MotoGP records: the unattainable and the attainable

The 2024 championship will pose more of a challenge than ever before, with a total of 22 rounds to run between March and November! A record number that amounts to 44 races in all, including the Sprints. Countless other records could potentially be broken during the 2024 season, while others will remain unbeatable for years to come, thanks to some legendary past performances that have gone down in history. Certain statistics look to be pretty set in stone, particularly those relating to age, set in what was a very different era.

From Bagnaia to Acosta: attainable records and goals

If he were able to secure a third consecutive title, Pecco Bagnaia would become part of a very small group of riders to have won in three consecutive years, across 500 and MotoGP, equalling Geoff Duke, world champion between 1953 and 1955, John Surtees, who succeeded between 1958 and 1960, but also Mike Hailwood from 1962 to 1965, Giacomo Agostini from 1966 to 1972, Kenny Roberts from 1978 to 1980, Wayne Rainey from 1990 to 1992, Mick Doohan from 1994 to 1998, Valentino Rossi from 2001 to 2005 and, most recently, Marc Marquez, the winner from 2016 to 2019. The current world champion could also move ahead of a number of illustrious predecessors in terms of race wins. If he were to win ten races, for example, he would catch John Surtees, on 38, or Carlo Ubbiali, on 39.

The same goes for Marc Marquez, albeit at a higher level. With five race wins, the Spaniard would reach Angel Nieto in third place overall, behind only Giacomo Agostini and Valentino Rossi. And if Pedro Acosta were to win a race before July, he would become the youngest ever rider to win a race in the reigning class, beating Marquez’s record. If the eight-time champion were to snatch the world title he would become the oldest MotoGP world champion, at 31, beating a record held by Valentino Rossi, who won at the age of 30 in 2009.

The "unattainable" goals: Fergus Anderson and Giacomo Agostini

As for those records that appear impossible to beat, or almost, the oldest rider to ever win in the top class is a record that is set to stand for long to come, perhaps forever. In 1949 - an entirely different motorsport era - Leslie Graham won the first world championship ever staged at the age of 37. The same goes for the oldest rider to win a race, a record held by Fergus Anderson, who triumphed in the 1953 Spaniard GP at the age of 44. Other records that are impossible to break right now include the outright number of podiums and race wins, a classification headed up by Valentino Rossi, with 235, and Giacomo Agostini, with 122.