2022 Valencia GP: Bagnaia crowned Ducati’s first World Champion in 15 years

Francesco Bagnaia has been crowned the 2022 MotoGP World Champion, becoming the first Italian rider on an Italian bike to do so in 50 years, since the legendary Giacomo Agostini on an MV Agusta. It also marks Ducati’s first rider’s World Championship crown since Casey Stoner was crowned champion in 2007. 

While Ducati scored the triple crown (rider, team and constructor’s champion), Suzuki bowed out of the premier class with a resounding victory at the hands of Alex Rins, who also won at the Australian GP. 

• Alex Rins takes a dominant victory in his final race with Suzuki

• Sunday specialist Binder takes second place

• Bastianini finishes third in the riders' championship 

Ducati victorious after 15 long years

Since Casey Stoner won the rider’s title back in 2007, the Bologna factory has been unable to replicate that success with anyone else, though they did come close a few times with Andrea Dovizioso. Francesco Bagnaia was the first rider to reclaim that crown for the first time in fifteen years. After his mentor Valentino Rossi won the championship in 2009, he became the first Italian rider in 11 years to win a world title in recent history. 

Jorge Martin, who took the pole for the fifth time this year, took the third and final spot on the podium, becoming the sole Ducati rider in the top 7.  

Suzuki bows out gracefully

Suzuki, who rocked the motorcycle world with their decision of leaving MotoGP, was victorious at the hands of Alex Rins. A hard-charging Rins charged up from fifth on the grid to take a dominant victory in what was the Hamamatsu-based marque’s swansong race in the premier class. 

KTM ends the season with a bang

Brad Binder, who usually comes into his own on race day, took a hard-fought second place finish after starting seventh. Miguel Oliveira, who donned the orange colours for the final time in 2022 before switching to Aprilia machinery the next year, finished fifth. 

Heartbreak for Honda, Aprilia

Aprilia were championship contenders right until the penultimate round/ However, they were forced to end their season with zero points scored in the finale, as both their riders retired after suffering electronic issues. 

Honda was only slightly better off, with Takkaki Nakagami being the only points-scorer, finishing 14th. Both Repsol Honda riders, Marc Marquez and Pol Espargaro, also crashed out.  

Next year will be a landmark year for Indian motorsport enthusiasts as MotoGP will finally be heading to India. The provisional dates for the inaugural Bharat GP have been fixed for September 22-24, 2023. 

2022 Valencia GP results