History
2023
The arrival of Alex Marquez brings energy and results to the 2023 season of Team Gresini MotoGP. The Spaniard finds fresh confidence and smile in the early part of the season but was then limited by a few too many injuries. There is glory also for Fabio Di Giannantonio, who stepped up his game towards the end of 2023 and managed to conquer the night in Qatar with a scintillating race win. In the other categories there were flashes of greatness once again from Filip Salac and by Matteo Ferrari, who is a pivotal presence for Gresini in the electric class.
2022
2022 was a truly fantastic year. The MotoGP return as an independent team is an absolute stellar one, with a triumphant Enea Bastianini in the first official outing in Qatar; that was the first highlight of a season with four wins, six podium finishes overall, one pole position and the third place in the final standings. Third was also Matteo Ferrari, who once again was among the protagonists of the electric class, while good signs also came from Di Giananntonio – on pole at Mugello – and Salač – on the podium in Thailand – both rookies in their respective classes.
2021
2021 marks a return to slow post-covid normality for Gresini Racing and for the entire MotoGP paddock. A year actually not easy for the Team with the passing of Fausto. Still busy in all categories, the team finally finds its first MotoGP podium with Aleix Espargaró and regains victory in Moto2 five years after Lowes thanks to a splendid ride by Fabio Di Giannantonio in Jerez. There are also podiums in Moto3 for Jeremy Alcoba and Gabriel Rodrigo, and third place in the MotoE world championship for Matteo Ferrari.
2020
2020 has likely been the most difficult year, for both the World Championship and in general the whole world as the Covid-19 was sadly the absolute protagonist. In such a complicated and strange season at all levels, Gresini Racing were able to endure the impact on both financial and social levels, as they wrapped up a shortened season with the Rookie of the Year title in the Moto3 class thanks to the talent of Jeremy Alcoba and narrowly missed on a title repeat in the MotoE class once again courtesy of Matteo Ferrari.
2019
2019 is a historical year for the MotoGP World Championship as it opens its doors to MotoE, in which Team Trentino Gresini dominated and claimed the first-ever title of the electric series with Matteo Ferrari. This was a great goal achieved by Gresini Racing, who did not shine in the Moto2 and Moto3 classes – with Sam Lowes’s distance from the top and Gabri Rodrigo’s injuries undermining the outcome in the quarter-litre category. In the MotoGP class, Aleix showed once again to be a reliable rider, while Iannone’s first years left great hopes for the future. A short mention goes to the Italian Championship (CIV), where the youngsters of Gresini managed to get on the podium a few times.
2018
MOTO3 DOMINATION
2018 was surely a year to remember with the successful chase to the Moto3 title: on its way to success, Team Del Conca Gresini Moto3 won it all: riders’ title with Jorge Martin, runner-up spot with Fabio Di Giannantonio, World Title for teams and manufacturer championship for Honda. In the intermediate class, however, Jorge Navarro’s second try in the class did not live up to expectations, with the Spaniard able only to claim one front-row start and a bunch of top-10 placements. Things improved in MotoGP courtesy of Aleix Espargaró’s consistency, and the Spanish rider’s effort was rewarded with another season with the team.
2017
THREE SPANISH RIDERS FOR TEAM GRESINI
2017 was a year of changes for Gresini Racing, which welcomed on board Aleix Espargaró (MotoGP), Jorge Navarro (Moto2) and Jorge Martin (Moto3). The team also confirmed Fabio Di Giannantonio in the quarter-litre class and promoted Sam Lowes from the middleweight category to the premier class. The bigger joys came from Moto3, where ‘Diggia’ and Martín collected 14 points, 9 pole positions and a race win as they both claimed a top-5 position in the final standings. Aleix Espargaró was the pleasant surprise of the year as the Spaniard put together some impressive performances and two sixth places in Qatar and Aragón. Jorge Navarro was able to show promising signs in what was his rookie Moto2 year.
