These are the favorite riders to take the MotoGP title in 2023
Italian rider Francesco Bagnaia, known as Pecco, entered the season as the reigning champion and a prominent figure among Ducati riders. He arrived with high expectations for the 2023 MotoGP campaign, the kind of pressure that fuels both confidence and scrutiny as the season kicks off. Bagnaia’s performance in recent seasons positioned him at the center of attention for fans who follow the premier class closely, especially with Ducati aiming to reaffirm its strength at the top level.
It looks like the official Repsol Honda team fielded both world champions Marc Márquez and Joan Mir for testing, with sessions reportedly held at Sepang in Malaysia and again at Portimao in Portugal two weeks prior to the start. The pair faced a challenging line of work, as they evaluated prototypes and gathered data ahead of the championship round. The testing phase often exposes a gap between what is promised in winter sessions and what unfolds once the competitive fire begins in earnest, making the upcoming weekend a critical period for Honda’s project.
There have been seasons where Honda’s lineup endured stretches without major victories, leaving Márquez to shoulder significant expectations while the team works to secure a more competitive package. While Márquez’s physical capabilities remain extraordinary, returning to peak pace consistently has required patient development and precise technical support from the team. The balance between rider skill and the machine’s performance remains a pivotal story as the season unfolds.
In the coming hours, the teams will turn their focus toward Portimao, with a fresh opportunity to calibrate each machine and rider pair under race conditions. It is common to hear observers remind that results in testing do not always translate to race-day dominance; the reality of competitive MotoGP is that the real state of the field reveals itself through practice sessions and, most tellingly, the race weekend at the circuit.
These dynamics set the stage for a season that promises intensity and strategic battles across the grid. The championship picture will begin to take shape quickly as teams pursue reliability, speed, and consistency over the distance of each race weekend. The interplay between seasoned champions and rising talents will be a central theme as riders push to extract the maximum from their motorcycles and to adapt to evolving setups and regulations that influence performance across all classes.
How to watch MotoGP World Cup races live?
Agencies
Portuguese motorcycle GP schedule
Friday, March 24
10:00 – 10:35 FP1 Moto3
10:50 – 11:30 FP1 Moto2
11:45 – 12:30 FP1 MotoGP
14:15 – 14:50 FP2 Moto3
15:05 – 15:45 FP2 Moto2
16:00 – 17:00 FP2 MotoGP
Saturday, March 25
9:40 – 10:10 FP3 Moto3
10:25 – 10:55 FP3 Moto2
11:10 – 11:40 FP3 MotoGP
11:50 – 12:05 Q1 MotoGP
12:15 – 12:30 Q2 MotoGP
13:50 – 14:05 Q1 Moto3
14:15 – 14:30 Q2 Moto3
14:45 – 15:00 Q1 Moto2
15:10 – 15:25 Q2 Moto2
16.00 MotoGP sprint race (12 laps)
Sunday, March 26
12:00 Moto3 Race (21 laps)
13:15 Moto2 Race (23 laps)
15:00 MotoGP race (25 laps)