There will be changes on the MotoGP starting grid in 2019. And it doesn't just concern the riders in the teams. But also the pilot numbers! A fetish identification, but sometimes you have to adapt to an already existing situation. However, for Maverick Vinales, it will be a deliberate choice. The Yamaha official is indeed abandoning his No. 25.
For few, it would be a marketing drama. But the teammate of Valentino Rossi decided so. Finished the 25th. It will now be the 12th. The latter was to be taken since Lüthi who enjoyed it will return to Moto2 next year. And then, the 12th is the Spaniard's birthday. Exactly January 12th. Still, the 25 had been his plate since the races in the Spanish CEV series, with the exception of his one and only season in Moto2, when sponsor requests prompted him to race the 40.
The 2019 entry list also confirms the racing numbers of newcomers to the premier category. Alone fabio quartararo et Joan mir will both use their usual 20 and 36 respectively. For the others, you will have to adapt.
Thus, number 42 of Francis Bagnaia is already used by the Suzuki rider alex rins, and the number 21 used by the Italian in Moto3, by Franco Morbidelli. bagnaia will therefore use the sum of the two, i.e. 63, when he joins the Pramac Ducati team.
For its part, Miguel Oliveira ran so far with the 44, but Pol Espargaro, official KTM, already uses it. The Portuguese driver will move up to 88 as part of the Tech 3 team.
In addition Vinales, existing riders will all continue to use the numbers they used this year.
The list of participants also includes the official team names for the 2019 campaign, several of which have been changed. After the split with main sponsor Movistar, the Yamaha team is now known simply under the label “Yamaha Factory Racing”. Tech 3 is now listed as “Red Bull KTM Tech3” as per its new partnership deal with the Austrian beverage company. Finally, the SIC team replacing the Angel Nieto team on the 2019 grid is officially designated “Petronas Yamaha SRT”.
