Defending double world champion Francesco Bagnaia cruised to victory in the season-opening Qatar MotoGP on Sunday.
The Ducati rider made a storming begin from fifth off the grid to hit the entrance and take complete management of the primary race in MotoGP’s seventy fifth anniversary season.
Brad Binder completed second for KTM with pole-sitter Jorge Martin (Ducati-Pramac) in third.
Bagnaia, fourth behind Martin in Saturday’s dash, mirrored: “We knew our potential, we tried to do our maximum yesterday, but changed the set up – today was totally different.”
South African Binder stated he was “super stoked” after also filling second in the sprint.
“We knew it was going to be tough to get to the end. I tried to get so close to ‘Pecco’ (Bagnaia) but he did an unreal job, he didn’t make one mistake.”
Martin, who had claimed pole after a document lap in qualifying, was very happy with his weekend’s work on the Lusail International Circuit.
“A win yesterday and P3 today, I’ve taken a lot of points over the weekend so I’m pleased.”
Bagnaia performed his ace card at lights out with a super-charged getaway from the second row to sail previous the 4 riders in the blink of an eye fixed.
Australian Jack Miller was the primary casualty of the 2024 season, crashing his manufacturing facility KTM on lap two.
With 14 of the 22 laps to go Bagnaia turned the screw, posting his quickest lap to go half a second clear.
The Italian was having fun with a candy spot, rider and bike in complete concord, and his lead had doubled simply two laps later.
Binder had the measure of Martin for second, with 19-year-old rookie Pedro Acosta working an outstanding fifth, harrying the person in entrance of him – none aside from six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez.
Start delayed
And the double world champion from Moto 2 and Moto 3 quickly had Marquez in his rear view mirror, though he slipped again a few locations in the closing levels.
Marquez is now with out a win in 868 days, mirroring Lewis Hamilton’s seemingly interminable winless run in Formula One.
But the Spaniard leaves Qatar having loved a optimistic first weekend after switching from Honda to Ducati’s satellite tv for pc Gresini bike, selecting up fifth in the dash and fourth in the primary occasion.
While the race was comparatively simple, that’s greater than might be stated of the beginning, which needed to be delayed when Raul Fernandez’s bike stalled on the grid.
Officials ordered the rider to take his Aprilia-Trackhouse off the monitor, however he initially refused.
A second formation lap was required, with Fernandez ranging from the again of the grid after a mad sprint to choose up his spare bike.
MotoGP’s subsequent port of name is Portimao for the Portuguese Grand Prix in a fortnight’s time with Bagnaia main the early championship standings on 31 factors from Binder with 29 and Martin one level away in third.
Results in the season-opening Qatar MotoGP at Lusail on Sunday:
1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA/Ducati) 39:34.869, 2. Brad Binder (RSA/KTM) at 1.329, 3. Jorge Martin (ESP/Ducati-Pramac) 1.933, 4. Marc Marquez (ESP/Ducati-Gresini) 3.429, 5. Enea Bastianini (ITA/Ducati) 5.153, 6. Alex Marquez (ESP/Ducati-Gresini) 6.791, 7. Fabio Di Giannantonio (ITA/Ducati-VR46) 9.161, 8. Aleix Espargaro (ESP/Aprilia) 11.242, 9. Pedro Acosta (ESP/GasGaS-Tech3) 11.595, 10. Maverick Vinales (ESP/Aprilia) 13.197, 11. Fabio Quartararo (FRA/Yamaha) 17.701, 12. Johann Zarco (FRA/Honda-LCR) 18.75, 13. Joan Mir (ESP/Honda) 18.437, 14. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA/Ducati-VR46) 19.194, 15. Miguel Oliveira (POR/Aprilia-Trackhouse) 20.717, 16. Alex Rins (ESP/Yamaha) 24.93, 17. Augusto Fernandez (ESP/GasGaS-Tech3) 24.106, 18. Franco Morbidelli (ITA/Ducati-Pramac) 24.641, 19. Takaaki Nakagami (JPN/Honda-LCR) 25.556, 20. Luca Marini (ITA/Honda) 42.422, 21. Jack Miller (AUS/KTM) à 42.761
Did not end: Raul Fernández (ESP/Aprilia-Trackhouse)
World championship standings
1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) 31pts, 2. Brad Binder (RSA) 29, 3. Jorge Martin (ESP) 28, 4. Marc Marquez (ESP) 18, 5. Enea Bastianini (ITA) 15, 6. Aleix Espargaro (ESP) 15, 7. Alex Marquez (ESP) 13, 8. Fabio Di Giannantonio (ITA) 9, 9. Pedro Acosta (ESP) 9, 10. Maverick Vinales (ESP) 7, 11. Fabio Quartararo (FRA) 5, 12. Johann Zarco (FRA) 4, 13. Joan Mir (ESP) 3, 14. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA) 2,15. Miguel Oliveira (POR) 1, 16. Alex Rins (ESP) 0, 17. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) 0, 18. Franco Morbidelli (ITA) 0, 19. Takaaki Nakagami (JPN) 0, 20. Luca Marini (ITA) 0, 21. Jack Miller (AUS) 0, 22. Raul Fernandez (ESP) 0
By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse
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