Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez put on a show for MotoGP fans in Spain this weekend. After Jorge Martin took the win in the Spanish Grand Prix Sprint Race it was all eyes on Bagnaia in the Grand Prix. Bagnaia has struggled to find the start he had in 2023 which saw him dominate at different stages of the season. This is mostly in part to the early success seen by rival Jorge Martin however Martin’s race didn’t go as planned.
Martin Crash Allows Bagnaia Back Into Title Discussion
Jorge Martin crashed from the lead on lap with 15 laps left in the race. He did not finish the grand prix. The DNF didn’t do him any favors in the championship race with Bagnaia now jumping up to second place after the weekend in Jerez. However, Martin still holds a 17 point lead. Despite this Bagnaia was extremely positive after the win. “It was simply fantastic,” he said. “We needed such a win, not only for myself but also for the team and everybody working with me. It was a very intense race, and it was crucial to make it to the lead on lap one.
The overtake on the outside was really a nice one, I enjoyed it a lot. The race was decided in the last five laps when Marc closed the gap I only tried to wait and fend off his attacks straight away and after his second attempt I decided to push as hard as I could in order to create a safety margin up to the finish line. I managed to set the fastest lap at the end, and everything went perfectly. I’m really happy, this is my third consecutive win in the full race here and that makes everything even more special.”
Multiple DNFs in Spain
Similarly to the Sprint race 8 riders did not finish the race. Amongst them was Pedro Acosta who showed early promise in the weekend with a 3rd place finish in the sprint. Acosta had a major crash in morning warm ups before the grad prix but the team was able to successfully get him out for the race. Acosta has been the subject of chatter in the MotoGP paddock given what he has been able to accomplish in his rookie season. He said, “It is never easy to destroy one bike in the morning and then jump into the race on another bike with different clutches or other parts. Anyway, considering the events of the morning, we managed to save the result after a bad start in the race.
The contact with Johann Zarco is what is likely to happen when you start from the middle of the grid, so we know that we need to qualify well, and avoid the mistakes made yesterday. Then we recovered pretty well in the race, we learnt a lot today, took experience, so we need to be happy with today.”
CIRCUITO DE JEREZ, SPAIN – APRIL 26: Pedro Acosta, Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 during the Spanish GP at Circuito de Jerez on Friday April 26, 2024 in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. (Photo by Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images)
Another Podium for Marc Marquez
Marc Marquez finished second in the race. He appears to be getting faster as the season progresses and he gets harmonized with his new station. One thing thats clar is he still ahs what it takes to compete at the top level. Marquez said, “I rode even too conservatively in the first five laps. Yesterday’s crash played a part and I wanted to make sure I made it to the finish line. Then I saw the chance to win and I gave it a try. Pecco defended the position strongly and it was good this way. Now winning is not a dream anymore, so let’s enjoy this return to speed and to podium ways.”
Full Spanish Grand Prix Results
World Standings After the Spanish Grand Prix