Let's talk MotoGP: We may not see Dani Pedrosa again

It’s time to take stock! Like every year for the past three years, Parlons MotoGP is embarking on a fairly important undertaking: taking stock of each driver at the end of the 2024 season, and it starts right away with Dani Pedrosa and his fellow replacements. For a good part of the winter, we will go back through the rankings in reverse, to the point of talking in detail about the world champion's campaign. Are you ready? Here we go!

The first part is traditionally reserved for
substitutes and other wild cardswho were unable to play the entire season. So, all will be covered here, in reverse order of ranking.

One more year

If four drivers did not score any points, they are still classified according to their finishing places and the number of races contested. The 29th and last of this 2024 financial year is none other than Michele Pirro, the eternal Ducati wild card. Already 38 years old, Pirro was tasked with replacing Fabio Di Giannantonio at the Solidarity Grand Prix in Barcelona, after Andrea Iannone's short contract was not extended. He didn't shine, but that wasn't the important thing: he had to test the GP23 one last time in order to give feedback to the engineers, he who had already been able to try the Desmosedici GP25 earlier in the season. His 20th place was therefore not significant, but it was nice to see him once a year at least, as has always been the case since 2014.

Michele Pirro, only one appearance in 2024, but still there! Photo: Michelin Motorsport

Discreet

The most discreet wild card, in my opinion, was played by Lorenzo Savadori. Usually he was at least visible when testing for Aprilia, but this year we never saw him on screen. It must be said that his results do not help him, despite his seven Grands Prix contested. First, he never did better than 20th as a tester for the Noale firm, during the Austrian GP. Then, he was called back – although he didn't expect it at all – by Aprilia to replace Miguel Oliveira at Trackhouse Racing, from Japan to Malaysia. Three consecutive retirements followed by an 18th place didn't help him, that's for sure. Afterwards, it's difficult to blame him; as with the others, I can't really criticize it because Aprilia's progression in recent years
shows that he too is doing his job.

The great return

Here's the replacement who has been the most talked about this season: Andrea Iannone. Sidelined from the circuits between 2020 and 2024, he returned to WSBK with success. When Fabio Di Giannantonio was injured, Valentino Rossi offered to replace him in Malaysia, five years after he last rode in MotoGP. An opportunity that cannot be refused. He finished 17th in the main race, a rather honorable result,
accompanied by interesting testimonials concerning aerodynamics in MotoGP. It was nice to see him again, but the experience did not carry over to Barcelona for the final.

We had already forgotten it

In the ranking of completely forgotten recent world champions, Remy Gardner reigns supreme – whatever Lorenzo Dalla Porta discusses fort. Titled in Moto2 at the end of the 2021 season, the Australian failed at KTM Tech3 at the highest level. This led to his ouster from the Austrian sports program after just a year. This caused a lot of ink to flow, and since then, he has tried to break through a second time with Yamaha in WSBK. His recent experience in the premier category allowed him to return for three races to test parts and incidentally replace the still injured starter Alex Rins. He never did better than 17th, but it would have been unfair to expect much more from him.

Goodbye

Slightly shorter paragraph on Stefan Bradl, wild card and Honda replacement for a very long time. I have already dedicated an article to his career, an interesting piece of history which illustrates, unfortunately, the bad decisions of a once brilliant team. Today I would just like to congratulate, once again, his 14th place in Misano, which shows that his efforts for the winged firm were sincere until the end. The German has made six appearances in 2024, which is a lot compared to the others, but it is now over.

Bradl, always present to complete the mission. Photo: Michelin Motorsport

A podium and then leaves

I feel like one of the most important sentences of the year wasn't picked up on by the audience at all. At the end of the Spanish Grand Prix, which Dani Pedrosa abandoned in a fall,
the Spaniard announced that he no longer wanted to take a start. This means that the career of the three-time world champion is (perhaps) over, 23 years later. We know how it works with high-level athletes: the competition that saw them born always calls them to order. But still; At 39 years old, Dani would be justified in hanging up leather for good. Anyway, he shone again, because before falling in Jerez, he placed third in the Sprint following the downgrading of Fabio Quartararo! This is, unsurprisingly, the best finishing position for a wild card this season.

Surprising

Who fared best among the non-incumbents?
Paul Espargaro! We tend to forget him, but he also rode very well for KTM. With 12 points scored, he is even dangerously close to Luca Marini (14 points), even though he has only competed in three Grands Prix. Retired at the end of 2023 after a very difficult year marked by a major injury, “Pollycio” was recalled by the Mattighofen firm to Mugello, to test. Then, he returned to Austria, where he enjoyed absolutely incredible speed, which almost rivaled that of Pecco Bagnaia! A mistake in qualifying doomed him, and after the lights went out, age didn't help him. But he still finished ninth in the Sprint et eleventh in the main racesorry. Later, he was recalled to Misano, where he finished 10th at the end of the first Grand Prix. Quite surprising.

What did you think of this season's alternates and wild cards? Who would you give your prize to?
Tell me in the comments!

Tomorrow we will study in detail the case of Luca Marinilast of the regular entries.

As a reminder, this article only reflects the thoughts of its author, and not of the entire editorial staff.