Italy’s Francesco Bagnaia, the two-time reigning MotoGP world champion, held off six-time Spanish world champion Marc Marquez on Sunday to win his second Spanish Grand Prix of the season.
At the foot of the Andalucian hills tossed by the fervor of 145,000 spectators, the battle of champions between the two strong men of the day therefore turned in favor of the Italian from the official Ducati team: “I really liked this battle with Marco. ” enjoyed the winner of the day at the finish line.
“He was faster than me”
At Jérez de la Frontera, Bagnaia won his second GP of the season after the one in Qatar at the beginning of March. “It was a very even race! “, responded Marquez for his part. He started on the pole in 65E Time in his career in the elite – the first with Ducati-Gresini, which he joined at the beginning of the year after turning the page of ten years of history with Honda – the Catalan superstar ended up finishing second.
He tried several times in vain to regain the race lead: “I tried to follow him, but he (Bagnaia, editor’s note) was faster than me,” Marquez admitted. The 31-year-old Catalan will therefore have to wait again to regain the top step of the podium, which he has not been on since October 2021 (during the Emilia-Romagna GP).
Acosta “only” tenth
Another Italian Marco Bezzecchi (Ducati-VR46) completes the podium in this fourth round of the season (out of 21). Alex Marquez, brother of Marc Marquez who also rides for Ducati-Gresini, finished 4th.Eahead of Bagnai’s teammate Enea Bastinani, 5E.
Debutant Pedro Acosta (GasGas-Tech3), who was expected to be at the front at home in Spain, finished only 10E. Spain’s Jorge Martin, the reigning runner-up and leader of the championship, lost significantly at home on Sunday: he led the GP shortly before the halfway mark, but the “Martinator” fell under the threat of Bagnaio.
Quartararo takes 15E place
If the Spaniard retains his championship lead, his Italian world title rival from last year moves into second place overall, just 17 points behind Martin.
Frenchman Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha), 2021 world champion, won on the 15thE place after leaving the distant 23E position. Sunday was more complicated for his compatriot Johann Zarco, who fell on his humble Honda-LCR.
In Moto2, Spaniard Fermin Aldeguer won his first victory of the season, which he expects next year in MotoGP in the Ducati team.E place in general.