The eight-time King Marquez and the 2020 World Champion Mir will team up joining the likes of Rossi & Lorenzo, plus Stoner and Hayden
After months of speculation, it has been officially confirmed that Joan Mir will move across to the Repsol Honda squad in 2023 and team up with eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez. The pair, as a result, will therefore make up only the fifth all-Champion line-up in MotoGP™ history. Ahead of the dynamic duo taking to the track together, we take a look at the four previous all-star pairings across the MotoGP™ era.
CASEY STONER AND NICKY HAYDEN
In September 2008, American Nicky Hayden was confirmed to be leaving Honda after ten years and was set to join Australian Casey Stoner at Ducati. The 2006 and 2007 MotoGP™ World Champions became the first teammates to both hold a premier class title since the MotoGP™ era began in 2001. Throughout their two-year partnership, Stoner clinched seven victories and a further 10 podium finishes whilst Hayden struggled to adapt to the much-different Desmosedici after a decade with Honda. The late, great Kentucky Kid picked up two podiums in 2010, including a third-place finish behind race winner Stoner at Aragon – the only time the pair stood on the podium together in the red of Ducati.
VALENTINO ROSSI AND NICKY HAYDEN
At the end of the season, Casey Stoner left for the Repsol Honda leaving a space free in the factory Ducati squad. In came nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi, teaming up with Hayden for the second time in his career after they spent a year together at Honda in 2003. Furthermore, the pair were reunited as teammates with Hayden now a World Champion himself thanks to his 2006 title. It was a tough two years for the Bologna factory, though, with Rossi only managing three podium finishes and Hayden just the one in their 36 races together.
VALENTINO ROSSI AND JORGE LORENZO
By far the most famous all-Champion pairing in MotoGP™ history, their rivalry is forever etched in premier class folklore. Rossi returned to the factory Yamaha squad with Lorenzo having just clinched the 2012 MotoGP™ World Championship, his second premier class title, adding an extra element to their already frosty relationship from 2008 to…