INDIA in F1

Tag: Francesco Pecco Bagnaia

  • Bagnaia lands first blow as Martin heads into match point Saturday in P5

    Bagnaia lands first blow as Martin heads into match point Saturday in P5

    Barcelone, 15 November 2024:

    #TheRematch decider has been turned up a notch with the reigning Champion finding Friday form and the title leader enduring some Practice troubles

    Day 1 of #TheRematch decider at the Motul Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona belonged to the hunter – Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team). The reigning #1 set the pace on Friday to land an important early jab on World Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), as the latter managed to hold onto a fifth place finish after encountering some Turn 5 troubles deep into Practice. It’s job done in terms of getting into Q2 without too many issues for the #89, but there’s plenty of room for improvement for the rider who sits 24 points clear of the current #1 with the biggest Saturday of the season firmly on the horizon. 

    Operating inside the top three on Day 1 was second fastest – and one of Bagnaia’s chief allies – Marco Bezzecchi. The Italian was on song in Practice as he aims to bid farewell to the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team with a podium finish at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. And if Day 1 is anything to go by, then the Italian is looking good to challenge for just that. P3 went the way of Catalan GP Tissot Sprint winner Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) after the retiring home hero set a strong lap in the closing stages to sit 0.107s off Bagnaia’s lap. 

    Following a relatively quiet opening three-quarters of the session as the riders flicked through their respective programmes, the session really kicked into sixth gear with just under 15 minutes remaining. Traditions. And speaking of traditions, Martin climbed to a familiar P1 with a 1:39.652 and on his next flyer, a 1:39.214 was landed to see the World Championship leader sit 0.330s clear of Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing). At this stage (10 minutes to go) Bagnaia was fifth, just under half a second down on his title rival’s effort. 

    That three-tenth advantage was slashed to just 0.010s as Viñales improved. Then, one of the standout riders of the season demoted Martin to P2. Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) set a 1:39.197 to grab top spot, with the top five now split by less than a tenth. Those were Zarco, Martin, Viñales, Bagnaia and Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™). 

    Heading into the final four minutes, Martin couldn’t get a lap going and at Turn 5, the Spaniard produced a more than decent front-end save. The #89 cut a frustrated figure as Bezzecchi propelled his GP23 to P1 before Bagnaia went 0.080s quicker than his compatriot to pinch P1 off his VR46 Academy stablemate. 

    With a minute to go, Martin was P5 and not going any quicker, but he looked out of danger in terms of not getting into Q2. No one else was improving enough to trouble the sharp end of the timesheets, so it was job done for #TheRematch contenders. Bagnaia was top of the class on Friday, and Martin was fifth without too many dramas. Roll on qualifying. 

    Zarco’s incredibly impressive Friday afternoon stint saw the Frenchman keep hold of P4 ahead of Martin, with Viñales, Alex Marquez, his teammate Marc Marquez, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) acting as the other riders who clinched automatic Q2 spots, as Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) missed out in P11 by just 0.020s. 

    So that’s the final Friday of the year done. Bagnaia heads into a title-defining Saturday at the summit, exactly where he wanted to be. Martin faces match point Saturday in P5, but that could all change when qualifying comes around. And what a session it promises to be. What a day it’s set to be. Will Martin end the Tissot Sprint as the new World Champion, or will Bagnaia do what he needs to do to take the title fight to Sunday? In less than 24 hours, we’ll know the answer. Bring it on. 

    SHOWTIME
    FP2: 10:00 (UTC+1) 2.30pm IST
    Q1: 10:50
    Q2: 11:15
    Tissot Sprint: 15:00 (7.25 pm IST)

  • Title fight rolls on as Bagnaia beats Martin in an all-time thriller at Sepang

    Title fight rolls on as Bagnaia beats Martin in an all-time thriller at Sepang

    A brawl at the start becomes a statement for the ages as one of the sport’s best ever battles sees #TheRematch roll on.

    Sepang, 3 Nov. 2024: On Sunday, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) headed out to keep his World Championship hopes alive with a win at the Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia, and he did just that. It was a sensational ride from the #1, who put the hammer down after a breathtaking battle with Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) in the opening laps that will go down in history as one of the best duels the sport has ever seen. From there it was a cat and mouse to the finish, with Bagnaia finding enough to keep Martin at bay and reduce the gap to 24 points by the flag. And remember, the maximum score per weekend is now 37…

    Behind them, Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) was able to grab the final spot on the podium in a crucial day for ‘The Beast’, who moved a step closer as he continues his fight for third position in the Championship against the very same Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) who crashed out from third after getting a box office seat for the duel at the front.

    Pecco Bagnaia after his 10th win this year. A MotoGP image

    Once the lights went out, it was a good launch from Bagnaia but he was near side-by-side with Martin on the charge into Turn 1. However, a crash at Turn 2 involving Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) would bring out the red flag and reset the tense showdown once again before a lap was complete. Miller was taken for checks and deemed fit, Quartararo and Binder walked away, but the South African pulled in before the restart.

    After that pique of adrenaline, the lights went out again, with Bagnaia making an incredible launch on take two, catapulting into the lead on the run to Turn 1. Martin was forced to slot into second, with Marc Marquez battling into the podium places on Lap 1. As soon as was possible at the head of the field though, it was GLOVES OFF. Martin made his first move on the opening lap, with Bagnaia instantly responding as the title fight kicked into another gear. Game on.

