MotoGP Sprint Saturday Moto2 Moto3 Qualifying

Four points in it: Bagnaia reels in Martin after tense Misano Sprint

The title fight twists again as the Italian defeats Martin and Bastianini to set up a Sunday showdown for the ages.

Francesco Bagnaia Strikes Back at Emilia-Romagna GP Sprint, Closing Championship Gap to 4 Points

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) made a bold statement during Saturday’s Sprint at the Gran Premio Pramac dell’Emilia-Romagna, overtaking Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) to secure a crucial win. Bagnaia’s victory cuts Martin’s lead in the standings to just four points ahead of Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Sprint Recap:

Martin got off to a perfect start, taking the lead into Turn 1. He pushed hard in the opening laps, and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) briefly moved into second, relegating Bagnaia to third. However, Bagnaia quickly reclaimed his position by passing both Binder and then-Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team).

Meanwhile, Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) recovered from his seventh-place start after a crash in qualifying, moving past Binder and Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) to enter the top five.

At the front, Bagnaia began closing in on Martin, bringing the gap down to less than half a second. After a small mistake by Martin on Lap 8, Bagnaia pounced, taking the lead and setting a blistering pace. Martin fought back in the final laps but couldn’t close the gap, finishing less than three tenths behind Bagnaia.

Bastianini Stays Close, Sets Sights on Sunday

Enea Bastianini rounded out the podium, maintaining his 100% premier class podium record at Misano. He’ll be a contender on Sunday, with his front-row start and proven ability over the Grand Prix distance making him a real threat.

Marquez vs. Acosta: A Battle for P4

Marc Marquez couldn’t make significant progress after reaching fourth, facing pressure from rookie Pedro Acosta throughout the race. Despite a mistake at Turn 13, Marquez managed to hold off Acosta, finishing fourth with Acosta close behind in fifth. Binder, meanwhile, ended the Sprint in sixth, aiming for redemption on Sunday.

Quartararo and Bezzecchi Battle for Points

Further back, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) continued his impressive form, securing more Sprint points and fending off Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team). Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) rounded out the point-scorers, but both will be seeking better results on Sunday.

Ducati’s Milestones and Sunday’s Grand Prix

Sunday’s Grand Prix promises high drama, with Ducati poised to potentially clinch their 100th premier class win and wrap up the Constructors’ Championship. It’s also Bagnaia’s 100th MotoGP™ start, and with the Championship lead hanging in the balance, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

The race kicks off at 13:00 local time (UTC +2) – don’t miss the action!

Key Points:

• Sprint Winner: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team)
• Championship Leader: Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing)
• Third Place: Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team)
• Top Rookie: Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3)
• Bagnaia’s 100th MotoGP™ Start
• Ducati Poised for 100th Premier Class Win

RESULTS

Moto2 Canet clinches lap record pole in closely contested Q2 scrap

Aron Canet Snatches Pole in Thrilling Moto2™ Qualifying at Emilia-Romagna GP

Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) claimed his fourth pole position of the season with a last-second 1:34.935, securing the top spot in a fiercely competitive Moto2™ qualifying session. The top three riders were separated by just 0.010s, with Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing) and Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) completing the front row for Sunday’s race at the Gran Premio di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini.

Top Qualifiers:

• Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo) narrowly missed pole by 0.037s but will lead the second row. He’ll be looking to make up for his crash while running in P4 at the previous round.
• Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) qualified fifth, keeping the Kalex dominance intact. The British rider is aiming for his fifth podium in six races.
• Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors SpeedUp) secured sixth on the grid and is chasing his first podium finish since the German GP.

Championship Leader Ai Ogura Starts P7:

Championship leader Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) will start from seventh, while his teammate Sergio Garcia, looking to regain momentum, will line up in P13.

The Moto2™ race promises to be full of action, with title contenders fighting for crucial points. Don’t miss the race on Sunday at 11:15 (UTC +2) as the championship battle heats up at Misano!

Moto3 Furusato fires his way to debut pole to deny Alonso

Taiyo Furusato Claims First-Ever Moto3™ Pole at Emilia-Romagna GP

Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) secured his first-ever Grand Prix pole position with a stunning 1:40 lap in Moto3™ Q2 at the Emilia-Romagna GP. The Japanese rider snatched P1 from World Championship leader David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team), who suffered a minor crash late in the session, preventing him from improving his time. Completing the front row is San Marino GP winner Angel Piqueras (Leopard Racing), who earns his second front-row start of the 2024 season.

Key Qualifying Highlights:

• Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI), a title contender, will start from fourth as he chases back-to-back podiums at Misano and looks to close the gap to Alonso in the standings.
• Stefano Nepa (LEVELUP – MTA) qualified fifth, his best performance of the season, while Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), currently third in the Championship, rounds out Row 2 in sixth.
• Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3), Alonso’s closest challenger in the Championship, has more work to do from P11 in Sunday’s 20-lap race.

Don’t miss the Moto3™ showdown on Sunday at 10:00 (UTC +2), as the lightweight class prepares for another thrilling race!

Official MotoGP Press Release