Francesco Bagnaia bounced back in the Catalan Grand Prix after missing out on in the sprint due to a crash from the lead in the sprint. Despite the crash Bagnaia avoided serious injury. That would be the story line for Sunday because Bagnaia looked poised to pounce on the championship leader Jorge Martin. Martin led the majority of the race but his tires started to fall off towards the mid point and after a crash Pedro Acosta gave up second place to Bagnaia who after a few laps came within striking distance of Martin. Bagnaia was lapping one tenth per lap faster than Martin by lap 16 of the race. However, Bagnaia was not able to pass Martin until lap 19.
Bagnaia Seizes Opportunity to Secure Win
Bagnaia wasted no time after finding a clean slipstream down the front straight at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya to make a pass on Martin. He succeeded on his first attempt and pulled away to take the win. Bagnaia said, “Today’s win was a very important one, both for how things panned out yesterday and also for last year’s results at this track. I tried to set the pace at the beginning and I thought it was the right one. As soon as Jorge (Martín) and Acosta got past me, I tried to stay with them, but I thought their pace was a bit too quick especially with regards to the tire wear on the full-race distance.
Then I saw that their pace got back to a rhythm that was similar to mine. Once I overtook Jorge, I noticed I had already pulled a 0.4secs margin on him in one lap, so the only thing I had to do was to make it to the finish line. I rode the final lap almost with the feet on the ground, to avoid surprises. Now the Mugello awaits, and I hope fans will turn up at the circuit as many as they did here.”
Marc Marquez Sneaks on to Podium
Aleix Espargaro held onto third place in the closing stages of the grand prix. That was until veteran and 8 time world champion Marc Marquez snuck his way onto the podium on the last lap of the race. Marquez said, “We keep improving each day, but it’s clear that it’s not always possible to save the weekend as we did here and in Le Mans. On the other hand, at this track, which is the worst on the calendar for my riding style, two podiums are surely a great achievement and bode well for the rest of the season. Now let’s focus on Mugello and especially on solving the issues on the single-lap performance.”
Martin Retains Championship Lead
Despite missing out on the win on Sunday Jorge Martin still leaves the weekend as the leader in the championship. Martin maintains a 39 point lead over Bagnaia in the championship at the conclusion of the Catalan GP weekend.
After topping FP2 Aleix Espargaro headed into qualifying on a mission to hold the top spot. He did just that fighting off a charging Francesco Bagnaia behind by only 0.013s. The normal front runner and championship leader Jorge Martin was no where to be found in today’s sprint race. Martin finishes a mere P7 in an uncharacteristic start to the race weekend for the Prima Pramac Racing rider.
Prior to the Sprint Martin commented on his feelings after practice on day 1, “It has been a great day today. I felt good and I am confident for tomorrow. The grip is quite low so, because of that, we tried different kinds of setups on the bikes trying to find the best one and to be able to analyze which one might be the best for the rest of the weekend. I am glad about the rhythm I had during the two sessions of the day so I am confident to have a good Saturday.”
Unfortunately that hope turned into demise. Martin never really was able to fire up his tires and by the time he seemingly had the confidence to make a charge everyone else on the grid started to pick up pace as well. Espargaro set the tone early and from then on our everyone else was playing catch up.
Bagnaia Crashes from the Lead
After leading in the closing stages of the sprint Bagnaia crashed from the lead which gifted Espargaro and Marquez a position. Pedro Acosta benefited and snuck in to the podium positions due to the crash. View the crash below.
Full Sprint Race Results Below
Aleix Espargaro just one week after announcing his retirement from MotoGP at the end of the 2024 season has topped the tables in FP2 with an advantage of 0.012s over Francesco Bagnaia. The top five included 3 different manufacturers with Aleix Espargaro riding his Aprilia to lead the pack. Marc Marquez who seemingly had the pace to break into the top 5 crashed in the session but was able to recover the bike and get back to the pits seemingly unharmed. Qualifying is up next.
FP2 Results
MotoGP returns this weekend for the Catalan Grand Prix. With the title race wide open currently valuable points are up for grabs as Jorge Martin continues his charge for the championship. Martin leads two time MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia by 38 points heading into the weekend. Bagnaia will desperately want to outscore Martin to cut the lead down. Actions gets started this Friday.
The Full Race Weekend Schedule is Below
Image Courtesy of DornaJorge Martin took his earl weekend success in practice, qualifying and the sprint race and finished off a perfect race weekend with a win in the French Grand Prix at Le Mans today. Martin solidified his place at the top of the riders championship table extending his lead over Francesco Bagnaia to 38 points. After losing out on points in the sprint Bganaia came back with a vengeance in the the grand prix after claiming a hard fought P3. Marc Marquez impressed again with his second podium of the weekend finishing P2 again for Gresini Racing. Martin was not available for comment however Marquez offered his post race thoughts.