    Bagnaia and Martin continued to lock horns, trading places and trading blows in the opening stages of a spectacular Malaysian GP. The tension was high as the lead continued to swap hands at every opportunity, with just inches separating them on the circuit. Paint was exchanged between the title rivals in the opening stages including one near bash on the straight, and with Marc Marquez watching on from behind in third place.

    It was a true spectacle, with the two title contenders absolutely going at it… and still able to somehow pull a gap on those behind. By Lap 5 though, Bagnaia had made it stick and a small mistake from Martin saw a sliver of breathing space become the fastest lap from the #1 as he got the hammer down. Now it became a battle of a different kind.

    Some more drama then hit near the front, and “What will Marc Marquez do?” got an earlier answer than the eight-time World Champion intended as he slid out, rejoining down the order. That left Bastianini in third as he’d pulled away from the group on the chase but not homed in on the front battle. Behind, Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) was fending off Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) for P4, and Quartararo wasn’t far off them either.

    And then. Ater it could have seemed a foregone conclusion at the front, the gap suddenly started to come down. From over two seconds it disappeared in a tenth here and a tenth there, with Bagnaia either struggling or teasing. Just as it got below 1.5s, however, the #89 made a crucial mistake at Turn 9 – dropping a further eight-tenths behind. The possibility had proven strong but Martin didn’t falter with the temptation as much as Bagnaia may have been hoping, forced to settle for second but seemingly content to do so as his points advantage remains sizeable.

    At the front, Bagnaia didn’t falter either, crossing the line to win by 3.141s on a critical day in the 2024 MotoGP World Championship. The Italian’s victory sees #TheRematch to roll on after defeating Martin in Malaysia, and after the duo served up a true, true all-time great duel.

    Bastianini made one error to halt what seemed like it could be a possible charge, wide at the final corner, but kept it on the road thereafter to take that third place. Behind, Alex Marquez claimed fourth, with the #73 continuing to defend from Acosta in the closing stages of the Grand Prix. 1.469s separated the duo at the line as Quartararo heroically finished inside the top six after a stunning ride from the Frenchman on the restart, taking his and Yamaha’s best GP result of the season so far. The #20 placed ahead of Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) and Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP teammate Alex Rins as the #42 grabbed eighth.

    The final spots on the top 10 spots were taken by Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) as Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LRC) bagged 11th. Marc Marquez charged to P12 after rejoining, ending a strong recovery ride with points as Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), Morbidelli, and Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team) scored the final point on Sunday.

    After Bagnaia was able to keep his title hopes in reach this weekend, it leaves everything to be decided at the finale! Make sure you keep up to date on motogp.com to find out the latest news regarding the final round of the season. We can guarantee two things: it will be a show like nothing else on earth… and it will be a show with purpose as we continue #RacingForValencia.

  • Martin supreme to set up match point on Sunday as Bagnaia suffers shock crash at Sepang

    Martin supreme to set up match point on Sunday as Bagnaia suffers shock crash at Sepang

    #TheRematch: It’s all on the line on Sunday as a seismic Tissot Sprint sees the Martinator rule as the reigning Champion slides out from second to fall 29 points behind.

    Sepang, 2 Nov. 2024: The Tissot Sprint at the Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia was always going to be pivotal. How pivotal was to be decided over 10 laps of technical racetrack shared by 22 riders in the searing heat, two of whom are fighting it out to be crowned 2024 Champion. In the dance of risk and reward, points leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) took off at the front to lay down the gauntlet. And as he so rarely has when under pressure, reigning Champion Francesco Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) took just that tiny bit too much risk as he slid out from second. Now, it’s 29 points at the top… and it could all come down to Sunday at the Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang.

    Behind that drama, Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) came home second after keeping Martin honest following Bagnaia’s crash, with Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) completing the podium.

    The tension rose even more following a brief spattering of raindrops, but as the grid roared off, the track was dry and Martin got the jump from second on the grid, nabbing the inside as Bagnaia hung it round the outside. But the #1 had to concede into Turn 2 and they shot off at the front together as the shuffle settled, with Marc Marquez for close company.

    Just behind, Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) had dropped back from the front row and was squabbling with Franco Morbidelli (Prima Prama Racing) for fifth, with Bastianini having leapfrogged them into fourth. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) was soon up into that mix too, off the mark quick and with the speed to go with it.

    Meanwhile at the front, the leading trio pounded on. Martin was setting some serious space, with the #1 and #93 in hot pursuit. And then it happened – the moment that may have decided the 2024 MotoGP™ World Championship. Or certainty one of them.

    As Martin pushed on, Bagnaia had no choice but to push just as hard – with a 17-point deficit on the way into the Sprint. That then suddenly became a potential 29 as the reigning Champion slid out in one of the lowest speed, highest stakes crashes in recent memory. Rider ok, Bagnaia was forced to watch on as Martin kept Marquez at bay at the front, likely cheering for the #93 for the first time in his life. 

    Martin did keep him at bay, however, never letting the Gresini machine really home in over the  seven laps between the him and that 29-point advantage. The #89 kept it calm to cross the line with just under a second in hand, setting up his first ever outright Championship point in MotoGP™. Marc Marquez took second, keeping some pressure on but not able to really cut that lead.

    Bastianini’s quick start and good pace rewarded him with third after he proved able to pull away from Alex Marquez, with the #73 taking P4. Just behind him came Quartararo after a stunning Saturday afternoon for El Diablo, taking his and Yamaha’s best result of the season in a Sprint or GP, equalling the P5 from Jerez on Saturday.

