda into 2025 was quite solid.

As the summer hiatus approached, it appeared that Nakagami had resolved to continue competing in 2025, regardless of the recent challenges encountered by the Honda team.

However, the scene changed when Somkiat Chantra arrived, and the appeal of including a well-liked Thai racer in the lineup turned out to be a more strategic decision for Honda compared to keeping a seasoned rider whose international credentials have significantly contributed to his prolonged tenure with the LCR team.

Despite Nakagami's recent performances not being particularly remarkable, his contributions through feedback have been crucial for Honda's ongoing development of its RC213V. This input could be seen as sufficient reason for him to secure another year riding the bike in 2025.

Nakagami is set to continue his association with Honda in a development role and is expected to receive several wildcard entries next season. Thus, the situation has not been entirely unfavorable for the Japanese rider.

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