MotoGP 2015 v 2014: First half comparison

Some interesting stats, and a sign for me if ever that Nicky should GTFO and maybe Bradders is better than given credit for.

The following table shows the points and championship position at the midway stage of the 2015 MotoGP season compared with this time last year.

The biggest difference is a drop of 111 points for reigning champion Marc Marquez, who had won all nine races this time last year but has only taken two wins - and suffered three DNFs - in 2015.

The next biggest points loss if for Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa, no surprise given he has missed three rounds due to arm pump surgery.

The biggest increase is by Movistar Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo, who has gained 69 points, followed by a 56 point rise for new factory Ducati rider Andrea Iannone.

Iannone's Pramac replacement Danilo Petrucci has also benefited massively from his change of team. The Italian has scored 47 points more than this time last year (Petrucci was injured early in 2014), risen ten places in the championship and has almost doubled his previous best tally for an entire season.

Other notable gains have come from Tech 3 Yamaha's top satellite rider Bradley Smith (+39 points and five positions), plus world championship leader Valentino Rossi and new LCR Honda rider Cal Crutchlow - both 38 points better off than at the halfway stage last year.

Further down the order, former satellite Honda riders Alvaro Bautista (Aprilia) and Stefan Bradl (Forward Yamaha) have unsurprisingly taken a step back, with Scott Redding's change from an Open to Factory class Honda yet to translate into better results.

Aspar's Nicky Hayden has remained on the same team and machine, but also lost significant ground, while Open class leader Hector Barbera is seven places higher on the Ducati compared to the Kawasaki-powered machine run by Avintia until Aragon last year.

Click to expand...

Comparison: MotoGP 2015 v 2014 (after nine rounds).
Ranking by 2015 championship order
1. Valentino Rossi Yamaha +38 points, +2 championship positions.
2. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha +69 points, +3 positions.
3. Andrea Iannone Ducati +56 points, +5 positions.
4. Marc Marquez Honda -111 points, -3 positions.
5. Andrea Dovizioso Ducati -12 points, -1 position.
6. Bradley Smith Yamaha +39 points, +5 positions.
7. Dani Pedrosa Honda -81 points, -5 positions.
8. Cal Crutchlow Honda +38 points, +6 positions.
9. Pol Espargaro Yamaha -3 points, -2 positions.
10. Maverick Viñales Suzuki 2015 rookie.
11. Danilo Petrucci Ducati +47 points, +10 positions.
12. Aleix Espargaro Suzuki -33 points, -6 positions.
13. Yonny Hernandez Ducati +5 points, +3 positions.
14. Scott Redding Honda -3 points, -2 positions.
15. Hector Barbera Ducati Open +17 points, +7 positions.
16. Loris Baz Yamaha Open 2015 rookie.
17. Alvaro Bautista Aprilia -37 points, -7 positions.
18. Jack Miller Honda Open 2015 rookie.
19. Stefan Bradl Yamaha Open -47 points, -10 positions.
20. Michele Pirro Ducati Wild-card/Replacement.
21. Nicky Hayden Honda Open -21 points, -8 positions.
22. Eugene Laverty Honda Open 2015 rookie.
23. Hiroshi Aoyama Honda/Honda Open Replacement.
24. Mike Di Meglio Ducati Open +2 points, NA positions.
25. Alex De Angelis Aprilia +1 point, NA positions.
Karel Abraham Honda Open -18 points, NA positions.

Constructors: MotoGP 2015 v 2014 (after nine rounds).
Ranking by 2015 championship order
1. Yamaha +53 points, +1 championship position.
2. Honda -66 points, -1 position.
3. Ducati +38 points, = position.
4. Suzuki Not present in 2014.
5. Yamaha Forward -58 points, -1 position.
6. Aprilia Not officially present in 2014.
7. ART -3 points, -1 position.

Teams: MotoGP 2015 v 2014 (after nine rounds).
Ranking by 2015 championship order
1. Movistar Yamaha +107 points, +1 championship position.
2. Ducati Team +78 points, +1 position.
3. Repsol Honda -187 points, -2 positions.
4. Monster Yamaha Tech 3 +36 points, = position.
5. Suzuki Ecstar Not present in 2014.
6. Pramac Racing -6 points, -1 position.
7. LCR Honda* +22 points, +2 positions.
8. Marc VDS Not present in 2014.
9. Forward Racing -62 points, -3 positions.
10. Avintia Racing* +19 points, +3 positions.
11. Aspar MotoGP -42 points, -3 positions.
12. Team Gresini* -70 points, -5 positions.
13. Iodaracing -3 points, -1 position.
* LCR has expanded to two bikes, Gresini has switched from Honda to Aprilia and Avintia from Kawasaki to Ducati (Open).