    Morbidelli was forced to settle for sixth, ahead of Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) at the head of a KTM/GASGAS showdown – with Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) just able to stay ahead of Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) this time round, returning the favour from Buriram. Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) missed out on the final Sprint point by just seven tenths.

    Was that the moment that decided the crown? After racing for 678 points, every moment has its sway. But in the final stint they decide when and where that ultimate prize is on the line, and in 2024 that will now be Sunday at the Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia.

    If Martin wins the Grand Prix, Bagnaia has to follow him home in second or it’s game over in the title fight and a new name will be etched onto the trophy. But Saturday already showed how quickly everything can change… so join us for match point on Sunday at 15:00 (UTC +8)!
  • Bagnaia back on top, Marc Marquez battles to second; Martin crashes: MotoGP

    Bagnaia back on top, Marc Marquez battles to second; Martin crashes: MotoGP

    A ten point lead remains, but for Bagnaia as Martin makes a late blunder at the Sachsenring – while Marc Marquez scythes through and Alex Marquez makes it a historic double podium.

    Sachenring, 7 July 2024: A dramatic Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland saw Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) come out on top after piling the pressure on Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) throughout as the duo pulled away to make the race a chess match at the front. Martin was holding on to a half second advantage as the final laps closed in, but then suddenly went sliding out at Turn 1, rider ok but Championship lead far from it. The #89 cedes the top of the leaderboard to Bagnaia as the reigning Champion swept through to take the 25-point haul.

    If the fight for the win was a chess match decided by tenths, the battle behind was a rollercoaster ride. Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) scythed through from P13 on the grid to take second place after battling a gallery of rivals, the last of whom to overcome was brother Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™). But the #73 held on to third and took his first GP podium of the season, with the Marquez brothers becoming the first to share a premier class podium since Nobuatsu and Takuma Aoki in Imola in 1997.

    Martin got the best start but didn’t get the perfect T1, giving Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing) chance to have a look, but the Portuguese rider was forced to settle into second. Bagnaia was holding third but the reigning Champion struck at the end of Lap 1 to overtake Oliveira, taking up the chase as Martin tried to bolt at the front. He couldn’t, however, and the #1 pulled off a carbon copy of his last corner move on Oliveira to take the lead.

    Morbidelli was then the rider in the spotlight as he shot past Oliveira and into second, then starting to harry his teammate Martin. Bagnaia, Martin and Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) started to build a small gap as the shuffle continued in a big group battle behind, but then the shuffle kicked off again in theirs as Martin struck late at Turn 1 to take back the lead with 24 to go.

    Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) then suffered a run off from the battle behind, leaving Alex Marquez, Oliveira and now Marc Marquez in the chasing group as Martin started to put the hammer down at the front. Bagnaia had been reeling a couple of tenths back in, but then Morbidelli sailed down the inside of Turn 1 past the reigning Champion, somehow getting it stopped and nabbing second. And there were still 22 to go.

    Martin led Morbidelli with around half a second between the Prima Pramac duo, with the group behind holding high-speed station. By 16 to go Morbidelli then went deep at Turn 1, and Bagnaia was right on him looking for a way though. He found one at Turn 12, and then Marc Marquez found one on Oliveira. Martin was a second clear, Bagnaia was now the rider on the chase, and Alex Marquez got past Morbidelli before Marc Marquez also homed in. The podium fight was starting to take shape.

    As Morbidelli headed wide at Turn 1 with nine to go, #93 went for it, but the #21 cut back. The two bashed into each other and just stayed on, but Marquez ultimately came off worse, dropping back into the clutches of a charging Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team). One dance of high-speed ballet wasn’t enough and the two staged another at Turn 1 next time around. Marquez was then able to hold him off, and the duo stalked down the deficit to Morbidelli up ahead.

    It was an absolute late lunge when it came, the #93 suddenly darting out from behind the #21 at the final corner and making the pounce stick to perfection. At the front, Martin was holding Bagnaia at bay by five, seven, six tenths, and Alex Marquez was now in the space between the duo and the #93. The gap between the two Gresini machines was over two seconds. But then it was 1.5, then just under a second, then even less… when the #93 arrived he sliced straight past, more tyre underneath him and only a few laps to go.

    Those few laps delivered the headline drama. Martin seemed on course to complete his second consecutive double at the Sachsenring, with that margin to Bagnaia looking to be enough. And then the #89 was sliding out across the tarmac into the gravel, with his closest rival so far this season sweeping through to create a 20-point swing in the title fight.

    Bagnaia just had to avoid the same to take the victory, and that he did as he crossed the line with just under four seconds in hand to become the Championship leader for the first time since Saturday in Portimão

    Marc Marquez, after his huge highside on Friday, a dramatic Q1, and then an all-out war up from P13 in the Grand Prix – including full combat with Franky – takes second for this fourth podium of the season, but loses that undefeated record at the track. Alex Marquez is back on the podium for the first time since Sepang last year and makes that history as two brothers sharing the podium in the premier class.

    Bastianini added some stunning racing to the mix at the front but had to settle for fourth this time round, ahead of Morbidelli in fifth after a standout race day for the #21. Oliveira takes a very solid P6 to follow up his Tissot Sprint podium on Saturday, with some breathing space ahead of a big battle for seventh. That was won by Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) ahead of Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) completed the top ten.

    Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) stayed ahead of Viñales after his run off, with another close set of finishes just behind as Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) pipped Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) and Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team) after tyre pressure penalties for Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) and Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR). For Marini, a point rewards a weekend with a big step forward seemingly taken in all sessions just ahead of summer break.

