Marc Marquez was the highest-paid MotoGP rider on the 2023 grid with a base salary of $16m, more than double that of the series’ two most recent World Champions, Pecco Bagnaia and Fabio Quartararo.

The Spaniard, who completed his 11th and final season with the Repsol Honda Team in 2023, was paid the wage - according to data compilation website Sportspayouts - as part of a long-term five-year contract he signed in 2019.

It came prior to the start of his long-running injury woes triggered by his crash in the 2020 Spanish MotoGP season opener, though his move to Gresini Racing Ducati comes with a year remaining on the deal.

The six-time MotoGP World Champion - who is thought to have taken a substantial pay cut as a result of his move to Gresini - earned $15m more than his brother and new team-mate Alex Marquez, who by contrast is understood to have received $1m for his 2023 season.

Bagnaia and Quartararo, meanwhile, received $5m from Ducati and Yamaha respectively, while Aprilia Racing values its riders highly based on Maverick Vinales and Aleix Espargaro’s salaries of $4m and $3m respectively.

Also ranked highly is 2020 MotoGP World Champion Joan Mir, who pockets $4m, while Jack Miller does well out of KTM with $3m - compared to Brad Binder’s $1m - while 2023 MotoGP runner-up Jorge Martin appears good value relative to outgoing Pramac Ducati team-mate Johann Zarco with a salary of $675k versus the Frenchman’s $4m.

The same can be said for Marco Bezzecchi, who earned £300k for efforts that took him to third overall in the 2023 standings.