Sprint races, a final round title showdown, trials, tribulations and sensations - that was the year 2023 in MotoGP... but who were the big standouts? This is BSN's Top 10 MotoGP Riders of the 2023.

Marco Bezzecchi does mentor Valentino Rossi proud in third…

From standout rookie to fully-fledged title contender, Marco Bezzecchi came on leaps and bounds in 2023 as he avoided the dreaded ‘second season slump’ and ensured the good name Valentino Rossi remained prominent in MotoGP.

Taking full advantage of having the well-proven title-winning Ducati GP22 beneath him, Bezzecchi carried the momentum shown during the second-half of 2022 through into 2023 with a string of eye-catching results during the first portion of the year.

A show-stopping maiden MotoGP victory in dicey conditions at Termas de Rio Hondo during Round 2 in Argentina announced his burgeoning status as a potential threat to champion Pecco Bagnaia, before another mature ride to success in Le Mans during Round 5 paved his way to the top of the overall standings for a brief time.

Developing a head of steam that would keep him clinging to the coat-tails of Bagnaia and Jorge Martin deep into the season, while the momentum in Bezzecchi’s title hopes would eventually cool as his rivals kicked it up a gear, a third win in India smoothed the Italian to a ‘bronze’ in the final rankings.

A season of that expectations exceeded, perhaps most exciting of all was witnessing what Bezzecchi is capable of achieving at full flow, his crushingly dominant displays in Argentina, India and during the Sprint Race at Assen belying his relative experience at this level.

While that fairly 'novice' status would tell elsewhere at critical junctures on occasion - particularly in the shorter Sprint races - Bezzecchi is well placed to make it ‘third time’s the charm’ in 2024…

BSN’s Top 10 MotoGP Riders of 2023

4 - Brad Binder

5 - Fabio Quartararo

6 - Alex Marquez

7 - Luca Marini

8 - Johann Zarco

9 - Fabio di Giannantonio

10 - Aleix Espargaro