While four riderꦍs are mathematically in the 2024 MotoGP championship hunt, only two are considered the gen෴uine contenders: Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia.

Ahead of this weeke🦄nd’s Thai Grand Prix at Buriram, Martin leads Bagnaia by 20 points in the standings with just three rounds to go.

It is the second year in a row that Bagnai🉐a and Martin have faced off for the title.

While💃 the war between the pair has ebbed and flowed across the first 17 rounds, Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo is looking at Thailand as being “one of the most important races for both ๊of them”.

“To be honest, I have no idea because I’m not following at all what is happening, because they are two riders that we are not even looking at, by the lap times an𒀰d by the pace they are doing,” he said on Thursday at Buriram.

“We are more looking to the to𒅌p five, they are alw🔥ays in the top three.

“So, it’s two riders that are really strong, that 🃏fought two years in a row for the championship.

“Martin has 20 points of advantage, but🌠 there are also three races with more than 100 points [available].

“So, I think we ca༺nnot really say something. I think this is one of t෴he most important races for both of them.”

While at one stage of the season this was shaping up to be a four-rider battle between Martin, Bagnaia, Marc Marquez and Enea Bastianini, a rematch of 2023 is now what is ﷽unfolding.

But Martin’s Pramac team-ma✱te Franco Morbidelli doesn’t see an issue with this, noting that a true head-to-head between “the best” riders is actually a better proposition f🍌or MotoGP.

“If the fight was between more riders, would it be fun,” Morbidelli asked, “I don’t know, because the head-to-head fight is probably the best one and Pecco and Jor🅰ge were the best this year and last year as well actually.

“So, they deserve what they💟 are fighting for and they both deserve this championship, and it’s going to be very, very nice for the fans to follow the battle.

“Also because🃏 there are riders, mainly Marc and Enea, that can go in the middle of this fight.

“I would like to go in the midd♑le as well and lately I just managed to go in the middle in the early laps of the race.

“Anyway, I think the head-to-head battle is the best one. So, for sure it’s better for MotoGP and for sure it’s better than someone winning already and better than fou🐲r riders fighting fo⛎r the championship, because the head-to-head is the best.”

Alex Marquez offered an interesting h൩ypothesis, in that not much can change in a title battle in a static rider market where there isn’t much in the way of bike swapping like there will be in 2025.

“I think yes,” the Gresini rider said when asked if a two-rideℱr title battle was good for MotoGP.

“I mean, it’s normal. They are on the same bike, th𒈔e best bike on the grid, so it’s normal that two riders have an evolution.

“Next year can maybe be different because one🎉 of them is changing manufacturers and many riders are changing manufacturers and teams.

“So, it will be different, but with the two-year contract that we have now, I think there will be 🦂a tendency.

“After two years, if we have more movement like ꦉthis year then it can chang🎉e the championship a lot. But if not, I mean from one year to the other one not much will change.”

Aleix Esparౠgaro believes the championship “would be better” if more riders were involved, but a head-to-head is better than a runaway winner.

“I think it’s not bad,” the Aprilia rider said.

“Obviously if the championship would be a little bit more open it would be better, but I thin꧋k I prefer this than to have like a clear champion before starting the season.

“ꦚObviously three guys, four guys fighting for the title makes it more interesting but I think this is very difficult.

“And the level of Pecco and Martin this year is much higher tha꧒n the rest, so I think they deserve it.”