Joan Mir is MotoGP world champion

In only his second season of MotoGP, 23-year-old Mir had not been regarded as a favourite for the title. But after coming second in the fourth race of the championship, the Austrian Grand Prix, Mir's consistent performances for the Suzuki Ecstar team culminated in his first win in the twelfth race a week ago at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Cheste, Valencia.

He was 37 points ahead coming into Sunday's Valencian Community Grand Prix (at the same circuit), and all he needed was a safe ride to wrap up the championship with one grand prix still to go of a season that has been reduced by five races.

He nursed the Suzuki to seventh place in becoming the second Mallorcan (Jorge Lorenzo is the other) to have won the world championship.