More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

#PerfectComb1nation: Pecco Bagnaia is the 2022 MotoGP™ World Champion!

The Italian takes the premier class crown after a tense race in Valencia, becoming the first Ducati rider to win the title for 15 years

Sunday, 06 November 2022

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) is the 2022 MotoGP™ World Champion! The incredible rollercoaster comeback is complete as the Italian came home in the top ten in Valencia to secure the crown, having overcome a deficit of 91 points back before summer break. Bagnaia is the first Ducati rider to take the crown since Casey Stoner in 2007, the first Italian to achieve the feat since Valentino Rossi in 2009, and first Italian on an Italian bike since Giacomo Agostini in 1972.

Born in Turin, Bagnaia enjoyed MiniMoto success before going international onto bigger machinery in the then-CEV in 2011 on a 125, learning his craft before moving up to the Moto3™ World Championship for 2013. Joining the VR46 Riders Academy and then moving to SKY VR46 for 2014, the pieces were in motion before a statement season. On Mahindra at Aspar for 2015, he was the lead rider for the squad and only confirmed that in 2016 as he took the bike’s first ever win – and second. The first was at Assen and the second Sepang, earning him a special treat from the team: the chance to try the MotoGP™ bike in the post-season Valencia test.

Bagnaia moved up to Moto2™ in 2017 with the new Sky Racing Team VR46 intermediate class effort and was Rookie of the Year, taking several podiums. In 2018 he then hit the ground running and was a contender for the crown from the off, with imperious form and some incredible wins seeing him take the title in Malaysia. Next stop: MotoGP™.

Despite showing impressive speed in his first outings in the premier class in testing, it was a difficult rookie year for Bagnaia at Pramac Racing. Still, a fantastic fourth place in at Phillip Island showed plenty signs of promise. 2020 proved a mixed year for the Italian, but he earned an impressive second place in the San Marino GP and a week later at the same track, he was on the verge of a maiden premier class victory until a heartbreaking crash ended his hopes. He never quite got going again in the remaining races that year, but 2021 saw him move to the factory squad and signalled the start of a whole new chapter.

Three podiums and a pole in the opening four rounds signalled the Italian as a title contender and, despite a blip in the middle of the season, he was the last remaining challenger to eventual Champion Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) – and finished the year as the rider with the momentum. From a debut MotoGP™ win at Aragon after an incredible head-to-head with Marc Marquez to an amazing victory in Misano a week after, Bagnaia had arrived and he signed off the season with a win in Valencia, too.

2022, however, began on the back foot. A crash in Qatar, a tough race in Lombok, two fifths and an eighth signalled an unexpected start to the season, but Jerez saw the number 63 back on top in a race-long chess match with Quartararo. Then came another crash, at Le Mans, and then another win at Mugello as the Italian took the spoils on home turf. But the rollercoaster went down again as bad luck saw him take home a zero in Barcelona and a mistake caused the same at the Sachsenring. Then, Bagnaia was 91 points behind points leader Quartararo, the biggest deficit overcome to date.

The best way to stage a comeback is to start winning, and Bagnaia did just that as he took an awesome four victories in a row in Assen, Silverstone, Austria and Misano. In Aragon it was second place one year on from his first win, but it was hundredths in it as he duelled it out against 2023 teammate Enea Bastianini. Again. But the rollercoaster was in motion once more at Motegi as Bagnaia slid out on the very last lap – and from right behind key rival Quartararo, losing some ground hard-gained since summer break.

Thailand marked a huge challenge as a rainy race day gave many flashbacks of Lombok, where Quartararo has taken a podium and Bagnaia only one single point, but fortunes were reversed at Buriram as Pecco podiumed and El Diablo failed to score. Then came Australia and a crash for Quartararo as Bagnaia once again got back on the box, before a tense, tense first match point at Sepang.

There, it was once again Bagnaia vs Bastianini. All race long the two went toe-to-toe, with all eyes on the duo who will share the factory garage next season. But this time it was the number 63 who kept the nerves under control and the upper hand on track, taking his seventh win of the season to pull out a 23-point lead as Quartararo put in an impressive stand with a podium.

