The Italian looks set to win his maiden MotoGP world championship and bag the title for Ducati for the first time in 15 years
02 November 2022 - 11:30
byAgency Staff and Denis Droppa
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Bagnaia (left) and Quartararo on the Malaysian podium.
Picture: REUTERS
Francesco Bagnaia has one hand on the MotoGP trophy as the season goes down to the wire in Valencia, Spain this Sunday.
With a seemingly insurmountable 23-point lead over his title rival Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha), the Italian looks set to win his maiden MotoGP world championship and bag the title for Ducati for the first time in 15 years. The Italian firm last produced a champion when Casey Stoner won the title in 2007.
After languishing 91 points behind Quartararo at one point of the season, Bagnaia has staged an impressive fight back, and his victory in Malaysia a fortnight ago was his seventh win of the season.
He can become the first Italian to win the title since his mentor Valentino Rossi in 2009. Ducati have already won the constructors' and teams' titles.
Bagnaia will wrap up the championship if he finishes 14th or higher in Valencia. To stand any chance of retaining his world title, Quartararo has to win on Sunday. If the Frenchman doesn't, Bagnaia need not even finish, such is his advantage.
SA’s Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) is in the fight for a top-five championship finish.
The Valencia season-ender also marks the final race for Suzuki, which is quitting MotoGP.
VERSTAPPEN DOESN’T GET ENOUGH CREDIT, CLAIMS RED BULL BOSS
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner believes double world champion Max Verstappen deserves more recognition.
Verstappen refused to talk to Sky Television over the Mexico weekend after pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz referred to Hamilton being “robbed” last year.
Picture: REUTERS
The 25-year-old took a record 14th win of the season in Mexico City on Sunday and has now scored more points in a single campaign (416) than anyone yet, breaking Lewis Hamilton's 2019 record of 413.
“We are actually witnessing something very special. And I sometimes think that his achievements perhaps don’t receive the plaudits that they should,” Horner told reporters after the race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
“I think actually what we’ve witnessed this year is an absolutely outstanding performance from a driver who is very much at the top of his game.”
The sport has become increasingly polarised as it grows in popularity with new audiences.
Social media, as Verstappen observed on Sunday night, has become “a very toxic place” populated by “keyboard warriors” far removed from the racetrack.
Verstappen’s first title in 2021 came amid controversy in the season-ending race, with a late change in the safety car procedure allowing him to overhaul Hamilton on the last lap for victory.
There has been no such suspense this year, with the Dutchman wrapping up the title with four races to spare, but the team’s breach of the budget cap last year has still allowed some to question their achievement.
That clearly rankles, with Verstappen and Horner showing their sensitivity by refusing to talk to Sky television over the Mexico weekend after pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz referred to Hamilton being “robbed” last year.
“Accusations of championships being robbed is something we don’t feel is an impartial commentary ... Max is very upset about it and as a team we support him fully,” said Horner.
FERRARI UNVEILS ITS LE MANS CHALLENGER
Ferrari has taken the wraps off its 499P, the car that will return the brand to the top level of endurance racing for the first time in 50 years.
After 50 years, Ferrari will return to the elite Le Mans class with its new 499P.
Picture: SUPPLIED
Ferrari has been competing in the lower GTE classes of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) in recent years but from 2023 it will take on Porsche, Toyota, Peugeot and Cadillac (with Lamborghini and BMW to join in 2024) for overall victory in the premier Hypercar category at circuits around the world including the Le Mans 24 Hour.
Ferrari has achieved 22 world titles and nine overall wins at Le Mans, but last competed in the premier class with the 312P in 1973. The Italian marque last won the WCM, the forerunner of today's WEC, in 1972.
The striking new Ferrari 499P Hypercar prototype has red livery with yellow trimming inspired by the 312 P. The “499P” name refers to the capacity in cubic centimetres of each cylinder while the “P” represents prototype. Ferrari’s new all-wheel drive hybrid racer is powered by a mid-mounted twin-turbo 3.0l V6 engine and a front-mounted electric motor for a combined 500kW output.