    That summer break sees Bagnaia head in as the points leader, a position he’s not held since Saturday night in Portugal. A 20-point swing in one weekend is a big one, and Martin will be looking to hit back immediately. First, he has to stew on it. And it’s far from a two-horse race in the world’s most exciting sport, with the whole grid ready to be back out at Silvestone from the 2nd to the 4th of August as the second half begins… in vintage style for a very modern spectacle!

  • Hat-trick hero: Bagnaia retains Assen crown ahead of Martin, penalty for Marquez

    Hat-trick hero: Bagnaia retains Assen crown ahead of Martin, penalty for Marquez

    It’s now 10 points in it at the top of the table and a little further back to #MM93 after a tyre pressure penalty sees the eight-time World Champion classified tenth.

    Assen, 30 June 2024: Francesco Bagnaia‘s Motul TT Assen couldn’t have been better. The Ducati Lenovo Team rider did the double from pole, with a Sunday masterclass cutting the Championship deficit to just 10 points as Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) was forced to follow him home and focus on limiting the damage. Bagnaia is the first rider to win three successive MotoGP™️ Grand Prix races in a single season since he did it in 2022 with four in a row from Assen to Misano, it’s his third win in a row at the TT Circuit Assen, and he equals Casey Stoner’s 23 wins with Ducati to tie the MotoGP™ Legend as the two most successful riders with the Borgo Panigale factory. All that said, Martin will now look to use his right of reply in Germany.

    Meanwhile, Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) charged up from a tougher qualifying to complete the podium, denying Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing). Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) was also denied after crossing the line in fourth, with a tyre pressure penalty dropping him to P10.

    As the lights went out, Bagnaia nailed the start to take the holeshot, with Viñales just holding onto second to deny Martin. Still, the #89 launched it to near perfection from his P5 after that three-place penalty, and soon enough he did get it done to take over in second. Marc Marquez, meanwhile, was on the march and soon put his own moves on Viñales to slot into third.

    That duo stayed glued together as the battle behind was hotting up. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) had shot up past front-row starter Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), but soon it was Di Giannantonio on the move, and he made it past Acosta at Turn 1, caught the Marquez-Viñales duo and then pounced on the Aprilia at the final chicane. Next up: #MM93.

    By 19 to go, the yellow flash of the VR46 machine went past, but with Marquez also seeming to gesture at the Italian and make it a little easier for him too. Expecting to have been in a group fight and set up for it? Wanting a reference to follow? Either way, the two Ducatis stayed close together, with Viñales on their tail and Acosta on his. Lap by lap, however, Bastianini was cutting the deficit to the podium battle.

    He made it past the rookie by nine to go, and a lap later the group shuffled again. Diggia was wide, Marc Marquez didn’t seem to want to take advantage, and Viñales shot past both. Bastianini was then right on that trio once again, and by seven to go was past Diggia. A lap later he did a near carbon copy on Marquez to take over in fourth, with a bit of a closer racing kiss for the #93, who headed wide but recovered it in time to keep Di Giannantonio at bay. At the time, anyway, before the two started duelling, Acosta got involved once more, and it looked like Viñales and Bastianini had disappeared up the road. But not so.

    At the final chicane, the ‘Beast’ struck for the podium and got past Viñales with four full laps remaining, and from there the group couldn’t quite stay with him. By the penultimate lap it then looked like a Viñales-Marquez duel for the podium, but there was still drama to come.

    On the final lap, Acosta slid out at Turn 7, and then Viñales headed just wide enough to allow Marquez through, leaving it an Aprilia-VR46 drag to the line for fifth instead. But when all is judged and confirmed, Viñales was forced to drop one position due to exceeding track limits at the chicane, promoting Diggia to fifth, and then the tyre pressure penalty for Marquez saw the #93 drop to P10.

    When the dust settles, Bagnaia’s masterclass puts the cherry on top of a weekend that saw him top every session bar Warm Up, but Martin took a valuable second. Bastianini takes back-to-back podiums to recover from a P10 qualifying, and it’s Diggia classified fourth ahead of Viñales, with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) taking P6 after a quiet but valuable ride. Alex Marquez takes P7 ahead of a solid result for Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) in eighth, with Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) next up ahead of the #93 completing the top ten. Check out the full results below.

    Unfortunately, one piece of tougher news on the grid was for Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), who suffered a big crash at Turn 1 and was declared unfit for a right wrist fracture.

    Now, the paddock heads for Germany. It’s ten points in it, a venue we’ve seen Martin deny Bagnaia before… and some of the most successful turf Marc Marquez has ever raced. Will the number 93 be able to find that form at one of his true signature tracks, or do his rivals have a statement of their own up their sleeves? Join us next weekend to find out!

  • Bagnaia slams in new lap record to edge out Viñales at the Cathedral: MotoGP

    Bagnaia slams in new lap record to edge out Viñales at the Cathedral: MotoGP

    Assen, 28 June 2024: With rumours, tension, and excitement swirling around the paddock at the Motul TT Assen as we get back in gear, the battle for direct entry to Q2 did not disappoint in the hour-long Practice session on Friday afternoon. Ending the day at the top of the timesheets it’s Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), who completed a perfect day in the Netherlands. The #1 set a blistering time early on in Practice before improving later in the session, setting a brilliant 1:31.340. In a remarkable stat, Bagnaia going fastest in the first session on Friday was also the first time he’s ever done that in the premier class, despite two premier class World Championships and a full CV by nearly every metric.