And so, #TheDecider had arrived. Two riders, 23 points, and one crown. It was a nervy weekend for Bagnaia at times but once the lights went out, the track lit up with an incredible race to sign off an era of Grand Prix racing. Quartararo was pushing to get to the front and it got heated for a few tense, gloves-off laps between the Frenchman and the Ducatis – and a few more – but as the race went on the result seemed set: Quartararo had to win to retain the crown, and win he would not. Bagnaia, having lost some aero in a tangle with the Frenchman, kept it calm but slipped back in the top ten once that became clear – and crossed the line in ninth to crown himself 2022 MotoGP™ World Champion.

Complimenti, Pecco! #GoFree and fiesta!

#PerfectComb1nation IN STATS

Francesco Bagnaia is the first Italian rider to clinch a premier class world title since Valentino Rossi in 2009. Overall, he is the seventh different Italian rider to do so along with Giacomo Agostini (8), Valentino Rossi (7), Umberto Masetti (2), Libero Liberati (1), Marco Lucchinelli (1) and Franco Uncini (1).

Bagnaia’s title is the 21st in the premier class for Italy and the 80th overall in Grand Prix racing.

Bagnaia became the second Ducati rider to take the premier class world title along with Casey Stoner in 2007.

Aged 25 years and 296 days old, Bagnaia is the oldest rider to clinch his maiden MotoGP™ world title since the introduction of the class in 2002. Nicky Hayden in 2006 is next: 25 years and 91 days old.

Bagnaia is the first Italian rider on an Italian bike to win the premier class title since MotoGP™ Legend Giacomo Agostini in 1972 with MV Agusta.

At the 2022 San Marino GP, Bagnaia took a fourth win in four successive GP races, becoming the first ever Ducati rider to do so in any class of GP racing. Since the introduction of MotoGP™ in 2002, Bagnaia became the fourth different rider to take four (or more) wins in four (or more) successive races in the class along with Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo and Marc Marquez.

With 11 premier class wins, all with Ducati, Bagnaia sits in third place on the list of Ducati riders with most wins in the class behind Casey Stoner (23 wins) and Andrea Dovizioso (14).

With 20 premier class podiums so far, Bagnaia is the fifth Ducati rider with most podiums in the class, behind Jack Miller (21 podiums). Casey Stoner leads the way with 42 podiums.

This season Bagnaia has stood on the MotoGP™ podium more than any other rider (10 times), including seven wins. Only two Ducati riders have scored seven (or more) wins in a single season: Casey Stoner (10 in 2007) and Bagnaia (2022).

After the German GP, Bagnaia was sixth in the Championship, 91 points off the leader Fabio Quartararo, meaning this is the best point recovery to take the crown since the introduction of the point scoring system in 1993.

Since 2001, there have been only two occasions on which the rider who clinched the title at the end of the year didn’t finish within the top five in the opening race of season: Joan Mir (2020) and Francesco Bagnaia (2022); they both crashed out.

Bagnaia also became the first rider to clinch the premier class title despite five DNFs throughout the season.

Bagnaia is only the second rider to clinch the premier class world title having previously clinched the Moto2™ title, along with Marc Marquez.

QUOTES

PECCO BAGNAIA

How does it feel?

“I’m very, very happy because on the day of the worst race of the calendar I’ve had a special sweet taste When I crossed the finish line and saw my pit board with writing saying I was the World Champion everything was brighter and nicer. My emotion is incredible in this moment. It wasn’t easy because after the fight with Fabio I lost a winglet and from that moment everything was a nightmare. I’ve done lap by lap trying ride defensive lines, but it was very difficult, and it took so long to finish the race. I’m very proud of my team, myself and of what we did because it’s incredible.”

Did you think it was going to be difficult after Germany?

“Yeah, like I said one or two races ago, I lost the faith in the championship for one hour after the Sachsenring race but then after that I knew there was still a chance to be World Champion. Sincerely, the work we did this year was incredible. We performed in an incredible way in the second part of the year. We tried to analyze everything, at home also, to see what to improve, why I was crashing and I was making so many mistakes, and from that moment we’ve just done some incredible. I’m very happy for that because we really deserve this title.”

Most difficult moment + best moment?

“The most difficult was Sachsenring, because I was very competitive like in Le Mans. I was there with a possibility to win the race, but I crashed and in that moment I realised my weak point was that. I was a rider with a lot of ups and downs, with good speed but no consistency. To accept that was not easy. From that moment I recognised I had a problem and I tried to improve myself, also thanks to the people at home that worked with me everything day and helped me a lot. I think I improved myself a lot this season.”

