MotoGP 2014 Performance By the Numbers

Statistics in MotoGP , or any form of racing, provide interesting data for analyzing rider performance and behavior with figures recorded in categories as distinct as distances ridden in practice and races, number of race fastest laps and number of laps undertaken while leading a race. Stats also make fun trivia facts as well.

The record-breaking performances of Marc Marquez in 2014 were well documented with the MotoGP World Champion notching up 362 points from the maximum possible 450, registering 13 pole positions and 13 victories along the way. Those pole and victory totals were new records for a single premier class season, with Marquez's qualifying performances earning him the BMW M Award for best qualifier by an astonishing 131-point margin.

Marquez was also dominant in terms of fastest laps in races, coming out on top on 12 occasions in 2014. His rivals Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa both recorded two fastest race laps this year, with Valentino Rossi and Alvaro Bautista setting one apiece.

In addition, Marquez’s total number of laps run at the front of races - 214 altogether – again highlights how well he rode this season. The rest of the field totaled up 234 laps run in the race lead together. That’s 98 by Lorenzo, 80 by Rossi, 19 from Pedrosa, 13 by Stefan Bradl, 12 from Andrea Iannone, 11 by Andrea Dovizioso and one by Hiroshi Aoyama.

Meanwhile, Aoyama, Nicky Hayden’s Drive M7 teammate, was the rider to have completed the greatest distance in races in 2014 (2108km), as the only rider on the grid to have finished every race this season.

The rider putting in the most work in practice sessions was the resurgent Rossi, the Italian riding 7,464km as he prepared for races at the 18 Grands Prix held in total. Rossi’s hard work was key to his increased competitiveness, which brought him 13 podiums, two victories and the runner-up position in the World Championship. In 2013 Rossi was also the rider to cover the greatest distance in practice, as he rode 7,656km in total at last year’s Grands Prix excluding race distances.

The very top step of the podium remains highly exclusive territory, with only four riders getting a race win over the 36 races of the 2013 and 2014 seasons together. During that period Marquez has achieved 19 race victories, Lorenzo has 10, Pedrosa 4 and Rossi 3.

The other riders to feature on the podium this year were Andrea Dovizioso (twice) Aleix Espargaro (once), Bradley Smith (once), Cal Crutchlow (once) and Bautista (once). In 2013, only Crutchlow (four times) and Bradl (once) accompanied the 'Fantastic Four' on the podium.