Prima Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin led from lights to flag in the first Sprint race of 2024, continuing his strong start to the season under the lights at Lusail International Circuit.
Martin, who led the first practice session and took pole, was never threatened, although factory KTM rider Brad Binder stayed close throughout the entire 11-lap race.
Factory Aprilia rider Aleix Espargaro was third, ahead of defending World Champion Francesco Bagnaia, with the top three separated by only 0.729 seconds at the flag.
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
The Sprint king strikes first! Martin holds off Binder and Espargaro in the opening gambit of 2024
Three factories on the Tissot Sprint podium, Bagnaia and Marc Marquez just off it… storylines abound on Saturday at Lusail
Saturday, 09 March 2024
Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) started 2024 with a statement ride – arguably a signature one – as the number 89 shot out the blocks to take the first Tissot Sprint win of the year. Harried all the way home by Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Martin held firm under pressure for Sprint win 10 of his career.
Binder had his own pressure right to the flag too, with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) battling past both Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) on his way to taking third, right on the KTM’s tail and making it three factories on the first rostrum of the season.
Binder had a storming start up from fourth to tag onto the back of Martin immediately, with the number 89 taking the holeshot and getting the hammer down but still not able to shake the South African. Espargaro lost out initially from his P2 on the grid but then started to pull it back, taking fourth from Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) and then third place back from Bagnaia.
Meanwhile, Marc Marquez and Gresini teammate Alex Marquez were in the thick of the battle with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team). Eventually, Marc Marquez was able to make it stick and headed off in pursuit of Bastianini on the rear of the front group, and not too long after that Diggia was sadly out of the battle after a strange and initially dramatic crash, but rider ok.
At the front, Martin rolled on. But he wasn’t getting away. Binder was still very much in touch, and Bagnaia was on the move too as he dispatched Espargaro to move into third. The next move then came in from Marc Marquez, with Bastianini slightly wide and the number 93 needing no second invitation.
By five laps to go, the eight-time World Champion was attacking Espargaro and past him at the end of the straight, as Martin seemed to have the hammer down at the front. But there was still no breakaway from the number 89. The chasers responded, with Binder holding firm ahead of Bagnaia, Marc Marquez and Espargaro. Bastianini, however, started to fade slightly from that group.
A moment for Marc Marquez, capitalised on by Espargaro as the Aprilia struck again, narrowed that gap to Bastianini, however. And that was key for the final lap battle, with Espargaro able to keep it, keep the hammer down, and then home in on the leading trio. It was a four-rider battle for the podium with two to go.
The penultimate lap saw the Aprilia take on Bagnaia, but the reigning Champion cut back as Espargaro sailed wide. But onto the main straight the #41 then made it stick and got the hammer down enough to hold onto third into Turn 1, now with the next target locked on: Binder.
The KTM was chasing Martin, but a new problem was carving up the gap to tuck right onto his tail. Espargaro ate through the metres enough to almost give himself striking distance by the final corner, but it was just that bit too far for a move. Martin crossed the line for a statement tenth Sprint win to start the season ahead, with Binder taking that second and Espargaro forced for settle for that third.
Reigning Champion Bagnaia likewise had to settle, in his case for fourth, with Marc Marquez next up. Bastianini crossed the line sixth, ahead of Alex Marquez in a lonelier seventh. The number 73 had had some close company from rookie sensation Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) in the latter stages, but was able to pull the gap back out.
Acosta, however, took an impressive P8 in his first MotoGP™ appearance – and he was the second RC16 on track. What can the number 31 do with a few more laps to get in the groove?
Ninth place went to Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), with Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) completing the top ten in a close group ahead of Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and a near photo-finish with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™). Check out the full results below!
That’s a wrap on a truly super Saturday. From the flurry of fast laps in the morning to a statement Sprint in the evening, there’s only even more to look forward to on Sunday. So join us from 20:00 (UTC +3) for the first Grand Prix of the season!
Canet grabs pole from Lopez, Aldeguer starts tenth after penalty
Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) takes the opening pole position of the year, heading Alonso Lopez (Sync SpeedUp) on the front row as the top Boscoscuro machine. His teammate Fermin Aldeguer, a title favourite, qualified seventh but then got a three-place grid penalty for holding up another rider in Q2. That rider was actually Albert Arenas, and he ultimately completes the front row on the Triumph-powered QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™️ bike.
Arenas was at the top of the timesheets for the early stages of Q2. However, as the session progressed it was Canet and Lopez who struck to take over, and the #75 couldn’t improve.
Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) will start behind his teammate on the second row ahead of Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Barry Baltus (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP).
Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing Team) was a further 0.034 behind Aldeguer on the timesheets but moves up to P7, and ahead of the sole CFMOTO Aspar Team rider Izan Guevara after it was announced that Jake Dixon has been declared unfit after a crash in P2. Zonta van der Goorbergh (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP) now completes that row ahead of Aldeguer.
Moto2™ will be back on track at 18:15 local time (UTC +3) on Sunday for the opening Grand Prix of the season. Can Aldeguer make a comeback? Can Canet take that maiden Moto2™ win? Tune in to find out!
Holgado keeps the roll going with first pole of 2024
Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) is on pole position for the opening Grand Prix after setting a remarkable 2:02.276 to underline his pace this season. The Spaniard’s impressive lap time put him 0.265 clear of Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI), with only another 0.055 back to Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) as it closed up.
The lap times in Q2 were instantly fast, with Ortola setting an incredible 2:02.541 on his second lap of Qualifying – breaking the all-time lap record by 0.924. However, on the second run, Holgado was able to carve his way through the field, setting a time another 0.265 quicker.
At the start of row two will be Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), ahead of fellow Honda Matteo Bertelle (Rivacold Snipers Team). Joel Kelso (BOE Motorsports) rounds out the second row in sixth after a strong Qualifying for the Australian.
Riccardo Rossi heads row three ahead of Championship favourite David Alonso (CFMOTO Aspar Team), with Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Vicente Perez will start in ninth, setting his personal best lap time of the weekend as he subs for Xabi Zurutuza due to age limits. The fourth row will have Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) beginning the race in 10th place, and he’ll be another looking for more when the lights go out. The next time the Moto3™ Field will be on track is for the first Grand Prix of the season on Sunday at 17:00, so make sure you keep up to date and tune in on motogp.com.
