If you're a MotoGP fan, don't like spoilers, and haven't yet watched the 2015 Grand Prix at Valencia, now would be the time to look away. Still here? Okay, good. The MotoGP championship has been decided, and the winner is Jorge Lorenzo.
As anyone who has followed MotoGP for the last few weeks can certainly attest, the 2015 championship has been nothing if not divisive among fans, whether they wear yellow, red, orange or blue. Valentino Rossi, the most popular rider among fans, came into the final race in Valencia, Spain, with a slim seven-point lead over teammate and rival Jorge Lorenzo. Thing is, a penalty from the previous race in Sepang meant Rossi was forced to start in last place on the grid. Lorenzo took advantage of the situation, setting the fastest lap in qualifying, then taking that pole position and holding it throughout the actual race, leading from flag to flag.
Rossi's herculean effort – slicing through the pack to go from last to fourth position – was not enough to overcome Lorenzo's win. This year's title is Lorenzo's third in the premier class. That's how it all shook out on paper and at the track, but don't expect the feathers ruffled by Rossi and his fans to smooth out any time soon. Especially since Mark Marquez, who, like Lorenzo, hails from Spain, looked like he had the pace on a few occasions to make a move on Lorenzo at Valencia but didn't even make much of an attempt to pass him.
In any case, with the final race at Valencia in the record books, the 2015 MotoGP season has come to an end. By the time the 2016 season is ready to start, we're certain that riders and fans alike will be ready for new battles, new rounds of name-calling and critical accusations, and, of course, great on-track action. Until then, we're going to grab some popcorn and enjoy the inevitable back-and-forthing between fans of Rossi, Lorenzo and Marquez.
As anyone who has followed MotoGP for the last few weeks can certainly attest, the 2015 championship has been nothing if not divisive among fans, whether they wear yellow, red, orange or blue. Valentino Rossi, the most popular rider among fans, came into the final race in Valencia, Spain, with a slim seven-point lead over teammate and rival Jorge Lorenzo. Thing is, a penalty from the previous race in Sepang meant Rossi was forced to start in last place on the grid. Lorenzo took advantage of the situation, setting the fastest lap in qualifying, then taking that pole position and holding it throughout the actual race, leading from flag to flag.
Rossi's herculean effort – slicing through the pack to go from last to fourth position – was not enough to overcome Lorenzo's win. This year's title is Lorenzo's third in the premier class. That's how it all shook out on paper and at the track, but don't expect the feathers ruffled by Rossi and his fans to smooth out any time soon. Especially since Mark Marquez, who, like Lorenzo, hails from Spain, looked like he had the pace on a few occasions to make a move on Lorenzo at Valencia but didn't even make much of an attempt to pass him.
In any case, with the final race at Valencia in the record books, the 2015 MotoGP season has come to an end. By the time the 2016 season is ready to start, we're certain that riders and fans alike will be ready for new battles, new rounds of name-calling and critical accusations, and, of course, great on-track action. Until then, we're going to grab some popcorn and enjoy the inevitable back-and-forthing between fans of Rossi, Lorenzo and Marquez.
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