2016
A YEAR OF GREAT SATISFACTION IN ALL CLASSES
2016 for Gresini Racing is a successful year in all the classes of the World Championship: in MotoGP, the Aprilia RS-GP ridden by Alvaro Bautista and Stefan Bradl grows during the season, up to hit the Top Ten consistently. The teams racing in Moto2 and Moto3 are confirmed at the highest level, both challenging for the title: Sam Lowes takes two stunning victories and is fifth at the end of the season, while in Moto3 Enea Bastianini is runner-up in the World Championship and debutant Fabio Di Giannantonio just misses out on the “Rookie of the Year” trophy.
2015
A NEW EXCITING CHALLENGE WITH APRILIA IN MOTOGP
For 2015, the Team Gresini and Aprilia Racing reached an important agreement for a long term partnership in the MotoGP class: a completely new chapter for Gresini Racing after a collaboration of 18 years with Honda. Alvaro Bautista and Stefan Bradl successfully raced and developed the Aprilia RS-GP prototype, hitting three top ten finishes. In Moto2 the team claimed the first victory with the Federal Oil colors, with Xavier Simeon taking a sensational win in the German Grand Prix at Sachsenring; at the end of the season the Belgian rider is seventh in the standings. Young talent Enea Bastianini fights to the end for the Moto3 World Title, closing the Championship in third place, thanks to a win and a total of six podium finishes.
2014
BASTIANINI “ROOKIE OF THE YEAR” IN MOTO3
For the third consecutive year, Gresini Racing is taking part to MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3. A global commitment that is rewarded by the beautiful podium finishes collected by Alvaro Bautista in the top class (France), by Xavier Siméon in the middle class (Argentina) and by the performances of the great revelation of the season, youngster Enea Bastianini, winner of the “Rookie of the Year” trophy in Moto3 thanks to the three podium finishes in Barcelona, Brno and Silverstone.
In MotoGP, the English rookie Scott Redding is the best placed at the end of the season among the riders aboard the new Open Class Honda RCV1000R.
2013
GO&FUN INJECTS NEW ENERGY
The entry of GO&FUN as title sponsor for MotoGP and Moto3 projects instills a great motivation and energy in the team, which confirms Alvaro Bautista in MotoGP and lets Australian Bryan Staring making his debut in the CRT category. Meanwhile, the commitments in Moto2 and Moto3 maintain a focus on a major training program for young riders, which includes Niccolò Antonelli and Lorenzo Baldassarri. Bautista closes a positive growing season, collecting nine finishes in the “top five” and missing the podium by a few thousandths in at least two occasions, making it sixth in the final standings.
2012
TRIPLE COMMITMENT
2012 is a very difficult year. The sorrow for the loss of Sic is still strong (and always will be) however the Gresini Team finds the motivation to look forward and manages to set up the most committing racing program of ever: 3 teams to run, one for each category of the world championship. In MotoGP Alvaro Bautista achieves 2 exciting podiums and finishes the championship in a brilliant 5th position as his team mate Michele Pirro makes his debut in the top class riding a machine that Gresini develops according to the new CRT regulations.
2011
A TRAGIC LOSS
The 2011 season certifies that San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Marco Simoncelli definitively belongs to the exclusive pinnacle of the MotoGP top riders. Sic has a sparkling start of the year riding brilliant tests and always being in the top positions since the very first races of the championship. And here come exciting podium finishes in Brno and Phillip Island… then a fatal destiny takes Marco away forever. The loss of Sic, great rider and beloved character, leaves empty spaces in the MotoGP community and amongst all his fans.
2010
ELIAS FIRST MOTO2 WORLD CHAMPION
Double commitment for Gresini Racing in the 2010 season with a new Moto2 Team to set up alongside the San Carlo Honda Gresini Team in the MotoGP class. On the MotoGP front, Marco Melandri returns to a team where he celebrated some of the greatest achievements in his career while Marco Simoncelli debuts in the main class. Simoncelli’s confidence with the new class and bike grew race after race as he managed to be constantly in the top positions during the last part of the season. In the Moto2 class Toni Elias became World Champion with seven victories under his belt.
2009
A WONDERFUL SECOND PLACE FOR DE ANGELIS AT INDY
The San Carlo Honda Gresini Team for the 2009 championship confirms Alex DeAngelis, now with the precious experience of a complete MotoGP season behind him, as Toni Elias makes his return to the team where he had his first MotoGP win. After a pretty tough start, Toni and Alex perform very brilliantly in the second part of the season achieving the 7th and 8th positions in the final ranking of the championship.
