MotoGP’s on-track action for 2024 has concluded. Álex Márquez finished the Barcelona test day as the fastest rider after leading much of Tuesday’s session.

The Spaniard from Gresini, who began working with the Ducati Desmosedici GP24, was the only rider to lap in the 1m38s range (1m38.803s) during his best of 61 laps. He beat Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) by 0.396s. It was a busy day for the Iwata manufacturer, testing a new chassis and beginning on-track collaboration with Prima Pramac.

Francesco Bagnaia and his new Ducati teammate Marc Márquez finished third and fourth, respectively, separated by just 0.056s and over half a second behind the leader. Raúl Fernández (Trackhouse) was the best-placed Aprilia rider in fifth.

Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) followed, while Johann Zarco (LCR Honda) was tenth on the best-performing RC213V. Making his Aprilia debut, reigning champion Jorge Martín posted the 11th fastest time, 1.056s slower than Álex Márquez.

Aleix Espargaró began working with Honda as a test rider and set the 14th fastest time, ahead of factory rider Joan Mir. Among the rookies, Fermín Aldeguer (Gresini/Ducati) was the fastest, finishing 20th, one position ahead of Ai Ogura (Trackhouse/Aprilia). Ogura logged the most laps of the day with 86.

Timesheets:

Final test results @alexmarquez73 tops the #BarcelonaTest as the curtain falls on 2024! #MotoGP pic.twitter.com/GBEh9L22o5

— MotoGP (@MotoGP) November 19, 2024

O conteúdo Álex Márquez tops test day in Barcelona aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Jorge Martín is MotoGP World Champion! The rematch is complete and the Spaniard has just been crowned world champion of the category after the Barcelona Solidarity GP, finishing third. Pecco Bagnaia was in the lead from start to finish and won for the 18th time this year, but ended the year 10 points behind his opponent. Marc Márquez was second and finishes third in the overall standings.

Everything was in place for the start of the most decisive GP of the season, where the new 2024 world champion would be known. The fight was on between Jorge Martín and Pecco Bagnaia, with the Pramac Racing Spaniard going into the race 19 points ahead of his opponent and a two-time consecutive class champion. The #89 was 24 laps away from glory and putting his name among the list of class champions, but Bagnaia still had his say.

But the fight didn’t stop there, with the final third place being fought out between Enea Bastianini and Marc Márquez, with the Italian getting the better of his opponent for the time being after yesterday’s podium finish.

This was also the last full-time race for Aleix Espargaró and Takaaki Nakagami, with Augusto Fernández also saying goodbye (for now) to the grid, and with many riders having their last races with their respective teams, such as Márquez, Franco Morbidelli, Jack Miller, Miguel Oliveira, Maverick Viñales, Pedro Acosta, Martín, Marco Bezzecchi, among others.

The race got underway with Bagnaia in good form and making the most of his pole position, with Martín moving up to second straight away, M.Márquez was third and Bastianini was fourth, having started from eighth. Espargaró dropped to fifth.

Martín had meanwhile been overtaken by M.Márquez and all he had to do was control the risk. The Spaniard was 0.188s behind his compatriot and future factory Ducati rider, but ninth place was enough for him to finish as champion.

Within three laps Martín was easing up and was now 0.8s behind the race leader, while Espargaró was growing and was now fourth, but it didn’t take long for the Italian to respond and retake the position.

Within five laps the Pramac rider was already more than 1s down on Bagnaia, who in turn had 0.180s on M.Márquez. Espargaró, once again, overtook Bastianini, who said without fear that he had helped his best friend Martín.

BACK AND FORTH! @Bestia23 and @AleixEspargaro are battling hard for that 4th position! #SolidarityGP pic.twitter.com/Sno6IbEAw6

— MotoGP (@MotoGP) November 17, 2024

If M.Márquez took the lead and won and Bagnaia was second, Martín could even finish the race in 14th place and still be champion.

Is @marcmarquez93 going to attack Pecco for the lead?

He's currently 0.2s behind @PeccoBagnaia #SolidarityGP pic.twitter.com/iGYQfPGWY5

— MotoGP (@MotoGP) November 17, 2024

In the meantime, Álex Márquez came sixth after beating Pedro Acosta, the best KTM rider on the track.

At the end of lap seven, Joan Mir crashed again this year and was out of the race. Shortly afterwards Franco Morbidelli overtook Bastianini, but the Italian Ducati rider responded and retook the position, while further back Brad Binder beat Bezzecchi.

Martín had the squire he wanted in the race when he held on to fourth place and now had Á as his most direct pursuer. Márquez, who climbed into the top five after a mistake by Bastianini.

