- 2020-11-16
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SPORTS
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Donate to support families affected by the crisis in Ukraine ➔ MotoGP Valencia: Joan Mir Clinches The 2020 MotoGP World Championship Title, Franco Morbidelli Wins in Valencia
MotoGP Valencia saw Joan Mir (Suzuki Ecstar) clinched the 2020 MotoGP Championship title and Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha) took his third victory of 2020 at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia.
Joan Mir becomes the first rider to win the world crown in Moto3 and the premier class. Also, his MotoGP title is Suzuki's first Championship title in two decades.
Jack Miller (Pramac Ducati) finished 2nd, which is his third podium of 2020. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM) was 3rd, which is back-to-back podiums following European GP.
Franco Morbidelli and Jack Miller a got good start and led the race, Joan Mir ran 10th following them. But Championship 2nd standing Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha) crashed out at Turn 6 on lap 9, completely ending his MotoGP world title hopes.
Johann Zarco (Avintia Ducati) and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda), who were running ahead of Joan Mir, crashed out respectively. Then Joan Mir passed Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Gresini) and moved up to 7th.
Franco Morbidelli kept 1st until the final lap, but Jack Miller passed Franco Morbidelli at first corner. However he was wide to allow Franco Morbidellii back through. Jack Miller overtook Franco Morbidellii again at Turn 4, Franco Morbidelli snapped straight back to top again at Turn 5. Jack Miller tried to pass Franco Morbidellii at Turn 11, but Franco Morbidellii ran to the chequered flag ahead of Jack Miller by 0.093s. Finally, Joan Mir took 7th and his first MotoGP title. His teammate Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) finished 4th, ahead of Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) and Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech3).
Franco Morbidelli said, “It was the best victory of the year, maybe even the best one of my life! It was a complicated race: I felt that we had good potential all weekend, but then we opted for the hard front tyre in the race and I had to change my riding style slightly. I couldn’t pull away from Jack [Miller] like I wanted to, despite trying so hard, and I knew that he would be a strong competitor if he got close to me. It was all about giving more than you have on the last lap and that’s what both of us did. We had a really nice, clean fight. I’ve always liked battling Jack because he is tough but clean in his battles, and he was strong today so congratulations to him. I am so happy with the win today so thank you to the team as well. I also want to say congratulations to Joan [Mir] for winning the title this year; he has been a really strong competitor this year.”
Joan Mir said, “It is something I have been fighting for all my life, since I was 10 years old. I had this dream on my mind and I didn’t stop until I got this title, so what can I say? I didn’t expect it honestly because I expected it in the future, but we have the title and it is ours! I say you are crazy! Race by race, year by year I was fast and getting used to the bikes quickly and this made my progression fast, which is the key to being in MotoGP winning the title in the second year. I looked calm and without pressure, but I was not calm and I was not without pressure. I was super nervous, but the truth is this year was difficult. We didn’t just have pressure on track, we had it at home to not get the virus, so it was especially hard to manage. Thank you to my crew who managed it in the perfect way. In Styria, it was the race I was really competitive and fighting for victory but after Misano and Barcelona, that’s when I thought that maybe I am not just fast in Styris, maybe I am able to maintain this feeling with the bike. For me, that was the moment. We sacrificed a year in Moto2, normally I would do two years in Moto2 but the situation was this. We took the right decision to move to MotoGP. For me, to win a title with every manufacturer is unbelievable, that is the target but I was brave in that moment to go with Suzuki because I didn’t expect this potential on the bike in the second year. For me, to win with Suzuki means something more than normal.”
Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana Race Results- Franco Morbidelli / Petronas Yamaha / 41m 22.478s
- Jack Miller / Pramac Ducati / +0.093s
- Pol Espargaro / Red Bull KTM / +3.006s
- Alex Rins / Suzuki Ecstar / +3.697s
- Brad Binder / Red Bull KTM / +4.127s
- Miguel Oliveira / Red Bull KTM Tech3 / +7.272s
- Joan Mir / Suzuki Ecstar / +8.703s
- Andrea Dovizioso / Ducati Team / +8.729s
- Aleix Espargaro / Aprilia Gresini / +15.512s
- Maverick Viñales / Monster Yamaha / +19.043s
- Francesco Bagnaia / Pramac Ducati / +19.456s
- Valentino Rossi / Monster Yamaha / +19.717s
- Cal Crutchlow / LCR Honda / +23.802s
- Stefan Bradl / Repsol Honda / +27.430s
- Danilo Petrucci / Ducati Team / +30.570s
- Alex Marquez / Repsol Honda / +30.619s
- Tito Rabat / Reale Avintia / +42.365s
- Lorenzo Savadori / Aprilia Gresini / +46.472s
- source : MotoGP
