As one two-time MotoGP champion said goodbye, another was crowned.
Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo added to his 2010 world championship triumph with this year’s title – secured one race before the end of the season with his second place in Australia.
Lorenzo’s runner-up finish at Phillip Island behind local hero Casey Stoner ensured him the title after nearest rival Dani Pedrosa crashed.
Yamaha’s Lorenzo will now have the chance to race pressure-free and celebrate his success with his home fans in the season’s final MotoGP in Spain in a fortnight.
There was a taste of what was to come as he watched Stoner lap up the adulation on home soil in his final Australian race before retirement.
The 25-year-old admitted to having had a “hard” season before securing his sixth race win of the season and seeing off fellow Spaniard Pedrosa for the title.
“I’m really happy with this championship, because we know how difficult it is to fight with riders like Casey and like Dani, and to fight with factories like Honda,” an emotional Lorenzo said.
“It’s been very hard (this season). You must be very consistent, never make a mistake, always try to finish the races and stay focused.
“Today is a very special day.”
Pedrosa, who crashed his Honda on lap two when leading, needed to perform well to keep the title race alive going to Valencia.
But the 27-year-old remains without the sport’s ultimate prize – now set for his third MotoGP runners-up placing and having finished in the championship top four every year since 2007.