The Beast makes a mistake @Bestia23 plummets to 7th! #SolidarityGP pic.twitter.com/ot6sOuDEhE

— MotoGP (@MotoGP) November 17, 2024

With ten laps completed, this was the top ten: Bagnaia, M.Márquez, Martín, Espargaró, Á.Márquez, Acosta, Morbidelli, Bastianini, Binder and Bezzecchi.

The race was tense and the nervousness was palpable, with Martín seeing the weather play in his favor and the laps going smoothly, and despite being almost 2s behind the leader with 11 laps to go, third place was more than enough to become champion. Márquez was also further behind Bagnaia, who was now 0.5s ahead of his future teammate: if the Italian won, it would be his 18th victory of the year.

10 LAPS TO GO @PeccoBagnaia still leads @marcmarquez93 and as it stands @88jorgemartin would be Champion! #SolidarityGP pic.twitter.com/DHAIOOdtIN

— MotoGP (@MotoGP) November 17, 2024

Among the Aprilia riders, Espargaró remained fourth, Miguel Oliveira was 12th, Raúl Fernández 15th ahead of Maverick Viñales. Fabio Quartararo was the best Yamaha rider in 11th, Acosta the best KTM rider in sixth, and in the Honda class Johann Zarco was the benchmark in 14th.

The race continued at a good pace and was already in the final quarter, with six laps to go, and Martín was third with a 3s deficit to Bagnaia, but he was running his race and seemed “only” concerned with controlling and managing his actions on the track.

It should be noted that Binder was already seventh and Pedro Acosta, in the opposite direction, was ninth. If the race were to end now, the South African would climb to fifth in the championship and be the best KTM rider in the overall standings.

Lap after lap Martín saw his dream getting closer and Bagnaia could only hope for a disaster on the part of his opponent if he was to still dream of the title, since it wasn’t up to him alone, but he was doing his part brilliantly, leaving no room for doubt that he was the fastest rider at Montmeló.

And the title was done! Jorge Martín is the new MotoGP world champion!!!

O conteúdo Rematch completed and Jorge Martín is the new MotoGP World Champion! Pecco Bagnaia won in Barcelona aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Jorge Martín is the new MotoGP World Champion, becoming the first satellite team rider to achieve this feat since Valentino Rossi in 2001.

The Spanish rider from Prima Pramac arrived at the Solidarity GP in Barcelona with a strong chance of securing the title, holding a 24-point lead over Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati).

And for that reason, he could have sealed the title already in the Sprint race on Saturday. However, he didn’t manage to, and only on Sunday, with his third place in the main race, did #89 achieve the much-anticipated title. He only needed to finish in ninth, so he greatly exceeded the requirements, after a solid, calm, and error-free performance.

Thus, Martín now joins an exclusive club of 30 premier-class champions, alongside Ducati Lenovo Team (Teams’ Championship) and Ducati (Constructors’ Championship) in the 2024 MotoGP hall of fame.

O conteúdo History is made! Jorge Martín crowned MotoGP World Champion aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

All postponed until tomorrow! Pecco Bagnaia won the Sprint race, Jorge Martín’s specialty, in Barcelona and saw his opponent overtaken at the end by his teammate, who in a way “helped” him.

Everything was in place for the Sprint with the MotoGP title at stake. Leading contender Jorge Martín would have to beat Pecco Bagnaia by two points to secure the title, but it was the Italian starting from pole position, ahead of Aleix Espargaró and Marc Márquez, while the #89 was fourth in qualifying.

What an unbelievable start to the race for Bastianini, who took the lead from eighth position! Martín was quickly up to second, but Bagnaia responded and retook the position.

LIGHTS OUT IN THE FINAL #TissotSprint OF 2024 @Bestia23 leads @PeccoBagnaia as @88jorgemartin is 3rd into T1 #SolidarityGP | #TheRematch pic.twitter.com/iiikUpZUNY

— MotoGP (@MotoGP) November 16, 2024

The world champion quickly began to make a living and moved to the front, with Bestia between him and Martín. Franco Morbidelli was fourth and Álex Márquez fifth. Espargaró, with a very poor start, was eighth.

It should be noted that in the third corner of the first lap Marc Márquez and Pedro Acosta had a collision that ripped the front of the fairing off the KTM RC16.

In the right timing Martín went on the attack and overtook Bastianini, who tried to respond immediately, determined not to let his opponent get away. Bastianini was now provisionally third in the overall standings.

The fight was intense between the #23 and the #89 and on the following lap the Ducati rider moved into second place and “helped” Bagnaia, who led by 0.691s over his teammate. Aleix Espargaró was now sixth.

