The Moto2 and Moto3 tyre supply has always differed from the MotoGP class, with Dunlop rubber powering the lower categories for over a decade now.

Dunlop's current contract with Dorna Sports, MotoGP's promoter, comes to a conclusion this year.

Motorsport.com reported last week that Italian tyre brand Pirelli will take over as the sole supplier for Moto2 and Moto3 from the 2024 season, building on its top tier motorcycle racing presence having been the long-time supplier of the World Superbike Championship.

On Thursday, Dorna confirmed that a three-year deal with Pirelli is being finalised.

"We’re super happy to welcome Pirelli to the paddock as the sole tyre supplier for Moto2 and Moto3, and across the Road to MotoGP," Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta said.

"These championships are the best example in motorsport of strong feeder classes that also stand alone as high-level competitions, in terms of both their sporting and commercial value.

"So we’re very happy to have seen such a high level of interest from Pirelli and to reach this agreement.

"Welcoming a new partner also underlines our sport’s strong connections and relationships with the industry, and we’re very much looking forward to working with Pirelli across a number of areas, including performance, road-relevance and, of course, sustainability."

Pirelli's involvement in the MotoGP World Championship will be limited to just the Moto2 and Moto3 classes for now, as Michelin - who took over from Bridgestone in 2016 - has an exclusivity deal with MotoGP that expires in 2026 prior to a shake-up in the technical regulations from 2027.

Pirelli would also be the supplier of other minor championships such as the Junior GP World Championship, the Asian Talent Cup and the recently created Latin America Talent Cup, through which young riders will develop using the same tyres through to the second and third tier of the MotoGP World Championship.

Pirelli is also Formula 1's official tyre supplier, having taken over from Bridgestone in 2011, and is also the sole supplier for the World Rally Championship.

In addition to monopolising these disciplines and another 30 smaller ones in more than 40 countries, the Lombardy-based company supplies big teams in the Motocross World Championship in the MXGP and MX2 categories.

Motorsport.com understands MotoGP currently has no plans to bring back a tyre war, as was the case prior to the 2009 season.

The arrival of Pirelli as sole tyre supplier marks one of the biggest technical changes to the Moto3 class since its inception in 2012, and will be Moto2's first major shake-up since Triumph took over as engine supplier in 2019.

This move comes as Pirelli's tenure as F1's sole tyre supplier could be under threat, after the series opened up the tender process for the 2025 season onwards.

This process has moved to its next phase, with Bridgestone the frontrunner to replace Pirelli in F1.

LCR Honda Castrol is proud to announce the signing of Johann Zarco. The two-time Moto2™ World Champion French rider will join the team in 2024 on a two-year contract.

Considering Johann’s experience and performance in MotoGP™ since he stepped into the category, LCR and HRC are excited to start a journey together. Back in 2019, Zarco served the team as a replacement rider, and his commitment and hard work match the values of LCR.

Lucio Cecchinello, LCR Honda Team Principal: “We are very excited to welcome Johann to the LCR Honda Castrol team with all the respective details and signatures now in place. It is a return to the team after we had some brief time together in 2019, where we could already see his potential and work ethic. There are still a lot of races and work to be done this season, but we are looking forward to the start of this new project in 2024.”

Ducati Lenovo Team have confirmed that Enea Bastianini has had successful surgery on the injuries he sustained in the Turn 1 crash that unfolded at the start of Sunday’s Catalan GP.

The Italian underwent surgery on his left ankle and left hand fractures, with the two surgeries, performed by Prof. Catani and Tarallo at the Policlinico of Modena, concluded successfully as ‘The Beast’ gets set to begin the post-surgery recovery.

Ducati also confirmed that the #23, who missed the first five races of the season after fracturing his shoulder blade in Portimao’s Tissot Sprint, will have to miss this weekend’s home Grand Prix in Misano and the two events that follow in India and Japan.

Ahead of the team and rider’s home race, Mooney VR46 Racing Team have confirmed that Luca Marini will remain with the squad for the 2024 MotoGP™ season.

