Defending Champion Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia rode his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici to victory in Saturday’s 11-lap MotoGP Sprint race at Mugello.
Bagnaia won by 0.369 second over Mooney VR46 Racing Team Ducati’s Marco Bezzecchi.
Jorge Martin finished third on his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati, just 0.952 second behind Bagnaia.
The top five finishers all rode Ducatis.
MotoGP Points after Sprint race
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Bagnaia masters the mayhem in manic Mugello Sprint
The Tissot Sprint serves up a storm as Bezzecchi is forced to settle for second and the action comes thick and fast from first lap to last
Saturday, 10 June 2023
The Tissot Sprint at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley kept MotoGP™ fans on the edge of their seats as a freight train of riders hurtled under the looming clouds threatening Saturday’s perfect dry running. With all the 2023 big hitters in the mix it was a tall order for Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) to take victory as closest challenger Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) was right on the tail of the #1 to the flag, but the reigning Champion held firm to lay down the gauntlet for Sunday. The battle for 3rd went down to the wire as well as Prima Pramac Racing had their own duel, Jorge Martin just fending off his teammate Johann Zarco.
To push or not to push?
Rain clouds loomed over Mugello ahead of the first-ever Tissot Sprint at the iconic Italian venue. The lights went out, and Bagnaia took the holeshot as Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) flew his way into P2. Miller didn’t hold onto it though as Bagnaia led Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and Martin on the first lap.
There was drama from the off as Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was eager to carve through the field. The South African saw a small gap left open by Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), but as the door naturally began to close on the racing line the slightest of touches was all that was needed to send the Spaniard into the Turn 1 gravel trap. Binder was given a Long Lap for that as AM73 tumbled out, rider ok.
Bagnaia, Marc Marquez, Martin, Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), Bezzecchi, and Miller was the order the first time across the line. Spits of rain then began to fall as Martin decided it was time to hit the front with the pack bunching up in uncertain conditions. The rain flags came out as the riders were now able to swap bikes if they so wished.
The pack began to shuffle as the rain came down on the far section of the circuit with nine laps to go. Martin led the way with Miller and Marquez following closely. At this point, Miller decided it was time for gloves off as he divebombed Marc Marquez, sending them both wide and down the order.
Meanwhile at the front, Bagnaia had retaken the lead and with Marquez and Miller now having dropped down to P7 and P5 respectively, the order was now Bagnaia, Martin, Bezzecchi, Marini, and Miller.
The top dog vs the new kid on the block
The rain stopped and the race began to settle down with seven laps to go, but now it was now Bezzecchi catapulting himself right in the mix. The young Italian was all over the rear wheel of the race leader Bagnaia, with the Pramac duo of Martin and Zarco waiting to pick up the pieces in 3rd and 4th.
The pressure was on for Bagnaia but the #1 responded in true Champions’ fashion stretching out the field with four laps remaining. Bagnaia put the hammer down setting the fastest lap of the race, giving himself some breathing space ahead of chasing Indendent Team Ducatis. Bezzecchi threw the kitchen sink at the Mugello circuit but it wasn’t enough to get the better of Bagnaia who was in a league of his own, and brought home his first Tissot Sprint victory on home soil.
Points up for grabs
The fight for the final spot in the top 3 was decided by less than a tenth of a second as Zarco almost rode pillion to Martin on the final lap. The final sector came Zarco was trying everything to push his way through, but the Spaniard kept the door firmly closed on the #5.
Marini rounded out the top 5 on home soil with Miller recovering to P6 after dropping down the order. After Miller and Marquez had bashed bars early on, Marquez came home P7.
Walking wounded, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) held strong in a solid point-scoring finish ahead of another recovering rider in Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team). The Italian took the final point as he crossed the line in a Tissot Sprint for the first time in his career. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) rounded out the top 10 as his 2023 struggles continued somewhat, looking for more on Sunday.
If Saturday’s action at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley is anything to go by, you do not want to miss any of the action on Sunday’s billing as the race gets underway at 14:00 local time (GMT +2)!
Canet grabs pole ahead of Acosta, Arbolino 10th
Aron Canet (Pons Wegwow Los40) put his name well and truly into the mix for victory contention at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley as the Spaniard put down a 1:50.796 in Q2, but bad luck hit not long after. He crashed out and headed to the medical centre, and he’ll need to be reviewed before the race to get the ok to start. He has a small bone infraction in two fingers, but he’ll be determined to be given the green light.
Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) dominated practice and was the favourite going into the session, but fell 0.159s short of his compatriot to start second. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) rounded out the top three for another front row, with teammate and Championship leader Tony Arbolino down in 10th.
Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) bagged P4 to secure the top spot on row two with Filip Salač (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) and Jake Dixon (AutosolarGASGAS Aspar M2) joining the American on Row 2. It was looking as if Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing) was going to take pole in the closing stages, but traffic mid-lap halted the Italian’s progress. Vietti will line up in P7 on the grid, fronting Row 3 ahead of the MB Conveyors SpeedUp duo of Fermin Aldeguer and Alonso Lopez. Can they move forward? Tune in at 12:15 (GMT+2) on Sunday to find out!
Öncü takes pole in demolition job at the top
Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) has been faultless so far at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley as he put in an incredible 1:56.020 for pole, over half a second clear. Joel Kelso (CFMOTO Racing PruestelGP) set the 2nd fastest time but following a sanction for slow riding on the line, will start from the back of the grid and take a long lap penalty in the race. That promotes Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) to second on the grid and Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) onto the front row.
Despite taking pole by over half a second, Öncü was determined to break the 1:46 barrier and set a new all-time lap record for the Moto3™ category. It wasn’t meant to be for the KTM man however, as the rear-end slid out midway through a hot lap seeing him lose half a second in one sector.
Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) led the best of the rest as the Brazilian was 0.701s shy of pole, but just like Kelso serves a back of the grid and Long Lap penalty. This gifts Matteo Bertelle (Rivacold Snipers Team) P4 as he enjoyed a dream weekend starting from the front of row 2 at his home Grand Prix. Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) will join him on row two, with Andrea Migno (CIP Green Power), Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia), and Scott Ogden (VisionTrack Racing Team) making up row three. Check out full results below.
The Moto3™ riders’ attention now turns to the race on Sunday, make sure not to miss any of the action as it commences at 11:00 local time (GMT +2).
