Could we ask for more coming into the final week of MotoGP this year? Two riders compete for the title, with two races until the end and all sorts of options in the air. On top of everything, the fantastic circuit in Valencia is adding more thrill to the entire situation.
But before we dive into the intricate calculations required to unravel the title chances, let’s provide a comprehensive breakdown of how Pecco Bagnaia can clinch the 2023 championship on Saturday and eliminate any uncertainties for Sunday’s race.
Valencia 2018 – Pecco Bagnaia, Marc Marquez & Jorge Martin pose for the 2018 World Champion's photo 🏆
5 years later, Pecco & Jorge are fighting for the MotoGP World Championship & it's Marc's final race in Repsol Honda colours 🤯#MotoGP #ValenciaGP pic.twitter.com/WmyNkp0gBX
— Crash MotoGP (@crash_motogp) November 23, 2023
Currently, Bagnaia holds a 21-point advantage over his closest rival, Jorge Martin. However, it’s important to note that he also holds a tiebreak, having more Grand Prix victories this season. The Italian has six victories while on the other hand, Spaniard two fewer.
With this in mind, Bagnaia must secure a lead of at least 25 points over Martin after the sprint race. In simple words, he needs to have at least four more points than his rival at the sprint race.
In summary, Bagnaia faces a compelling challenge in his pursuit of the 2023 MotoGP championship. The stakes are high, the competition fierce, and the twists and turns of this thrilling season finale will surely leave fans on the edge of their seats.
Strengths and Flaws
While Martin has an obvious advantage when it comes to speed, Bagnaia is better when it comes to endurance. That’s the best possible way of explaining these two guys. The Spanish rider recorded better results in sprint races, having 156 points compared to 135 his rival managed to generate. Meanwhile, the picture is completely the opposite when talking about classic Grand Prix races, where the Italian collected 42 points more than Martin.
So, to cut down all the advanced combinations and math, the best thing for Martin is to win both races, while on the other side, Bagnaia can’t be better placed than No.6 in either competition. It would be stupid to say anything else but that the odds are against Martin because it really is like that.
Though we’ve seen some flips in the final rounds throughout history, therefore, it’s possible for the Spaniard to beat the statistics and emerge victorious. It wouldn’t be the first nor the last such situation.
Something About the Track
The Valencian Comunity Grand Prix takes place at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, which was built in 1999 and has been the home of one Grand Prix ever since. Dani Pedrosa is the most successful driver with seven victories, four in MotoGP, while Jorge Lorenzo has the same number of wins in that category but none in others.
Last year’s MotoGP winner was Alex Rins, who rode Suzuki, while Bagnaia triumphed the year before.
Bonus About Marc Marquez’s Departure From Honda
For the past ten years, Marc Marquez has been a part of Honda, and during that time, the Spanish-Japanese combination has provided six titles for the rider. Without any doubt, he was the most dominant rider of the 2010s, setting numerous records and marking an era that will be studied by the generations to come.
The farewell will be emotional, with these two sides having a lot of memories, good ones we need to add.
Marquez head for a new challenge now, with him becoming a part of Gresini Ducati. There won’t be too much time for Marquez to lament over past times, as he immediately begins to test his new motor right after the end of this race.
Here are the odds for the upcoming race. BetXchange has plenty to offer to its visitors.
