The Spanish Marc Márquez (Honda), defending champion and five times world champion in the premier category of motorcycling, aspires in the new MotoGP season to get a little closer in the list of honors to the Italians Giacomo Agostini and Valentino Rossi.
Agostini is the man who has been crowned the most times in the top category (500cc and later MotoGP) since the creation of the World Championship in 1949, with eight crowns between 1966 and 1975.
He is followed, with seven, by the veteran Rossi, who is still active, but has not been proclaimed champion since 2009.
Then come Marc Márquez and the Australian Mick Doohan, each with five.
– Most successful riders in the premier category of motorcycling:
– 8 titles
Giacomo Agostini (ITA): 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1975
– 7 titles:
Valentino Rossi * (ITA): 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009
– 5 titles:
Marc Márquez * (ESP): 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018
Mick Doohan (AUS): 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
– 4 titles:
Mike Hailwood (GBR): 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965
Geoff Duke (GBR): 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955
John Surtees (GBR): 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960
Eddie Lawson (USA): 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989
– 3 titles:
Jorge Lorenzo * (ESP): 2010, 2012, 2015
Kenny Roberts (USA): 1978, 1979, 1980
Wayne Rainey (USA): 1990, 1991, 1992
. Riders with the most titles taking into account all categories (MotoGP / 500 cc, 350 cc, Moto2 / 250 cc, Moto3 / 125 cc, 80 cc)
15 titles:
Giacomo Agostini (ITA): 8 in 500cc and 7 in 350cc
13 titles:
Ángel Nieto (ESP): 7 in 125cc and 6 in 50cc
9 titles:
Valentino Rossi * (ITA): 7 in 500cc and MotoGP, 1 in 250cc and 1 in 125cc
Mike Hailwood (GBR): 4 in 500cc, 2 in 350cc and 3 in 250cc
Carlo Ubbiali (ITA): 3 in 250cc and 6 in 125cc
7 titles:
Marc Márquez * (ESP): 5 in MotoGP, 1 in Moto2, 1 in 125cc
John Surtees (GBR): 4 in 500cc, 3 in 350cc
Phil Read (GBR): 2 in 500cc, 4 in 250cc, and 1 in 125cc
6 titles:
Geoff Duke (GBR): 4 in 500cc and 2 in 350cc
Jim Redman (Rhodesia): 4 in 350cc and 2 in 250cc. AFP
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NOTE: pilots who are active are accompanied by the * sign.