MotoGP: Bagnaia Beats Marquez After Battle For The Win In Jerez

It was a historic battle for the ages between two truly great champions of the sport at the MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez. Reigning three-time world champion Francesco Bagnaia claimed his third consecutive victory at the Circuito de Angel Nieto against Gresini rider Marc Marquez after points leader Jorge Martin crashed out from the lead.

The battle raged from the moment the lights went out; Marquez starting from pole position, maintained his lead ahead of Martin, who initially secured second place after a daring lunge past Marco Bezzecchi and Brad Binder. 

Also Read: MotoGP: Jorge Martin Seizes Victory in Spanish Grand Prix Sprint Race

Meanwhile, Bagnaia starting from seventh, was determined to rewrite the story of his weekend after a collision with Binder during the sprint race. The 26-year-old Italian launched a stunning overtake going deep on the brakes on the opening lap to ride around the outside of Martin and Bezzecchi to claim second.

The contest intensified as Marquez launched a counterattack, creating a thrilling three-way battle with Martin and Bagnaia. Bagnaia briefly seized the lead before a small error saw him surrender the lead to Martin, however, Pecco remained in contention as the Ducati trio pulled away from the chasing pack.

However, the race took a dramatic turn on the 11th lap when Martin's hopes of victory were dashed by a sudden crash at Turn 6, relinquishing his lead to Bagnaia. The reigning champion capitalised on this opportunity, engaging in a fierce duel with Marquez for the win.

Also Read: MotoGP: Marc Marquez Flies To First Ducati Pole Position At Wet Spanish Grand Prix

Marquez relentlessly pursued Bagnaia, narrowing the gap with each lap and making multiple attempts to overtake. 

With five laps to go, Marc Marquez felt the roars of adulation from his manic home crowd urging him to reclaim the throne he once dominantly ruled. But Bagnaia's resolute defence, unwavering will and blistering pace thwarted Marquez's advances, ultimately securing him the victory by a slim margin of 0.372 seconds.

With this triumph, Bagnaia narrowed the gap in the championship standings, now trailing Martin by just 17 points. Behind the leading duo, Bezzecchi clinched his first podium of the season, followed by Alex Marquez and Enea Bastianini, completing the top five.

Also Read: 2021 MotoGP World Champion Fabio Quartararo To Stay With Yamaha Till 2026

Despite fewer crashes compared to the previous sprint, the race was not without incidents, with notable retirements including Jack Miller and Franco Morbidelli. Additionally, Aleix Espargaro and Johann Zarco collided during the race, adding to the drama on the track.

Finishing Order:

1. F. Bagnaia (Ducati)
2. M. Marquez (Gresini Ducati)
3. M. Bezzecchi (VR46 Ducati)
4. A. Marquez (Gresini Ducati)
5. E. Bastianini (Ducati)
6. B. Binder (KTM)
7. F. Di Giannantonio (VR46 Ducati)
8. M. Oliveira (Trackhouse Aprilia)
9. M. Vinales (Aprilia)
10. P. Acosta (Tech3 KTM)
11. R. Fernandez (Trackhouse Aprilia)
12. J. Mir (Honda)
13. A. Rins (Yamaha)
14. T. Nakagami (LCR Honda)
15. F. Quartararo (Yamaha)
16. S. Bradl (Honda)
17. L. Marini (Honda)

DNF:

• A. Fernandez (Tech3 KTM)
• J. Miller (KTM)
• F. Morbidelli (Pramac Ducati)
• L. Salvadori (Aprilia)
• J. Martin (Pramac Ducati)
• J. Zarco (LCR Honda)
• A. Espargaro (Aprilia)
• D. Pedrosa (KTM)