Francesco Bagnaia’s (Ducati Lenovo Team) relentless form in the 2024 MotoGP™ season continued with a dominant performance at the Japanese Grand Prix, marking his eighth victory of the year. A superb Sunday performance saw the reigning World Champion not only close the Championship gap to Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) to just 10 points, but cement his name alongside some of the sport’s greats.
Bagnaia’s victory at Motegi puts him in elite company, joining MotoGP™ icons Casey Stoner, Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), Valentino Rossi, and Jorge Lorenzo as the only riders to achieve at least eight wins in a single season.
With four rounds to go, there is still time for Bagnaia to add to his tally and catch some MotoGP™ Legends. One more would see him equal Lorenzo’s nine victories in 2010, while two more would put him at the level of Stoner’s two Championship-winning campaigns from 2007 and 2011. If he took three wins in the remaining four rounds, he would go level with mentor Valentino Rossi, who reached 11 MotoGP™ wins in 2002 and 2005, while he also did it in 500cc in 2001. Currently, the MotoGP™ record stands with Bagnaia’s future teammate Marc Marquez, who picked up 13 during 2014.
Bagnaia’s success was also the 900th Grand Prix win for an Italian rider, while it is his 26th career victory in the premier class, elevating him to 10th on the all-time list. Dani Pedrosa and Eddie Lawson, both of whom have 31 career wins, are the next riders he could overtake.
Adding to the significance of Bagnaia’s achievement is Ducati’s remarkable season. His victory in Japan was the Bologna bullets’ 13th consecutive win, setting a new personal record for the Italian factory. The feat is the longest winning streak by any manufacturer in the modern era, and matches Honda's dominance from the 2001 Pacific Grand Prix to the 2002 German Grand Prix.
Ducati look primed to add another Riders’ World Championship to their growing collection of silverware as Bagnaia and Martin once again go wheel to wheel for the title. The next instalment of their thrilling battle for glory is at Phillip Island in Australia from October 18th. Make sure you join us then!