On Ducati’s long wait:

“I saw many faces crying, and it was incredible. I was crying too. It was an amazing victory because I was feeling the weight on my shoulders to give back this title to my team, to Ducati, and to Italy. When I spoke to Vale, he said to me yesterday that you have you be proud to have this possibility, not everyone can have the same feeling. It’s true that you feel the pressure, you feel anxiety, you feel fear, but you have to be proud of it, be happy to have it, and try to enjoy it. I tried to do it, and today in fact it didn’t work but sincerely I’m very happy to think who we have as a mentor and leader.

BIOGRAPHY

First Grand Prix: Qatar 2013, Moto3™

First pole position: Silverstone 2016, Moto3™

First podium: Le Mans 2015, Moto3™

First victory: Assen 2016, Moto3™

Grands Prix: 172

Victories: 21

Podiums: 43

Pole positions: 18

Fastest laps: 14

World Championships: Moto2™ (2018), MotoGP™ (2022)

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

That’s a wrap: history made & Champions crowned in a dramatic decider in Valencia

Rins wins in an emotional farewell for Suzuki, Binder storms to second, Martin completes the podium… and the tense finale to the Championship sees Bagnaia secure the crown and Quartararo go out swinging

Sunday, 06 November 2022

It was tense, it was close, it was emotional and it was a stunning finale for the 2022 season. As Ducati Lenovo Team’s Francesco Bagnaia took the crown with ninth place and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) came home fourth, it was Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) who gave the Hamamatsu factory an emotional send off with a stunning final victory in blue. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) came to within one single point of the top five overall as he absolutely stormed to second, with Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) completing the podium from pole.

Rins qualified on the middle of Row 2 but made a brilliant start and led the field to the first corner, ahead of pole-sitter Martin and Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team). Quartararo took a wide berth at the Turn 2 braking zone, emerging behind Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and in a battle for fifth with none other than Bagnaia. When Marquez attacked Miller for third on the opening lap, Quartararo squeezed his Yamaha down the inside of the Australian’s Ducati at Turn 8 as well, and he was up to fourth.

Miller hit back at the start of Lap 2, forcing Quartararo to pick up his YZR-M1 at Turn 2 with a pass which incentivised Bagnaia to also have a look. The title contenders made contact which pulled a wing off the factory Ducati in a sudden pulse of adrenaline, but Bagnaia was ahead of his key rival. It stayed that way until Lap 4, when Quartararo was down the inside at Turn 6 and back into fifth – but facing a task to catch the top four.

In said top four, Miller moved back into the podium positions when he passed Marquez on Lap 6 at Turn 1, before the eight-time World Champion crashed out altogether four laps later at Turn 8. In the meantime, Quartararo had shaken Bagnaia, who, due to some combination of caution and the damage from his contact with ‘El Diablo’, was on the fade. He had already been overtaken for sixth by Brad Binder when he gave Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) an easy position on Lap 13 at Turn 14.

Up the road, Rins was trying to break away but the rest of the top five was compressing, which was both good and bad news for Quartararo given he was running fourth with a KTM ridden by Binder catching up. The Frenchman braked as deep as he dared at Turn 1 at the start of Lap 18 to try and keep the South African behind, but ran wide and was picked off by Binder at Turn 2.

Meanwhile, Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was also through on Bagnaia, and soon Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) was as well. Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) then caught up to his future teammate too, and while there was plenty said ahead of the weekend, Pecco left a humongous gap at Turn 2 on Lap 22 to give it to ‘La Bestia’ and save himself any possible trouble.

It was more dramatic in the battle for the podium places, with Binder going past his own future teammate, Miller, on Lap 23 at Turn 2, then setting after Martin. Halfway around the lap at Turn 11, Miller’s last race with Ducati came to a premature end when he crashed out, handing over fourth spot to Quartararo again.

Rins had not quite been able to drop the field like he might have hoped, but was still nine tenths of a second to the good when Binder overtook Martin for second at Turn 4 on the penultimate lap. The South African threw a few more kitchen sinks at it but they would take the chequered flag 0.396 seconds apart as Rins delivered the final win for Suzuki in its current stint in MotoGP™, with Binder P2 and Martin getting home just over a second from victory. Quartararo was nine tenths further back after a valiant fight to the flag.

