The recent spate of official rider announcements means that the MotoGP rider line up for 2023 is nearly complete.
The official confirmation by Aprilia that Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez would be racing in the RNF Aprilia squad brings the total of confirmed riders signed to 18. All of the factory seats are now occupied, and just four of the satellite seats remain open.
“Open” is probably not the correct description here, however. We are nearly certain of who will occupy those seats in 2023, the only question is when they will be announced.
The seats most likely to be announced first are the VR46 Mooney Ducati squad. That team will remain unchanged, with Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi continuing in the squad.
The only question is whether both riders will have a Desmosedici GP23 at their disposal, or just Marini.
At LCR Honda Idemitsu, Takaaki Nakagami is almost certain to stay. Team Honda Asia Moto2 rider Ai Ogura had been widely tipped to take the seat, but the Japanese rider has elected to stay in Moto2 for another season, to try to win a Moto2 crown.
At the Tech3 GasGas squad, Augusto Fernandez is almost certain to join Pol Espargaro. 2021 Moto2 champion Remy Gardner has been told there is no place for him in MotoGP next year, and is looking outside of the grand prix paddock for his future.
KTM’s policy of dumping rookies quickly continues to mystify onlookers, with both Raul Fernandez and Remy Gardner being ousted after their rookie season, while Iker Lecuona got two years in Tech3 before he was forced out.
Of the ten factory seats, only one will fall vacant at the end of 2023. Franco Morbidelli has next season to secure an extension at the Monster Energy Yamaha team, though he will need some help from the 2023 MotoGP bike.
Among satellite riders, both RNF Aprilia riders and LCR Honda’s Alex Rins have two-year deals, the remaining seats falling open at the end of 2023.
The 2023 MotoGP rider line up as it stands appears below:
Confirmed:
| riders | bike | Contract until |
| factory teams | ||
| Monster Energy Yamaha | ||
| Franco Morbidelli | Yamaha M1 | 2023 |
| Fabio Quartararo | Yamaha M1 | 2024 |
| Resol Honda | ||
| Marc Marquez | Honda RC213V | 2024 |
| Joan Mir | Honda RC213V | 2024 |
| Ducati Factory | ||
| Peco Bagnaia | Ducati Desmosedici GP23 | 2024 |
| Enea Bastianini | Ducati Desmosedici GP23 | 2024 |
| Red Bull KTM | ||
| Brad Binder | KTM RC16 | 2024 |
| Jack Miller | KTM RC16 | 2024 |
| Aprilia | ||
| Alex Espargaro | Aprilia RS GP | 2024 |
| Maverick Vinales | Aprilia RS GP | 2024 |
| satellite teams | ||
| Pramac Ducati | ||
| Johann Zarco | Ducati Desmosedici GP23 | 2023 |
| Jorge Martin | Ducati Desmosedici GP23 | 2023 |
| RNF Aprilia | ||
| Miguel Oliveira | Aprilia RS GP | 2024 |
| Raúl Fernández | Aprilia RS GP | 2024 |
| GasGas Tech 3 | ||
| Pol Espargaro | KTM RC16 | 2023 |
| LCR Honda | ||
| Alex Rins | Honda RC213V | 2024 |
| Gresini Ducati | ||
| Alex Marquez | Ducati Desmosedici GP22 | 2023 |
| Fabio Di Giannantonio | Ducati Desmosedici GP22 | 2023 |
| unconfirmed | ||
| VR46 | ||
| Luca Marini | Ducati Desmosedici GP23 | |
| Marco Bezzecchi | Ducati Desmosedici GP22? | |
| LCR Honda Idemitsu | ||
| Takaaki Nakagami | Honda RC213V | |
| GasGas Tech 3 | ||
| Augusto Fernández? | KTM RC16 |
Photo: MotoGP