What to Expect From the 2022 MotoGP Season
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The 2021 MotoGP season only came to a close in mid-November, after the Valencia Grand Prix. The race was won by Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia, four spots ahead of title winner Fabio Quartararo. 
But while the dust has just about settled on 2021, teams, riders, and fans are all gearing up for the 2022 season.
Bikes have already hit the track, with a test session taking place at Jerez on 18th November. More testing is scheduled for the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia and the Mandalika International Street Circuit in Indonesia in early February, less than a month before the start of the season.
So with just a matter of weeks to go before the lights go out, here are some of the things to look for in 2022.
2022 MotoGP Favourites
Betting on MotoGP has grown in popularity in recent years, with most major bookmakers now offering odds on individual Grands Prix and the championship as a whole. This is also helped by the growing number of free bet promotions that are offered by these bookies, allowing bettors to get more value from the wagers that they place.
Few bookies have released their odds for the 2022 season yet, but it’s still possible to make some predictions about the upcoming season.
In recent years, Marc Márquez has been a dominant force in the sport. The Spanish rider will turn 29 just before the start of the new season, in which he hopes he will make a triumphant return. The Honda rider missed much of 2020 and several races in 2021 due to an arm injury. If he can put that behind him, expect him to be back at the front of the pack.
Fellow Spaniard and 2020 title winner Joan Mir is also likely to be a strong contender, as is reigning champion Fabio Quartararo.
The 2022 season is likely to be a close battle, which should make it exciting from start to finish.
No Rossi
This year will be the first time this century that the MotoGP paddock will not feature the legendary Italian rider, Valentino Rossi. The Yamaha rider finally hung up his gloves at the end of the 2021 Valencia Grand Prix, finishing just 18th in the championship - a far cry from the impressive seven world titles he won between 2001 and 2009.
After finishing the season in third place in 2018, Rossi has ended each of the following three in 7th, 15th, and 18th respectively. While he hasn’t been at the front, battling for wins anywhere near as much as earlier in his career, the Italian will still leave a large hole in the paddock for 2022. 
Although he won’t be riding, Rossi won’t be going too far as the Italian will be running his own team known Racing Team VR46 in 2022.
A Changed Calendar
After a turbulent few years in which global sports like MotoGP had to adapt and change its scheduling to pack in as much racing as possible, the 2022 calendar is expected to be more of a return to normality.
The Argentinian, Malaysian, Thai, Japanese, Australian, and Finnish Grands Prix are all set to return. This does, however, mean that the doubleheaders in Qatar, Portugal, San Marino, and Austria have been dropped.
The Indonesian Grand Prix’s return after 24 years will take place on the newly-built Mandalika International Street Circuit. Meanwhile, the KymiRing, another new track, will become the new home of the Finnish Grand Prix, after a 39-year absence.
Lineup Changes
As happens each year, there will be new rider and team combinations for 2022. One of the most notable, aside from Rossi’s absence, will be the return of Aprilia as a full factory team for the first time since 2004.
Esponsorama Racing will be replaced by Rossi’s Racing Team VR46, Gresini Racing returns as a fully independent outfit, and RNG MotoGP Racing will take the place of Petronas SRT.
Meanwhile last year’s Moto2 champion and runner-up, Remy Gardner and Raúl Fernández, will be moving up into MotoGP, riding for Tech3 KTM. Other new faces on the grid include Enea Bastianini, Fabio Di Giannantonio, and Marco Bezzecchi.
With so many new faces, teams, and tracks the 2022 MotoGP season is shaping up to be an exciting one.
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