Just in time for the first Moto GP test of the 2014 season, it looks like the final pieces of who’s riding what have dropped into place.
With the Moto GP grid set to head for Sepang in Malaysia for two tests in February, the latest addition to fill out the 24 rider grid is Englishman Leon Camier, former British Superbike title-holder and World Superbike rider with Suzuki. He’ll be riding for the Ioda Racing team, which is switching from last season’s Suter BMW machine to the ART Aprilia combo that dominated the CRT class in 2012-2013 in the hands of Spaniard Pol Espargaro.
The bikes will be different this season; the CRT rules having been abandoned for the new “Open” category – basically, run what you brung but using the Magneti Marelli ECU and supplied software, as opposed to factory bikes which can still use their own software.
Honda and Yamaha will still be running all their own entries as “factory” bikes, while Ducati has opted to split their chances, with the two factory and one Pramac satellite bike running as factory entries, while one Pramac bike for Venezuelan rider Yonny Hernandez will be an Open machine. There were rumours that Ducati was considering entering all their bikes in the Open class to take advantage of more advantageous tire, engine, and fuel allotments, but the factory has vigourously denied that – for what that’s worth.
No doubt the initial tests at Sepang, February 4-6 and 26-28, will deliver some more information on how things are looking for the initial race at Qatar’s Losail Circuit March 23.
By the way, there’s a rumour out of Italy, probably set up by Jorge Lorenzo’s management since his contract is up at the end of 2014, that he’s signed a letter of intent with Ducati for 2015. Think of that what you will …
Final Moto GP entry list (final as of January 16, anyway …).
* = factory entry, will continue with their own ECU software but opposed to Open class have four-litres less race fuel and five, rather than 12, engine changes during the season.
Honda
- #93 Marc Marquez SPA Repsol Honda Team (Honda *)
- #26 Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (Honda *)
- #6 Stefan Bradl GER LCR Honda MotoGP (Honda *)
- #19 Alvaro Bautista SPA Go&Fun Honda Gresini (Honda *)
- #7 Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Power Electronics Aspar (Honda)
- #17 Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB Motoracing (Honda)
- #45 Scott Redding GBR Go&Fun Honda Gresini (Honda)
- #69 Nicky Hayden USA Power Electronics Aspar (Honda)
Yamaha
- #99 Jorge Lorenzo SPA Yamaha Factory Racing (Yamaha *)
- #46 Valentino Rossi ITA Yamaha Factory Racing (Yamaha *)
- #38 Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (Yamaha *)
- #44 Pol Espargaro SPA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (Yamaha *)
- #5 Colin Edwards USA NGM Mobile Forward Racing (FTR Yamaha)
- #41 Aleix Espargaro SPA NGM Mobile Forward Racing (FTR Yamaha)
Ducati
- #4 Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Ducati *)
- #35 Cal Crutchlow GBR Ducati Team (Ducati *)
- #29 Andrea Iannone ITA Pramac Racing (Ducati *)
- #68 Yonny Hernandez COL Pramac Racing (Ducati)
All the rest
- #8 Hector Barbera SPA Avintia Blusens (FTR)
- #9 Danilo Petrucci ITA Ioda Racing Project (ART)
- #12 Leon Camier GBR Ioda Racing Project (ART)
- #23 Broc Parkes AUS Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM)
- #63 Mike di Meglio FRA Avintia Blusens (FTR)
- #70 Michael Laverty GBR Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM)
