Marc Marquez thrilled his home country fans by taking his first full-length MotoGP race victory in nearly three years Sunday at MotorLand Aragon, in Alcaniz, Spain. Riding his Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici on Michelin control tires, the six-time MotoGP World Champion started from pole position and won the 23-lap race by nearly five seconds.
Prima Pramac Racing Ducati rider Jorge Martin extended his World Championship point lead with his runner-up finish.
Rookie sensation Pedro Acosta made it an all-Spanish podium by taking third on his Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 machine.
Brad Binder was fourth on his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RC16.
Enea Bastianini brought his Lenovo Ducati home in fifth.
Two-time and defending World Champion Francesco Bagnaia got off to a rough start, and then things only got worse when he had contact with Alex Marquez and they both crashed out of the race.
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
1043 days later: Marc Marquez roars back to glory, drama hits for Bagnaia
The #93 completes a history-making weekend at MotorLand as Martin’s lead increases following a clash between Alex Marquez and Bagnaia
Sunday, 01 September 2024
1043 days, multiple surgeries, a change of team and factory later, and Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) is back on the top step of the Grand Prix podium. The #93 dominated the majority of the Gran Premio GoPro de Aragon including a stunning first Tissot Sprint win, but being the fastest isn’t a guarantee of glory. Come Sunday, however, Marquez shot off the line for the holeshot and never looked back, underlining one of the greatest comebacks in MotoGP™ history.
There was plenty to talk about in his wake too, with Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) taking second and extending his title lead – gained back from Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) on Saturday – after Bagnaia’s podium charge came to a halt in a clash with Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™). The verdict from the FIM MotoGP™ Stewards: racing incident and no further action. The verdict from each rider wildly opposes both that and each other.
Meanwhile, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) took the final spot on the podium, back on the GP box for the first time since the Americas GP in April and adding to an impressive point tally for the rookie, who currently sits fifth in the World Championship standings.
As the lights went out, Marc Marquez took the holeshot once again, and there was drama for Bagnaia once again as the #1 struggled off the line and got close to Alex Marquez in a near-repeat of the Sprint start. Acosta moved up into second and Martin took over in third, with Bagnaia left with work to do down in P7.
The #89 attempted a move at Turn 8 on Lap 2, running wide and allowing Acosta back through before making an overtake stick at Turn 13. Acosta then began to drop back, with Alex Marquez now entering the podium positions.
Bagnaia began to recover positions, overtaking Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) for sixth position. The Italian set his sights on Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing), aiming to re-enter the top five, and not long after Morbidelli then ran wide, dropping to eighth and allowing the #1 through.
After an early crash for Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing), Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ Team) then joined him as a DNF, unable to secure a double top 10 finish in Aragon after a crash at Turn 5. Further back, Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) was battling for the final places inside the top 10 with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing).
Back at the front, Marc Marquez extended his lead to over three seconds, with the #89 remaining as his closest rival. Martin, however, still held that crucial ground on Bagnaia as the #1 was up into P4 after a spectacular overtake on Acosta at the end of Lap 11. Next target: Alex Marquez.
By Lap 19, Bagnaia was tagged right onto the back of the #73, and as the Gresini ran wide on the entry to Turn 12, the door seemed open. Bagnaia went for it, meanwhile Alex Marquez tried to keep it. The result was contact between the two as they slid off in a tangle to forfeit the podium, riders ok and Martin’s points advantage suddenly bolstered to 23 points by the flag.
Up ahead though, Marc Marquez suffered no such dramas. Extending his margin to five seconds, the #93 kept it calm at the head of the field to take that coveted first victory since 2021, his first with Ducati and Gresini, 1043 days – and so much more – later.
Behind Martin and Acosta, who swept past the Bagnaia-Alex Marquez drama to complete the podium, was a strong P4 for Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). Bastianini, after a somewhat disastrous grid position as he lost out on Q2, put in a classic comeback to round out the top five. Morbidelli claimed sixth after a solid weekend, ahead of Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team’s Di Giannantonio and Marco Bezzecchi, who crossed the line in that order but then got switched after a Tyre Pressure Penalty for Diggia. Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) took P9, ahead of the final place in the top ten for Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) after a tyre pressure penalty for Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) dropped the Aussie out the top ten.