    Nevertheless, it was close at the top by the end of the all-important afternoon Practice session, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) claiming second after improving yet again on his final fast lap – ending the day only 0.065s shy of Bagnaia. Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) had a positive end to Friday after a magnificent lap allowed the #73 to round out the top three, leading the chasing pack but with a small deficit to the top duo… and one he’ll be looking to bridge on Saturday.

    It was a dramatic session throughout which all came down to the final 15-minute time attack. Bagnaia was at the top as red sectors began to pop up everywhere, and it was Viñales who took over for the first time this weekend. Bagnaia soon responded on his next flying lap, however, securing that P1.

    There would be drama heading into the final run elsewhere though, with Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) having a close moment with Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), but utlimately no hard done.

    Further back, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) took fourth and showed great pace throughout the session – completing over 20 laps. However, the #41 suffered a crash in the closing minutes at the final corner, ending his session just before the flag came out. He’s been given the all clear and passed fit to race, but remains a little bruised. Behind the Spaniard was compatriot Martin, who rounded out the top five.

    Sixth place went the way of Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), who had an incredible front-end save during the session – improving on his 22nd lap. Brad Binder was next up, flying the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing flag inside the top 10 with his teammate Miller down in 18th place at the end of Friday.

    Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) held onto eighth place and a spot inside Q2 despite suffering from a crash of his own with three minutes to go. Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) took ninth as his solid form continues to hold, with Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) taking the final spot inside the top 10 and the final direct entry spot into Q2.

    Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) was the rider in P11 just missing out, ahead of Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and his teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio. They’ll be some of the first looking to attack in Q1 to move through. Join us on Saturday morning for that, before the Tissot Sprint lights up the TT Circuit Assen.

    FP2: 10:10 (UTC +2)
    Q1: 10:50
    Q2: 11.15
    Tissot Sprint: 15:00

  • Bagnaia banishes Barcelona demons to deny Martin with statement win: MotoGP

    Bagnaia banishes Barcelona demons to deny Martin with statement win: MotoGP

    After a Saturday to forget it was a Sunday to remember for the reigning Champion as he hits back to outpace Martin – with #MM93 charging up the order to make it a familiar top three.

    Barcelona, 26 May 2024: After missing an open goal win on Saturday, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) came out swinging on Sunday at the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya. The reigning Champion needed to make a statement and take some serious points, and that he did on both counts. Quick out the blocks from the start before ceding the lead early doors to Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), Bagnaia put in a relentless push to catch the #89, pounce once on the scene, and then edge away to pocket those 25 points on Sunday. 

    Behind Martin, the fight to complete the podium boiled down to the duel between Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), and it was almost a photo finish but the #93 took the spoils – making it three Grand Prix podiums in a row for Marquez for the first time since 2019. It was also another stunning comeback ride, this time from P14 on the grid.

    As the lights went out, it was a showdown on the brakes into T1 but Bagnaia just held on for the holeshot ahead of Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3), with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) also moving up but the #33 into third. Martin got a good start this time round, taking over in fourth, with polesitter Espargaro the main party losing out.

    Into Turn 10 on Lap 1, we had the first big move as Martin made an absolute lunge on Binder, but he got the job done and cleanly enough. It also left a small gap up the road to the leading duo of Bagnaia and Acosta, but it didn’t take long for that gap to close because it didn’t take long for the leading duo to start making moves amongst themselves.

    Acosta’s first attack came at Turn 10 after a couple of laps staring at the rear of the Ducati, but Bagnaia kept it tight to immediately take it back. Acosta’s foot was even off the peg. That closed everything up again, with Martin then right on their heels and Binder not too far behind either. Turn 10 staged another one next time round, this time for Championship leader Martin on the rookie – and Acosta was forced to cede it. And again next time around, this time as Martin left it oh-so-late to attack for the lead, taking over before they crossed the line for 19 to go.

    The party at Turn 10 didn’t stop there. Next time round there was another decisive move as Acosta attacked Bagnaia and took back over in second, and in a matter of apexes the rookie was back on the exhaust of race leader Martin, looking impatient.

    Meanwhile, the squabble behind was heating up. Bagnaia had some breathing space in third but Binder, Espargaro and Raul Fernandez were locked together. After stalking his prey for a while, Espargaro then was able to just nudge ahead into Turn 1, before Raul Fernandez attacked the KTM into Turn 3. Brutal but clean, Binder was pushed back to sixth.

    However, that soon become fifth as big drama hit for Acosta. After lighting it up there earlier, it all then came apart for the rookie at Turn 10 as he slid off, leaving Martin just over a second clear in the lead and Bagnaia now the rider on the chase. From there, the chess match began.

    Lap after lap, the gap was coming down as the #1 chipped away. A few hundredths here and there, each sector just enough to gain a few extra metres, a mere tenth per lap. But an absolutely relentless tenth per lap. And once he was there, Bagnaia wasted absolutely no time in making his attack. 

    With six laps to go, the reigning Champion made his move – and at exactly the place he let big spoils go begging in the Tissot Sprint: Turn 5. No drama, no contact, and nothing Martin could do, the roles were now reversed.

    The relentless pace from the #1 continued, however, and the battle of the laptimes was slipping from Martin’s grasp. The gap eked out, came back down slightly and then suddenly went up again. The jig was up as Martin started to fade, leaving Bagnaia with the same task as Saturday: keep it on the same rails to the flag. This time, it was a faultless performance as the Ducati Lenovo rider cuts the gap back to 39 points and Martin, this time round, has to settle for second.

