MADRID, 14 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Italian rider Francesco Bagnaia led the Ducati podium this Sunday with his victory in the MotoGP race of the Valencian Community Grand Prix, which put an end to the Motorcycle World Championship and the career of one of its greatest riders, the transalpine Valentino Rossi (Rossi).
For the last time, the ’46’ gave gas in a Ricardo Tormo Circuit rendered at his feet. With the stands tinted in yellow, ‘Il Dottore’ received, on his lap of honor and in the middle of the corridor of his companions, his last tribute as a pilot after a career dotted with successes and that makes him enter the Olympus of world motorcycling; only his compatriot Giacomo Agostini (15) and the unforgettable Ángel Nieto (12 + 1) have won more titles than him.
Nine winches, seven in the premier class (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008 and 2009), which crown a brutal 26-year career, with 115 victories and 235 podiums. 20 years and 311 days between his first triumph, in 1996 in 125 cc in Sepang, beating the Spanish Jorge Martínez ‘Aspar’, until the last, in Assen in 2017. This Sunday, in Cheste, he offered his last dance finishing tenth.
Meanwhile, Italian Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati), runner-up in the premier class only behind Frenchman Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha), sneaked into the ‘Vale’ party with a victory in the last race of the course, on a podium that they completed Saturday’s ‘poleman’, the Spanish Jorge Martín (Ducati), and the Australian Jack Miller (Ducati).
In the final fireworks of the World Championship at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit, where Pol Espargaró (Repsol Honda) did not participate after his hard fall on Saturday in the third free practice, Jorge Martín (Ducati) defended his pole position to take the lead of the event ahead of Australian Jack Miller (Ducati) and Joan Mir (Suzuki).
The Italian Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati), who had started second, reacted early to return to the front positions, in which Àlex Rins (Suzuki) also slipped. However, with 17 laps to go and when he was running third, the Barcelona native crashed into turn 6 to say goodbye to his options.
With ten laps remaining, ‘Pecco’ managed to overtake Martín and lead to the checkered flag, followed by the San Sebastián de los Reyes driver and Miller.
Instead, the spotlight was on an excited Valentino Rossi who crossed the finish line tenth and put an end to his career.
As for the rest of the Spanish, Joan Mir (Suzuki) finished fourth, just ahead of champion Quartararo, Aleix Espargaró (Aprilia) was ninth, Àlex Márquez (Honda) thirteenth, Iker Lecuona (KTM) fifteenth and Maverick Viñales (Aprilia), sixteenth.