With Sky Racing Team VR46 and Estrella Galicia leaving Moto3 to focus their resources on MotoGP and Moto2 projects, the lightweight class grid will look a little different in 2021. The top five riders in last season’s standings have all moved up to Moto2 also. So with a full breakdown of the teams and riders at the bottom of this page, I’m going to first give you my six to watch in 2021.
John McPhee
Now the elder
statesman of Moto3, it had looked likely that the Brit would move to Moto2 with MV Augusta in 2021 but he has re-signed for a third season with Petronas Sprinta to race the Honda for another shot at the title. John has three wins under his belt, including Misano last year but to date has lacked the consistency and luck for a sustained challenge for the crown with his best overall being fifth in 2019. Can this be his year at last?
Darryn Binder
McPhee’s new teammate could be another title challenger in South African Brad Binder’s younger brother, Darryn. The 22-year-old has been in Moto3 since 2015 and took his maiden win in Catalunya last year. The first race of the 2021 will be his 100th in the class but also his first on a Honda after previously riding Mahindra and KTM machinery. So far in his career, Darryn has certainly been a Sunday rider, often coming through the pack in exciting fashion after qualifying poorly the day before. If he can start higher up the grid in 2021 it could make a huge difference to his season.
Jaume Masia
The young Spaniard is surely one of the favourites for the 2021 title. Of the riders staying in Moto3 from last season he finished the highest in sixth place, taking two wins in the double-header at Aragon. This is his fourth full season in the class and a move to one of the best teams on the grid, Red Bull KTM Ajo is his best shot at the title yet. The challenge for Masia may come from one rider I haven’t included in this sextet, his own teammate Pedro Acosta who won the Red Bull Rookies Cup last season.
Tatsuki Suzuki
The relationship between the likeable Japanese rider and the popular SIC58 Squadra Corse team continues for a fifth season in 2021. After seven races of 2020, the 23-year-old was a title contender with victory at Jerez in round three and a podium at Misano. Tatsuki appears to have formed a strong bond with Paolo Simoncelli over the years and it would be great to see the pair back on the podium in 2021.
Dennis Foggia
The former VR46 Academy rider starts his fourth season in Moto3 with perhaps more expectation than any previous year. H
e remains with the competitive Leopard team and has a rookie for a teammate in Spaniard Xavier Artegas which should help the team focus on his title bid. The 20-year-old Italian also took his maiden win last season at Brno and was second at the final race of the year in Portugal.
Jeremy Alcoba
The rookie of the year in 2020 took his first podium at the final round in Portugal. The 19-year-old also finished in the top ten in eight of the fifteen races and showed great consistency across the season (only one finish outside the points and two retirements). Of the riders yet to win a race in Moto3, Jeremy is my tip for one in 2021.
FULL LIST OF TEAMS AND RIDERS
Petronas Sprinta Racing – Honda
17 – John McPhee (GBR) – 26yo – 151 races, 3 wins – 7th overall in 2020
40 – Darryn Binder (RSA) – 22yo – 99 races, 1 win – 8th overall in 2020
Red Bull KTM Ajo – KTM
5 – Jaume Masia (SPA) – 20yo – 53 races, 3 wins – 6th overall in 2020
37 – Pedro Acosta (SPA) – 16yo – Rookie – 2020 Red Bull Rookies Cup Champion, 3rd in FIM CEV Moto3 in 2020
Red Bull KTM Tech3 – KTM
53 – Deniz Oncu (TUR) – 17yo – 15 races, 0 wins – 17th overall in 2020
71 – Ayumu Sasaki (JAP) – 20yo – 70 races, 0 wins – 16th overall in 2020
Aspar Team Moto3 – GasGas
11 – Sergio Garcia (SPA) – 17yo – 32 races, 1 win – 9th overall in 2020
28 – Izan Guevara (SPA) – 16yo – Rookie – 2020 FIM CEV Moto3 Champion, 9th in Red Bull Rookies Cup in 2020
Leopard Racing – Honda
7 – Dennis Foggia (ITA) – 20yo – 54 races, 1 win – 10th overall in 2020
43 – Xavier Artigas (SPA) – 17yo – Rookie – Runner-up in FIM CEV Moto3 in 2020
Team Gresini Moto3 – Honda
52 – Jeremy Alcoba (SPA) – 19yo – 20 races, 0 wins – 11th overall in 2020
2 – Gabriel Rodrigo (ARG) – 24yo – 103 races, 0 wins – 13th overall in 2020
SIC58 Squadra Corse – Honda
24 – Tatsuki Suzuki (JAP) – 23yo – 103 races, 2 wins – 12th overall in 2020
20 – Lorenzo Fellon (FRA) – 16yo – Rookie – 11th in FIM CEV Moto3 in 2020
Sterilgarda Max Racing Team – Husqvarna
55 – Romano Fenati (ITA) – 24yo – 128 races, 12 wins – 14th overall in 2020
31 – Adrian Fernandez (SPA) – 16yo – 1 races, 0 wins – 7th in FIM CEV Moto3 in 2020
Rivacold Snipers Team – Honda
16 – Andrea Migno (ITA) – 24yo – 115 races, 1 win – 15th overall in 2020
12 – Filip Salac (CZE) – 19yo – 33 races, 0 wins – 21st overall in 2020
CIP Green Power – KTM
27 – Kaito Toba (JAP) – 20yo – 69 races, 1 win – 18th overall in 2020
73 – Maximilian Kofler (AUT) – 20you – 19 races, 0 wins – No points in 2020
Reale Avintia Moto3 – KTM
23 – Niccolo Antonelli (ITA) – 24yo – 147 races, 4 wins – 19th overall in 2020
99 – Carlos Tatay (SPA) – 17yo – 17 races, 0 wins – 22nd overall in 2020
BOE Skull Rider Facile.energy – KTM
82 – Stefano Nepa (ITA) – 19yo – 40 races, 0 wins – 20th overall in 2020
54 – Riccardo Rossi (ITA) – 18yo – 33 races, 0 wins – No points in 2020
CarXpert Prustel GP – KTM
6 – Ryusei Yamanaka (JAP) – 19yo – 19 races, 0 races – 24th overall in 2020
50 – Jason Dupasquier (SUI) – 19yo – 15 races, 0 wins – No points in 2020
Honda Team Asia – Honda
92 – Yuki Kunii (JAP) – 16yo – 15 races, 0 wins – No points in 2020
19 – Andi Farid Izdihar (INA) – 23yo – Rookie in Moto3 – 16 Moto2 races in 2020 with no points
Surely a crucial year for McPhee this year!
Great article, and some very interesting predictions.
Thank you Owen, we appreciate you taking the time to read the article and for your great comments 🙂