Martin couldn’t ride his bike in the final laps of Barcelona because he was ‘crying’

New MotoGP champion Jorge Martin says he cried under his helmet during the final laps of the Barcelona Grand Prix, which is why he was unable to ride his bike.Pramac rider Jorge Martin clinched his first MotoGP title by finishing third in the final race of the season, putting him 10 points clear of rival Francesco Bagnaia in the championship lead.

Although Martin won only three races all year to Bagnaia’s 11, it was his consistency and accuracy in the second half of the season that won him the title.

Admitting that he was nervous in the final weekend of the season, Martin said he struggled to control the emotional intensity he felt en route to victory in Barcelona.

“This is amazing, I don’t know what to say, I’m in complete shock,” Martin said after returning to Parc Ferme following the title celebrations.

“This is for my people, this is for my family, this is for the people who support me, this is for them.”

“In the last laps I couldn’t even ride the bike, I started crying. It was a really emotional race.”

“It has been a long journey, many crashes, big injuries and finally we are back here. So thanks to all the people, to the fans, it is also for Valencia.”

“I hope we can continue to improve and enjoy the moment. That’s the most important thing: Put the pressure on yourself aside and enjoy the moment,” he said.

Bagnaia was in unrivalled form in Spain over the weekend, setting the pace in Friday practice before taking pole position on Saturday and converting that into a sprint win. The Italian took another grand prix victory on Sunday despite coming under pressure from Marc Marquez.

But that win wasn’t enough to beat Martin, who needed to finish in the top nine to become champion.

Bagnaia congratulated his former Moto3 teammate Martin after his championship victory, saying: “I think he deserves what he has achieved. Today is his day.”

“I just want to thank my team, they did an incredible job, everything else is another story but congratulations to Jorge,” he said.

Bagnaia will remain with Ducati to challenge for the title once again in 2025, while Martin will leave the Borgo Panigale brand to join Aprilia on a two-year factory deal.