Best wildcard performances in the MotoGP era

Q: What are wildcard performances in MotoGP?

Wildcard performances refer to the results achieved by riders who enter a race without being part of the full-time championship lineup, often testing new parts.

Q: How have weather conditions affected wildcard performances in MotoGP?

Weather conditions have sometimes leveled the playing field, allowing wildcard riders to achieve standout results despite their limited preparation.

Q: Why are wildcard entries becoming less common in MotoGP?

Wildcard entries are less common due to the increasing professionalism of the championship, making it harder for riders to be competitive without extensive testing.

Q: What notable wildcard performances have occurred in MotoGP history?

There have been several standout wildcard performances in MotoGP over the last two decades, particularly during races with challenging weather.

Motorsport photo

Wildcard appearances have been popular in MotoGP throughout its history, although in recent decades most entries have only come through direct manufacturer involvement.

Given how professional the championship has become, it is increasingly difficult for any rider to enter race weekend and immediately be competitive, regardless of how much testing mileage they have accumulated. With wildcard riders often focusing on evaluating new parts in racing conditions, finishing at the front isn’t a priority either.

However, there has been no shortage of standout results over the last two decades, especially when weather conditions helped level the playing field.

With MotoGP set to prohibit wildcard entries from the start of the 850cc regulation cycle in 2027, we look back at five riders who turned heads during guest appearances.

Akira Ryo (Suzuka 2002)

Akira Ryo, Suzuki, Valentino Rossi, Honda

The 2002 Japanese GP was a landmark moment for motorcycle racing, ushering in the new 1000cc, four-stroke MotoGP era. Suzuki’s test rider Akira Ryo made a brilliant launch from seventh on the grid to take an early lead at the Suzuka Circuit, while polesitter Valentino Rossi went in the opposite direction on the factory Honda.

Ryo remained in the lead for much of the race but was powerless to defend against Rossi, who slipped past him at the final chicane.

The Japanese mounted a fightback in the final stages and came close to overtaking him on at least one occasion, before ultimately crossing the line 1.5s to register an impressive podium finish.

Michele Pirro (Valencia 2018)

Michele Pirro, Ducati

Competing as a wildcard in the 2018 season finale, Michele Pirro made a rather unspectacular start from 12th on the grid and suffered an early crash at Turn 10 amid treacherous conditions at Valencia.

But a lengthy mid-race red flag allowed him to remount his bike and, with the track still soaked, charge through the field to grab fifth place. That became fourth when Rossi hit the deck with four laps to go, marking Pirro’s best result in MotoGP to date. The final margin between him and third-placed Aleix Espargaro, who also recovered from a pre-red flag crash, was just 1.2s.

Pirro also defeated factory rider Jorge Lorenzo, having already substituted for him at the previous round in Sepang when Lorenzo was injured.

Ben Spies (Indianapolis 2008)

Ben Spies, Suzuki

Ben Spies made his third appearance of 2008 - and second as a wildcard - at Indianapolis, competing for Suzuki. Having already impressed with a solid eighth place finish at Laguna, he raised the game further in the other US event of the year. In qualifying, he was the only Suzuki rider to finish inside the top 10, putting himself fifth on the grid for the race.

A slow start dropped him down the order, but he quickly recovered to sixth before engaging in a thrilling scrap with reigning champion Casey Stoner. The race had to be cut short due to hurricane Ike, but that took little away from his impressive performance. He went on to make his full-time debut with Yamaha in 2010, scoring one victory and several other podiums over three seasons.

Dani Pedrosa (numerous races)

Dani Pedrosa, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

Dani Pedrosa called time on his MotoGP career after 2018, but has since played an integral role in the development of the KTM RC16. In recent years, he made four wildcard appearances, impressing on each occasion with his speed. At the 2023 San Marino GP, Pedrosa qualified an excellent fifth before bagging a double top-four result. In the sprint, he nearly passed Francesco Bagnaia to bag the final spot on the podium - an impressive feat just weeks ahead of his 38th birthday.

The following year, he did break inside the top-three, scything through the field in an attritional Jerez sprint and gaining a place post-race after Fabio Quartararo was penalised due to a tyre infringement. The 2024 Spanish GP remains his last appearance in MotoGP.

Pol Espargaro (numerous races)

Pol Espargaro, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

Pol Espargaro’s career as a full-time rider was effectively cut short by his Portimao 2023 injury, but he remains quick and maintains a burning desire for racing.

In 2024, he guided his KTM to a solid ninth place finish in the sprint race at the Red Bull Ring, before claiming another top 10 finish at the San Marino GP.

Arguably, he was even more impressive as a replacement for Maverick Vinales in the second half of last year, as he regularly finished inside the top 10 and compared favourably against Brad Binder and Enea Bastianini within the KTM fold. Even Pedro Acosta couldn’t help but admit that the younger of the Espargaro brothers deserved another crack at MotoGP.

Honourable mentions

There have been other eye-catching performances from riders jumping into MotoGP at short notice, albeit as injury replacements rather than true wildcards. Troy Bayliss famously won the 2006 Valencia GP for Ducati after being called in as Sete Gibernau’s replacement, although it’s important to note that he already had almost three seasons of experience under his belt.

Katsuyuki Nakasuga finished second at the same Spanish venue in 2012 as a stand-in for Spies, despite having only made a handful of prior starts.

Elsewhere, Olivier Jacque secured Kawasaki’s maiden MotoGP podium at the 2005 Chinese GP, while Jonathan Rea gave a glimpse of what he could have achieved in the premier class when he logged two top 10 finishes in 2012 as Stoner’s substitute.

More recently, Takaaki Nakagami finished sixth aboard the Honda RC213V at a rain-hit French GP, where LCR rider Johann Zarco scored a home win on the same bike.