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Random MotoGP Rider and Team Draws
By My Wheel Name TeamPublished July 25, 20262 min read
MotoGP rewards a random draw better than most motorsport, because conditions shuffle the competitive order far more than they do in cars.
Lean angle is the whole sport
Riders lean past sixty degrees from vertical through corners, far enough that elbows as well as knees touch the track. Elbow sliders became standard equipment because riders were wearing through their leathers.
That angle is why tyre management dominates strategy, why track temperature changes the entire running order, and why a rider fast in the morning session can be nowhere by the afternoon.
Why that helps a random pick
In a series where conditions reorder the field, a mid grid rider having the right weekend is a common outcome rather than a fluke.
So a drawn rider outside the front row isn't a wasted entry in a prediction pool. Weather, temperature and tyre choice regularly produce results that nobody would have picked on form.
Riders or teams
- Drawing a rider gives you one bike to follow and a clean individual result for a pool.
- Drawing a team gives you two riders, which is roughly twice as much of each race to care about.
- Factory squads are run directly by the manufacturer, while satellite teams run the same machinery a step removed. The gap between them has narrowed considerably.
- The concessions system gives manufacturers who have struggled extra testing and development allowances until results improve, which actively pulls the grid back together.
Running a season pool
Four steps
- Choose riders or teams: Riders for a simpler pool, teams if you want people following two bikes and the manufacturer battle.
- Turn on Remove Winners: So each participant draws a different rider or team and the grid is covered without duplicates.
- Score across the season: Championship points rather than race wins, since a wins only pool is usually decided long before the final round.
- Allow for lineup changes: Riders move between factory and satellite teams more than in most series, so a mid season redraw is worth building into the rules.
Take the drawn rider, watch a wet race, and see how quickly the order changes. This is the series where a random pick is closest to a considered one.
Questions, answered
How far do MotoGP riders lean?
Past sixty degrees from vertical, far enough that elbows as well as knees touch the track surface. Elbow sliders became standard equipment because riders were wearing through their leathers on the ground.
Why is a random pick reasonable in MotoGP?
Because conditions reorder the field more than in most motorsport. Tyre management and track temperature mean a mid grid rider having the right weekend is a common outcome rather than an upset.
What's the difference between factory and satellite teams?
Factory squads are run directly by the manufacturer, while satellite teams run the same machinery a step removed from the works effort. The gap used to mean older bikes for satellites but has narrowed considerably.
What are concessions?
Extra testing and development allowances given to manufacturers who have struggled, until their results improve. They exist specifically to stop the grid spreading out permanently, which is good news for a random draw.
Should I draw riders or teams?
Riders for a simpler pool with a clear individual result. Teams if you want participants following two bikes each and caring about the manufacturer championship as well as the rider one.