2022 Valencia MotoGP, Ricardo Tormo – Race Results

* Rookie

Francesco Bagnaia is the 2022 MotoGP world champion after a tense ninth place in a Valencia finale sensationally dominated by Alex Rins in Suzuki’s farewell race.

Bagnaia is Ducati’s first MotoGP champion since Casey Stoner in 2007 and Italy’s first since mentor Valentino Rossi in 2009, who was watching from trackside today, joined by a sold-out 92,166 fans.

• Valencia: Final 2022 MotoGP world championship standings

Bagnaia began the race 23-points clear of reigning champion Fabio Quartararo, who thus faced a ‘must-win’ scenario to have any chance of snatching the crown.

Quartararo slipped from fourth to fifth on the opening lap, with Bagnaia just behind him from eighth on the grid, as Rins rocketed from fifth to the lead.

Drama on lap two began when Quartararo swapped places with Jack Miller into Turn 1, with Bagnaia then trying to take advantage after team-mate Miller dived back under Quartararo at Turn 2.

But the title rivals made contact on the exit, sending a winglet flying from Bagnaia’s Ducati.

The pair continued to duel – allowing the top four of Rins, pole starter Jorge Martin, Marc Marquez and Miller to edge away – before Quartararo was able to shake off Bagnaia.

Whether it was the loss of aero or pressure on Bagnaia’s shoulders the Italian was passed by Brad Binder, Joan Mir and Miguel Oliveira, while a for Marc Marquez put Quartararo into fourth and Bagnaia eighth halfway through the 27 laps.

A charging Binder passed Quartararo as the final ten laps began, while Luca Marini demoted VR46 Academy team-mate Bagnaia to ninth.

Miller’s hopes of a farewell podium ended in the gravel with four laps to go, shortly after losing third to future KTM team-mate Binder, putting Quartararo back to fourth and Bagnaia eighth. Future factory team-mate Enea Bastianini was the final rider to pass the #63.

Quartararo ultimately didn’t have the speed to join the Rins, Martin and Binder podium battle in the closing laps, the South African passing Martin and setting his sights on Rins – but just coming up short of the victorious Suzuki rider, who has won two of the GSX-RR’s last three races.

Bastianini was effectively gifted third in the world championship when Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro pitted early in the race, the pair having been separated by just one point coming into the finale.

A DNF for Espargaro’s team-mate Maverick Vinales also meant Aprilia lost second place (behind Ducati) to Yamaha in the constructors’ standings and Aprilia also lost second in the teams’ standings to Red Bull KTM.

Rookies Remy Gardner and Darryn Binder were making their last MotoGP appearances before switching to WorldSBK and Moto2 respectively next season, when Cal Crutchlow will revert to Yamaha testing duties and RNF joins forces with Aprilia.

All riders chose the hard front tyre and medium rear with the exception of LCR Honda riders Alex Marquez and Nakagami, who opted for the soft rear.

An official test will be held at Valencia on Tuesday, when nine riders (including newly crowned Moto2 champion Augusto Fernandez) will make their debuts with new teams.