The Valencian Jaume Masià (Honda) has become the 25th Spaniard to be proclaimed world champion of speed motorcycling, the second this season after Pedro Acosta from Murcia in Moto2 last week in Malaysia.
Masià, who arrived in Lusail with a 13-point advantage over the Japanese Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna), was proclaimed champion with victory, fought until the last lap, and with tension with the Japanese.
"My intention was to continue giving Sasaki a hard time. He also continued being dirty, but they calmed me down," defended Masià, who charged against Race Direction with a controversial statement: "Whether they like it or not, a Spaniard has won." he said in reference to the ban on his teammate Adrián Fernández following and bothering Sasaki. "He is very unfair. He seems shameful and unacceptable to me, he simply followed him. I don't know what to think," said the Valencian.
Jaume Masià joins a list of 13 Spanish champions in the small displacement, such as Champi Herreros, Emilio Alzamora, Marc Márquez, Jorge Martín (2018) or the latest, Albert Arenas (2020), Pedro Acosta (2021) and Izan Guevara ( 2022).
It is the Moto3 category (previously the 125cc), the smallest in the world championship, and the one that has given the most titles to Spanish motorcycling.
There are a total of 14 Spanish drivers who have won a world title, six with two, and another five with more than two crowns. In total, the Spanish have won 59 world titles in speed.
1. Ángel Nieto: 13:
Six 50cc (1969-1970-1972-1975-1976-1977); seven 125cc (1971-1972-1979-1981-1982-1983-1984).
2. Marc Márquez: 8:
One 125cc: 2010; one from Moto2 (2012); and six from MotoGP (2013-2014-2016-2017-2018-2019).
3. Jorge Lorenzo: 5:
Two 250cc (2006-2007); and three from MotoGP (2010-2012-2015)
4. Jorge Martínez "Aspar": 4:
Three 80cc (1986-1987-1988) and one 125cc (1988)
5. Days of Pedrosa: 3:
One 125cc (2003) and two 250cc (2004-2005)
6. Ricardo Tormo: 2:
50cc (1978-1981)
7. Sito Pons: 2:
250cc (1988-1989)
8. Àlex Crivillé: 2:
One 125cc (1989) and one 500cc (1999)
9. Alex Marquez: 2:
One from Moto3 (2014) and one from Moto2 (2019)
10. Joan Mir: 2:
One from Moto3 (2017) and one MotoGP 2020)
11. Pedro Acosta: 2:
One from Moto3 (2021) and one from Moto2 (2023)
12. Manuel Herreros: 1: 80cc (1989)
13. Emilio Alzamora: 1:125cc (1999)
14. Álvaro Bautista: 1:125cc (2006)
15. Julián Simón: 1: 125cc (2009)
16. Toni Elias: 1: Moto2 (2010)
17. Nico Terol: 1:125cc (2011)
18. Pol Espargaró: 1: Moto2 (2013)
19. Maverick Viñales: 1: Moto3 (2013)
20. Tito Rabat: 1: Moto2 (2014)
21. Jorge Martín: 1: Moto3 (2018)
22. Albert Arenas: 1: Moto3 (2020)
23. Be Guevara: 1: Moto3 (2022)
24. Augusto Fernández: 1: Moto2 (2022)
25. Jaume Masià: 1: Moto3 (2023).
