MotoGP™: Márquez wraps up 2019 with home success

The Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana was won by Spaniard Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda Team). Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha Petronas SRT) was second, while Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) made it three different bikemakers on the podium. All three riders chose the same tyre combination for the 19th and last round of the 2019 MotoGPTM World Championship.  

What a season it has been for Márquez! Not only does his personal score for the year amount to 18 podium finishes, 12 victories and 10 pole positions, but he is also the first rider to have exceeded 400 points in the course of a single campaign, and he wrapped up the title in Thailand with four races remaining.

After qualifying second for today’s curtain-closer, and running on medium- and hard-compound MICHELIN Power Slicks front and rear, the world champion completed the first of the afternoon’s 27 laps in fifth place. He had pledged to come either first or second, however, so, he knuckled down and focused on climbing back up the order. By Lap 4, he was up to second, behind Quartararo, having posted a new race lap record for Valencia (1m31.116s).

Four laps later, he eased into the lead which he defended all the way to the flag, taking advantage of the grip and consistency of his tyres to keep the French youngster at bay and claim his 12th win of the 19-round championship.

Quartararo’s efforts in Spain were rewarded with his sixth pole position of the year and a seventh top-three finish to crown his debut season which saw him pocket both the Best Rookie and Best Independent Team Rider laurels.

Third-placed Miller notched up his fifth podium of 2019, ahead of Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), Alex Rins (ECSTAR Suzuki Team) and Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP). Joan Mir (ECSTAR Suzuki Team), Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Gresini Team) and Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) rounded out the day’s top 10, while Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team) completed the final race of his MotoGPTM career in 13th spot.

Four bike brands figured in the 2019 finale’s top five.

Márquez’ win in Spain earned the Teams’ world crown for Repsol Honda Team, while Viñales and Dovizioso secured the season’s silver and bronze medals.

All the riders selected the medium front MICHELIN Power Slick Medium, mated to either the soft, medium or hard option at the rear. The entire MICHELIN Power Slick range was used over the weekend, however, to provide the teams with the necessary versatility to cover the chillier than usual conditions.

One of the reasons Michelin is involved in motorsport is to finetune developments it can carry over to road tyres. An example of this process was showcased at the recent EICMA Show in Milan, Italy, where it presented its latest MICHELIN Power range which features four tyres that pack technologies proven in MotoGPTM racing.

The teams and riders will remain in Valencia this week for the first official pre-2020 test on Tuesday and Wednesday.