    Meanwhile, Marc Marquez was now on the tailpipes of Espargaro. The #93 pulled a carbon copy of the move the Aprilia rider put on Binder a few laps before and was into third – now he just had to hold onto it. After announcing his retirement at the end of 2024 just ahead of the event and taking pole and the Sprint win, the incentive was even bigger than normal for the #41 to make an attack, and he clawed his way onto the back of the Gresini by the final lap. But there was no way through that would have allowed both to finish, so it came down to the final drag to the line – with Marquez just staying ahead for that podium from P14 on the grid.

    Espargaro takes fourth to complete an incredible weekend on home turf, with a late charge from Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) seeing the Italian just pip Raul Fernandez to fifth. Still, after a maiden front row and having led the Sprint, P6 concludes a great weekend for the #25 and Trackhouse Racing – it’s the team’s best result yet.

    Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) charged through to seventh as Binder lost out later in the race to finish P8. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) kept ahead of Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing) as they completed the top ten. Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), Acosta after remounting, Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) and Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) completed the points.

    There’s one name missing from that last who did cross the line ahead of a few of them, but the FIM MotoGP™ Stewards v Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) intervened. The ‘Beast’ had a dramatic race after he went wide following an attack from Alex Marquez, was deemed to have not lost enough time cutting Turn 2, and then given a Long Lap. He didn’t agree with that, countering he’d lost time from the #AM73 move, so he rode on. He then got a double Long Lap and served one, unsure if it might have been for another incident, and didn’t serve the second – so it became a ride through. The protest vote rolled on from the #23 and he didn’t take that in time either, so it ended up as a 32s time penalty, the equivalent of a trip through pitlane. Acrimony low but commitment to opinion high, he’ll be looking to prove a point at Mugello.

    That’s just next week, as luck would have it, with the spectacular Tuscan venue ready to welcome the world’s most exciting sport for the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo. Join us then for more as the statement wins just keep on coming – and the history just keeps getting made.

  • Bagnaia masters the mayhem in manic Mugello Sprint

    Bagnaia masters the mayhem in manic Mugello Sprint

    The Tissot Sprint serves up a storm as Bezzecchi is forced to settle for second and the action comes thick and fast from first lap to last.

    Mugello, June 10, 2023: The Tissot Sprint at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, kept MotoGP fans on the edge of their seats as a freight train of riders hurtled under the looming clouds threatening Saturday’s perfect dry running. With all the 2023 big hitters in the mix it was a tall order for Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) to take victory as closest challenger Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) was right on the tail of the #1 to the flag, but the reigning Champion held firm to lay down the gauntlet for Sunday. The battle for 3rd went down to the wire as well as Prima Pramac Racing had their own duel, Jorge Martin just fending off his teammate Johann Zarco.

    To push or not to push?
    Rain clouds loomed over Mugello ahead of the first-ever Tissot Sprint at the iconic Italian venue. The lights went out, and Bagnaia took the holeshot as Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) flew his way into P2. Miller didn’t hold onto it though as Bagnaia led Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and Martin on the first lap.

    There was drama from the off as Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was eager to carve through the field. The South African saw a small gap left open by Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), but as the door naturally began to close on the racing line the slightest of touches was all that was needed to send the Spaniard into the Turn 1 gravel trap. Binder was given a Long Lap for that as AM73 tumbled out, rider ok.

    Bagnaia, Marc Marquez, Martin, Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), Bezzecchi, and Miller was the order the first time across the line. Spits of rain then began to fall as Martin decided it was time to hit the front with the pack bunching up in uncertain conditions. The rain flags came out as the riders were now able to swap bikes if they so wished.

    The pack began to shuffle as the rain came down on the far section of the circuit with nine laps to go. Martin led the way with Miller and Marquez following closely. At this point, Miller decided it was time for gloves off as he divebombed Marc Marquez, sending them both wide and down the order.

    Meanwhile at the front, Bagnaia had retaken the lead and with Marquez and Miller now having dropped down to P7 and P5 respectively, the order was now Bagnaia, Martin, Bezzecchi, Marini, and Miller.

    The top dog vs the new kid on the block
    The rain stopped and the race began to settle down with seven laps to go, but now it was now Bezzecchi catapulting himself right in the mix. The young Italian was all over the rear wheel of the race leader Bagnaia, with the Pramac duo of Martin and Zarco waiting to pick up the pieces in 3rd and 4th.

    The pressure was on for Bagnaia but the #1 responded in true Champions’ fashion stretching out the field with four laps remaining. Bagnaia put the hammer down setting the fastest lap of the race, giving himself some breathing space ahead of chasing Indendent Team Ducatis. Bezzecchi threw the kitchen sink at the Mugello circuit but it wasn’t enough to get the better of Bagnaia who was in a league of his own, and brought home his first Tissot Sprint victory on home soil.

    Points up for grabs
    The fight for the final spot in the top 3 was decided by less than a tenth of a second as Zarco almost rode pillion to Martin on the final lap. The final sector came Zarco was trying everything to push his way through, but the Spaniard kept the door firmly closed on the #5.

    Marini rounded out the top 5 on home soil with Miller recovering to P6 after dropping down the order. After Miller and Marquez had bashed bars early on, Marquez came home P7.