With eight laps to go Bastianini was overtaken by Martín and then also by Morbidelli, but he responded and regained third place. Bagnaia was already more than 1.3s ahead of Martín, and if it ended like this, the title would be decided tomorrow.

It's all kicking off again for 2nd! @88jorgemartin is through on @Bestia23 and @FrankyMorbido12 & @alexmarquez73 join the fight too! #SolidarityGP pic.twitter.com/7sULMBdCH7

— MotoGP (@MotoGP) November 16, 2024

With seven laps to go, this was the top ten: Bagnaia, Martín, Bastianini, Morbidelli, Á. Márquez, Espargaró, M. Márquez, Marco Bezzecchi, Fabio Quartararo and Brad Binder. It should be noted that Acosta had already retired from the race a few laps ago.

If the race ended now, Martín would have a 21-point lead going into tomorrow’s race. The Spaniard just had to manage the race and not crash, as the (greater) pressure was on Bagnaia’s side.

Morbidelli meanwhile dropped two positions and Á. Márquez was fourth and Espargaró fifth.

The Sprint was progressing at a good pace towards the end and if Bagnaia was comfortable, the truth was that at the end the gap between Martín and Bastianini was 0.355s and a lot could still happen.

In the last two laps Martín was losing time but Bastianini wasn’t and the Italian went on the attack and even gained the position.

Unsurprisingly, Bagnaia confirmed victory in the Sprint and postponed the title decision until tomorrow, while Bastianini beat Martín and helped his teammate, and more importantly, is provisionally third.

O conteúdo Pecco Bagnaia wins the Sprint in great fashion and postpones the title decider; Enea Bastianini beats Jorge Martín in the battle for second aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Pecco Bagnaia is giving his all and keeping his title hopes alive and has just secured pole position for the Barcelona Solidarity GP, with Jorge Martín taking fourth and starting from the second row of the grid.

The first lap in the time attack saw Bagnaia fastest with a 1:39.583s, with Marquéz second and 0.037s away. Fabio Quartararo was third, Enea Bastianini fourth, Maverick Viñales fifth and Jorge Martín seventh.

In the second session Bagnaia improved his time to 1:38.835s, Márquez was second and now Martín was third.

The session was about halfway through and with it the final preparations in the garage, with Bagnaia leading ahead of Márquez, Martín was third, Quartararo fourth, Pedro Acosta fifth and Viñales sixth.

Needing everything and everyone to be at their best, Bagnaia remained the leader for the first few minutes of the restart, with Márquez 0.138s behind and Martín 0.241s behind.

There were two minutes to go and the session was in a phase of apparent calm and serenity, but certainly about to strike.

Soon after, Franco Morbidelli beat Martín to third and was on the front row of the grid, with Martín in fourth. Who was threatening first place was Aleix Espargaró, who is doing his last GP as a full-time MotoGP rider.

However, the Spaniard came within 0.055s of Bagnaia, and it was close…

Pecco Bagnaia thus secured pole position, and will be joined by Espargaró and Márquez on the front row, with Martín on the second.

O conteúdo Pecco Bagnaia did his bit and secured pole position for the Barcelona Solidarity GP; Jorge Martín was fourth and starts from the second row aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Francesco Bagnaia set the pace on the first day of the MotoGP Solidarity GP of Barcelona. On Friday, the 2022 and 2023 champion topped the Practice session by a slim margin.

After the initial flying laps, Jorge Martín (Prima Pramac/Ducati) was in the lead, holding a 0.318s advantage over Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati), with Enea Bastianini (Ducati) in third. The leaderboard soon shifted as Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46/Ducati) climbed to the top, with Bagnaia staying in second.

Álex Márquez (Gresini/Ducati), Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GasGas Tech3/KTM), and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) also moved into the top five during the opening 10 minutes. By the 15-minute mark, Bezzecchi held a 0.157s lead over Álex Márquez, with Acosta 0.159s behind in third.

The order at the top remained unchanged until the session’s second half when Maverick Viñales (Aprilia) took second place. In the final 15 minutes, Martín set the fastest lap of the day at that point, while Bastianini moved into third. Aleix Espargaró (Aprilia) also showed strong pace during this phase.

Following his teammate Takaaki Nakagami’s impressive performance in Free Practice 1, Johann Zarco (LCR Honda) jumped to the top of the timesheets with nine minutes remaining. However, the fastest laps came later.

With less than two minutes to go, Bagnaia (Ducati) secured the top spot by being 0.080s faster than Bezzecchi, who also improved at the same time. Espargaró moved into third, and the top three remained unchanged until the end of the session.

