Jorge Martin is 2024 MotoGP World Champion
It took him until the final race of the final round to do it, but Prima Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin is MotoGP World Champion for 2024. The 26-year-old from Madrid finished runner-up to Ducati Lenovo Team’s Francesco Bagnaia last year, but this year, the roles were reversed and Martin took the title from the two-time World Champion,.
A Close Battle
Despite leading the championship for most of the season, Martin always had Bagnaia for close company, meaning the title wasn’t decided until the final round. Coming into the ‘Solidarity GP’ season finale (held at Catalunya after floods in the Valencia region), Martin held a 24-point lead over Bagnaia, meaning that, even though it was still possible for the Italian to win the championship, Martin had the upper hand and could afford to ride conservatively.
In opening practise, Bagnaia set the best time, while Martin finished fifth fastest, despite topping the timesheets earlier in the session. This was still good enough to earn automatic entry into the second qualifying session.
Qualifying saw Bagnaia maintain his advantage to secure pole with a 1m38.641s lap, holding off Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) by just 0.055 seconds. Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) completed the front row, while Martin’s 1m38.849s lap meant he would start the sprint and grand prix from fourth. While not an ideal qualifying position, this placed Martin directly behind Bagnaia on the grid, so he could pounce on any mistakes made by his only rival for the title.
Bagnaia Fights Back
The permutations for Martin to secure the world championship in the sprint were fairly simple: win and he would be champion. If he was runner-up in the sprint, Bagnaia had to finish third or worse. If Martin was third, Bagnaia had to finish fifth and so on.
Bagnaia’s must-win situation to keep the championship alive saw him lose the holeshot – just - to team mate Enea Bastianini, but regain the lead by the end of the opening lap. As Martin tussled with Bastianini, Bagnaia was opening out a 1-second lead that he would ultimately hold to the chequered flag. Bastianini did his team mate a great service by passing Martin for second on the final lap. This cut Martin’s championship lead from 24 points to 19 – game on for the grand prix!
Final Flourish
Despite losing five points of his buffer against Bagnaia, Martin was in a far more comfortable position than he was prior to the sprint. Only needing to finish ninth or better in the 24-lap race, even if Bagnaia won, Martin would be champion even if he finished the race in 14th place and the Italian was second. Conversely, Bagnaia would be champion if he won the race and Martin finished tenth or worse.
Holding his second match point of the weekend, Martin started the grand prix hot, but not hot enough to take the holeshot from Bagnaia. After the opening lap, Marquez joined the party, splitting the championship rivals and threatening to take the lead from Bagnaia.
Despite some early attention from Espargaro and Bastianini, Martin was solid in third place, knowing this was more than enough to secure the championship. Marquez made some lunges on Bagnaia, but the Italian held his lead and Martin looked like he wouldn’t be shaken from third, either. In the closing laps, Bagnaia started to stretch away, but Martin's position meant he was going to win the 2024 MotoGP World Championship.
In 2023, Martin came up short in his quest for the championship, but not this time. He held his nerve to finish third behind Bagnaia and Marquez, triggering an elaborate post-race celebration. Adopting his ‘Martinator’ persona, Martin donned appropriate leathers and took possession of a golden helmet before making his way to parc ferme for the podium ceremony.
"It has been an emotional hour after the big moment,” Martin confessed. “I just want to celebrate, I just want to be with my team, my family and my friends. It has been emotional; it has been a long journey as my career has not been easy. For sure, I have had good opportunities in front of me, but I think I have built off them. I worked hard and I have made a lot of sacrifices at home every day to try and become a better man.
“Last season, I had the opportunity, but I think I was not prepared to win. This year I felt it - I felt it was my year, so thanks to Pramac, to Ducati for giving me the opportunity to have an amazing bike these four years and to give me the opportunity to fight until the end with Pecco, who was amazing."
Despite seeming to have the championship secured as the grand prix was nearing its conclusion, Martin added that the final section was the toughest.
“The last seven laps were difficult, I started to remember a lot of moments throughout my career, but had to refocus and remain in the moment. Once I crossed the finish line, I started to cry. Already on the last lap, I felt that I was starting to cry; it was so emotional, and then I became happy and started to cry again once I remembered my family."
Making History
Martin’s third place finish in the grand prix - his 16th GP podium of the year – equals the season record for a Ducati rider set by Bagnaia. The race result meant the final championship margin was just 10 points – Martin on 508 and Bagnaia on 498.
Martin’s championship is the first for an Independent Team rider in the MotoGP era (2002 onwards) and the first in the premier class since Valentino Rossi achieved the feat in 2001.
Some would see poetic justice in Martin winning the world championship against the Ducati factory team that rejected him in favour of signing Marquez for 2025. Martin signed with Aprilia Racing soon after Ducati announced they’d secured Marquez.
While Martin is MotoGP World Champion, whether he will ride with the #1 plate at Aprilia next year is still to be confirmed. The Spaniard has said he will wait until next year’s pre-season tests before making his decision.
