MotoGP Sunday Emilia-Romagna

Bastianini triumphs after last lap clash with Martin, Bagnaia slides out on home soil

The ‘Beast’ Triumphs, Martin Left Fuming, and Marc Marquez Grabs a Podium as Bagnaia Crashes Out at Misano

High drama unfolded at the Gran Premio Pramac dell’Emilia-Romagna, where Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) took Ducati’s 100th premier class victory after a fierce last-lap battle with title leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing). Bastianini’s win not only secured the factory’s Constructors’ crown for 2024 but also slashed his Championship deficit. Meanwhile, reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) crashed out while chasing the front, promoting Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) to third place.

Martin Leads, Bagnaia Fights Back

Jorge Martin grabbed the holeshot with a lightning start, but Bagnaia quickly wrestled the lead at Turn 2 with a brilliant outside pass. Martin held onto second, fending off Bastianini, as the top three began pulling away from the rest of the field. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) and Marc Marquez joined the chase, but the drama wasn’t far behind.

Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was the first to bow out, crashing while battling Acosta and Marquez. A few laps later, Acosta suffered the same fate, leaving Marquez to hunt down the leaders.

Fireworks at the Front: Bastianini vs. Martin

With 25 laps remaining, the gloves came off between the top two title contenders. Martin lunged for the lead, but Bagnaia responded immediately. Nearly sandwiched between the two Ducati Lenovo bikes, Martin held firm. A lap later, Martin dived up the inside at La Quercia and made it stick, forcing Bagnaia into defense mode. Bastianini capitalized, passing Bagnaia and closing in on Martin.

As Bastianini shadowed Martin, Bagnaia began a charge of his own, setting fast laps and narrowing the gap to the leading duo. Just as it looked like Bagnaia might catch them, disaster struck. The reigning champion slid out at Turn 14, ending his Emilia-Romagna GP and shaking up the Championship standings.

The Final Laps: Bastianini’s Last-Lap Lunge

With Bagnaia out, it was a two-way fight for Ducati’s 100th win. Martin led, but Bastianini was relentless, closing the gap and pressuring the points leader. With five laps to go, Martin made a slight mistake, allowing Bastianini to nearly get alongside. A grandstand finish was on the cards.

Bastianini remained glued to Martin’s rear wheel, and as they entered the last lap, it was almost too close to call. The decisive moment came at Turn 4, where Bastianini launched a brutal lunge, forcing Martin wide. The “Beast” sailed into the lead and crossed the line with a comfortable cushion. Despite Martin’s protests, the FIM MotoGP™ Stewards opted not to investigate, handing Bastianini the win.

Championship Shake-Up

Martin was left frustrated by the aggressive move but consoled by a 24-point advantage in the Championship. Marc Marquez, promoted to third after Bagnaia’s crash, added another podium to his tally as Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) took a solid fourth.

Fifth place looked set for Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) until a late fuel issue forced him to relinquish the position to Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) and Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), who finished fifth and sixth respectively. Quartararo managed to hold onto P7, equaling Yamaha’s best result of the season.

The Rest of the Field

Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) took eighth, ahead of Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) in ninth and Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing) in tenth. Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) secured an impressive P11, matching Honda’s best finish of the season, with Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team) just behind in P12.

Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) finished 13th, ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) in 14th. Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) rounded out the points in 15th after a challenging race.

Looking Ahead to Indonesia

With Misano behind us, the paddock heads to Lombok for the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia, where the Championship battle continues. There are still plenty of points on the table, and the momentum keeps shifting as we head into the final leg of the season.

See you at Mandalika for the next thrilling chapter of MotoGP™!

RESULTS

Ducati seal sixth Constructors’ crown with 100th MotoGP™ win

Ducati Secures Sixth Constructors’ Title at Misano

Ducati has clinched the Constructors’ Championship at Misano, marking their sixth overall title and fifth consecutive win. This achievement underscores their remarkable performance in recent seasons, now boasting a commanding 261-point lead over KTM, with only 222 points left to compete for.

The Gran Premio Pramac dell’Emilia Romagna also celebrated Ducati’s 100th MotoGP™ victory and their 11th consecutive win in 2024. Additionally, this race marked their 19th podium lockout, reinforcing their status as the manufacturer with the most MotoGP™ podium finishes (1-2-3). Ducati joins Honda and Yamaha as the only manufacturers to achieve 100 or more wins in the MotoGP™ era.

Official MotoGP Press Release