24-strong MotoGP entry for 2014

The provisional 2014 MotoGP entry list was officially revealed today, with a 24-strong line-up set to do battle when the new campaign kicks off under the Losail International Circuit floodlights in Qatar on March 23.

Late additions to the grid will be former 125GP world champion Mike di Meglio, who after testing for the Spanish-based Avintia Blusens squad in Valencia last week, is down to join Hector Barbera.

And former Pramac Ducati rider Niccolo Canepa will be back in the Ioda squad to replace Lukas Pesek as Danilo Petrucci’s teammate.

Petrucci raced a Suter-BMW last season but it has not been confirmed which bike Ioda will run in 2014, with team boss Giampiero Sacchi locked in talks with Aprilia to run its ART project.

Irishman Michael Laverty also features on the provisional entry list, but there is still no official confirmation from British team boss Paul Bird that he will be remaining in MotoGP next year.

Bird has also been talking to Aprilia but won’t commit unless he is assured of significantly increased support next year. The second PBM rider is not certain, with Randy de Puniet testing an ART bike in Bird’s livery in Valencia. The Frenchman though has opted to exclusively test Suzuki’s new 1000cc MotoGP project next year in advance of a planned full-time return in 2015.

As expected, record-breaking world champion Marc Marquez will race with his customary number 93 and not switch to the number one plate.

Next year’s grid will be split between factory prototypes and the new Open category. The Open bikes like Scott Redding and Nicky Hayden’s new production Honda RCV1000R can run 24 litres, use 12 engines and race softer compound Bridgestone tyres. The new Open class machinery must also use the standard Dorna-supplied electronics hardware and software.

Factory machinery like Marquez’s RC213V and Valentino Rossi’s Yamaha YZR-M1 will be restricted to 20 litres, five engines and the controlled ECU. Honda, Yamaha and Ducati though can continue to use their own software.
 
4 ANDREA DOVIZIOSO – ITALIAN – DUCATI TEAM – DUCATI *
5 COLIN EDWARDS – USA – NGM MOBILE FORWARD RACING – FTR YAMAHA        
6 STEFAN BRADL – GERMAN – LCR HONDA MotoGP – HONDA *
7 HIROSHI AOYAMA – JAPANESE – POWER ELECTRONICS ASPAR – HONDA  
8 HECTOR BARBERA – SPANISH – AVINTIA BLUSENS – FTR         
9 DANILO PETRUCCI – ITALIAN – IODARACING PROJECT – TBA
17 KAREL ABRAHAM – CZECH – CARDION AB MOTORACING – HONDA        
19 ALVARO BAUTISTA – SPANISH – GO&FUN HONDA GRESINI – HONDA *
26 DANI PEDROSA – SPANISH – REPSOL HONDA TEAM – HONDA *
29 ANDREA IANNONE – ITALIAN – PRAMAC RACING – DUCATI *
35 CAL CRUTCHLOW – BRITISH – DUCATI TEAM – DUCATI *
38 BRADLEY SMITH – BRITISH – MONSTER YAMAHA TECH 3 – YAMAHA *
41 ALEIX ESPARGARO – SPANISH – NGM MOBILE FORWARD RACING – FTR
YAMAHA   
44 POL ESPARGARO – SPANISH – MONSTER YAMAHA TECH 3 – YAMAHA *
45 SCOTT REDDING – BRITISH – GO&FUN HONDA GRESINI – HONDA  
46 VALENTINO ROSSI – ITALIAN – YAMAHA FACTORY RACING – YAMAHA *
59 NICCOLÒ CANEPA – ITALIAN – IODARACING PROJECT – TBA          
63 MIKE DI MEGLIO – FRENCH – AVINTIA BLUSENS – FTR
68 YONNY HERNANDEZ – COLOMBIAN – PRAMAC RACING – DUCATI
69 NICKY HAYDEN – USA – POWER ELECTRONICS ASPAR – HONDA     
70 MICHAEL LAVERTY – BRITISH – PAUL BIRD MOTORSPORT – PBM/ART     
93 MARC MARQUEZ – SPANISH – REPSOL HONDA TEAM – HONDA *
99 JORGE LORENZO – SPANISH – YAMAHA FACTORY RACING – YAMAHA *
TO BE CONFIRMED – PAUL BIRD MOTORSPORT – PBM/ART                                               
* = Factory option