Make sure you join us next week when the world’s most exciting sport returns for the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini. Enemy territory for the Championship leader and the most recent winner. Home turf for the reigning Champion. See you in Misano?
Dixon throws his hat in the Championship ring with stunning Aragon win
It was another Moto2™ showstopper at the Gran Premio GoPro de Aragon, with Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) storming to a second victory of the season, holding off Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) as the Italian got back on the podium for the first time in 2024. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) topped off a weekend to remember in his rookie Moto2™ season, becoming the first Turkish rider to finish on the podium in the intermediate class since Kenan Sofuoglu in 2011.
Polesitter Dixon claimed the holeshot at the start, but Arbolino hit the front on Lap 4 in a big group battle. A couple of laps later though, the Brit made the decisive move to take back the lead and start pushing to break the group.
Meanwhile, there would soon be drama for Fermin Aldeguer (Sync SpeedUp), who suffered a crash on Lap 7 after contact with Öncü – leaving the #54 with zero points on Sunday. He wouldn’t be the only key name to fail to score either, with points leader Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) battling outside the points, getting an LLP and then pulling in.
Meanwhile, Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) was on the verge of points as he returns form injury, entering the top 15 at the end of Lap 7. Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo) soon dropped back towards Ogura too after contact with OnlyFans American Racing Team’s Joe Roberts on the entry to Turn 16. Roberts was later handed a Long Lap for the incident, dropping the American to eighth… and on the very final lap he then became another key Championship contender to take nil points, sliding off.
As Öncü fought back following the contact with Aldeguer that had sent him wide, Alonso Lopez (Sync SpeedUp) became the final hurdle before a podium position for the Turkish rider. Once past, Öncü was able to make enough of a cushion to secure that maiden Moto2™ podium.
Up ahead, Dixon was able to hold Arbolino at bay and then find some margin in the latter stages to pull out 1.7 seconds by the flag. That puts him 43 points off the top now, in fifth behind Roberts. Arbolino’s second was still a first rostrum of 2024, and for Öncü it was a stunner too.
Lopez, meanwhile, missed out on the podium but that P4 is a valuable haul as only Dixon, in the top five in the title fight, outscored him. The #21 is now third overall. Ogura managed to charge up to eighth, however, closing teammate Garcia’s lead down to just 12 points and staying ahead of Lopez.
Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™), Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) and Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing Team) were next up, ahead of Ogura in P8. Darryn Binder (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) and Vietti took the final spots inside the top 10.
It’s now just 12 points in it, so join us in Misano as the Championship battle begins to heat up at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini in just one week!
Rueda puts in a ride to remember for maiden Grand Prix win
The Gran Premio GoPro de Aragon saw Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) make a little history, taking his own maiden win and in doing so becoming the 400th different winner in Grand Prix history. After David Alonso (CFMoto Gaviota Aspar Team) shot off into an early lead and made a gap, Rueda managed was one of those able to hunt him down, get past and then take his own turn leading from the front, able to hold off and then pull away in the latter laps.
Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) came home second after leading the charge for the chasing pack, with Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) the final rider able to arrive at and overhaul Alonso in the latter stages. For the Italian it’s a maiden Grand Prix podium rewarding an impressive season so far.
Alonso shot off the line and had impressive pace in the opening stages, earning some clear space on track before Veijer was able to cut three seconds back to nothing and pounce on Lap 12, demoting Alonso as Rueda and Lunetta also began to edge closer.
In a four-way fight at the front, Rueda then took over in the lead on Lap 13. Entering the final lap, Veijer was less than one second behind but the #99 pushed on to open up some breathing space and secure his first win. Lunetta caught and passed Alonso, demoting the Colombian to fourth.
Joel Kelso (BOE Motorsports) rounded out the top five, just ahead of Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia). The #72 showed a strong pace in the opening stages on Sunday, and finished ahead of David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports).
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Xabi Zurutuza was eighth, taking his best Grand Prix finish in an incredible result for the rookie. Meanwhile, Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) was down in ninth as Kopron Rivacold Snipers Team’s Matteo Bertelle took the final spot inside the top 10. Further back, Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) had a tough Grand Prix, finishing P12 and dropping to third in the Championship as Veijer takes over in second.
Now it’s reset, reload and head off for Misano as another 25 points go on the table next weekend!
