Bagnaia wins Marquez duel

Two-time defending world champion Francesco Bagnaia won his third successive Spanish MotoGP, denying home favourite Marc Marquez his first win since 2021 in a thrilling race yesterday.

Bagnaia (above) recorded just his second win of the season as he held on aboard his factory Ducati despite poleman Marquez’s gargantuan efforts on his Ducati satellite Gresini bike.

“I enjoyed the fight with Marc,” said Bagnaia. “You have to be aggressive with him, I enjoyed it a lot, to see all this crowd, thanks to everyone.”

Marquez, whose last pole position was the Portuguese MotoGP in March, 2023, has had several years of fitness and injury problems.

However, the 31-year-old sixtime former MotoGP champion laid down a marker that he is back as he recorded his best finish since being runner-up in the Australian MotoGP in October, 2022.

“It was a super important race,” said Marquez. “At the start I was a little stiff after crashing yesterday [Saturday], but the speed was there to fight with Bagnaia.

“A tight fight, like old times! Last lap he (Bagnaia) was super good, I tried to follow him. I am super happy, first podium (for Ducati).”

Marco Bezzecchi took third – his first podium of the season – whilst championship leader Jorge Martin crashed out when leading with 15 laps to go.

Martin, who won Saturday’s crash-filled sprint race, retains his lead in the standings, 17 points ahead of Bagnaia.

Despite some bad blood between Marquez and Bagnaia they managed a genuine enough looking hug after they had ridden into the pits following celebratory laps.

Bagnaia took the eye from the start surging from seventh to overtake Marquez going into the second lap.the Spanish great led into the straight.

The race changed dramatically at the Dani Pedrosa corner with 15 laps remaining as perhaps unnerved by Bagnaia’s pressure Martin made an error and slid off.

South Africa’s Brad Binder (KTM) finished sixth and remained sixth on the championship standings. –