The 2023 MotoGP season came to a dramatic and brilliant end in Valencia. What else could we expect from a season that was the first of its kind with the sprint races? After this very sprint race in Valencia, which was won by Jorge Martin, the final race of the 2023 MotoGP season was once again full of excitement, because a win for Jorge Martin and a fifth place for Francesco Bagnaia would have made Martin the first customer rider to take the MotoGP crown.
The inherited pole position
On Sunday morning in the warm-up session, smoke rose from Maverick Vinales’ Aprilia machine. The smoke billowing from the rear of the bike prompted the stewards to stop Vinales with flags and a message on the dashboard. However, the Aprilia rider drove to the pits. The disregard for the rules prompted the stewards to impose a penalty – and Vinales lost his pole position. He was moved back 3 places on the grid. Luckily for Francesco Bagnaia, the defending champion inherited pole position. A good starting position for the Ducati rider.
Jorge Martin and the pressure of Sunday
The tension before the Valencia GP was enormous. The pressure on both riders could be seen on their faces. Who would make the decisive mistake? Who could beat the other and become world champion? The pressure seemed to be too much for Jorge Martin. The Pramac rider lost crucial places shortly after the start of the race due to a riding error. The resulting chase to catch up ended abruptly in the gravel along with Marc Marquez. The world championship was decided at that moment. Jorge Martin tried everything and lost.
Francesco Bagnaia kept his nerve. The Ducati factory rider won a race and defended his world championship. Francesco Bagnaia earned the title not only through his riding performance, but also through nerves of steel and concentration. He is an absolutely deserving world champion.
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