Oliveira would pass Mir for fifth, with the 2020 World Champion therefore classified sixth, ahead of Marini and Bastianini. Bagnaia found himself under pressure from Quartararo’s Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ teammate Franco Morbidelli in the final laps but beat him to ninth position. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) finished 11th, ahead of Tech3 KTM Factory Racing duo Raul Fernandez and Remy Gardner, then Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) in 14th and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) in the last points-paying position. Joining Miller on the list of retirements was Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) after a crash on Lap 16, plus both the Aprilia Racing entries of Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Viñales, both the Repsol Honda Team entries of Marquez and Pol Espargaro, and Darryn Binder (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™ Team).

Bagnaia can now celebrate his first MotoGP™ Championship crown, and Ducati’s first riders’ title in 15 long years, but before the off-season, we have the Valencia Test back at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo on Tuesday. Farewell to those off to pastures new, those retiring for a third time, those heading for the intermediate class… and good luck to everyone taking on new challenges next season. First, the Awards. Then, the tests. And then? Sprint races are GO. Join us in March as Portugal hosts the first Grand Prix of a new era… we can’t wait!

MotoGP™ PODIUM

1 Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) – Suzuki – 41’22.250

2 Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) – KTM – +0.396

3 Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) – Ducati – +1.059

ALEX RINS

“Amazing amazing. You know, to finish the season with Suzuki leaving, we cannot finish better. I mean, P1, I’m so, so proud. I’ve learnt a lot with Suzuki in these years. Starting a new chapter in my life now but thank you guys. I’m so happy!”

FABIO QUARTARARO

Describe to us your emotions today:

“Yeah it was a tough race, especially on the left side of the tyre. I did my 100% but it was not enough today to fight for the podium or even the victory. A bit disappointed but congratulations to Pecco for his title.”

Was it all decided on the opening laps?

“Especially today it was hotter, and the front tyre on the left side was completely soft so that was part of the reason we lost the race.”

How has it been battling over the last few GPs?

“Pecco made an amazing second part of the season. We knew that the Ducati was the fastest bike on the second half of the season, well also during the first one, but he was the fastest of them so congratulations to him and I can’t wait until Tuesday to try our new bike.”

Acosta seals Rookie of the Year with victory as Fernandez follows him home to secure the crown

A Red Bull KTM Ajo 1-2 ensures the two riders take their spoils this season as Ogura and Lopez crash out and Arbolino completes the podium

In a tense Moto2™ showdown in Valencia, Red Bull KTM Ajo ruled. Pedro Acosta came out on top to win the final race of the season and secure himself the title of Rookie of the Year, and teammate Augusto Fernandez shadowed him home to become the 2022 Moto2™ World Champion. Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) crashed out of second place on Lap 8, after which Fernandez went full gas for an attack on the win but couldn’t quite overhaul Acosta. Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) led for much of the 25-lap race but would eventually complete the podium at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo.

Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools Speed Up) took the early lead from pole position, ahead of Acosta, Arbolino, and Ogura, who started the weekend trying to overhaul a 9.5-point deficit in the Championship. Fernandez took up fifth initially but lost the spot when Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools Speed Up) made an aggressive move at Turn 5, and that was certainly not the only aggression in the opening stages.

Acosta passed Lopez as they started the second lap, but the pole-sitter dived straight back at him at Turn 2, making contact as he took both well wide. Lopez would be handed a conduct warning for that but the bigger implications were Arbolino assuming the lead and Ogura second place as Fernandez was fifth – meaning the latter led the Championship, as live, by just half a point.

The battle between Lopez and Acosta continued until the former ran well wide on Lap 4 at Turn 8 and dropped to fifth. He had no chance to recover when he ran wide again just three corners later and then crashed out of the race, putting Fernandez’s live lead over Ogura up to 2.5 points. But then Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) passed the Spaniard into Turn 1 on Lap 6.

At the end of that lap, however, Ogura barely stopped himself from clattering into leader Arbolino at Turn 14, and Beaubier was then on the floor and out of the race, giving Fernandez some breathing space again. The Championship leader trailed third-placed Acosta by about one full second on the road, and the 2021 Moto3™ Champ looked to do his teammate a favour as he tried to pass Ogura on Lap 8.

The Japanese rider was either able to re-pass immediately if not resist Acosta completely, until the knockout blow came moments later at Turn 8. Ogura suddenly crashed out and his hopes were dashed, meaning Fernandez was able to cruise to the chequered flag if he wanted to. But he didn’t, and neither did teammate Acosta. The number 51 overtook Arbolino for the lead into Turn 1 on Lap 12, and Fernandez followed not long after.

