Which MotoGP Teams Spend the Most on Salaries?
MotoGP is not just a battle of machinery and talent, it is also financial arms race. Although technical development budgets per-team are rarely disclosed, rider salaries are usually reported in the media by motorSports reporters. Rider salaries can give a pretty good idea of each team's budget.
Key Takeaways
- $99 million - Total base rider payroll across all 11 MotoGP teams (excluding bonuses and sponsorships).
- Ducati leads the grid at $30.8m, accounting for nearly 31% of total disclosed rider spending.
- Marc Márquez earns $20.8m, the highest single contract in MotoGP -- more than several full team payrolls.
- Yamaha ranks second at $18.5m, but over 80% of its payroll is concentrated in one superstar deal.
- KTM operates the most balanced salary structure among top teams with $13m spread across four riders.
- Honda’s payroll has reset to $5.5m, a sharp drop from the high-spending Márquez era.
🏁 1. Ducati - $30.8 million total rider payroll
Marc Márquez — $20.8m
Francesco Bagnaia — $10m
Ducati carries the highest rider salary bill on the grid by a significant margin. Márquez alone accounts for nearly 68% of Ducati’s total payroll, making this the most top-heavy salary structure in MotoGP. Ducati’s aggressive investment signals a clear championship-first strategy. Read More about Marquez Contract Details
🏁 2. Yamaha – $18.5 million total rider payroll
Fabio Quartararo — $15.5m
Álex Rins — $3m
Yamaha ranks second in total salary spending. Quartararo’s contract represents one of the largest guaranteed deals in MotoGP history outside Márquez. The gap between Ducati and Yamaha currently stands at $12.3 million.
🏁 LCR Honda – $9.3 million total rider payroll
Johann Zarco — $6.5m
Diogo Moreira — $2.8m
LCR Honda operates with a surprisingly high payroll relative to performance output.
Below is the team by team payroll heading into the 2026 MotoGP season. Ducati Lenovo team leads the way with potential $30.8 million salaries for Marquez and Bagnaia including performance related bonues.
| Rank | Team | Total Payroll | Riders (Salary) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ducati | $30.8m | Márquez ($20.8m) Bagnaia ($10m) |
| 2 | Yamaha | $18.5m | Quartararo ($15.5m) Rins ($3m) |
| 3 | KTM Red Bull | $13.0m | Viñales ($5.8m) Bastianini ($3.6m) |
| 4 | Pramac Yamaha | $10.2m | Razgatlioglu ($6m) Miller ($4.2m) |
| 5 | LCR Honda | $9.3m | Zarco ($6.5m) Moreira ($2.8m) |
| 6 | Aprilia | $7.2m | Martin ($5.9m) Bezzecchi ($1.3m) |
| 7 | Honda Repsol | $5.5m | Mir ($4.2m) Marini ($1.3m) |
| 8 | VR46 Racing Ducati | $3.5m | Morbidelli ($2.2m) Di Giannantonio ($1.3m) |
| 9 | Gresini Ducati | $3.4m | Álex Márquez ($1.8m) Aldeguer ($1.6m) |
| 10 | Gresini Ducati | $3.4m | Álex Márquez ($1.8m) Aldeguer ($1.6m) |
| 11 | Trackhouse Aprilia | $1.56m | Ai Ogura ($0.78m) Fernandez ($0.78m) |
You can explore all 2026 MotoGP Rider Contracts and Salaries updated with verified sources.