Italian Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) won the MotoGP world title for the first time in his career on Sunday, completing the Valencia Grand Prix, reports EFE.

Francesco Bagnaia, world champion

At the “Ricardo Tormo” track in Cheste Banya (25 years old) took the ninth position. Alex Rins (Suzuki) won the race, while Brad Binder (KTM) and Jorge Martin (Ducati) completed the podium.

France’s Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha), the reigning champion and the only one who could stop Bagnaia from claiming the world title, needed to win the race in Valencia to hope to overtake the Italian in the season-ending standings, but finished only fourth.

Know:

• Francesco Bagnaia is the first Italian to win the MotoGP title since Valentino Rossi in 2009. He is also the first Ducati rider to win a world championship since Australian Casey Stoner in 2007.

• Since the beginning of the MotoGP era, in 2002, with 1000cc bikes instead of the 500cc used previously, no Italian rider has managed to win a world title in the colors of his country’s team.

• Valentino Rossi won the title seven times in the queen category, but under the colors of the Japanese teams Honda and Yamaha, writes Agerpres.

MotoGP, final ranking of riders

1. Francesco Bagnaia (Italy/Ducati) 258 points

2. Fabio Quartararo (France/Yamaha) 235

3. Alex Espargaro (Spain/April) 212

4. Enea Bastianini (Italy/Gresini Racing) 211

5. Jack Miller (Australia/Ducati) 189 etc.