Jorge Martin wrote his name into the history books as the first Independent rider to win a title in the MotoGP era after a tense season finale in Barcelona on Sunday.
The Pramac Ducati star became Spain’s fifth premier-class champion with a third-place finish, in a race won by title rival and defending double champion Francesco Bagnaia of the official Ducati team.
“I still can't believe it, I'm in shock!” said Martin, fresh from the podium celebrations. “Emotions are high, I’ve cried a lot!
“Now I just want to celebrate with my team, family and friends.
“It's been a long journey. My career wasn't easy. For sure, I had good opportunities but I think I built them. I worked quite hard. I made a lot of sacrifices.
“Last season I had the opportunity, but I think I wasn't prepared to sign [complete the deal] let's say. But this year I felt it was my year.
“Thanks to Pramac, thanks to Ducati for giving me the opportunity to have an amazing bike these four years and giving me the opportunity to fight until the end with an amazing Pecco.”
Martin’s consistency this season meant he needed only a ninth-place finish even if Bagnaia won his eleventh grand prix of the year.
But that’s easier said than done, especially when all three rear tyre options were viable for the 24-lap showdown.
“Today the conditions were difficult, so the tyre choice wasn't easy. There were some riders on hards, some softs, some mediums. So I was really scared.
“I was looking at the opponents and I was like, ‘wow, they're all good’, I mean, it's really easy to be tenth if they do a good race. All the top ten had the potential to do well.”
While Bagnaia and runner-up Marc Marquez went for the soft rear, Martin - who had previously indicated he would copy Bagnaia - stuck to his guns and ran the medium.
“I was scared, but finally I thought that the medium was the most conservative tyre choice,” he said. “It wasn't easy, maybe the soft was a bit more competitive, but I did it.
“I just trusted in myself. I had a lot of confidence in myself that even with the ‘worst’ tyre I could be in the top nine and I was really focused.
“Today I enjoyed the race, I was touching the elbow, touching the shoulder like if I was training in supermoto, just training with a MotoGP! I'm so, so happy that I enjoyed the moment.”
But there were still plenty of emotions as he neared the biggest moment of his career.
“I think even if it was a normal race, like in May here, I would finish third because Marc and Pecco were stronger. I did my best. But for sure the last 7 laps were a bit more difficult.
“I started to remember a lot of moments. I think all my career was coming through my mind. I remember my Dad, all the weekends after work training, my Mum cooking when I was racing in pocket bikes. My Grandfather that is not here and he's watching from the sky.
“But then I was refocusing a lot, trying to be in the moment: ‘Jorge, you need to finish the job. Nothing is done until you cross the finish line’. Already on the last lap I felt I was starting to cry, it was so emotional.”
Such euphoria was in stark contrast to the beginning of this year.
“I was really struggling with my mental health,” said the 26-year-old, who came up short against Bagnaia in last year’s season finale.
“Last season was great. Even after finishing second, I was quite happy. But in January I started to have a lot of fears, I was really scared. Like ‘I will never be champion in MotoGP’.
“So thanks to my coach I improved a lot. I was more focused on the hope of winning, than the fear of losing.
“If I lose, it’s OK, I'm not dying. Life is not ending.
“But I was with a lot of hope of winning. Not only for me, but for my team, for my people, for my family. So this helped me a lot.”
Martin now has Sunday to celebrate before preparations begin for the start of his new era as a factory Aprilia rider, with a debut at the same Barcelona circuit on Tuesday.
“I think whatever comes in my future, it will be a present [after this],” Martin said. “For sure, I will try to be my best version. I will try to win with Aprilia, but I will enjoy now in this moment.”