In Gresini Racing’s 1000th race Marc Marquez was able to double down on his success in the sprint to again claim P2 behind Jorge Martin. Marquez said, “It was an excellent start, even though it wasn’t as good as yesterday’s. There was more time today to put together a comeback and our pace was strong. I lost a bit of time with Diggia and even before that with Viñales, who is definitely not an easy one to pass. Then, when I bridged the gap to Martin and Bagnaia I was expecting the latter to attack but in the end he didn’t, so I gave it a try. I had something more in the last lap so I took a gamble, and it worked.” With the back to back P2 finishes Marques moves to P3 just 2 points shy of Francesco Bagnaia in the the championship race.
Misfortune For Pedro Acosta
Rookie Gas Gas rider Pedro Acosta had a good race building up until a slight mistake cost him a chance at a podium in the grand prix. Acosta was fighting in P5 and attempted a move on Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) at turn eight. Unfortunately he lost the front of the bike and went sliding off of the track. The bike suffered some damage and Acosta was eventually retired from the race.
Afterward he said, “Not a bad weekend overall. After the Sprint we made a big step with the setting of the bike and my feeling at this track. I made a good start and there were many guys making mistakes. Anyway, it’s another year of no results here: it is becoming a tradition! So, let’s take this ‘back’ at the next one.” In his rookie season Acosta had found a rhythm that currently sees him in P6 in the championship. A feat no one expected from a MotoGP rookie.
Bastianini Finding Himself Again
Although Enea Bastianini didn’t find himself on the podium this weekend. The Italian did score two P4 finishes to finishes with a good chunk of points for Ducati Lenovo. After an unfortunate early season injury in 2023 Bastiainini has gotten off on a better foot in 2024 with hopes of championship contention. Right now the man to beat is Jorge Martin but Bastianini will have some work to do if he is going to challenge for the top spot.
Full French Grand Prix Results
Championship Standings
Jorge Martin bounces back from his last outing at Jerez to secure the Tissot Sprint Race win at Le Mans. The win revived his “King of the Sprint” status having claimed the majority of Sprint race wins since its inception into the MotoGP race weekend format. The win didn’t come easy thought with Maverick Viñales and Marc Marquez giving Martin a run for his money. After breaking the lap record in qualifying and bouncing back from a late crash Martin charged with a full head of steam to finish almost 2.5 seconds ahead of Marc Marquez.
Marquez Continues to Improve
Marquez appears to be coming alive this season as he gets more and more acclimated with his Ducati with Gresini Racing. What seemingly felt like an outlandish idea. Marquez actually has the pace to be a title contender come the end of the 2024 season. He said, “That was literally the perfect start; I did well and was also lucky as I found the right space to dive in and kept the right speed. I got almost sandwiched between Bagnaia and Bastianini, but I got out of it with good speed. The thing I’m happy the most for was the pace we found in the 10-11 laps since I moved out to fourth. Tomorrow it’s going to be very challenging, and you never know how it’s going to end should it rain. Still, I’ll sleep soundly tonight.”
Last years champion Francesco Bagnaia lost out on valuable points after retiring from the sprint. The was an issue with Bagnaia’s bike that saw him drop form a comfortable P2 to P15 after a few corners. Bagnaia said, “Unfortunately these things can happen, but it surely wasn’t easy. Already from the warmup lap I felt something was different and I felt like it was difficult to do anything. The team is at work to understand what happened, but we’ll surely be good tomorrow and ready to do well. We’ve already shown we can be competitive this weekend and our pace is top-three worthy. We’re aware of our potential and we know that with a good start and the right feeling, we can battle for the win.”
Maverick Vinales finished third to keep himself in the points battle at the top of the drivers championship. Acosta was unable to keep his early season success streak alive having to settle for P6. The Frenchman Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) had uneventful races finishing P10 and P13 respectively.
Full MotoGP Sprint Race Results
Jorge Martin leads the pack on day one of the French GP weekend at Le Mans. The battle for the top spot did not come easy. The top three riders were separated by 0.187s in practice today in France. Francesco Bagnaia finished 2nd as he will attempt to take back the hold on the world championship’s top spot. Jorge Martin is currently 17 points clear of Bagnaia heading into the weekend. To be at the front now is a good sign Martin has what it takes this weekend to keep Bagnaia at bay. The pair have been the topic of social media in the last week regarding what fans perceives as a growing rivalry.
