MotoGP Saturday

Martin strikes Sprint gold ahead of high drama in Jerez: Acosta second, Pedrosa third.

Marc Marquez one of 15 crashers as chaos reigns in Spain, before another dose post-race as penalties shake up the podium

Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) cruised to a smooth victory in the Tissot Sprint at the Gran Premio Estrella Galicia 0,0. But while Martin extended his Championship lead, chaos ensued behind him in Spain. A total of 15 riders crashed during the race, fortunately without serious injuries. Most of them managed to remount and continue. Rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) secured second place, earning his first visit to the Sprint podium amid an ecstatic crowd. Initially celebrating on the podium, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) gained several positions before receiving a tyre pressure penalty that dropped him to fifth place. Consequently, MotoGP™ Legend and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing wildcard Dani Pedrosa was promoted to third.

Polesitter Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) crashed while leading but managed to remount and launch a remarkable comeback, aggressively overtaking competitors. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) all slid out in separate incidents. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) found himself caught in a sandwich between Binder and Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), resulting in a racing incident where Bagnaia was forced out of the race. COTA winner Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) also suffered a crash, adding to the drama of the event. The largely dry track, though not yet perfect, caught out several other prominent riders. But let’s rewind to the start of this dramatic and chaotic Sprint.

As the race began, Marc Marquez defended against Bezzecchi and Martin, but Binder seized the opportunity from fourth position and grabbed the lead. He quickly built a gap ahead of Martin, Marc Marquez, and a charging Alex Marquez. By the second lap, Martin was back on Binder’s tail, immediately attacking for the lead.

Marc Marquez soon joined the fray, seeing Martin pulling away and aggressively overtaking Binder to chase down the leader. However, Binder retaliated at the final corner, pushing Marc Marquez wide and experiencing his own moment on the exit, allowing both Gresini machines to regain their positions.

The intensity escalated as Bezzecchi attempted to overtake Bagnaia at Turn 1, causing a chain reaction that led to Binder, Alex Marquez, and Bastianini all crashing out. Meanwhile, Acosta, after his early struggles, managed to catch up to the leading group. Further ahead, Martin and Marc Marquez prepared for a showdown.

Marc Marquez rapidly closed the gap to Martin, positioning himself for an overtaking maneuver. With six laps remaining, a small error from Martin allowed Marc Marquez to seize the lead. However, his joy was short-lived as he unexpectedly slid out, leaving Martin uncontested in the lead on home soil. Acosta followed in second place, setting up a Spanish 1-2 finish.

As Martin crossed the finish line, Acosta secured second place, marking a historic moment for both riders. Behind them, a battle for third ensued between Pedrosa and Quartararo, with Pedrosa eventually clinching the final podium position. However, Quartararo received a post-race penalty, dropping him to fifth place.

Despite the chaos, Morbidelli maintained composure to claim fourth place, while Quartararo finished in fifth after his penalty. Raul Fernandez initially crossed the line in sixth but received a penalty, dropping him out of the points. Marc Marquez finished in sixth place after his remarkable comeback, followed by Augusto Fernandez, Miguel Oliveira, and Mir, who rounded out the top nine.

Several riders, including Bezzecchi and Diggia, crashed out, but fortunately, no serious injuries were reported. Aleix Espargaro retired on the first lap, and Jack Miller crashed early in the race. Luca Marini and Alex Rins also suffered crashes.

Amidst the high drama, Martin maintained his lead in the standings, with Acosta now in second place, 29 points behind. With such intense competition, Sunday’s Grand Prix promises to be another thrilling event, so be sure to tune in at 14:00 (UTC +2)!

RESULT

UPDATED: 2024 Spanish MotoGP

UPDATE: Fabio Quartararo (3rd at the finish), Raul Fernandez (6th), Fabio di Giannantonio (13th), Jack Miller (14th) and Alex Rins (15th) all receive 8-second post-race penalties for low tyre pressure.

Dani Pedrosa moves up to third and claims his first MotoGP top three since 2017…

Moto 2 Aldeguer attacks for pole on home soil

Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) delivered a dominant performance on Saturday, clinching pole position at the Gran Premio Estrella Galicia 0,0 de España. His commanding display marks a significant statement as he continues his quest for his first win of the season. Sharing the front row with the #54 is Albert Arenas (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™), who secured a last-minute entry onto the front row with a stellar final lap, finishing just 0.438s behind. CFMOTO Aspar Team’s Jake Dixon completes the front row, earning his first front-row start of the season.

On the second row, Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) will start from fourth position after an impressive qualifying session, edging out Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team). Moreira will launch from fifth on the grid after setting a rapid 1:41.657 in challenging conditions. Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI), leader of the Championship and victor of the Americas GP, begins from sixth place, completing the second row. Don’t miss the exhilarating intermediate class showdown at Jerez, scheduled for 12:15 (UTC +2)!

RESULT

Moto 3 Alonso pulls the pin for second pole in succession

David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) has showcased exceptional speed in the Moto3™️ category since his standout performance at the Portuguese GP, and his dominance has only amplified at Jerez. The Colombian rider has consistently topped the timesheets in most sessions, including qualifying for the Gran Premio Estrella Galicia 0,0 de España, where he held a commanding lead of over a second until a late surge from David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) narrowed the gap to just over two tenths. Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), after engaging in a thrilling battle with Alonso earlier in the session, completes the front row.

On Row 2, we have Joel Kelso (BOE Motorsports), Rysuei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI), and the fastest rider from Q1, rookie Angel Piqueras (Leopard Racing). Meanwhile, Championship leader Dani Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) faced a setback after crashing in the session, leaving him to launch from P18. Can he defend his slim two-point lead over Alonso? Tune in at 11:00 (UTC+2) to witness the unfolding drama!

RESULT

Official MotoGP Press Release