The new Champion pushed him to the flag but Acosta scored the third victory of his rookie intermediate class season, with Fernandez taking second and the crown. Arbolino completed the podium for some more good form after his Sepang win.

Aldeguer was next up, ahead of Albert Arenas (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team), Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team), Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team), and Jeremy Alcoba (Liqui Moly Intact GP), despite the latter having to serve a Long Lap Penalty late on for a clash with Mattia Pasini (RW Racing GP).

Senna Agius (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) finished an impressive ninth as injury replacement for Sam Lowes and Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) took a top 10 in his final Moto2™ race.

For Fernandez, the celebrations continue, but not for too long – he starts his new life as a MotoGP™ rider on Tuesday with the Valencia Test! For many it was a farewell and others a springboard, but now it’s on to winter testing and new adventures. Join us again for more next year at the season opener… in Portugal!

Moto2™ PODIUM

1 Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – Kalex – 39’52.413

2 Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – Kalex – +1.232

3 Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) – Kalex – +10.163

PEDRO ACOSTA

“Good stuff! I just saw on the board, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.6… I thought f***, when is this guy going to stop pushing?! But it makes me happy to finish the season with a win, since Mugello we haven’t made many mistakes except Thailand, but we have to be happy. We are fifth in the Championship after eight 0s, not bad! So we have to be happy.

“I just want to say as well, I’m going to miss Augusto in the box. He’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had. I’m very happy for him, but I did want to beat him!”

AI OGURA

“Firstly, it’s a shame how I finished the season. It’s not the way we wanted. In the situation I had, victory was the only way to get the title. I went for it and unfortunately I crashed. I was trying, we were trying until the end. It was a nice season. Some victories and a lot of podiums and we are proud of ourselves and next season we will try again!”

Duel to the finish: Guevara gets the gloves off to defeat Öncü

The two escape in the lead for a spectacular last lap showdown, with Garcia completing the podium and taking second overall

The final Moto3™ race of the season was a spectacular farewell, with a duel for the win going right to the wire. The battle saw reigning Champion Izan Guevara (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) go toe-to-toe with Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) throughout the final lap, with the Turkish rider ahead into the final corner and Guevara going wide to gas it to the line – and come out on top to sign off from the lightweight class in some style. Gloves off, and show spectacular to the flag.

Sergio Garcia (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) completed the podium after escaping from a bigger fight for fourth, ensuring the number 11 takes the silver medal this season. The three contenders for it ultimately crossed the line in order, with Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) taking fourth and just pipping Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max).

Adrian Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Tech3) took an impressive sixth, ahead of David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) and next rookie home Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI), with the Brazilian securing Rookie of the Year with the result despite a Long Lap on race day.

Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) and Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) complete the top ten, with Sepang winner John McPhee (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) signing off from Grand Prix racing in P11 for a few more points.

Now it’s time for a new chapter for many. A new class for the reigning Champion, runner up and third overall, and new colours and teams for many more too. Make sure to tune in for 2023 and another season of incredible action… and chapeau to the class of 2022!

Moto3™ PODIUM

1 Izan Guevara (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) – GASGAS – 38:10.406

2 Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) – KTM – +0.062

3 Sergio Garcia (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) – GASGAS – +6.557

IZAN GUEVARA 

“Amazing feeling, incredible pace, I was really fast…sublime. Thanks to my team for the work during all the season. A great race, I won the four races in Spain, just phenomenal. It is my last race in the Moto3 class, next year I go to Moto2. Perfect race today. Time to enjoy with my family, team and fans!”

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

#FastAF: Augusto Fernandez is the 2022 Moto2™ World Champion!

The Spaniard wraps up the crown on home turf in Valencia

Sunday, 06 November 2022

Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) is the 2022 Moto2™ World Champion! After a dramatic finale at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana that saw sole remaining rival Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) crash out, the Spaniard was already Champion before the flag – and came through to take second and secure the crown in style with a podium.

Fernandez won the European Junior Cup in 2014 and competed in Superstock 600 thereafter, where he achieved a victory in 2015. He was fifth in the Moto2™ European Championship the following year as he moved onto new machinery, and he started the next season with a podium. That year, 2017, also saw Fernandez called up to make his Grand Prix debut at the 2017 Italian GP with Speed Up.

