MotoGP sprint race specialist Jorge Martin stuck gold once again as he cruised to a commanding Saturday success, while Brad Binder and Aleix Espargaro ensured three marques secured podium finishes.
The Pramac Ducati pilot made a good start from the pole to get the holeshot into Turn 1, though KTM’s Binder made a rapid start from fourth to challenge the leader into the opening bend. Martin looked to be saving his rubber from the early stages, allowing Binder to stick close.
He looked to be escaping at around mid-distance, building his lead to just under six-tenths-of-a-second before the South African once again pulled him back in. The Spaniard looked to have things under control though and continued to keep the KTM at arm’s length, with Binder instead forced to look behind at a charging Espargaro.
Martin ended up leading every lap to take the chequered flag 0.548s clear of Binder to secure the first sprint win of the year, while Espargaro came just over a tenth from denying KTM the runners-up spot. Three different bikes on the rostrum promise a thrilling Sunday event, with Espargaro flying towards the leaders in the closing tours.
Reigning world champion Francesco Bagnaia ran third for the bulk of the encounter, though dropped back behind Espargaro late on as he started to struggle with rear grip. He came under pressure from Gresini’s Marc Marquez in the latter stages but held him off to secure fourth.
Marquez showed impressive speed as he routinely lapped faster than the leading gaggle, but a late mistake dropped him behind the flying Espargaro. Enea Bastianini ended up sixth after lacking the ultimate pace of the frontrunners over the race distance, while the other Gresini entry of Alex Marquez claimed seventh.
Pedro Acosta shadowed the Ducati home to collect a couple of points for eighth in his first-ever premier class start, while Maverick Vinales claimed the final point for ninth.
Jack Miller ran towards the front early on, but the Aussie struggled to maintain the leading pace and soon found himself trying to hold off a large battle back behind. He managed to hold off the chargers to round off the top ten, while Marco Bezzecchi got the better of Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo for 11th at the death.
Trackhouse Aprilia duo Miguel Oliveira and a slow-starting Raul Fernandez were 13th and 14th respectively, while Joan Mir ended up as the best-placed Honda in 15th after LCR’s Johann Zarco dropped back towards the end.
Franco Morbidelli’s lack of testing due to his Portimao testing injury showed as he managed to pass only Honda’s Luca Marini after starting at the back of the field on his Pramac Ducati. VR46’s Fabio Di Gianantonio was the only man who failed to reach the finish, the Italian dropping his Desmosedici at the fast Turn 11 just a few laps in.
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