Enea Bastianini (23), Marc Marquez (93), Jorge Martin (89) and Francesco Bagnaia (1) head into Turn One of the Sprint race in Barcelona. Photos by Michael Gougis.
Francesco Bagnaia’s best chance of keeping his title hopes alive until Sunday’s Grand Prix race meant that he needed to win Saturday’s Sprint and hope other riders finished ahead of Championship leader Jorge Martin. Martin, on the other hand, needed to stay upright and not get involved in a battle with anyone. That is exactly what happened on Saturday. “Everyone did what they needed to do today,” Martin said after the race.
After fluffling the start, Bagnaia quickly forced his way into the lead and won, and Jorge Martin finished third after offering absolutely no defense against Enea Bastianini’s last-lap lunge down the inside into Turn Five. Martin happily pocketed the third-place points, leaving him 19 points ahead of Bagnaia. That means that even if Bagnaia wins Sunday’s Grand Prix race, Martin can finish ninth and still take the title.
Jorge Martin (89) lets Enea Bastianini (23) make a clean pass for second on the last lap of the Sprint race.
Francesco Bagnaia (1) took pole and led every lap of the Sprint race.
Aron Canet (44) led every Moto2 practice session over the weekend and snatched pole in the final minutes of qualifying.
Moto3 World Champion David Alonso (80) was 0.347 seconds faster than the rest of the field and cleanly qualified on pole. Fans on the Spanish hillsides waved banners with his racing number and the phrase “BabyGOAT.” While Alonso races as a Colombian citizen, he also holds Spanish citizenship and was born in Spain. Alonso has set a new record for wins in a season for the class with 13 victories so far in 2024.
Raul Fernandez (25) flew the Valencian flag on the cooldown lap after the Sprint race.
Trackhouse Racing said farewell to Miguel Oliveira, who is leaving the team to join Pramac Yamaha in 2025. Oliveira scored the team’s first podium by taking second in Germany earlier this year.
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