MotoGP’s retro renaissance: What inspired each of the 75th anniversary iconic liveries?
01 August 2024MotoGP celebrates its 75th anniversary at the 2024 British Grand Prix MotoGP and in commemoration of the event, each of the field’s 11 teams will run a retro livery harking back to classic seasons of the past.
Join us for a trip down memory lane to find out which iconic MotoGP team, rider or livery inspired the 12 designs that will race in Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team
Perhaps one of the most recognisable liveries in MotoGP history, the Yamaha red and white speed block is a firm favourite among fans. Making its debut in 1964, it was then made famous by Jarno Saarinen and Giacomo Agostini in the seventies.
Last seen at Assen in 2011 with Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies aboard the bike, now Fabio Quartararo, Álex Rins and wildcard Remy Gardner will run the iconic livery in Sunday’s 75th anniversary Grand Prix.
Repsol Honda Team
For many MotoGP fans, the Repsol Honda retro livery will evoke powerful memories of one of the most epic title fights in the sport’s history. It is inspired by Freddie Spencer’s 1983 500cc bike, on which he beat Kenny Roberts Sr by just two championship points to become the youngest champion of the premier class at just 21 years old. Luca Marini and Joan Mir will ride in these iconic colours on Sunday.
LCR Honda
Both of LCR Honda’s riders are running a different retro livery for the anniversary festivities. Johann Zarco’s bike puts a modern twist on Mike Hailwood’s 1966 250cc World Championship-winning design while Takaaki Nakagami honours his country’s heritage as well as that of sponsor Idemitsu.
Ducati Lenovo Team
Reigning champion Pecco Bagnaia and Ducati team-mate Enea Bastianini will be running a livery inspired by the Ducati Desmosedici GP3 bike that marked the brand’s first season (2003) in the premier class.
That year, Troy Bayliss and Loris Capirossi represented the Italian manufacturer with the latter taking its first win in MotoGP at the Catalan Grand Prix. Bastianini will also run a special edition helmet inspired by Mike Hailwood.
Aprilia Racing
Aprilia Racing duo Maverick Viñales and Aleix Espargaró will sit astride a truly iconic livery come Sunday’s celebratory Grand Prix. Owing to the brand’s success in junior categories, Aprilia opted for the Perla Nera or ‘Black Pearl’ livery that Max Biaggi piloted to a hat-trick of 250cc World Championships in 1994, 1995 and 1996.
A recognisable replica helmet will also be a part of Espargaró’s ensemble on Sunday, with the design having been copied directly from Biaggi’s original helmet. Leaning further into the retro feel, race numbers adorn the side of the bike just as they did in the eighties and nineties.
Prima Pramac Racing
Drawing inspiration from Angel Nieto’s 1983 125cc title-winning bike, Franco Morbidelli and Jorge Martín will ride in colours that honour a legend of the sport, and the uncle of Pramac’s current Sporting Director Fonsi Nieto.
Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team
In a career as illustrious as the Doctor’s, there were a number of avenues the VR46 squad could explore, but ultimately, the team went for a design that was synonymous with Valentino Rossi throughout his 22-year career – the Sole Luna that directly translates to sun and moon.
The pair of VR46 Ducati GP23s that will be ridden at Silverstone by Fabio Di Giannantonio and Marco Bezzecchi will pay homage specifically to Rossi’s 2018 helmet design, while ‘Digi’ will also run a #46 tribute helmet of his own.
Gresini Racing MotoGP
A familiar design for many fans will make a welcome return at Gresini, last used at Misano in 2023 but now slightly updated, the ‘il Tricolore’ livery will adorn the Ducati Gresini bikes of Álex and Marc Márquez in Silverstone’s 75th-anniversary race.
The design pays tribute to that of Fausto Gresini used during his 1985 and 1987 125cc World Championship-winning seasons, while Marc will use a simplistic, eighties-inspired helmet design of his own.
Trackhouse Racing
Competing in its first season of MotoGP racing, Trackhouse had to get inventive with its retro livery, but the team’s American heritage proved to be the perfect material with which to create a homage livery that Miguel Oliveira and Raúl Fernández will sport on Sunday.
The design features 11 American Premier Class race winners (Pat Henna, Kenny Roberts SR & JR, Randy Mamola, Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson, Kevin Schwantz, Wayne Rainey, John Kocinski, Nicky Hayden and Ben Spies) who share a total of 154 GP wins and 15 world titles between them.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
The Austrian outfit borrowed its 75th-anniversary design from the KTM LC4, its first racing machine in 1988. The original bike was developed by Wolfgang Felber who is now KTM’s Vice President of Road Racing Technology. The tribute livery will be ridden by Jack Miller and Brad Binder in Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Red Bull GasGas Tech3
Like the factory team, Pedro Acosta and Augusto Fernández will ride the GasGas KTM team’s bike, which honours the first in a long line of KTM machinery, with its own spin on the design.
