This is the classic post that we really shouldn’t make. But you know how it goes: you’re in the middle of a conversation with a prospect or potential sponsor, and they ask, ‘Who are the 10 best riders in MotoGP? When it comes to MotoGP advertising and marketing, I should sponsor one of the best, right?”

At this point, as a professional consultant in a sports marketing agency, you should always stick to the right answer, namely, ‘in a good sponsorship, it does not matter whether you win or lose’. Trust the project, not the podium. Now, actually, this answer never works. The prospect nods, says it is understandable, and that the whole thing makes a lot of sense. Then he stares at you and says, “Who are the best riders in MotoGP anyway?”

OK, then. We shouldn’t be talking about this subject, but here we are. Here are the 10 best riders in MotoGP for us.

1 – Marc Marquez

If you thought your 2020 was bad, Marc Marquez‘s 2020 was on another level, and 2021 was no better. The Spaniard not only fractured his humerus during the opening race of 2020 at Jerez and had to undergo surgery. He also had a pretty serious infection, another surgery, and then another to try and fix what was left of a *sight—a* pretty incredible mess.

The clinical report aside, Marc Marquez is probably the greatest talent motorcycling has ever seen, and we’re not afraid to say so. If the boy is healthy, he will win again and again.

And so it does; in 2024, finally healthy, he managed to squeeze the best out of his blue Gresini Ducati and won three times, and in 2025, finally riding the red of Borgo Panigale, he is dominating the championship.

2 – Pecco Bagnaia

On paper, one of the men to beat. On track, a formidable competitor who is having a tough beginning to the 2025 season. The 2022 and 2023 world champion has all the credentials to be the benchmark in the years to come. He is fast and rides the best bike in the group.

Ducati has given him and the other Ducatisti a near-perfect bike: the Borgo Panigale prototype is now a masterpiece of balance and power, hurtling down the straights and finally dancing in the corners.

While Pecco has undoubtedly learned the tricks of the trade, two things will be very different in the future. On the one hand, the boy now knows he is part of the motorcycling elite: he has won the world championship twice and knows he can do it again. On the other hand, the days of the underdog are over and everyone is in the hunt.

3 – Jorge Martin

Martinator has always been a fast and spectacular rider, but it is only in 2023 that the Spaniard, then riding for the Prima Pramac team, has shown the coolness and continuity to absolutely rightfully aspire to the MotoGP world title that he finally won in 2024. Exactly as for Bagnaia, the official Desmosedici was a faithful and precious ally.

Decisive and glaring was the psychological solidity of the young Iberian, who has shown that in 2023 he didn’t suffer too much from the lack of promotion to the factory Ducati (he was preferred to Bastianini). On the contrary, spirit of revenge and desire to prove themselves were indispensable companions in 2024 to clinch the title at the last race in Barcelona over Pecco. Jorge left Ducati for Aprilia, and 2025 has proven to be a challenging year, with two serious accidents keeping him out of racing

Pound for pound, as they say in boxing, perhaps the rider with the most pure speed of the whole group, MM93 aside.

4 – Fabio Quartararo

If we are being honest, we have to admit that Fabio Quartararo‘s last few years have been a bit of a two-sided coin. After a splendidly won World Championship with Yamaha in 2021, with the Frenchman putting on a masterclass for the rest of the world, Quartararo has not lived up to expectations, mainly due to a non-competitive bike.

The kid is a talent; there is no doubt about that. That is why Yamaha is keeping him as an official rider until 2026. Fabio in a top team, with a good bike and the right people supporting him to channel his talent in the right direction, is an explosive combination.

With newfound consistency—and faster riding—he will fight for podiums week after week and could become one of the greatest MotoGP riders of all time.

5 – Alex Marquez

Álex Márquez is the real revelation of 2025. He won his first MotoGP race and he is constantly fighting for the first position. Consistency, apart from speed, is his distinctive trait. Having become the lead rider of the Gresini outfit worked wonders for Alex, who blossomed and showed his true potential. In 2014 he won the Moto3 title, and in 2019 the Moto2 title. Alongside his brother Marc, he became part of the first sibling duo ever to each win World Championships in the same year—twice (2014 and 2019)

His maiden MotoGP victory came at the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix, a win that helped Ducati equal Honda’s record of 22 consecutive premier-class victories.

