MotoGP – Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana
Qualification:
The MotoGP paddock set up in Valencia for the final race of a long season. Jorge Martin took pole position, with Marc Marquez P2 and Jack Miller P3. The title contenders, Quartararo and Bagnaia were P4 and P8, respectively. So the scene was set for the showdown, with many variables on points as to who might win the title.
The Race:
Going into the race Francesco Bagnaia had a twenty-three-point lead over Fabio Quartararo. They have been battling hard, especially since the summer break, as before that, Fabio had a 91-point lead.
It was a blistering start from Alex Rins on the Suzuki, sadly the last time we will see the metallic blue bike on the circuit for the foreseeable future. Following closely was Jorge Martin, the poleman now P2 with Marc Marquez P3 and Fabio Quartararo P4, then Miller P5 and P6 it was Bagnaia, who had to have a steady race to win the title.
On lap two Bagnaia and Quartararo were fighting like it was the first race of the season and not the last, and as if the championship did not matter, which was good to see, racers racing to the last, that is why we love MotoGP! At one point they clashed and one of the rear fins flew off Pecco’s Ducati, it couldn’t get any closer, without there being a crash. Meanwhile, Alex Rins was setting his own pace with Jorge Martin P2 and Marc Marquez P3, as the crazy stuff was going on behind them.
With 23 laps to go the race had settled, and Fabio and Pecco were no longer scrapping, which must have reduced the heart rate in the Ducati box. Fabio was riding with heart as he tried to make his way into the only position which might bring him the title, first. By this time, it looked like Bagnaia had decided he needed to be cautious, there was too much at stake to throw it all away in a clash of red and blue paint. Marc Marquez crashed out, not the finish to the season he would want.
With five laps to go Jack Miller crashed out, leaving his Ducati in the gravel, which is where it stayed, he is on a KTM next season. Alex Rins was riding his race his way, but with only 0.7 seconds over P2 man Martin, it was still close, Brad Binder was P3 and Fabio P4.
As the race concluded it was Alex Rins’ first, a superb win for the Suzuki rider, and poignant, as the bike is a contender, and it will not be seen on the track in 2023. Brad Binder rode a steady race to take P2 and Jorge Martin took P3. The story though was that Fabio Quartararo, the 2021 world champion finished P4 and Pecco Bagnaia P9, making him the new 2022 champion.
Results:
Alex Rins, Team Suzuki Ecstar P1. Brad Binder, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, P2. Jorge Martin, Prima Pramac Racing, P3.
It is fifteen years since Ducati last won the world championship with Casey Stoner, and Pecco Bagnaia is the first Italian to win on an Italian bike since Agostini, so it is well deserved for Francesco and he has worked hard for it. Fabio must also come in for praise, as he has extracted everything out of the underpowered Yamaha, its nemesis being the higher performance Ducati.
There is much to look forward to in the MotoGP paddock in 2023, see you there!
Author: Martin Northern
Founder of Bike Directory
