After Jorge Martín extended his championship lead in Le Mans, can he continue his streak as MotoGP returns to Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the Catalan Grand Prix?
May 26, 2024
Jorge Martin produced a professional display at the Catalunya GP on Sunday to bank second place behind winner Francesco Bagnaia and keep a healthy title lead as fellow Spaniard Marc Márquez continued his comeback with third place on his Ducati. Here is all you need to know:
– Spaniard Aleix Espargaró started on pole from Bagnaia and Raúl Fernández for the race after he won the Sprint Race with South African Brad Binder, Spain’s Pedro Acosta and Martin close behind.
– After a fast start where the field got around safely, Australian Jack Miller crashed out in the first few laps as Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 rider Acosta duelled immediately with Italian Bagnaia for the lead.
– Title leader Martin was the fastest on the track, though, and he overtook both to take the lead with 20 laps left before Acosta slid off at Turn 10 with 14 laps left under no pressure in second spot.
– Marc Márquez moved up from 14th to 10th in the opening laps, then got up to sixth with 13 laps left as Red Bull KTM’s Binder stayed steadily in the top five for the first half of the race.
– Nonetheless Marc Márquez got past him with less than 10 laps to go as Martin kept a manageable lead at the front, only for Bagnaia to get past Martin with six laps left as Márquez moved into fourth.
– Márquez finally got past Espargaró – at the veteran Spaniard’s last ever MotoGP race around the track – to get on the podium as Bagnaia held on for the win to cut Martin’s 2024 title lead to 39 points.
– Ducati rider Martin, 26, said: “I am super happy and proud of the race. Starting from seventh was a difficult one. I felt great and saved some tyre. Pecco (Bagnaia) had something else and I had nothing left.”
– Gresini Racing MotoGP’s Márquez, 31, said: “I took the soft and knew it was risky, but it was the only solution to attack from the beginning. Step by step, I knew that the race was long and I tried to push, and I was able to defend the position. Happy to sit with these top guys again.”
– Álex Márquez finished seventh for Gresini Racing MotoGP, Binder eighth, Portuguese Miguel Oliveira 10th, Acosta 13th, Frenchman Johann Zarco 16th and Augusto Fernández a DNF for Red Bull GASGAS Tech3.
Catalunya GP result
1. Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Lenovo 40m 11.726s
2. Jorge Martin SPA Pramac Ducati +1.740s
3. Marc Márquez SPA Gresini Ducati +10.491s
4. Aleix Espargaró SPA Aprilia Racing +10.543s
5. Fabio Di Giannantonio ITA VR46 Ducati +15.441s
2024 MotoGP rider standings
1. Jorge Martin SPA Pramac Ducati 155 points
2. Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Lenovo 116
3. Marc Márquez SPA Gresini Ducati 114
4. Enea Bastianini ITA Ducati Lenovo 94
5. Maverick Viñales SPA Aprilia Racing 87