By winning at Jerez, he and Marc became the first brothers to each win a MotoGP race.

6 – Marco Bezzecchi

Another product of Valentino Rossi’s VR46 Academy and arguably World Championship material, Marco Bezzecchi has shown flashes of raw speed and great ability to recover from unfavorable grid positions in 2025.

Incredibly fast and endowed with a superlative racing technique, and with three MotoGP wins under his belt, Bezzecchi has shown the paddock that he is one to watch in the years to come and has all the makings of a successful rider. A winning bet for Aprilia.

7 – Maverick Vinales

Maverick has always been an enigma. If we had to make a list of the cleanest and most technical riders on the grid, he would probably be number one, hands down. In terms of elegance, Viñales is perhaps the most impressive rider in MotoGP. Maverick’s inconsistent performances have meant that he has achieved much less than his talent deserves.

Just a curiosity, Maverick is the only active rider who has been able to win with three different brands: Suzuki, Yamaha, and Aprilia, and in 2025 he is proving to be the fastest KTM rider… maybe there’s no three without four.

8 – Brad Binder

Nobody likes to be in Brad Binder’s sights. The only rider from South Africa, Binder is perhaps the toughest rider on the grid and is certainly not afraid to fight.

Binder’s aggressive riding style goes well with KTM’s eclectic character, and the pair are certainly doing well, with Brad always. Their partnership is a long one, and Brad gifted KTM with its first victory in MotoGP in the Czech Republic in 2020. Binder was the first non-Ducati rider in the 2024 Championship.

Binder will probably not go down in history as one of the greatest riders of all time, but he is certainly one of the most spectacular riders on the grid and an extraordinary talent in hand-to-hand combat.

9 – Alex Rins

When Joan Mir played the joker in 2020 and became Suzuki’s main man, everyone forgot a little about the talent of Alex Rins. But make no mistake: “the frog” has not lost his touch and is one of the most effective men on the tarmac when it comes to taming a MotoGP bike.

In 2022 he took the last victory for the Suzuki, which was close to retirement, at Valencia. During this period it seemed that his confidence with the Hamamatsu bike was second to none.

Alex found a new home with Lucio Cecchinello‘s LCR Honda, for whom he scored a historic win at the Circuit of the Americas in 2023, then a bad accident limited his competitiveness for the rest of the year and part of 2024, in which he moved in the direction of Official Yamaha. With the hope that the three tuning forks will once again resonate as they once did. In 2025 the Japanese brand, after a reorganization of the race department, started to show a solid improvement towards better results, and Rins is doing his part.

10 – Jack Miller

Not only one of the best riders but also one of the funniest, craziest and brightest guys in the paddock, you can’t help but love Miller. Sure, a bit of a maverick, a free spirit, and someone who certainly doesn’t fit into the mold, but this is motorcycling; what do you expect?

After some years and victories with Ducati, Jack was given an official KTM in 2023 and 2024. Results were not what was expected, and he moved back to his old Pramac in 2025, albeit this time on a Yamaha. The season started well, and he is constantly very quick

The best of the rest and a look back

One more question remains, however. Are the 10 best riders in MotoGP also the 10 best riders in the world? Tough question. When it comes to racing on an asphalt track, yes, definitely. However, when mud, desert, and various obstacles come into play, we cannot forget the great motocross, rallycross, and trials riders.

The best MotoGP riders are unlikely to win a motocross championship against Jeffrey Herlings or Tim Gasjer or win a Dakar against Sam Sunderland or Toby Price (although Danilo Petrucci came close this year). That said, any article on the 10 best MotoGP riders would not be complete without mentioning some of the iconic names from the past.

Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner, and Mick Doohan were certainly among the best MotoGP riders of all time, and I would also add Jorge Lorenzo, Kenny Roberts, Giacomo Agostini, and Eddie Lawson to the list.