Miller predicts intensified MotoGP championship battle in 2023, likening it to last year’s competition on steroids

Italian Grand Prix 2023: A Thrilling Start to the Season

The grand prix and sprint races of the 2023 season are well underway, and so far have provided fans with plenty of excitement. With three different riders claiming victories in both formats already, it’s clear that this year’s championship is going to be a close one.

Bagnaia Leads Standings Going into Mugello

Current leader Francesco Bagnaia heads into next weekend’s Italian Grand Prix at Mugello with just a single point separating him from Marco Bezzecchi in second place. However, as last year’s champion suffered three DNFs in the first five GPs, he faces an uphill battle if he wants to maintain his lead.

To make matters worse for Bezzecchi, Bagnaia has been riding on the latest-spec Ducati while his rival is on a VR46-run 2022-spec bike. Furthermore, four out of the top six riders currently holding places on satellite teams will be aiming to shake up the standings even further over the coming weeks.

A Championship That Defies Predictions

The unpredictable nature of this year’s championship was underscored by Jack Miller after a hectic race in France:

We’re five races through now; we’ve seen everything. I think this championship will continue like this for this year… There’s so many bikes [that are fast], everybody is so competitive…

Much of this unpredictability can be attributed to difficulties overtaking other riders due to modern MotoGP bikes’ design constraints. This has resulted in some criticism from racers regarding aggressive racing early-on during competitions.

A Knife Edge Competition – But Worth It

Despite the challenges, Miller sees MotoGP 2023 as a “knife’s edge” competition with everybody feeling intense pressure to perform:

If the rider is not feeling 98%, it’s a shit day… It’s nice to be a part of it.

Bagnaia recently suggested that widening what was traditionally thought of between factory riders and satellite bikes would reduce tension. While some took offense at these remarks, Bagnaia later clarified his comments, addressing the controversy he felt had been manufactured.

In Conclusion

This year’s Italian Grand Prix promises to deliver nail-biting action with so many contenders vying for precious points in both sprint and grand prix races. Only time will tell who will emerge victorious come season’s end!