Three of the five rookies have claimed top 10s in the first 11 races as we take a look at how each of them are getting on so far
A quintet of fast rookies were welcomed to the premier class at the start of 2022 in what is, arguably, the most competitive era weâve ever seen in MotoGPâ¢. It couldnât be much tougher being a rookie in this day and age, and as weâve now surpassed the halfway stage of the season, we take a brief look at how each of them is getting on.Â
Bezzecchi delivers a first VR46 podium for “idol” Rossi
Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team â 55 points):
Bezzecchi has been the rookie sensation in 2022. No one can argue that. The Ducati GP21 the Italian has adopted is Francesco Bagnaiaâs (Ducati Lenovo Team) multiple race-winning machine from last season, and as we know, the Ducati GP21 is a very, very good bike. Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGPâ¢) has shown this year that itâs more than capable of winning against the 2022 thoroughbreds.
But Bezzecchi has not only done a decent job on the Ducati so far â heâs been outstanding, especially in the European leg of the campaign. The Argentina GPÂ was the number 72âs first top 10 but the front row at Mugello, followed by him leading the race and eventually finishing P5, was a real eye-opener for everyone. A rookie, on a track as challenging as Mugello, battling for the podium? It was a display of pure class.
More points came in Germany with a P11, before the Dutch TT rolled around. After only one fully dry session at The Cathedral of Speed, Bezzecchi bagged P5 in qualifying â his third top six Saturday result of the season. A dream maiden MotoGP⢠podium then followed as Bezzecchi produced a flawless display, finishing less than half a second away from close friend and race winner Pecco. Will that podium tally rise before the end of 2022? A tough ask, but you wouldnât be surprised.
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP⢠– 18 points)
Like Bezzecchi, Di Giannantonio is at the controls of a Ducati GP21 alongside Bastianini in the Gresini Racing ranks. Diggiaâs season has been solid, and his contract confirmation to remain in MotoGP⢠with Gresini in 2023 is richly deserved.
The stunning pole position at his home race in Italy is the current highlight for the 23-year-old, while his P8 at the German GP was quietly one of the rides of the day. Di Giannantonio finished less than half a second away from seventh place Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and was just shy of six seconds ahead of teammate Bastianini at the Sachsenring. He was also by far the best rookie in Germany too.
The Italian has had four points-scoring rides to date in 2022 and weâve seen glimpses of the potential Diggia possesses. The Rookie of the Year crown looks like itâs going to be a difficult task with Bezzecchiâs form, but Di Giannantonio is the latterâs closest rival heading into the post-summer leg.
Darryn Binder (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP⢠Team â 10 points)
Having made the gigantic leap from Moto3⢠to MotoGPâ¢, Binder has acquitted himself well against the worldâs best. The South African has talent in abundance and that was displayed heavily during a rain-soaked Indonesian GP.
“Quite the experience!” – D. Binder earns ride of the day
Binderâs ride from 23rd to 10th in the wet conditions, in what was only his second race on a MotoGP⢠bike, was unbelievable. He was less than a second away from older brother Brad, ninth-placed Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) and finished ahead of the likes of Bastianini, Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team), Pecco and Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing).
12th place at the Catalan GP has been Binderâs other points-scoring ride, while the Italian GP was also a notable performance. 16th is generally nothing to shout home about, but finishing just 20 seconds off the win, under two seconds from Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) and beating Yamaha stablemate Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGPâ¢) was a job well done. Binder had the toughest task of all the rookies in 2022, and so far, heâs been quietly impressive.
Remy Gardner (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing â 9 points):
Itâs fair to say the reigning Moto2⢠World Champion has endured a difficult season. Likewise to Tech3 KTM Factory Racing teammate Raul Fernandez. KTMâs RC16 hasnât been an easy bike to get along with in 2022, hence why Gardner has only managed to notch up nine points heading into the summer break.
Gardnerâs first points came in Qatar with a P15, then a P14 finish was achieved in Portugal where he was the fastest rookie by six seconds. The best result of the season has been a P12 in Barcelona, and since the Official Test on Monday following the Catalan GP, Gardner has felt more comfortable on the KTM. The Australian will be hoping the second half of the season will bring a maiden top 10 finish in the premier class, as KTM continue to search for improvements.
Raul Fernandez (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing â 5 points):
On the other side of the Tech3 box, itâs a similar story to that of Gardner. Fernandez created history in Moto2⢠last year as a rookie, but the Spanish starâs rookie MotoGP⢠campaign has been tricky.
A 15th place at the Catalan GP was Fernandezâs first point in the class, and he followed that up with a very solid P12 at the German GP. An arm pump issue forced Fernandez to retire from the Dutch TT before the summer, adding to his hand injury troubles earlier on in the season after a crash in Q1 in Portimao saw him miss the Portuguese and Spanish GPs. A fully fit Fernandez will be aiming to show more of the stellar potential that saw him rise to stardom in 2021 in the latter half of 2022.
Bezzecchi leads the Rookie of the Year race by 37 points with nine races left to play in 2022. Can he be caught? Itâs an uphill task, especially given the Italianâs current form.Â