MotoGP’s strange revolving doors in Valencia: nine riders changed teams overnight

I’last race in Valencia that gave the world title to the Italian Pecco Bagnaia closed the MotoGP 2022. after the race the riders and teams from the premier class of the World Championship remained at the Ricardo Tormo circuit where they will be stationed until Tuesday. In fact, before going on vacation, all first-class protagonists will be involved in a tests at the Spanish track for next season.

Nothing strange then, if it wasn’t for that in this competition the teams will present themselves with the new formations with whom they will compete in the 2023 championship and that nine riders who arrived in Valencia last Thursday in the colors of one team will leave with those of another. starting from Enea Bastianini who on Sunday raced with Team Gresini, on Monday he was wearing i official Ducati team colors and took possession of the new garage alongside the new world champion Pecco Bagnaia.

beyond the rookie Augusto Fernandeznew Moto2 title winner who won a saddle on the GasGas team at MotoGP 2023, the same went to Alex Marquez (LCR for the race, Team Gresini for the tests), Jack Miller (from Ducati to KTM), Joan Mir (from Suzuki to Honda), Pol Espargaró (from Honda to Gas Gas), Miguel Oliveira (from KTM to RNF), Raúl Fernández (from Tech3 to RNF) and also for the winner of the Valencian Community GP Alex Rins who on Sunday night left the role of a Suzuki rider (who will test on Tuesday but will not participate in the next MotoGP World Championship) to wear those of the LCR team.

The most curious thing is that on the night between Sunday and Monday, each of them had to empty the old “office” (the containers marked with the name of the team in which drivers spend part of their days during race weekends) and then the next day go and take possession of the new that until a few hours before was occupied by a colleague to store all his personal belongings. A curious and anomalous chain movement so the one who took the stage at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia between the day of the last race of the 2022 season and the day of the first race with a view to the 2023 World Cup.