‘I started crying’: emotional Jorge Martín clinches MotoGP world title

Prima Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martín was crowned the 2024 MotoGP world champion after he finished third at Sunday’s season-ending Solidarity Grand Prix, which was won by his title rival Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati.

Martín led by 19 points heading into the final race of the season and the Spaniard needed to finish in the top nine to clinch the title if the polesitter and double champion Bagnaia won the race. Gresini Racing’s Marc Márquez finished second in Barcelona. The original venue was Valencia, but it was changed after the recent floods.

Bagnaia had done everything to close the gap in the title race, with victory in the final grand prix his 11th of the season, but Martín’s 32 podiums across sprints and races earned him the title by 10 points.

Martín had lost out on the championship last season when Bagnaia won his second title but this time he came out on top and his family were in the garage to witness his greatest achievement.

“I don’t know what to say, I’m completely shocked,” an emotional Martín said after kissing the new panel on his bike which had a golden No 1 instead of his No 89. “On the last few laps I couldn’t even ride, I started crying a bit, it was really an emotional race … It’s been a long journey, a lot of crashes and big injuries. So finally we are here.”

Bagnaia and Martín made superb starts off the line and the title rivals went into turn one first and second. Márquez was third but he dived in on the inside of turn one on the second lap to overtake Martín.

Enea Bastianini immediately began to hound Martín but the Ducati rider did not see Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaró behind him as the Spaniard elbowed his way past to move up to fourth in the final race of his career at his home grand prix.

The top three maintained their pace over the course of the next few laps, with Martín under no pressure in third place as the experienced Espargaró defended fourth position in an intense battle with Álex Márquez.

Bagnaia eventually cruised to victory – with his future teammate Marc Márquez finishing second – but the Italian and the Ducati garage could only watch on as Martín finished third to seal the title and spark wild celebrations.

Nicknamed “The Martínator”, Martín celebrated by donning a robot mask and theatrically shooting a glass case with his fingers as it shattered to reveal a golden helmet.

“I don’t want to steal the shine [spotlight] from Jorge, I think he’s deserving of what he has achieved and this day is for him,” Bagnaia said. “I just want to say thanks to my team, they did an incredible job. All the rest is another story, but congratulations to Jorge.”

Martín will be defending his crown with Aprilia next season after Ducati opted not to sign him as Bagnaia’s teammate.