10 things we learned from the 2023 MotoGP Valencia Grand Prix

The 2023 MotoGP season came down to a dramatic finale at the Valencia Grand Prix, with Francesco Bagnaia emerging as world champion.

The gap between Bagnaia and Jorge Martin was 21 points coming into the weekend, and only 14 by the start of the grand prix. But a crash for Martin ended his hopes and seemingly those of his hopes of stepping up to the factory team. Bagnaia didn’t need to, but he won his seventh grand prix of the season to become the first Ducati rider ever to win back-to-back titles.

Insight: The key moments in Bagnaia’s 2023 MotoGP title defence

Marc Marquez was caught up in the crash that ended Martin’s championship, but it didn’t dampen his farewell weekend with Honda having achieved a sprint podium on the Saturday. However Marquez earned the ire of Marco Bezzecchi after their lap one clash, which led to the raging VR46 rider calling at Marquez the “dirtiest rider” to set up a bit of an intra-Ducati rivalry going into 2024 when the eight-time world champion joins Gresini.

The dreaded tyre pressure rules didn’t impact the championship, but it did rob Fabio Di Giannantonio of a hard-earned podium. He’s secured his MotoGP future at least, replacing Honda-bound Luca Marini at VR46.

Elsewhere, the RNF team was rejected from the 2024 grid by Dorna owing to financial problems bringing disrepute to the championship by title partner and the team’s majority owner CryptoDATA. But this has paved the way for a new entity to join from the world of four wheels.

In a packed final weekend of the year, here are 10 things we learned from the 2023 MotoGP Valencia GP.

1. Bagnaia showed his true champion’s credentials in showdown

Francesco Bagnaia may claim that the pressure he felt last year in his maiden title success was worse than this year, despite having just one race to think about and a 23-point buffer over Fabio Quartararo.

But the Valencia finale in 2023 came with much more jeopardy. Leading into the round by 21 points, another average sprint performance next to Jorge Martin’s supreme win cut the gap down to 14 for the grand prix.

Bagnaia may only have needed fifth to win the championship, but that was far from assured on a grid full of riders with podium potential – one of whom (more on him later) came through from 11th to almost win.

Promoted to pole by a Maverick Vinales…