All MotoGP world champions from 1949 to the present day

The MotoGP world championship has been in operation since 1949, with 30 riders in that time winning the premier class crown.

Britain’s Les Graham won the very first MotoGP title back in 1949 riding an AJS, forming part of an elite club of just 30 names to have etched themselves onto the championship trophy.

By contrast, there have been 34 drivers since 1950 who have won Formula 1 world championships.

John Surtees remains the only person in history to have done both, winning four MotoGP titles in 1956, 1958, 1959 and 1960, and then the F1 crown in 1964.

Read more: All-time MotoGP race winners’ list

Of those 30 riders to have won the premier class championship, just 17 have done so more than once.

The rider with the most is Giacomo Agostini, who scored eight MotoGP titles and 15 championships in total when adding in his 350cc crowns.

Valentino Rossi is next on that list with seven in MotoGP and nine overall, with Marc Marquez as of the start of the 2025 season on six in the premier class and eight overall.

In the 21st Century, five riders have won more than one world title in MotoGP: Rossi, Marquez, Jorge Lorenzo, Casey Stoner and Pecco Bagnaia.

Just five riders have managed to win the premier class title with multiple manufacturers: Agostini, Rossi, Geoff Duke, Eddie Lawson and Stoner.

Full list of MotoGP world champions from 1949 to present day