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Herve Poncharal charts the rising importance of satellite teams in the MotoGP world championship.

Aprilia weighing-up Satellite team alongside move to its own Factory MotoGP grid places for 2022.

Satellite MotoGP riders won more races than Factory team riders last season, by a score of 8–6. That's quite a milestone. To put it into perspective, there was a not a single satellite race winner in MotoGP from Toni Elias at Estoril in 2006 until Jack Miller at Assen in 2016.

The Motorcycle Grand Prix history books will record that Franco Morbidelli got within just 13 points of becoming the first-ever satellite world champion of the four-stroke MotoGP era.

One theory is that, as a MotoGP season goes on, factory team riders gain a greater advantage over their satellite counterparts because they are first to receive technical upgrades.

With the halt to racing caused by the coronavirus wreaking havoc on team finances, Dorna has confirmed it will be providing assistance to the Independent MotoGP outfits to 'guarantee their economic well-being.'

Stiggy Racing Honda confirms that it is to close its doors due to financial woes - off the back of an impressive maiden campaign in the World Superbike Championship (WSBK)

Norbert Haug has stressed that the survival of independent teams in Formula 1 is vital to the future livelihood of the sport, describing such concerns as Williams and Force India as 'the heart of Formula 1, not just cannon fodder'.