Despite scoring points, he initially didn’t get a ride in the Grand Prix paddock for 2018 and returned to European level but not long after, everything changed. Looking for a rider mid-season, the Pons Moto2™ squad picked Fernandez to return to the World Championship and he didn’t disappoint, starting to bank top eight and top ten performances.

2019 was a huge turning point. Despite some injury struggles early in the year with a broken wrist, Fernandez was back with a bang as he returned at Jerez and took his first Grand Prix podium. Another followed at Le Mans before a first Grand Prix victory at the classic TT Circuit Assen, backed up by two more at Silverstone and Misano. His title challenge faded towards the end of the season and 2020 proved a more difficult year with no podiums, but Fernandez worked his way back towards the front in 2021, returning to the rostrum by Assen and ending the year fifth overall to sign off from Elf Marc VDS Racing Team.

In new colours with Red Bull KTM Ajo, 2022 didn’t get off to the perfect start as Fernandez didn’t visit the podium until Le Mans, but that was a win and the eventual Champion was back in the groove. A second podium at Catalunya then prefaced three wins in a row as Fernandez began his title assault in earnest, and his form remained consistent to the end of the season barring one mistake at Phillip Island. At the time potentially pivotal, a fourth place next time out at Sepang as rival Ogura crashed out saw the number 37 regain the lead and arrive into the season finale as the rider ahead – by 9.5 points.

In a tense final showdown, both Fernandez and Ogura were fighting it out in the front positions before the Japanese rider slid out – guaranteeing Fernandez the Championship. Pressure off, the number 37 then chased teammate and Rookie of the Year Pedro Acosta home, within six tenths at the start of the final lap and taking a ninth podium of the season to celebrate the crown in style.

Congratulations, Augusto. We’ll see you on Tuesday… in MotoGP™!

#FastAF IN STATS

Augusto Fernandez has nine podiums this season (more than any other rider) and 20 overall in Moto2™. He sits in 10th place on the list of riders with most podiums in the class, with one less than Franco Morbidelli and Miguel Oliveira.

With seven wins in Moto2™, Fernandez is tied in 13th place on the list of riders with the most wins in the class with Toni Elias.

He is the sixth Spanish rider to win the Moto2™ title after along with Toni Elias, Marc and Alex Marquez, Pol Espargaro and Tito Rabat, and is the ninth Spanish rider to clinch the title in the intermediate category. Fernandez’ title is also 12th in the class for Spain and the 57th in Grand Prix racing.

Fernandez is one of 12 riders who has won at least three Moto2™ races in a row.

QUOTES

AUGUSTO FERNANDEZ

“It’s been an amazing year. I really enjoyed the race after the first laps. Honestly today I felt the pressure out there on the first laps, and a bit of frustration because I knew I had more speed but I was being too careful. I saw the fight between Alonso and Pedro and knew they were fighting for Rookie of the Year, they were fighting hard. It was hard to pass them. I knew it was enough, but risky. But I knew I had more pace than everyone except maybe Pedro.

“I’m sorry for Ai and his crash, he was pushing hard, but after that I forgot about everything, I did my race and pace. Just tried to finished the season with a win and I went for it. Pedro was super fast in practice, like me, but with a bit extra. I’m happy with the race because I pushed to the end and I tried to push him to the last corner. It was an awesome race and I’m super happy for him also to get the Rookie, and for the team to win the teams’.

“In Australia we were so close to having a good chance for the rest of the races, the season, and for me it was also tough in Malaysia. On Sunday, during the race, it was my hardest because in Australia ok it’s my fault but I still have chances, nothing lost and only a few points with two races to fight again. But in Malaysia where he was fighting for the win and I was struggling to get into the top five, I think that was my longest and toughest race of the year.

“I’m proud of how we, as a family, got to here. My ‘strange’ career, my way to the World Championship and then to securing my place here. Every step. And the bad years, after 2019 when we’d been super competitive before two bad years. But I’m the rider I am today because of those bad years too, there’s nothing to regret. I’m just proud of my family, myself and everything.”

