South African and Spaniard second and third at season opener as Marc Márquez claims fourth on Ducati debut.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder and Prima Pramac Racing pilot Jorge Martín got their 2024 MotoGP World Championship campaigns off to strong starts with second and third place finishes at the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar, while Marc Márquez marked his Ducati debut with a fourth. Here is all you need to know:
– Starting the 21-race campaign with the now traditional night race at Lusail, Binder and Martín were on the pace all weekend. 2023 World Championship runner-up Martín dominated Saturday’s first sprint race over Binder, but after an exciting tussle during the main race, Binder came out on top.
– The South African rider finished 1.329s behind Ducati Lenovo Team’s defending world champion Francesco Bagnaia, who took control of the race on the opening lap, while Martín finished 0.5s behind Binder.
– There was huge excitement in Qatar at the prospect of six-time MotoGP champion Marc Márquez making his racing debut aboard a Gresini Racing Ducati machine after more than a decade with Honda’s factory team.
– The Spanish rider looked comfortable aboard his new ride and impressed with a strong fourth place finish, crossing the line just 3.429s being winner Bagnaia to get his season off to a solid start.
– Finishing just behind Márquez in sixth position was his brother and now Gresini Racing MotoGP team-mate Alex Márquez.
– Debuting in MotoGP for Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 after dominating the 2023 Moto2 World Championship, Pedro Acosta showed great speed to run as high as fourth after passing Marc Márquez.
– A degraded rear tyre caused Acosta to drop down the field in the second half of the the race to finish in an eventual ninth place, but the Spanish hotshot turned heads with his ride.
– Further down the order, France’s Johann Zarco finished 12th on his debut for the LCR Honda team, Miguel Oliveira took 15th for the new Aprilia-mounted Trackhouse Racing team and Augusto Fernández was 17th on the second Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 bike.
– Second Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Jack Miller was the last finisher in 21st position after crashing at Turn 1 at the start of the second lap of the race and remounting a long way behind the field.
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