VOLUME 59 ISSUE 50 DECEMBER 13, 2022 P103
A
nailbiting ninth place at the year's
final race didn't quite do Francesco
Bagnaia's 2022 MotoGP achieve-
ment justice. Yet it was still enough to end
Ducati's premier-class drought that stretched
15 years.
The Italian was rarely convincing over
three intense days in Spain, which was
packed with pressure. However, coming to
Valencia needing just 14th place to secure
his second world title, he didn't need to be.
His real work was done in the nine races
before, when he amassed 177 points from a
possible 225, making back 114 on chief rival
Fabio Quartararo in the process.
MOTOGP HAS A NEW
CHAMPION IN THE FORM
OF ITALIAN FRANCESCO
"PECCO" BAGNAIA. AND
HE DID IT THE HARD WAY
BY NEIL MORRISON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GOLD & GOOSE
nervy Valencian
pulled it off for
rider's title since
Stoner in 2007.