BIOGRAPHY

First Grand Prix: Italy 2017, Moto2™

First pole position: Catalunya 2019, Moto2™

First podium: Spain 2019, Moto2™

First victory: Assen 2019, Moto2™

Grands Prix: 94

Victories: 7

Podiums: 20

Pole positions: 3

Fastest laps: 11

World Championships: Moto2™ (2022)

World Championship career:

2017: Moto2™ World Championship – 31st, Speed Up, 13 races, 6 points

2018: Moto2™ World Championship – 18th, Kalex, 12 races, 45 points

2019: Moto2™ World Championship – 5th, Kalex, 17 races, 207 points

2020: Moto2™ World Championship – 13th, Kalex, 14 races, 71 points

2021: Moto2™ World Championship – 5th, Kalex, 18 races, 174 points

2022: Moto2™ World Championship – 1st, Kalex, 20 races, 271.5 points

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

This is it: Quartararo 4th, Bagnaia 8th as Martin and Marquez head the grid

Martin takes pole ahead of Marquez, with Miller third and Quartararo just 0.066 off the front row as Bagnaia faces down a date with destiny from eighth

Saturday, 05 November 2022

This is it. The stage is set for the #TheDecider. On pole it’s Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) followed by Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) to make some interesting front row dynamics, while Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) pushed as hard has he could – and then some – to earn P4 on the grid at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo.

Importantly for Yamaha’s title contender, he will start a full row ahead of World Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), who qualified eighth – with everything still very much possible in this title fight…

As was the case a fortnight ago in Malaysia, Martin was on the pace immediately in Q2, setting a 1:29.621 which would still be fastest at the end of the first runs. Miller was second on a 1:29.834 and Quartararo fourth on a 1:30.135, while Bagnaia was back to pitlane after a single 1:30.766 which left him 11th when the track went quiet.

Miller’s hopes of one last pole for Ducati then disappeared when he crashed at Turn 2, while an under-the-weather Marc Marquez jumped from ninth to P2 when he fired in a 1:30.049. Bagnaia then moved to sixth, ahead of Quartararo, before ‘El Diablo’ leapfrogged his title rival by clocking a 1:30.027.

There were more yellow flags when Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) had a spill at Turn 6, while Bagnaia toured the run-off at Turn 8. Quartararo was still on a hot lap and, fortunately for him, it was unaffected as he sought to elevate himself further up the grid. He did indeed move up two spots more to fourth with a 1:29.900 before running into the Turn 2 gravel trap on his final lap of the session – although that was in fact a moot point with replays showing FQ20 also running onto the green at Turn 1 beforehand.

Martin had no improvement during his second run but still bagged pole, ahead of Marc Marquez and Miller, who kept his berth on the front row despite the tumble. Quartararo heads up Row 2, next to Q1 graduate Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and the pace-setter in that earlier qualifying session, Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing). Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was classified seventh, ahead of Bagnaia, Zarco, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar).

Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) had moved into second place in Q1 with a 1:30.193 but Rins hit back and then Bastianini’s chances of advancing to Q2 were dashed when he crashed at Turn 2 – rider okay. ‘La Bestia’ is set to start 13th and Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), who topped FP4 and then threatened to upstage both Viñales and Rins late in Q1, from 14th.

On Sunday at 14:00 (GMT +1), the 2022 World Champion will be decided. Two riders, 23 points and one single crown puts everything on the line in one final showdown for the year – and era. Do. Not. Miss. This.

MotoGP™ QUALI

1 Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) – Ducati – 1’29.621

2 Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) – Honda – +0.205

3 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.213

4 Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) – Yamaha – +0.279

8 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.428

QUOTES

JORGE MARTIN

“It was a difficult day, I felt good in terms of pace but for a time attack I didn’t have that extra this morning but this afternoon I found something and with the hard front I feel much better in braking. The first stint was great which I didn’t expect because normally you need 2 or 3 laps on the right side, on the second stint I thought I could improve but I had some moments on the rear, but finally pole position, third in a row and fifth of the season. I’m happy but the important thing is tomorrow and I’ll give it everything!”

FABIO QUARTARARO

Can you win from P4?

“Yes, I think we have the possibility. Our pace looks much better than the position we start on the race and yeah, looking forward to starting tomorrow.”

How much did you have to push?

“Yeah over the limit, but you know it’s a race where I need to be at my maximum to try to be on top and to have the possibility to fight for the victory tomorrow was super important to be on the second row.”

Are the first 2/3 laps going to be crucial?

“Yeah it’s going to be crucial and it’s also going to be super important to not make any stupid mistakes, but I’m feeling ready and I feel like we are doing a pretty good job.”