    Walking wounded, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) held strong in a solid point-scoring finish ahead of another recovering rider in Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team). The Italian took the final point as he crossed the line in a Tissot Sprint for the first time in his career. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) rounded out the top 10 as his 2023 struggles continued somewhat, looking for more on Sunday.

    If Saturday’s action at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley is anything to go by, you do not want to miss any of the action on Sunday’s billing as the race gets underway at 14:00 local time (GMT +2)! 

  • Quartararo, Bagnaia quotes before title-decider: MotoGP

    Quartararo, Bagnaia quotes before title-decider: MotoGP

    Martin takes pole ahead of Marquez, with Miller third and Quartararo just 0.066 off the front row as Bagnaia faces down a date with destiny from eighth

    Valencia, 5 November 2022: This is it. The stage is set for the #TheDecider. On pole it’s Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) followed by Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) to make some interesting front row dynamics, while Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) pushed as hard has he could – and then some – to earn P4 on the grid at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo.

    JORGE MARTIN

    “It was a difficult day, I felt good in terms of pace but for a time attack I didn’t have that extra this morning but this afternoon I found something and with the hard front I feel much better in braking. The first stint was great which I didn’t expect because normally you need 2 or 3 laps on the right side, on the second stint I thought I could improve but I had some moments on the rear, but finally pole position, third in a row and fifth of the season. I’m happy but the important thing is tomorrow and I’ll give it everything!”

    FABIO QUARTARARO

    Can you win from P4?
    “Yes, I think we have the possibility. Our pace looks much better than the position we start on the race and yeah, looking forward to starting tomorrow.”

    How much did you have to push?
    “Yeah over the limit, but you know it’s a race where I need to be at my maximum to try to be on top and to have the possibility to fight for the victory tomorrow was super important to be on the second row.”

    Are the first 2/3 laps going to be crucial?
    “Yeah it’s going to be crucial and it’s also going to be super important to not make any stupid mistakes, but I’m feeling ready and I feel like we are doing a pretty good job.”

    FRANCESCO BAGNAIA

    Did today go to plan?
    “No absolutely not. Starting from yesterday we are struggling a bit with new tyres and also for the time attack, me and other two or three riders with the Ducati are having the same issue. We have to consider the positives and I think our pace with used tyres is quite good, with new tyres we’re struggling a bit more compared to other riders but I think from 8-10 laps we can be competitive and start to be at the front.”

    How nervous are you for the first few laps?
    “On this moment I’m just thinking of what to do to improve my bike with my team, I think the ideas we have are good. I’m just thinking on that, I know if I start thinking ‘ah I’m starting eighth, I have to do this, this and this,’ it’s the worst. So I will try to start well for sure but in this moment I just want to focus on my bike.”

    Qualies

    Importantly for Yamaha’s title contender, he will start a full row ahead of World Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), who qualified eighth – with everything still very much possible in this title fight…

    As was the case a fortnight ago in Malaysia, Martin was on the pace immediately in Q2, setting a 1:29.621 which would still be fastest at the end of the first runs. Miller was second on a 1:29.834 and Quartararo fourth on a 1:30.135, while Bagnaia was back to pitlane after a single 1:30.766 which left him 11th when the track went quiet.

    Miller’s hopes of one last pole for Ducati then disappeared when he crashed at Turn 2, while an under-the-weather Marc Marquez jumped from ninth to P2 when he fired in a 1:30.049. Bagnaia then moved to sixth, ahead of Quartararo, before ‘El Diablo’ leapfrogged his title rival by clocking a 1:30.027.

    There were more yellow flags when Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) had a spill at Turn 6, while Bagnaia toured the run-off at Turn 8. Quartararo was still on a hot lap and, fortunately for him, it was unaffected as he sought to elevate himself further up the grid. He did indeed move up two spots more to fourth with a 1:29.900 before running into the Turn 2 gravel trap on his final lap of the session – although that was in fact a moot point with replays showing FQ20 also running onto the green at Turn 1 beforehand.

    Martin had no improvement during his second run but still bagged pole, ahead of Marc Marquez and Miller, who kept his berth on the front row despite the tumble. Quartararo heads up Row 2, next to Q1 graduate Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and the pace-setter in that earlier qualifying session, Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing). Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was classified seventh, ahead of Bagnaia, Zarco, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar).

    Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) had moved into second place in Q1 with a 1:30.193 but Rins hit back and then Bastianini’s chances of advancing to Q2 were dashed when he crashed at Turn 2 – rider okay. ‘La Bestia’ is set to start 13th and Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), who topped FP4 and then threatened to upstage both Viñales and Rins late in Q1, from 14th.

    On Sunday at 14:00 (GMT +1), the 2022 World Champion will be decided. Two riders, 23 points and one single crown puts everything on the line in one final showdown for the year – and era. Do. Not. Miss. This.

    The top-grid;

    1 Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) – Ducati – 1’29.621
    2 Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) – Honda – +0.205
    3 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.213

    4 Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) – Yamaha – +0.279

    8 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – +0.428

  • MotoGP riders gear up for the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya

    MotoGP riders gear up for the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya

    Quartararo, Aleix Espargaro, Bastianini and Bagnaia talk business in Barcelona

    Barcelona, 2 June 2022: Ahead of the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya, the pre-event Press Conference saw reigning Champion and Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) joined by closest challenger and home hero Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), three-time MotoGP™ race winner Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and Mugello victor Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) to talk about the weekend ahead.

    Here are some key quotes!

