Two-time and world champion Francesco Bagnaia won the MotoGP World Championship Tissot Sprint race at Motegi, Japan on Saturday. Riding his Lenovo Ducati on Michelin Control tyres, the two-time MotoGP world champion won the 12-lap race by just 0.181 seconds.
His teammate Innea Bastianini finished second.
Six-time MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez FThe third rose against him Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici only 0.349 After the victorious Bagnaia.
Leading Championship, George Martin was fourth on the Prima Pramac Ducati.
He is 15 points behind his main rival Martin, who has 372 points for the championship. Bastianini is third with 300 points.
World Championship classification
Further, from Dorna’s press release:
Baggiani capitalizes as Bagnaia Acosta pulls out and Bastianini beats Marquez at Motegi.
The Italian took the Tissot sprint victory ahead of Enya Bastianini and Marc Marquez, who was overtaken by pole sitter Pedro Acosta.
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) scored an impressive victory for the Tissot Sprix at the MotoGP of Japan. After Sunday, Bagnaia narrowed the gap to just 15 points. George Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) could only manage fourth – struggling from P11 on the grid. Bagnaya wins Ine Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Group) and Mark Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) after the pair had their own epic battle.
Tensions were high on the grid, with changing conditions throughout the day and spots of rain in the air, it was building to an unforgettable Tissot Sprint. Bagnaia took the right starting bag, taking the lead on the run into turn 1 and immediately putting the #1 hammer down, on the pole. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) dropping to third.
However, Acosta began to regain lost ground, passing Bastianini for second and setting his sights on the reigning world champion. The move came on lap 3, when Acosta started to push for the first time, charging into the sprint lead.
Meanwhile, Martin put together a strong opening lap, carving his way up from the fourth row to P5, with Marc Marquez now stuck on the tailpipe. The #93 soon found his way on the current championship leader, relegating Martin to sixth place.
It was an early disappointment. Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team), crashed at Turn 11 in the early stages. Drama soon strikes for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. Brad BinderWith # 33 retired to the pitlane. Takaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) also had an accident on lap 5 after colliding with his teammate – Johann Zarko (CASTROL Honda LCR) was given a long lap for this event.
Meanwhile, up front, Acosta pulled out a four-tenths gap over Bagnaia, with the three remaining locked together on the circuit. The gap soon widened on lap 8, with the rookie cutting the lead to more than half a second for the first time. However, it all came crashing down for Acosta on lap 9, falling from the sprint lead – rider OK.
Crucially, Bagnaia moved up to P1, widening his seven-tenths gap to team-mate Bastianini, who was now under pressure from Marc Marquez in third. The #93 pounced on Bastianini on lap 11, the ‘Beast’ didn’t wait to react, attacking at Turn 11 and separating the pair – much to the delight of the Japanese fans.
Heading into the final lap, Bagnaia had a one-second advantage, which closed to less than two-tenths. However, Peco had an incredible result – battling from the third row – as he claimed an incredible Tissot sprint victory from Bastianini, denying the recovering Marc Marquez second.
After beating his team-mate, Martin secured a strong championship points lead to seal a solid fourth on Saturday. Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramak Racing), completing another confidence-boosting ride with the #21. Meanwhile, Fabio D’Giantantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) took sixth, 0.120s ahead. Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™). behind, Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Aprilia Racing’s Maverick Vinales After another Saturday thriller, he scored the final score.
More action is to come at Motegi, with the world championship gap closing, Japanese Grand Prix Acosta aiming for redemption and Bagnaia setting his sights on regaining his title advantage from Martin, who starts from P11. Find out what happens next season when MotoGP™ returns on Sunday at 14:00 (UTC +9)!
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