FRANCESCO BAGNAIA

Did today go to plan?

“No absolutely not. Starting from yesterday we are struggling a bit with new tyres and also for the time attack, me and other two or three riders with the Ducati are having the same issue. We have to consider the positives and I think our pace with used tyres is quite good, with new tyres we’re struggling a bit more compared to other riders but I think from 8-10 laps we can be competitive and start to be at the front.”

How nervous are you for the first few laps?

“On this moment I’m just thinking of what to do to improve my bike with my team, I think the ideas we have are good. I’m just thinking on that, I know if I start thinking ‘ah I’m starting eighth, I have to do this, this and this,’ it’s the worst. So I will try to start well for sure but in this moment I just want to focus on my bike.”

Just 0.001 in it! Lopez pips Acosta to pole, Fernandez P3 and Ogura P5

Two battles are set to launch from the front: Lopez vs Acosta for Rookie of the Year, and Fernandez vs Ogura for the crown

Beta Tools Speed Up’s Alonso Lopez has taken his first Grand Prix pole position by just 0.001, setting a new Lap Record to pip his rival for Rookie of the Year, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo), to the top.

Acosta was the pace-setter in both FP2 and FP3, and he started Q2 in the same fashion with a 1:34.972 on his opening flyer. Next time through, Lopez took over P1 with a 1:34.314 before Acosta fell just short of reclaiming top spot by a single thousandth. Still, both are under the All Time Lap Record. Incredibly, Lopez then went and set yet another 1:34.314, meaning he can boast two identical fastest laps of the session!

Championship protagonists Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) take P3 and P5, respectively, with the former also leading the latter by 9.5 points in the standings ahead of a decisive final race of the season.

After Ogura had closed in on Fernandez in FP3, he laid down the challenge by lapping quicker than the Spaniard in the early stages of Q2. The Championship-leading KTM Ajo ultimately overhauled him to sit third but Ogura will be just one row behind in fifth.

Between them on the timesheets is Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), who came from Q1 to take fourth on the grid with a 1:34.583. Sixth went to fellow Q1 graduate Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) and seventh to Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40), while Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools Speed Up) dusted himself off from a crash at Turn 2 to move up to eighth thanks to a 1:34.771 on his final lap. Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) topped Q1 before securing a P9 start and Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team) rounded out the top 10.

Moto2™ FRONT ROW

1 Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools Speed Up) – Boscoscuro – 1’34.314

2 Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – Kalex – +0.001

3 Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – Kalex – +0.167

AUGUSTO FERNANDEZ 

“Happy to be on the front row, that was the goal for qualifying. And also because I’ve been working good with the team all weekend, we’ve been strong all weekend, in every practice we’ve been at the front. I think we have good pace to also try and fight for the victory tomorrow so this is what I wanted before the weekend started, build confidence with the bike, build good pace for the race. I think we have it, so let’s see.”

AI OGURA

“It was a good day, we made a big step from yesterday. I’m really happy about the position and the lap time and the gap to the top, it was a good day and second row is really good for us.

“Especially the front row guys are riding really fast and it’s not easy to beat them. I need to make some step tomorrow but from yesterday to today we made a big step, I hope I can make a fast start tomorrow and fight with the guys. Just do my maximum and finish the race is the target for tomorrow.”

Guevara takes final Moto3™ pole as Garcia, Sasaki and Foggia all line up in the top 7

The reigning Champion pips Öncü as the fight for second gets ready to rumble at the front

Reigning Champion Izan Guevara (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) will start his final Moto3™ race from pole position as he pipped Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) by just 0.046 at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana. Sergio Garcia (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team), who is currently two points ahead in the three-way fight for second overall, locks out the front row.

Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing), the rider two points off Garcia, will start seventh, with Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max), currently fourth overall but still in contention for second, lining up fifth.

Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) is fourth on the grid, and the Brazilian leads the fight for Rookie of the Year heading into the final race. He is currently on 104 points ahead of Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Daniel Holgado (97) and BOE Motorsports’ David Muñoz (84), his only rivals. Muñoz qualified 14th and Holgado 15th, but both will move up a place as 11th-fastest rider Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) will start from pitlane.

Masia was involved in arguably the headline grabber of the day in Moto3™, as he and Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) had a coming together on-track in FP3 followed by fisticuffs on the sidelines. Both have been given a pitlane start and Long Lap for the race, as well as a fine of 1000 euros.