RACE REPORT | MotoGP Barcelona 2024

Jorge Martin made MotoGP history by becoming the first independent team rider to win the championship in the modern era. His tactical third-place finish at the Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona secured the title, despite Francesco Bagnaia dominating the race to claim his 11th victory of the season.

Jorge Martin secured the 2024 MotoGP title, becoming the first independent team rider to win the championship in recent MotoGP history. Martin’s consistent season with Pramac Racing was highlighted by seven sprint wins and three grand prix victories. He finished the Solidarity Grand Prix Barcelona in third place, opting for a safe and tactical race instead of risking it all for the win.

Francesco Bagnaia dominated the race, but it wasn’t enough to secure the title. Leading the race from start to finish, he claimed his 11th win of the season. Despite this milestone, Bagnaia ended up 10 points short of Martin in the final standings.

From the start of the race, Bagnaia launched perfectly from pole position, taking the holeshot into Turn 1. Martin jumped from fourth to second place, while Marc Marquez held third. However, Marquez quickly overtook Martin on Lap 2, moving into second as Bagnaia began building a gap. Martin, aware that third place would be enough to secure the championship, focused on maintaining his position for the rest of the race.

A crucial role was played by Aleix Espargaro, who supported Martin by engaging in a tight battle with Enea Bastianini. Espargaro emerged victorious in this fight, allowing Martin some breathing room to maintain his focus on the championship. Meanwhile, a mistake by Bastianini cost him a few places, and he had to fight his way back up in the latter half of the race.

Bagnaia controlled the race pace, keeping Marquez sharp. Marquez stayed close but couldn’t find an opportunity to overtake. Nevertheless, Marquez celebrated his 150th career podium finish. By Lap 15, Bagnaia extended his lead further, solidifying his grip on first place. The race itself was largely uneventful, with Bagnaia taking the win, Marquez finishing second, and Martin rounding out the podium to clinch the championship. The only notable incident was Joan Mir crashing out.

KTM’s Brad Binder delivered an impressive performance, starting from 18th on the grid and finishing sixth. Binder overtook Bastianini on the final lap and also benefited from a tough day for Pedro Acosta. Acosta struggled with grip issues in the latter part of the race, ultimately finishing 10th, behind Franco Morbidelli and Marco Bezzecchi.

Fabio Quartararo put in a solid performance to finish 11th, ahead of his future teammates Miguel Oliveira and Jack Miller.

Race results: