The final verdict has arrived: the Australian GP has crowned Jorge Lorenzo as the 2012 MotoGP World Champion.
Thanks to his second place yesterday in Phillip Island – and to the fall of main rival Dani Pedrosa in the second lap – the Yamaha rider increased his advantage in the standings up to 43 points, more than enough to earn him his second world title in the premier class with still one race to go.
Lorenzo’s journey towards MotoGP glory began a long time ago, with the Spaniard taking on his first minicross competition at the age of 3.
From there Lorenzo went on competing in many different classes in trial, minimoto and junior motocross in his home town Mallorca, until he won the Aprilia 50cc Cup thus earning a special permit to race the Spanish Championship at the age of 13.
Lorenzo soon became the youngest rider ever to land in the World Championship: in 2002, when he was just 15 – minimum age for entry – the young man made his debut in GP Racing in Jerez on a 125cc Derbi at a track that over the years would see him triumph several times.
Then we all should know how this story goes, with Lorenzo winning two back-to-back 250 cc titles in 2006 and 2007 and moving up to the MotoGP class in 2008, where he joined Italian legend Valentino Rossi in the ranks of the Yamaha Factory Racing team and cliched 3 pole positions in the first 3 rounds and winning his first race in Portugal.
In 2010 he won his first MotoGP title (with 9 wins) and yesterday he got ahold of his much deserved second crown.
In order to honour the new Champ, here are 2 nice photo galleries coming straight from Phillip Island: one from the track and the other one dedicated to the celebrations on the podium and around the paddock.
View the full Jorge Lorenzo 2012 MotoGP Champion – track photo galleryView the full Jorge Lorenzo 2012 MotoGP Champion – podium & paddock photo gallery