All Italian MotoGP World Champions

Italy is a rustic synonymous with MotoGP, with seven riders having received the premier class world title since its creation in 1949.

The trendy MotoGP World Championship as we all know it right now started in 1949 on the Isle of Man TT and ran till 1976 because the British Grand Prix.

The primary twenty years of Grand Prix World Championship racing had been dominated by Italian manufacturers Gilera and MV Agusta, however Giacomo Agostini made historical past by profitable eight MotoGP titles.

Nevertheless, within the historical past of MotoGP, solely three Italian riders have received back-to-back titles: Agostini, Valentino Rossi and Pecco Bagnaia.

Rossi is probably probably the most iconic of the Italian world champions, with the flamboyant Italian growing MotoGP’s reputation all through the 2000s and elevating himself as the best champion of all time for a lot of.

Since 1949, seven Italian riders have received the premier class world title, a quantity matched solely by the US.

In 2026, Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi will purpose to develop into the eighth particular person to attain this feat, and the primary from the Italian producer since Agostini.

Under is the whole checklist of riders Bezzecchi hopes to emulate this season.

Umberto Masetti – 1950 and 1952

Gilera

Italy’s first MotoGP world title was received in 1950, within the second yr of the world championship, courtesy of Umberto Masetti.

Masetti, from Borgo delle Rose within the province of Parma, received his first premier class title in 1950 with two wins, which was additionally achieved by Gilera. In 1952, he received two extra races in Belgium and the Netherlands, serving to him win his second MotoGP title.

Masetti continued racing till 1958, switching to MV Agusta in 1955 and ending third within the standings that yr after profitable the Nations Grand Prix at Monza.

He took his final podium on the 1958 Nations Grand Prix and retired from racing.

Free Liberty – 1957

Gilera

Italy’s second MotoGP championship was received in 1957 when Terni-born Libero Liberati received the title driving a Gilera.

Liberati, who received the Italian Championship in 1948, achieved his first MotoGP podium by ending third with Gilera on the 1953 Nations Grand Prix. Second place adopted France in 1955.

In 1957, Liberati had a profitable yr racing for Gilera within the 350cc and 500cc classes. He completed runner-up within the 350cc class and have become champion within the 500cc class with 4 wins.

Liberati tragically died in 1962 on the age of 35.

Giacomo Agostini – 1966-1972, 1975

MV Agusta, Yamaha

Maybe probably the most well-known title on this checklist, other than one different, is Giacomo Agostini, a bona fide MotoGP legend.

Agostini made his debut in Grand Prix racing in 1963, then switched to MV Agusta in 1965 and commenced his journey to nice MotoGP.

His first world title was received within the MotoGP class in 1966, and Agostini had a completely unparalleled run from 1968 to 1970, profitable each race he entered within the 350cc and 500cc lessons, at a time when there was little competitors for MV Agusta.

He received consecutive MotoGP titles in 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971 and 1972, and in addition received the 350cc title from 1968 to 1974.

He moved from MV Agusta to Yamaha in 1974, profitable the 350cc title that yr and the final MotoGP crown for the Japanese model in 1975. This was Yamaha’s first title within the high class for a 2-stroke bike, and in addition the primary for a Japanese model within the high class.

Agostini has received a complete of 15 world titles within the 350cc and 500cc lessons, and his document eight within the MotoGP Championship stays unbeaten on the finish of the 2025 season.

Marco Lucchinelli – 1981

Suzuki

The period of Italian producer dominance in MotoGP had come to an finish for good by the 1981 season, with Yamaha and Suzuki rising as one of the best the earlier yr. Nevertheless, the Italian rider remained the favourite.

Italy briefly put a cease to the rising menace of American-born riders in 1981, following back-to-back titles with Kenny Roberts and Yamaha from 1978 to 1980.

Marco Lucchinelli made his Grand Prix debut in 1975 and joined Suzuki’s premier class in 1976. His first victory got here in Germany in 1980, resulting in his greatest season in MotoGP in 1981.

Lucchinelli, who remained with Suzuki, received 5 races and the world title, beating fellow Suzuki rider Randy Mamola. Lucchinelli’s profession led to 1982 when he moved to Honda, and he solely achieved two extra podiums in two years with HRC earlier than an unsuccessful transfer to Cagiva from 1984 to 1986.

Franco Uncini – 1982

Suzuki

A yr after celebrating their first world championship since Agostini in 1975, Italy welcomed a brand new world champion in 1982.

Franco Uncini loved good outcomes as a privateer within the late Seventies and Nineteen Eighties, however Suzuki changed 1981 world champion Lucchinelli with a factory-spec bike for the 1982 marketing campaign.

Uncini’s path to the world title adopted an analogous sample to Lucchinelli’s, with the Italian profitable 5 instances en path to the crown. This is able to be the head of Uncini’s profession.

He suffered a critical accident on the Dutch TT in 1983 and finally retired after the tip of the 1985 marketing campaign. He then joined the FIM and held key roles together with Security Officer.

Valentino Rossi – 2001-2005, 2008-2009

honda, yamaha

Uncini’s 1982 world championship was the final for an Italian rider till 2001. Valentino Rossi blazed a path within the 125cc and 250cc ranks, profitable titles in 1997 and 1999 earlier than stepping as much as MotoGP from Honda in 2000.

Rossi’s dominance started in 2001 when he received his first MotoGP title, profitable in his debut season. When MotoGP moved into the four-stroke period in 2002, Rossi and Honda dominated the following two campaigns.

Dissatisfied together with his life at Honda, Rossi made a shock transfer to Yamaha in 2004, the place he had not received a title since 1992. He dominated that yr on the YZR-M1 and did so once more in 2005, profitable his fifth premiership title.

Rossi narrowly misplaced to Nicky Hayden in 2006, however Casey Stoner and Ducati dominated in 2007. Nevertheless, dealing with growing competitors from youthful riders, Rossi bounced again in 2008 to win his sixth world title, and his seventh in 2009.

Solely Agostini has received extra MotoGP world titles than Rossi, however solely in 2025 will Spaniard Marc Marquez equal Rossi’s seven titles.

Rossi continued racing till the tip of the 2021 season earlier than turning full-time to auto racing.

Shifting from Honda to Yamaha to Ducati and again to Yamaha, Rossi received 89 MotoGP races and scored 199 factors, taking MotoGP to new reputation all through the twenty first century.

Pecco Bagnaia – 2022-2023

ducati

After Rossi received his final MotoGP title in 2009, his efficiency in Italian Grand Prix racing declined, so he based the VR46 Rider Academy in 2014 to develop younger expertise in his house nation.

Pecco Bagnaia represents this system’s most profitable alumni. Bagnaia entered Moto2 with Rossi’s staff in 2018, received the intermediate class crown, and stepped as much as MotoGP from the Ducati-backed Pramac staff in 2019.

Bagnaia moved to Ducati’s manufacturing facility staff and received his first race in 2021, adopted by his first world title in 2022, ending Ducati’s drought that dates again to 2007. In 2023, he received his second MotoGP championship once more with Ducati.

That is the primary consecutive MotoGP title for Italy since Rossi in 2008 and 2009, and the primary for an Italian rider to journey an Italian machine since Agostini.