2015 Jerez – Marquez's first MotoGP title
Lorenzo's third MotoGP title decided at Valencia after a season of controversy.
The 2015 FIM MotoGP World Championship was the premier class of the 67th Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) Road Racing World Championship season. The championship was won by Spanish rider Jorge Lorenzo, racing for Movistar Yamaha MotoGP. It was his third and final world title in the MotoGP category, his fifth overall in Grand Prix motorcycle racing.
Quick Facts
- Rider
- Marc Márquez
- Team
- Repsol Honda (RC213V)
- Season
- 2015 – rookie year in MotoGP
- Age at title
- 21
- Main championship rival
- Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati)
- Circuit
- Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto
- Andalusia
- Spain
- Championship margin
- Over 100 points ahead of second place
Lore & Background
The season had 18 races, beginning in Qatar and finishing in Valencia, which determined who would be world champion between Movistar Yamaha teammates Lorenzo and runner-up Valentino Rossi. It was first time since 2013 that the world title was decided on the final race of the season. Lorenzo also had the most pole positions, fastest laps and race wins throughout the season; while Rossi had the most finishes, completing every race throughout the season, while Lorenzo had one race retirement in San Marino. 2015 was the final season that Bridgestone was the sole tyre supplier for MotoGP, as Michelin became the sole tyre supplier for the 2016 season. The 2015 season also saw the début of the Suzuki GSX-RR and Aprilia RS-GP. This season is well known for the Sepang clash, which involved a collision between two-time defending champion Marc Márquez and then-championship leader, Rossi. The clash remains one of the most memorable and controversial moments in the sport's history, with Rossi's penalty (a grid demotion in Valencia) for the incident helping Lorenzo win the race in Valencia and clinch his third MotoGP world title.
Reader's Guide
Marc Márquez started the season as the defending riders' champion, having won his second consecutive title in 2014. Valentino Rossi led the championship for almost the entire season as he chased a tenth world title, but ultimately, the honours went to his Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo, who took his third MotoGP title and a fifth world title overall. At the final race, Rossi recovered from the back of the grid to finish fourth, while Lorenzo took his seventh win of the season to secure the world title by five points. Rossi finished second place in the championship with a total of five wins and 15 podiums over the season, 83 points ahead of Marquez who had matched Rossi on wins but suffered six retirements. The only other rider to win a race during the season was Márquez's teammate Pedrosa, who took two wins in the closing four races, at Motegi and Sepang, after missing three races at the start of the season to undergo arm-pump surgery.
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