    On a new deal with Yamaha:
    Fabio Quartararo: “It was not an easy decision and we took a little bit more time to evaluate all of the project and, in the end, Yamaha made a lot of effort to bring a lot of new people and they know where they need to improve. The last two or three years they were working on some areas or another and now they know where they need to improve. They know clearly it’s the power, so I’m super happy because they really understand. They are doing their best to find what we are missing and I believe in the project, so that’s why we took the decision a few weeks ago. Of course, it was a good decision.”

    Why stay with Yamaha?
    FQ20: “My first goal is to have the best bike and the best project like I said before. They convinced me because they’re bringing new people, they are working super hard and they know exactly where they need to improve. In the past maybe they were working on a few different areas but they don’t really accept the bike was slower than the others. Now they know and they are clearly working on this weak point, so that’s what made me take the decision to stay at Yamaha.”

    Thoughts on this weekend?
    “Last year was a strange weekend. I always feel good in this track. I had my first podium here in MotoGP, first win in Moto2, last year we were really fast, so there is no reason we cannot fight for a great result this year. Of course, we know that we have the long straight here but in with Mugello, it was a problem, but we finished second. Hopefully here we can feel much better from tomorrow morning and work a lot better than in Mugello and see if we can have a great pace since FP1.”

    How special is it to come to your home race with a genuine chance of winning?
    Aleix Espargaro: “It’s crazy, sincerely. Every year, the home GP is special, it’s very beautiful, very nice. During my career, when you’re young, it’s more difficult to deal with this pressure, to deal with a lot of people coming, but year-by-year, I have tried to improve this and I make it more normal. But this year again, it’s completely different because I arrive in the best shape of my career, fighting on top, so it’s fantastic. I feel very good and I will try to enjoy it as much as I can, working hard from FP1 to prepare the bike and put a good show on Sunday.”

    Do you feel any extra pressure here as a Championship contender, and if so, how do you deal with it?
    AE41: “Not really. I had extra pressure here when I arrived in 10th, 12th place in the championship and I was dreaming of fighting for the podium. I crashed every year because I went 200 percent and I wasn’t myself and the bike was not ready to go at the results that I was dreaming about. So, actually this year, I don’t have more pressure, it’s the opposite. I know I will enjoy it, I have no doubt that the bike will be competitive here, and I have no doubt that I will be competitive here as well, so I am trying to keep the feet on the ground but enjoy it as much as I can.”

    What do you think will be the strengths of your RS-GP around this circuit?
    AE41: “More or less, the bike is working everywhere. But, for example, in Mugello behind Fabio, I struggled a lot on the change of direction, he was able to carry a lot more speed than me. Here in Barcelona, there is less change of direction, but also the engine performance is very, very important, so Pecco and ‘Bestia’ will be very strong as well because they’ve been also on the last races. Of course, every circuit has its points that are good and bad for my bike, but I think Barcelona suits the RS-GP quite well.”

    Tell us about your helmet this weekend:
    AE41: “Four years ago, here during the Barcelona GP, my twins were born, and my girl had a problem with her heart. She’s been operated on twice, and I suffered a lot then. It is to thank CorAll Family and the group of doctors that did everything possible. I have a feeling that I arrive now and I have a huge impact on people, on society, so it’s my way of saying thanks to them, and paying tribute to them. Mia is still too young to realise this, but for the doctors, for everyone at CorAll Family, it’s my way of saying thanks to them.”

    Thoughts on the weekend?
    Enea Bastianini: “It’s a nice track for me. It’s fast but also a very technical circuit. I come from a not-so-beautiful race in Mugello because I crashed. I’m motivated to start in the best mood here. Last year it was a little bit complicated for me, the first time with the MotoGP bike and the grip of the asphalt is not too high. I have to adapt my riding style a little bit this year. We will see what we can do and we have to do our 100% percent.

    “I have to be more consistent because I’ve made some really good races but then some are not really nice like in Mugello and in Portimao. I have to do more to stay more concentrated in the future and also to enjoy it.

    “In Le Mans but also in Mugello I missed a little bit of feeling on the front, especially in the entry of the corner. I think we understand why it’s been difficult for me to stop the bike in straight-line braking. We know what we have to modify on the setup to resolve this problem.”

    Catalunya has not always been a great track for you; what are your thoughts going into this weekend?
    Francesco Bagnaia: “In 10 years in the World Championship, I have never had a good result here. My last podium was in 2012, in the Spanish championship, so I have to change this situation a bit. In any case, it’s one of my favourite Grands Prix of the year, I always like to travel here, I like the track, I like the people, and it’s great. But, for sure it will be important to do the same work we did last weekend, from FP1. We already know that racing here is like doing flat track, so it will be very important to understand that and improve our grip with the setting.”

    Will the key focus in practice be on how to manage the tyres for the last 10 laps of the race?
    FB63: “Yeah, the drop-off of the tyres on this track, especially on the right side, is heavy, so it will not be easy. Last year, the three guys on the podium, and Fabio, had the hard rear, so the consumption is high, and it will be very important to be smart in the race. It will not be easy because normally when the grip is low, we have to change the setting a bit, because my setting is a bit different, so let’s see. We will have a lot of work to do in these days but I am quite sure that we will be competitive.”

    Do you think you and the other three riders seated here are the clear Championship contenders now?
    FB63: “It’s the same as what I said in Mugello. I think that we can be the contenders for the title. There is still a lot of races to go but at the moment, it’s like this…”