Rider of the Year
There might be an election looming but this is the one vote you can’t miss
It’s that time of year again when MCN readers come together to decide who’s going to be crowned 2023 Rider of the Year. Below is a list of eight contenders worthy of taking the crown. In the coming weeks we’ll be whittling this down to five riders and then it’s over to you to vote…
Pecco Bagnaia – MotoGP World Champion
Pecco Bagnaia showed his class once more in a tense fight with Jorge Martin to become back-to-back MotoGP World Champion. He’s only the third rider in the modern era to achieve that feat, following the great Valentino Rossi and merciless Marc Marquez.
Jorge Martin – MotoGP runner-up
Jorge Martin gave it all to take the title, but ultimately fell short at the final round. The Ducatimounted Spaniard proved almost unstoppable in the second half of 2023, winning seven of the final nine sprint races, doubling up at Misano, Motegi and Thailand.
Tommy Bridewell – British Superbike Champion
Tommy Bridewell claimed an emotional maiden Bennetts British Superbike title after an intense season-long duel with PBM teammate Glenn Irwin. Bridewell clinched the title by half-a-point and dedicated his success to late brother, Ollie.
Glenn Irwin – BSB runner-up
He may have lost the war, but Glenn Irwin played a big role in making BSB 2023 such an exciting spectacle. Irwin bagged more wins than anybody else (10).
Alvaro Bautista – WSB World Champion
The Ducati-Bautista combination was unstoppable once again in 2023. The stats don’t lie. Bautista took 27 wins from 36 races.
Toprak Razgatlioglu – WSB runner-up
The 2021 WSB champion threw everything he could at Bautista, but it just wasn’t to be. His skill took the Yamaha R1 beyond its capabilities during enthralling battles with Bautista at Imola and Jerez.
Peter Hickman – Senior TT winner
Hickman remains the man to beat around the Isle of Man. The FHO Racing BMW ace added four more wins to his TT tally, taking him to 13 overall. Hickman was victorious in both Superstock races, the second Supertwin and the Senior.
Michael Dunlop – Four 2023 TT wins
Just one victory away from Uncle Joey Dunlop’s record of 26 TT wins after winning four races in 2023. Dunlop took both Supersport races, as well as the Superbike and Supertwin TTs.