Francesco Bagnaia embarks on his quest for a third straight MotoGP crown in Qatar this weekend as motorcycling's fast and furious elite category celebrates its 75th anniversary.
MotoGP has come a long way since the inaugural six-race season in 1949: In 2024, Bagnaia and the challengers to his crown will criss-cross the world for 21 races culminating in Valencia in November.
The Spanish track has been the scene of high drama recently with the title going down to the wire in 2022 and 2023 as MotoGP has emerged as a welcome antidote to Red Bull's towering dominance on four wheels.