Top ten fight in MotoGP™ as fierce as it has ever been

For the first time since 1971, there's been five factories inside the top ten at five of the opening six rounds of a premier class season

Simply put, MotoGP™ is as competitive as it has ever been. For the fifth time this season, five manufacturers found themselves inside the top ten of a MotoGP™ race; the first time this happened in the modern era.

You have to go back to 1971 for the last time we saw five different factories inside the top ten of a premier class race at five of the opening six rounds of the season. Back then, the likes of Paton, Linto, MV Agusta, Seeley, Koenig, BMW, Matchless, Norton, Husqvarna and Bultaco were challenging some of the more familiar of the modern era like Kawasaki, Yamaha and Suzuki.

Fast forward 48 years and World Championship racing is as fiercely competitive, if not more. Three different manufacturers have taken race wins, four different manufacturers have stepped onto the podium and six manufacturers are regularly competing for a place inside the top ten, and we’re only six rounds into the season.

Add to that there are four factories separated by just 33 points in the fight for the Manufacturers Championship, the closest it has been at this stage of a season in the MotoGP™ era, we really are being treated to a golden age of premier class racing.

Currently, Honda currently lead the way with 121 points but only six further back are Ducati. Whilst Yamaha and Suzuki find themselves level on 88 points, 33 adrift of the current leaders.

The competition is showing no signs of losing any intensity too, with the likes of KTM and Aprilia only improving at a rapid rate. The Austrian factory have already recorded best results in the dry during Free Practice, qualifying and a race so far this season, thanks to the exploits of Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing).

Meanwhile, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) has collected 27 points during the opening six rounds of the season, to mark the best start to a MotoGP™ campaign for the Italian factory since they retook their place on a premier class grid in 2015.

There is no doubting we are being treated to the fiercest fights, the closest battles and the very best premier class action in a generation. Plus, we’re less than a third of the way through the season meaning there’s plenty of time for us to witness even more MotoGP™ moments in this already remarkable season.

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