Who was the 2023 MotoGP World Champion?

Francesco Bagnaia was the 2023 MotoGP World Champion.

The Italian Ducati rider secured his second consecutive premier-class title at the season-ending Valencia Grand Prix on November 26, 2023. Bagnaia entered the finale leading Jorge Martín and protected that advantage by finishing second, while Martín’s crash ended his title challenge. Bagnaia therefore became the first rider since Mick Doohan to successfully defend the premier-class number-one plate.

The championship was not decided by a single dominant run: Martín kept the contest alive through strong sprint and Grand Prix performances, while Bagnaia’s consistency and race wins carried him through the season. Ducati also won the constructors’ and teams’ championships, underlining the manufacturer’s strength.

A common mix-up is confusing the 2023 champion with Marc Márquez, Fabio Quartararo, or Martín. Márquez was a former champion, Quartararo won in 2021, and Martín was Bagnaia’s principal 2023 rival—not the champion.