This year, neither Honda nor Yamaha managed to secure victories in the MotoGP World Championship. It shows the significant decline in competitiveness for both manufacturers, making it the first season in over 50 years without wins from Japanese brands.
The last time this happened was in 1970, in the old 500cc class. At that time, European manufacturers dominated, particularly with Giacomo Agostini (MV Agusta), who achieved the incredible feat of winning 11 of the 12 races.
The other victory that season was claimed by Angelo Bergamonti (MV Agusta). The championship runner-up was Ginger Molloy on a Kawasaki, though he could do no better than four second-place finishes, always behind Agostini.
In that year, Honda and Yamaha bikes also competed but failed to win a single race. In 1971, Dave Simmonds won the Spanish GP on a Kawasaki, and from then until this year, there had always been at least one season victory by a Japanese manufacturer. The most recent win was at the Americas GP in 2023, achieved by Álex Rins (LCR Honda).
