Spaniard duels with fellow champion Bagnaia as Martin retains 2024 MotoGP title lead.
April 28, 2024
Marc Márquez rolled back the years on his new Ducati bike with a vintage performance to take second place at the Spanish GP as the Spanish hero duelled with reigning MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia for the win. Here is all you need to know:
– Six-time MotoGP champion Márquez started on pole position in front of a record-breaking set of Spanish fans with Italian Marco Bezzecchi and current title leader Jorge Martin next on the grid.
– Pedro Acosta got a bad start to see him fall down the order with Marc Márquez, Martin, Bagnaia and his compatriot Bezzecchi battling it out at the front early on only for the Pramac Ducati of Martin to crash out from the lead at turn six to give his rivals a chance to cut the title gap.
– Bagnaia looked set for an easy victory, however Marc Márquez overtook Bezzecchi at turn six with 12 laps to go and nearly got past Bagnaia with a few laps left before the Italian pulled clear with a fastest lap to win.
– Marc Márquez, 31, said: “It was a super important race, especially in the beginning when I was a little bit stiff because I crashed in Austin and yesterday but the speed was there to come back and fight with Bagnaia. The last lap he was super good. Super happy for this first podium.”
– Younger brother Álex Márquez made it a great day for the family and Gresini Racing MotoGP with fourth place, while South African Brad Binder ended sixth for the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team.
– Portugal’s Miguel Oliveira rode well for eighth place on his Aprilia as teenage sensation Acosta finished 10th for Red Bull GasGas Tech3 while Australian Jack Miller, Spaniard Augusto Fernández, Frenchman Johann Zarco and Martin failed to finish the race.
– Spaniard Martin now holds a 17-point lead over Italian Bagnaia after four races with Acosta just 23 points behind as the riders head to Le Mans on May 12 for the French GP.
2024 Spanish GP result
1. Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Lenovo 40m 58.053s
2. Marc Márquez SPA Gresini Ducati +0.372s
3. Marco Bezzecchi ITA VR46 Ducati +3.903s
4. Álex Márquez SPA Gresini Ducati +7.205s
5. Enea Bastianini ITA Ducati Lenovo +7.253s
2024 MotoGP World Championship standings
1. Jorge Martin SPA Pramac Ducati 92 points
2. Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Lenovo 75
3. Enea Bastianini ITA Ducati Lenovo 70
4. Pedro Acosta SPA Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 69
5. Maverick Viñales SPA Aprilia Racing 63
