BY NEIL MORRISON
PHOTOGRAPHY GOLD & GOOSE
A
round rescheduled at the
last minute. The cold-
est temperatures of the
season. An expanded Michelin
tire allocation to deal with the
perils of a track with almost all
left-handers.
And a host of names fired
up to sign off in style. The final
round of 2024 offered up banana
skins aplenty for Jorge Martin
(Prima Pramac Ducati). Yet the
Spaniard held his nerve in a
tense finale to claim one of mo
-
torcycle racing's biggest prizes.
Holding a 24-point advantage
with 37 left in play, the Span-
iard knew he could manage the
season's final round and still
emerge triumphant. Yet that
didn't mean it was easy; far
from it, as chief rival Francesco
Bagnaia (Lenovo Ducati) exerted
maximum pressure throughout,
convincingly winning the Sprint,
and leading from the front on
Sunday. Even if a ninth place
would give the Pramac rider
the ultimate prize, he knew he
couldn't put a foot wrong or
else.
MOTOGP
SPRINT RACE
Martin's nerves were stretched
thin at the start as Enea Bastian-
ini (Lenovo Ducati) led into turn
one while a loose Marc Marquez
(Gresini Ducati) narrowly avoid-
ed tagging the championship
top two. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia
Racing Team) was stranded in
the pack after he wheelied off
the line. And after Pedro Acos-
ta's (Red Bull GasGas Tech3)
Sprint was ended by contact
with Marquez through turn
three, Martin could breathe once
again, as the final Sprint of the
year settled into a rhythm with
Bagnaia first and Martin second.
Such relief was fleeting,
however, as Bastianini was a
constant menace, exchang
-
ing second with Martin twice
ROUND 20 / NOVEMBER 15-17, 2024
CIRCUIT OF BARCELONA-CATALUNYA / BARCELONA, SPAIN
ROAD RACE I FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
P52
MARTIN
IS KING!
