MotoGP: Assessing the four remaining title contenders with two races to go

After two years away due to the global situation, MotoGP returned to Australia with a traditionally spectacular race at Phillip Island.

While Alex Rins managed to get the better of the resurgent Marc Marquez in an epic final lap, to gift Suzuki potentially one last MotoGP win before their departure from the series at the end of the season, behind them, the 2022 title race took another big step towards being completed.

There are now just two races to go until the season draws to a close, and remarkably, there are still four riders who mathematically still have a chance of finishing the year as World Champion – that number may have been five were it not for the helpless Jack Miller being wiped out by Alex Marquez on his home circuit, and through the corner named after his just a day before, in Sunday’s race.

But just how likely is it that each of those contenders will be the one to claim that title in Valencia in just under three weeks’ time?

In order to help find out, we’ve taken a look at the chances, and potential aims of that quartet who will still be dreaming of world glory, right here.

It is now very much advantage Bagnaia, as the Ducati man continues to pursue his first ever MotoGP world title.

Having settled for third in Sunday’s race rather than risk a collision with two riders not concerned with the title fight in Rins and Marquez, the Italian is now 14 points clear at the top of the standings, with only 50 left to play for in the races to come at Sepang and Valencia.

Given he won around Valencia last year, and the fact that there are plenty of other Ducati riders who – as they have done in the past couple of races – can make life hard for his rivals, while not taking any risks around Bagnaia himself, things are