Pedro Acosta continues his stroke of brilliance with a P3 in practice. Acosta has turned the MotoGP scene upside down with his early season success. Another top 3 finish puts Acosta ahead for the weekend. Just behind by 3 tenths Maverick Viñales finished 4th with Fabio Di Giannantonio taking 5th place.
MotoGP Practice Results from Le Mans
The following article was not written by Speed Trap Magazine Staff
Press Release from the FIM…
The Grand Prix Commission, composed of Messrs. Carmelo Ezpeleta (Dorna, Chairman), Paul Duparc (FIM), Hervé Poncharal (IRTA) and Biense Bierma (MSMA), in the presence of Carlos Ezpeleta (Dorna), Mike Webb (IRTA, Secretary of the Meeting), Corrado Cecchinelli (Director of Technology), Jorge Viegas (FIM President), Paul King (FIM CCR Director) and Dominique Hebrard (FIM CTI Technical Manager) met in Jerez on 26 April 2024.
The commission ratified the outline of new technical regulations to be introduced in the 2027 season:
MotoGP Class Technical Regulations – Effective Season 20271.9.1/2.2
MotoGP class engine displacement will reduce from 1000cc to 850cc. The maximum cylinder bore will reduce from 81mm to 75mm. Engines will remain 4-stroke only, with 4 cylinders.
2.4.2 Concessions
Manufacturers who have raced in 2026 will start the 2027 season in Rank B. Rankings will be revised at the mid-season checkpoint in 2027, based on the first part of the 2027 season results only – 2026 results, before the regulation changes, won’t be counted. The regular ranking system will resume at the end-season checkpoint at the end of 2027.
Any manufacturers who have not raced in 2026 will start 2027 season in Rank D. Their rankings will also be revised at the mid-season checkpoint in 2027, based on the first half of the 2027 season.
2.4.3.3 Engine durability
The number of engines available for use by each permanent contracted rider will reduce to 6 engines per season (up to 20 races), or 7 engines per season in the case of 21 or 22 races on the calendar.
Manufacturers in Concessions Rank D will continue to be able to use two additional engines per rider per season.
2.4.3.5 GPS
GPS data from all riders will be made available to all teams at the end of each session.
2.4.3.9 Transmission
In the MotoGP class the total number of gearbox ratios (pairs of gears) permitted will reduce to 16, plus 4 different overall ratios for the primary drive, for each season.
2.4.4.1 Minimum weight
The minimum bike weight in the MotoGP™ class will be 153kg.
2.4.4.4 Suspensions and dampers
No ride height devices of any kind will be permitted, including “holeshot” devices activated solely for race starts.
2.4.4.5 Fuel Tanks
Fuel tank capacity will be reduced to 20 litres for Grand Prix races and a maximum of 11 litres will be permitted for the Sprint.
2.4.4.7 Reduction of aero surfaces
The maximum permitted width of the high portion of the front fairing Aero Body will reduce from 600mm to 550mm, the maximum rear end height will reduce from 1250mm to 1150mm, the foremost point of the front fairing (nose) will be moved back by 50mm, and the rearward taper of the front fairing aero appendices will also narrow.
Homologation of aero surfaces
The rear end of the machine – any aerodynamics behind the rider – must be homologated as part of the Aero Body. Manufacturers will be permitted to make one update per season.
2.4.5.1 Fuel and Oil
The use of 100% non oil-refinement origin fuel is confirmed from 2027.
The FIM, together with MSMA and the MotoGP fuel suppliers, will clarify all technical details via the TWG1 working group, including representatives from Dorna and IRTA, beginning in May 2024.
A regularly updated version of the FIM Grand Prix Regulations which contains the detailed text of the regulation changes may be viewed shortly HERE
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
Fabio Quartararo has lost his 3rd place finish result in the Spanish GP Sprint race for breaching the tire pressure limits set by the governing body. A a result Quartararo’s penalty drops him behind in fifth place, while Pedrosa moves up to third and Franco Morbidelli is promoted to fourth.
Quartararo said, “On the first lap, I gained close to ten positions, and I think this was the key to be fighting for a podium position. The track conditions were really tricky, and this caused many crashes at the front of the pack. Many people crashed in one particular corner, so I thought there was something on the track there, but I stayed focused, and I think it was great for us to be fighting, with Dani especially. He was behind me all the Sprint race: I could hear his bike. I didn’t know until the last two laps that I was fighting for third position, but it was nice. Especially the last lap was quite impressive. The penalty is a shame, but tomorrow we can try again. Hopefully, we can make a similar start, but realistically, if we’re able to finish inside the top 10, I think that would be a really great result.”