Joining the Moto2™ team in 2018, Marini links the key moments of his sporting career to this crew. His first podium came at the 2018 German GP; in the same year, he finished second in the intermediate class World Championship.

Currently seventh in the overall standings (125 points), Marini is among the most solid riders in MotoGP™. Constantly in the top 10, the Italian has claimed a Sunday race P2 at the Americas GP, plus a P3 in the Argentina GP Tissot Sprint. The #10 and Marco Bezzecchi get set for their third consecutive season together donning VR46 colours in the premier class.

With Alex Rins still sidelined through injury, HRC test rider Takumi Takahashi will stand in at LCR Honda Castrol this weekend at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini.

Iker Lecuona has been Rins’ replacement rider since the latter fractured his leg at the Italian GP in June, but Lecuona is on WorldSBK duties in Magny-Cours this weekend. Instead, Suzuka 8 Hours winner Takahashi will line up alongside compatriot Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) in Misano.

Not one, not two, but three familiar names are ready to make wildcard appearances this weekend at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini.

In the orange corner, Dani Pedrosa will be back on track donning Red Bull KTM Factory Racing colours for his second wildcard of the season after his more than impressive outing at the Spanish GP.

Stefan Bradl was a Team HRC wildcard at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto as well, as the German prepares for his fourth MotoGP™ race weekend of 2023. Meanwhile, Michele Pirro will be wildcarding with Aruba.it Racing Ducati on home turf as the Italian gets back amongst it for the third time of the year.

Franco Morbidelli has signed an agreement with Ducati that will see the Roman rider join the Pramac Racing Team for the 2024 season alongside Jorge Martin, both riding the Desmosedici GP24.

​​​​​​​Vice-World Champion in MotoGP in 2020, Moto2 World Champion in 2017, and European Superstock 600 Champion in 2013, Franco Morbidelli will bring the Italian flag back to the Pramac Racing team's garage three seasons after Pecco Bagnaia.

The schedule had already been announced to begin on 10 March with the Qatar Grand Prix, which returns to the season-opening slot having been moved to November in 2023 due to track updates earlier this year.

MotoGP will then head to Europe for the Portuguese GP – which opened the 2022 calendar – before the Argentina GP on 7 April.

As was the case this season, Argentina is back-to-back with the Americas GP at COTA on 14 April, before the championship heads back to Europe for the Spanish GP on 28 April.

Next year will see the return of all four Spanish venues, after Aragon was benched for the 2022 season, and so no rotation of the Iberian events will take place.

The French GP is on 12 May followed by the Catalan GP on 26 May, which is back-to-back with the Italian GP at Mugello on 2 June.

The European run is interrupted by the second attempt to stage the inaugural Kazakhstan GP at the Sokol circuit.

MotoGP had hoped to race in the country in July of this year, but cancelled the event as the circuit would not be ready on time.

The Dutch GP will take place on 30 June followed by the German GP on 7 July, before a three-week summer.

The second half of the season resumes on 4 August with the British GP at Silverstone, with the Austrian GP taking place on 18 August.

The next back-to-back of the year starts on 1 September with the return of the Aragon GP, which was taken off the schedule this year, and the San Marino GP on 8 September.

Despite suggestions the Indian GP would be pushed back to October following this year’s inaugural running of the event, the second edition will take place on 22 September.

It forms the first of a triple-header with Indonesia (29 September) and Japan (6 October).

A week off is followed by the next triple-header of Australia (20 October), Thailand (27 October) and Malaysia (3 November).

The championship concludes on 17 November with the Valencia GP. Pre-season testing in 2024 begins on 6-8 February in Malaysia, followed by two days in Qatar on 19-20 February.

Disappointingly, 11 MotoGP rounds will clash with Formula 1 events next season – with timezone clashes for F1 Monaco and MotoGP Barcelona; F1 Austria and MotoGP Assen and F1 Italy and MotoGP Aragon.

MotoGP has also confirmed that the new Balaton Park track in Hungary has been added to the reserve list, subject to the venue receiving homologation.