Jorge Martin is the first driver from a satellite team to be crowned world champion.
IMAGO/NurPhoto
Spaniard Jorge Martin (Ducati-Pramac) was crowned 2024 MotoGP world champion on Sunday after his 3rd place at the Barcelona Grand Prix, the 20th and final round of the season on the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit in Montmelo (Spain).
Vice-world champion last year, the 26-year-old from Madrid dethroned the double title holder, the Italian Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati), winner on Sunday, and won his first world crown in the premier category of motorcycling.
Fourth on the grid on Sunday, the Spaniard, who entered the last race of the season with a 19-length lead, finally beat the Turinese, who started in pole position, by 10 points (508 to 498).
A historic first
The “Martinator” scored 16 podiums in the 20 GPs contested this year.
AFP
This is the first time in MotoGP history that a rider from a satellite team has been crowned world champion. The Italian team, which will join the fold of Yamaha next season after ten years with Ducati, had already created a surprise last year by winning the team classification thanks to Martin and Frenchman Johann Zarco.
Under the Catalan sun, Bagnaia flew through a race that he led from start to finish to claim an 11th Grand Prix victory this season compared to only three for his rival, but that was not enough to achieve the treble . The “Martinator” has in fact been more consistent than “Pecco” with 10 second places and 16 podiums in total in 20 GPs this year.
La der’ d’Espargaro
Six-time Spanish world champion Marc Marquez (Ducati-Gresini) climbed to the second step of the podium on Sunday on home soil to secure third place in the championship ahead of Italian Enea Bastianini (Ducati), 7th in Montmelo.
For his 255th and last MotoGP Grand Prix, stage local Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia), born a few kilometers from the circuit, took 5th place at the end of a superb race where he will initially have protected his great friend Jorge Martin, before engaging in a magnificent duel with his compatriot Alex Marquez (Ducati-Gresini), ultimately fourth.
