It’s official: Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) is the 2023 Moto3™ World Champion! A victory in a tense and dramatic Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar secured the Spaniard a maiden Grand Prix title, adding to three further wins in a season that has seen the Spaniard take 10 podiums so far and run at the front throughout.

Born in Algemasi, Valencia, Masia competed in the Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup and for three seasons in the JuniorGP™ paddock before making his Grand Prix debut in 2017.

Masia became a full time Grand Prix rider in 2018 and having finished 13th in his rookie campaign, he came out of the blocks flying in 2019. A maiden victory arrived at the Argentina GP, which he then backed up with a P2 at the following race in America.

Two more wins were claimed by Masia in 2020 as he moved to Leopard Racing, before a switch to Red Bull KTM Ajo came for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. In his second KTM stint, Masia won three times in two seasons – finishing P4 and P6 in the overall standings – before then making a move back to Leopard Racing for 2023.

Three podiums in the first five outings was a good start to the year for the #5, but he had to wait until the Dutch GP to pocket a first win back in Leopard colours. Two no scores at Silverstone and the Red Bull Ring then put a significant dent into his title charge, but Masia responded superbly by finishing P2 in Barcelona, P2 in Misano, winning in India and then again in Japan.

The title dream was back on track. Three non-podium finishes in a row didn’t halt Masia’s charge to World Championship leader status, and having finished P3 in Malaysia, his first match point arrived in Qatar and the showdown was tense. Fighting at the front and with some seriously close exchanges between him and key rival Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) throughout, it all went down to the final lap. But Masia was able to stay ahead and take that fourth win of the year, securing the crown with another 25-point haul. Enhorabuena, Jaume!