Zarco finished fourth, ahead of Martín in fifth, with Viñales in sixth. Brothers Álex and Marc Márquez (Gresini/Ducati) secured seventh and eighth positions, respectively, just ahead of Acosta. Bastianini claimed the final direct qualification spot for the second qualifying in tenth, a mere 0.021s ahead of Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM).

Timesheets:

O conteúdo Francesco Bagnaia shows his strength leading Barcelona Practice by 0.080s aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Surprise at the MotoGP Solidarity GP of Barcelona! Takaaki Nakagami topped the timesheets in the first free practice session, held in chilly and overcast conditions.

Early on, only seven riders had set times when Joan Mir (Repsol Honda) led ahead of Álex Márquez (Gresini/Ducati). However, a heavy crash involving Red Bull GasGas Tech3 riders Augusto Fernández and Pedro Acosta brought out the red flags just six minutes into the session.

Although Fernández and Acosta escaped without serious injuries, barrier repairs at Turn 6 caused a lengthy delay.

When the session resumed, Jorge Martín (Prima Pramac/Ducati) moved to the top of the timesheets, with Mir in second. The 2020 champion didn’t hold his position for long. Martín was soon overtaken by Álex Márquez, who was then bested by Acosta, with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) sitting fourth.

In the final ten minutes, positions at the front shifted. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) climbed to third, while Nakagami (LCR Honda) rose to fourth, pushing Martín to fifth. Shockingly, Nakagami snatched the top spot with just two minutes remaining.

The Japanese rider held onto his lead, starting his final GP with an FP1 victory. Acosta was second, 0.411s behind, followed by Álex Márquez in third, Binder in fourth, and Martín rounding out the top five. Bagnaia set the seventh-fastest time.

Timesheets:

O conteúdo Takaaki Nakagami stuns with FP1 leadership in Barcelona aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

In a powerful move for the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing MotoGP team, MotoGP legend Dani Pedrosa will continue his vital role as KTM’s lead development force through 2025. The Spanish racing icon, who first partnered with KTM in 2019 after retiring from full-time competition, has been instrumental in transforming KTM’s RC16 machinery and pushing the boundaries of performance at the highest level of Grand Prix motorcycle racing.

Since joining as a test rider, Pedrosa has made four wildcard race appearances, each showcasing his profound impact on the RC16’s evolution. Now, at 39, he will continue lending his unparalleled insight to KTM’s testing and R&D programs, spearheading efforts to refine the bike and enhance performance for upcoming seasons.

“It’s a pleasure to take our journey into another year,” Pedrosa said. “We know where improvements are needed, and the whole factory is relentless in the pursuit of the best bike for our riders. I’m excited for what we can achieve in 2025 and the ideas that lie ahead.”

KTM Motorsports Director Pit Beirer echoed Pedrosa’s enthusiasm, calling the decision to extend their partnership a “straightforward” one. “Dani’s contributions are invaluable, not only on the track but in all levels of our MotoGP program. With him on board, the turnaround we seek will come even faster.”

As KTM targets breakthrough performances in 2025 and 2026, Pedrosa’s expertise will be the driving force behind their pursuit of MotoGP excellence, making this partnership one of the most promising in the sport’s cutting-edge development race.

O conteúdo Dani Pedrosa Extends Partnership with KTM, Fueling MotoGP Innovation for 2025 aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

As the roar of engines approaches a crescendo, MotoGP fans worldwide stand at the edge of their seats, bracing for a final battle that will decide not just a champion but a legacy. The fight for supremacy in the 2024 MotoGP season has boiled down to two ferocious gladiators: Jorge Martín and Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia. With the crown within grasp, these riders have been forced to dig deep into their…

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O conteúdo The Clash of Titans: Jorge Martín vs. Pecco Bagnaia—Who Deserves the Crown in MotoGP’s Epic 2024 Showdown? aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

It’s now official: the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will host the final round of the MotoGP season from November 15 to 17. The original dates for the Valencia GP, which had to be canceled due to the effects of storm Dana, remain in place.

The championship organizers believe that Barcelona ‘is the easiest option for fans who were already planning to attend the MotoGP season finale’, as well as ‘the most efficient choice, providing a close to seamless alternative for personnel and logistics’.

The event will be organized by MotoGP, which has committed to competing on behalf of Valencia and all those affected by last week’s natural disaster.

Additional information will soon be available for fans who wish to attend the GP on-site, along with various initiatives throughout the weekend to support Valencia.

O conteúdo Official: MotoGP season to end in Barcelona from November 15 to 17 aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.