Bagnaia denies Marquez a fairytale ride to victory
MADRID: 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 on Sunday.
Bagnaia recorded just his second win of the season as he held on on 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 six-time 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, 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 crashfilled 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 record crowd having cheered as the Spanish great led into the straight.
Martin then assumed the lead with Bagnaia second and Marquez slipped to fourth as Bezzecchi passed him.
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.
“The most important thing was the first lap, I tried to push,” said Bagnaia.
“Then Jorge made his mistake when too strong on the brake.”
This left Bagnaia — whose only win and podium has come in Qatar this year — nearly a second ahead of Bezzecchi and Marquez.
Bezzecchi appeared to be in trouble, sliding all over the track and Marquez eased past him sparking the packed strands to erupt in joy.
Marquez had the bit between his teeth and began eating into the Italian’s lead.
However, Bagnaia showing the steeliness that has brought him two successive titles hit back posting a fastest lap.
Marquez has not won a race since securing his 59th career win at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in October 2021 — 900 days ago.