Its racing debut will be at the inaugural WEC round, the Sebring 1000 Miles, in March.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
THE MOTORSPORT LAP
Bagnaia holds the cards in MotoGP season decider
The Italian looks set to win his maiden MotoGP world championship and bag the title for Ducati for the first time in 15 years
Francesco Bagnaia has one hand on the MotoGP trophy as the season goes down to the wire in Valencia, Spain this Sunday.
With a seemingly insurmountable 23-point lead over his title rival Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha), the Italian looks set to win his maiden MotoGP world championship and bag the title for Ducati for the first time in 15 years. The Italian firm last produced a champion when Casey Stoner won the title in 2007.
After languishing 91 points behind Quartararo at one point of the season, Bagnaia has staged an impressive fight back, and his victory in Malaysia a fortnight ago was his seventh win of the season.
He can become the first Italian to win the title since his mentor Valentino Rossi in 2009. Ducati have already won the constructors' and teams' titles.
Bagnaia will wrap up the championship if he finishes 14th or higher in Valencia. To stand any chance of retaining his world title, Quartararo has to win on Sunday. If the Frenchman doesn't, Bagnaia need not even finish, such is his advantage.
SA’s Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) is in the fight for a top-five championship finish.
The Valencia season-ender also marks the final race for Suzuki, which is quitting MotoGP.
VERSTAPPEN DOESN’T GET ENOUGH CREDIT, CLAIMS RED BULL BOSS
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner believes double world champion Max Verstappen deserves more recognition.
The 25-year-old took a record 14th win of the season in Mexico City on Sunday and has now scored more points in a single campaign (416) than anyone yet, breaking Lewis Hamilton's 2019 record of 413.
“We are actually witnessing something very special. And I sometimes think that his achievements perhaps don’t receive the plaudits that they should,” Horner told reporters after the race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
“I think actually what we’ve witnessed this year is an absolutely outstanding performance from a driver who is very much at the top of his game.”
The sport has become increasingly polarised as it grows in popularity with new audiences.
Social media, as Verstappen observed on Sunday night, has become “a very toxic place” populated by “keyboard warriors” far removed from the racetrack.
Verstappen’s first title in 2021 came amid controversy in the season-ending race, with a late change in the safety car procedure allowing him to overhaul Hamilton on the last lap for victory.
There has been no such suspense this year, with the Dutchman wrapping up the title with four races to spare, but the team’s breach of the budget cap last year has still allowed some to question their achievement.
That clearly rankles, with Verstappen and Horner showing their sensitivity by refusing to talk to Sky television over the Mexico weekend after pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz referred to Hamilton being “robbed” last year.
“Accusations of championships being robbed is something we don’t feel is an impartial commentary ... Max is very upset about it and as a team we support him fully,” said Horner.
FERRARI UNVEILS ITS LE MANS CHALLENGER
Ferrari has taken the wraps off its 499P, the car that will return the brand to the top level of endurance racing for the first time in 50 years.
Ferrari has been competing in the lower GTE classes of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) in recent years but from 2023 it will take on Porsche, Toyota, Peugeot and Cadillac (with Lamborghini and BMW to join in 2024) for overall victory in the premier Hypercar category at circuits around the world including the Le Mans 24 Hour.
Ferrari has achieved 22 world titles and nine overall wins at Le Mans, but last competed in the premier class with the 312P in 1973. The Italian marque last won the WCM, the forerunner of today's WEC, in 1972.
The striking new Ferrari 499P Hypercar prototype has red livery with yellow trimming inspired by the 312 P. The “499P” name refers to the capacity in cubic centimetres of each cylinder while the “P” represents prototype. Ferrari’s new all-wheel drive hybrid racer is powered by a mid-mounted twin-turbo 3.0l V6 engine and a front-mounted electric motor for a combined 500kW output.
Its racing debut will be at the inaugural WEC round, the Sebring 1000 Miles, in March.
With Reuters
Verstappen secures 14 wins in F1 season
Bagnaia closes in on MotoGP title with Malaysian win
Kyalami 9 Hour confirmed for February 2023
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most Read
Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.