Amid all the excitement of the on track action this year, the 2022 MotoGP series also has the potential to be something of a transitional one off track as well.
With the vast majority of those currently competing in Motorcycle racing’s top class out of contract with their respective teams at the end of this year, there is plenty of potential for movement around the grid.
But while that may open the door for some individuals to switch from one factory to another before next season, there are some who might find themselves without a place in MotoGP altogether, as teams look to secure the long-term services of the next big thing from the likes of Moto2 or World Superbikes.
So with that in mind, we’ve taken a look at three riders whose places in MotoGP beyond this season, are seemingly under threat given the current circumstances.
Takaaki Nakagami
Nakagami is now in his fifth season competing in the top class of Grand Prix Motorcycle racing, and it may be fair to say that in that time, things haven’t quite worked out.
The Japanese rider is still yet to claim a single podium finish in MotoGP, and has seen a number of opportunities to claim such a success come and go, not least when crashing out of the lead from his only pole position in the series to date, in Aragon in 2020.
With the likes of fellow Japanese rider Ai Ogura, and Thailand’s Somkiat Chantra, emerging as possible title contenders in Moto2 this season, it seems there are other riders coming through who could now have the potential to maintain MotoGP’s profile in its all-important Asian market , which given Nakagami’s own lack of tangible success in the Premier class, could be bad news for the 30-year-old come next year.
Andrea Dovizioso
Having previously finished as runner up only to Marc Marquez in the final MotoGP standings three times in a row, there was a great deal of excitement when Dovizioso’s return to the sport with the satellite Yamaha team was announced in the latter stages of last year.
However, things have yet to really get going since then for the Italian, who has taken just 20 points from ten race starts since his return to the series with what is now the RNF Team, and this season in particular, he has barely been in any picture over a race weekend, with reigning champion Fabio Quatararo the only one seemingly capable of getting anything out of that Yamaha right now.
At 36-years-old, and having already had a taste of life out of MotoGP in 2021, you therefore wonder whether Dovizioso is really going to want to carry on, now that his race-winning days seem long gone, and with plenty more young talent emerging to put further pressure on him with the physicality he may no longer have at his age.
Maverick Vinales
Admittedly, Vinales’ high profile, race-winning pedigree and younger age mean this would be a more surprising departure, but it cannot be denied that he is yet another Aprilia rider who is struggling to match the success of teammate Aleix Espargaro.
While Espargaro already has a first and a third place finish under his belt this season, only once finishing outside the top ten, Vinales best finish is a seventh, and despite being the more established and successful on paper, he is already 41 points behind his teammate in the standings this season.
Given Espargaro’s nature for out-lasting teammates, that could soon start to put the pressure on Vinales, and given the acrimonious nature of his departure from Yamaha midway through last season after several years unfulfilled potential as a prospective title winner, that could mean other factories would be reluctant to take a chance on the 27-year-old, certainly in one of their top teams.
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