With the 2023 MotoGP season rolling along and taking a break in July prior to resuming in August, SBS wanted to take a closer look this week at the mid-season contenders in position to win a title. Per the official schedule, the MotoGP season is set to begin in earnest again in August with the Monster Energy British Grand Prix. With that in mind, the racer currently leading the way is Francesco Bagnaia who is first in the points standings with 194 total and 35 points ahead of second place. In that second spot though is Jorge Martin who just won his first race of the season in Germany last month. Meanwhile, another Ducati racer, Marco Bezzecchi, is only one point behind second place and has consistently finished in the top ten all season. Brad Binder from South Africa rounds out the top four.
For this report, SBS will be going over what to look for from each of these racers along with more notes and information about MotoGP wagering.
| Favorites to win 2023 MotoGP World Championship |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Francesco Bagnaia | -500 | -500 | -500 |
| Marco Bezzecchi | +700 | +700 | +700 |
| Jorge Martin | +700 | +700 | +700 |
| Brad Binder | +3300 | +3300 | +3300 |
With a commanding lead at the season’s almost midpoint, Bagnaia has showcased why he is perhaps the best in the world with a circuit-leading four wins to this point. In addition to his dominance at winning races, the Italian racer has only retired from two races at this point so if he can stay on the track he has a good chance of winning the championship. Bagnaia is currently on a three-race hot streak, winning two of the last three outings along with a second-place finish in between those races. With four overall wins, he has won half of the races he has entered this year.
Bezzecchi and Martin are in a virtual deadlock at the time of this article’s writing, but the former gets the edge here thanks to his two wins on the season to Martin’s one. In addition to those outings, the Italian athlete has five top-ten finishes on the season that include two top-three marks. This will certainly be a dog fight to the finish in catching Bagnaia, but the 24-year-old is having his best season to date and is intent on not making things easy for his fellow countryman.
As noted above, Martin is currently battling with Bezzecchi for second place in the MotoGP standings and, for the moment, is locked into second place. While he had a rough start to the year, retiring in two out of the first three races, Martin has rebounded nicely with five top-five finishes in a row. During that streak, he notched two second-place outings in France and Italy and also won the 2023 German motorcycle Grand Prix. If he can keep this hot streak going and avoid wipeout, then he has a fair shot of perhaps catching Bagnaia.
The final contender on our list, Binder, is a long shot to win the MotoGP title given his points disparity as he is 80 points away from the first-place leader. Regardless, there is still some value in this pick given the long odds and his ability to consistently stay in races (one retirement so far this season). Since starting the year with two poor races in Argentine and the United States, the South African racer has accrued four top-ten finishes including a second-place outing in Spain.
Prediction: With his commanding lead and consistent dominance on the course, Bagnaia is the pick to hold on to the title as long as he consistently stays on the track.
Once you are all up to speed on the latest MotoGP news and notes, SBS has put together a lot more information for you that can take your game to the next level. If the topic still enamors you and would like to get in on more action this season, then our MotoGP betting sites guide is a must-read resource. On this page, you can find the latest betting markets pertaining to the sport. Additionally, given the high-stakes nature of the sport, the SBS VIP sports betting sites breakdown could be a fantastic read if you are interested in learning more about VIP sports wagering and its perks. Finally, for those on the go just like MotoGP, you should take a peek at the SBS best betting apps rundown which covers everything you need to know about mobile betting.
About the Author
Chris Boline is a Reno-based business development professional and freelance sports writer with over a decade of experience covering the NBA G League, Los Angeles Chargers, and national football and basketball. His expertise spans the NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and motorsports, along with topical news, marketing, and promotional content. A proud University of Nevada graduate, Chris earned both his BS in Management & Economics (2015) and MBA (2023). He is active in the Reno community, serving on boards such as the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET, and the College of Business Alumni Association, where he was past president (2022–23). Notable honors include: - Two-time University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year honoree (2017, 2021) - 2021 NCET Professional Services Organization of the Year (with TAC) - 2016–17 Reno Bighorns MVP, awarded by the Sacramento Kings - Nevada Press Association Award for Best Sports Column (2015) - Former Editor-in-Chief of The Nevada Sagebrush Chris blends his passion for sports with a strong background in sales, marketing, and community engagement.
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