The official MotoGP crash statistics for the 2024 season have revealed a narrative quite different from what many might have assumed.

Without studying the data, one might believe that MotoGP set a new record for crashes in a single season. This perception was mostly fueled by the season being labeled as the "championship of mistakes" by Francesco Bagnaia, largely due to critical errors by both him and his title rival Jorge Martin.

However, the actual numbers tell a different story. MotoGP recorded 335 crashes across the 20 rounds this season, which is, in comparison, a decrease from 358 crashes in 2023. Interestingly, the crash count matched the number from 2022, which was the final season before the introduction of the sprint format.

Upon deeper analysis, this season saw an average of 16.8 crashes per round, which marks a decline not only from 2023 but also from 2017. This drop in crashes is surprising, given the fact that the new rear tire allowed riders to achieve faster lap times at most circuits, pushing the limits even further.

The change in tire grip also introduced a phenomenon called "rear pushing the front," which contributed to more falls. High-profile riders like Brad Binder, Alex Rins, and Miguel Oliveira missed one or more races due to crashes. Even wildcard and stand-in riders were frequent victims of falls.

Yet, cumulative crash numbers weren’t the only surprise of this season. The crash statistics for individual riders also contradicted popular narratives about the year.

Francesco Bagnaia faced waves of criticism for his crashes, including a costly fall from second place in the sprint race in Malaysia. Yet, the Ducati rider suffered only nine crashes all year, averaging 0.45 crashes per round. Alongside Fabio Di Giannantonio, Bagnaia recorded the fewest falls among Ducati’s full-season riders.

In contrast, Jorge Martin had 15 crashes, while Marc Marquez was involved in 24 incidents. Bagnaia’s crashes were particularly costly due to their timing, with eight of his nine incidents occurring during competitive sessions, having a much bigger impact on his season.

The Honda RC213V continued to carry its reputation as a crash-prone bike, a label given during the 2023 season. Yet, the statistics suggest otherwise. New Honda recruit Luca Marini suffered just four crashes in 2024, the lowest number among all full-time riders. Even 2020 champion Joan Mir ranked only ninth on the crash leaderboard with 17 falls. Riders like Pedro Acosta, Jack Miller, and Alex Marquez all exceeded Mir’s total.

Honda’s top performer Johann Zarco was involved in 15 crashes, while Takaaki Nakagami crashed seven times. These numbers indicate that while Honda riders often struggled to compete for top positions, the bike wasn’t as crash-prone as commonly perceived. This marks significant progress compared to 2023, when Marc Marquez and Joan Mir combined for an alarming 53 crashes.