FACTBOX-Motorcycling-MotoGP world champion Joan Mir

* Idolised seven-times premier class champion Valentino Rossi while growing up. EARLY LIFE * Competed for two seasons in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and secured three wins to finish runner-up to Jorge Martin in 2014. * Made his Grand Prix debut the following year at the Australian GP, replacing the injured Hiroko Ono, but did not finish the race.

Factbox on Spain's Joan Mir, who clinched his maiden MotoGP title with a seventh-placed finish at the Valencia Grand Prix on Sunday. Born: Sept. 1, 1997 in Palma, Spain (age 23)

* Received his first bike, a Polini, at the age of six and took inspiration from watching his uncle, Joan Perello, who participated in the 125 cc class. * Idolised seven-times premier class champion Valentino Rossi while growing up.

EARLY LIFE * Competed for two seasons in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and secured three wins to finish runner-up to Jorge Martin in 2014.

* Made his Grand Prix debut the following year at the Australian GP, replacing the injured Hiroko Ono, but did not finish the race. MOTO3

* Moved up to Moto3 with Leopard Racing in 2016 and claimed his first win in Austria before being named rookie of the year. * Made his breakthrough in 2017 winning 10 out of 18 races to seal his maiden world championship title.

MOTO2 * Stepped up to Moto2 with Marc VDS Racing Team in 2018 to fill the spot vacated by champion Franco Morbidelli. Stood on the podium four times en route to a sixth-place finish.

MOTOGP * Ending his contract with Marc VDS prematurely in mid-2018, Mir graduated to the premier class with the Suzuki factory team, replacing Andrea Iannone.

* Ended his debut campaign in 12th place on the back of several top-10 finishes. * Offered the first glimpse of his title pedigree in the premier class by finishing second in Austria this year. Followed up with five podium finishes in his next six races.

* Bagged his maiden MotoGP victory at the European Grand Prix in Valencia, edging out team mate Alex Rins to become the ninth different winner of the 2020 premier class season. * Sealed the title with a seventh-placed finish in Valencia to become Suzuki's first world champion since Kenny Roberts Jr. in 2000. (Compiled by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)