The 2024 MotoGP™ title race takes us towards an epic finale. After an exceptional duel at the Malaysian GP, Jorge Martín (Prima Pramac Racing) is closer than ever to winning his first MotoGP™ Championship in Barcelona. However, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), the reigning Champion, is determined to regain the 24 points that separate him from his opponent at the final meeting of the season.
This year again, the two men dominated their opponents, as they had done in 2023 until this race for the crown in Valencia. That day, Pecco Bagnaia entered the Grand Prix as leader and won a decisive victory following the retirement of Jorge Martin. This year, the roles are reversed. The 'Martinator' has a considerable advantage, but how has the dynamic between the title contenders changed between last season and now?
To put it simply, it's all about consistency. If you're looking for a longer answer, read on!
The tables below show the performances of Jorge Martín and Pecco Bagnaia during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. It should be noted that the 2023 data includes 20 GP races and only 19 Tissot Sprints (the one in Australia having been canceled), while the 2024 data brings together the 19 Tissot Sprint and Sunday races contested so far.
| Martín | Tissot Sprints 2023 | GP 2023 | Tissot Sprints 2024 | GP 2024 |
| Victories | 9 | 4 | 7 | 3 |
| Podiums (without victories) | 5 | 4 | 9 | 11 |
| Abandons | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Points | 168 | 260 | 164 | 321 |
| Total points 2023 | 428 | Total points 2024 | 485 |
| Bagnaia | Tissot Sprints 2023 | GP 2023 | Tissot Sprints 2024 | GP 2024 |
| Victories | 4 | 7 | 7 | 19 |
| Podiums (without victories) | 9 | 7 | 3 | 4 |
| Abandons | 1 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Points | 140 | 327 | 116 | 345 |
| Total points 2023 | 467 | Total points 2024 | 461 |
Main differences: Martín vs Bagnaia in 2024
Jorge Martín has greatly improved in consistency in 2024, particularly on Sundays. His performances in the Tissot Sprint remained solid, but it was above all his better results in the GP that propelled him into the fight for the title. This year, the Spaniard went for sept podiums dominicaux more than in 2023, including six second places and one third place between the French and Indonesian GPs. During this period, the No. 89 did not win a race but regularly finished in the top three, while Pecco Bagnaia had his best run of the season with five wins in six races.
Jorge Martin's ability to limit damage when he doesn't win is a key factor in his title run. Her total of 485 points in 2024 represents a clear improvement compared to its 428 units of 2023, which is largely due to his consistent podium finishes.
Author of 10 successes in 2024 compared to seven last year, Pecco Bagnaia is by far the most efficient on Sundays. However, his Achilles heel this season has been the Tissot Sprint, where he has struggled to capitalize. The reigning World Champion has only accumulated 116 points in the exercise in 2024, i.e. a drop of 24 units compared to its total 140 in 2023. This reduction cost it heavily sincehe dropped out four times on Saturday, and notably in Barcelona when he was in the lead.
The reigning World Champion had singled out the Tissot Sprint as his biggest weakness at the start of the season, and that proved to be the case. After the first six rounds, he only scored 14 points on Saturday, against 56 for his rival, and although he was ahead of him in the Sunday races, the Ducati star was forced to chase the score, up to 39 points behind. Pecco Bagnaia managed to catch up with the Pramac driver and regain the lead in the standings in Germany. The two men then swapped positions again during the British and Austrian GPs, before the Italian experienced a nightmare weekend in Aragon marked by a ninth place in the Tissot Sprint and a retirement on Sunday after a collision with Alex Márquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™). For his part, Jorge Martín took the second step of the podium twice in what turned out to be one of the pivotal weekends of 2024. With one round remaining, Francesco Bagnaia is only six points short of the 467 points that allowed him to win the 2023 Championship, and while he is likely to surpass that total, it might not be enough.
The final clash in Barcelona
As the final meeting of the season approaches, Jorge Martín has a 24-point lead and can win his first crown in the premier class in the Tissot Sprint. If he succeeds, it would in some way be a logical outcome given his superiority in the exercise and the difficulties encountered by Pecco Bagnaia on Saturday afternoon.
However, as the “Martinator” said, nothing is done until it is mathematically decided and, as we all know, anything can happen in MotoGP™! Join us from Friday November 15th for the Motul Solidarity Grand Prix in Barcelona for an exceptional weekend in honor of Valencia.