2008
NAKANO AND DE ANGELIS IN SAN CARLO COLORS
In the 2008 MotoGP season the involvement of the Gruppo Alimentare San Carlo grows and the Italian company becomes title sponsor of the Honda Gresini Team. The Team lines up the rookie Alex De Angelis and the experienced japanese rider Shinya Nakano.
2007
AMONG THE BEST PRIVATEERS
The Honda Gresini Team confirms Marco Melandri and Toni Elias also for the 2007 season. The Team conquers 5 podium finishes (Turkey, France, USA, Japan and Australia), resulting again among the best independent teams in MotoGP. Marco Melandri is in 5th place in the final standings.
2006
FOUR AMAZING VICTORIES
In the 2006 season Toni Elias and Marco Melandri are the Fortuna Honda Team’s riders. Marco wins 3 races (Turkey, France and Australia) and he is 4th at the end of the season. Toni finishes in 9th position conquering his first MotoGP win in Portugal.
2005
VICE-CHAMPIONS FOR THE THIRD YEAR RUNNING
Marco Melandri and Sete Gibernau are the Movistar Honda MotoGP Team’s riders for the 2005 season. The Team succeeds in taking the young Italian rider to the highest levels of the category and at the end of the season Marco is Vice World Champion with two amazing wins under his belt.
2004
GIBERNAU A SERIOUS TITLE CONTENDER
In the 2004 season twice Superbike World Champion Colin Edwards joins Sete Gibernau in the Telefonica MoviStar Honda MotoGP Team. Sete is Vice World Champion for the second time in a row with 4 wins under his belt, while Colin ends the year in 5th position.
2003
GIBERNAU IN THE NAME OF KATO
During the opening race of the 2003 season at Suzuka, Japan, the shining star of Daijiro Kato passed away forever. His team-mate, Sete Gibernau, dedicated to him his 4 victories and the other successes achieved during the season. The Spaniard is a very motivated and talented rider and thanks to a great team and the best bike, he was onto the podium 10 times overall, becoming the 2003 Vice World Champion.
2002
KATO “ROOKIE OF THE YEAR” IN MOTOGP
The 2002 World Championship’s season is extremely important for the Gresini Racing team; it represents the team’s entry into the MotoGP class at the highest level with the new four stroke Rc211V machine. Daijiro Kato finished in seventh position, emerging as the best rookie. In the 250cc class the team achieved great results with Roberto Rolfo and Emilio Alzamora, respectively third and seventh.
2001
KATO RECORDMAN IN 250CC
The following year, 2001, Daijiro Kato became World Champion thanks to his eleven victories, three second and one third podium finishes. The superiority of the bike, rider and team as a whole was absolute, its supremacy left no room for any sort of arguments. That season, Spanish rider Emilio Alzamora was Kato’s team-mate and he finished seventh with two brilliant second places.
2000
A SURPRISING DEBUT FOR KATO
In the year 2000, Honda handed to Fausto Gresini and his team its new 250 NSR bike together with young Japanese rider Daijiro Kato. Kato, who was completely new to the World Championship, was highly taken into consideration by Honda, thanks to his numerous successes in his home country. The final standing position was a fabulous third, with four victories and five other podium finishes.
1999
CAPIROSSI A KEY PLAYER IN 250CC
In 1999 the relationship between Gresini Racing and Honda HRC grew stronger. The needed development of the new 250 NSR Honda was helped by the arrival of the Italian Rider Loris Capirossi. That year the podium finishes were nine, three of which were victories: the teams work was rewarded with a final standing of 3rd place in the World Championship, allowing Gresini Racing to become one of the top teams in the 250 cc class.
1998
TWO PODIUMS WITH THE HONDA NSR 500
In 1998 the rider remained the same, but the bike changed: Barros rode the four cylinder NSR 500 Honda machine, the bike that has dominated grand prix races for years. At the end of the season, the team’s final position was fifth and the podium finishes became two.