Reigning MotoGP world champion Francesco Bagnaia made a triumphant comeback by winning the Catalan Grand Prix in Barcelona, recovering from a disappointing crash in the sprint race. The Ducati Lenovo Team rider battled his way to the top, overtaking Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin and finishing 1.7 seconds ahead, reclaiming crucial championship points.
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Bagnaia seized the lead at the start but was soon overtaken by Jorge Martin and Tech3 GASGAS rookie Pedro Acosta. As Acosta pressured Martin, forcing a faster pace, Bagnaia maintained a steady rhythm, conserving his tyres and gradually closing the gap. Acosta’s challenge ended on the 11th lap when he crashed at Turn 10, leaving Martin in the lead. Bagnaia patiently reeled in Martin, passing him at Turn 5 on lap 18, and held the lead to the finish.
Jorge Martin, unable to match Bagnaia’s ultimate pace, wisely settled for second, yet extended his championship lead to 39 points. The battle for third was an intense Spanish affair, with Marc Marquez making his fourth remarkable comeback in two weekends from 14th on the grid to clinch the final podium spot, narrowly edging out Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro by just 0.052 seconds.
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Espargaro, who had started from pole position, dropped to fifth at the start and struggled to keep pace with the leaders. This race might mark his final appearance at his home track in Barcelona, as he announced his retirement from full-time competition at the end of the season.
VR46 Ducati’s Fabio Di Giannantonio took fifth place, narrowly beating Trackhouse Racing’s Raul Fernandez, who achieved his team’s best result of the season in sixth. Alex Marquez finished seventh, with KTM’s Brad Binder in eighth after an early strong showing faded.
Fabio Quartararo salvaged ninth place for Yamaha, overtaking Trackhouse Aprilia’s Miguel Oliveira on the final lap. Marco Bezzecchi of VR46 Ducati, Maverick Viñales of Aprilia, and a remounted Pedro Acosta completed the points-scoring positions.
Aboard the other factory Ducati, Enea Bastianini’s race was marred by penalties. After going wide in a battle with Alex Marquez, Bastianini failed to serve a long-lap penalty correctly, resulting in a double long-lap penalty and eventually a 32-second time penalty, dropping him from ninth out of the points.
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Later ‘The Beast’ revealed his failure to comply was on purpose as he and the team felt he didn’t deserve the penalty.
The race saw three retirements: Jack Miller of KTM, Augusto Fernandez of Tech3 GasGas, and Pramac’s Franco Morbidelli. Each crashed out at Turn 10, highlighting the corner’s treacherous nature.
The Catalan Grand Prix was a thrilling spectacle, with Bagnaia demonstrating resilience and strategic brilliance. As the MotoGP season continues, the next stop is the Gran Premio d’Italia at Mugello, promising more high-octane action and intense competition.
Finishing Order:
1. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
2. Jorge Martin (Pramac Ducati)
3. Marc Marquez (Gresini Ducati)
4. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing)
5. Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46 Ducati)
6. Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Aprilia)
7. Alex Marquez (Gresini Ducati)
8. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM)
9. Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha)
10. Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Aprilia)
11. Marco Bezzecchi (VR46 Ducati)
12. Maverick Viñales (Aprilia)
13. Pedro Acosta (Tech3 GASGAS KTM)
14. Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR)
15. Joan Mir (Repsol Honda)
16. Enea Bastianini (Ducati) – dropped to 18th due to a time penalty
DNF:
– Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
– Augusto Fernandez (Tech3 GASGAS)
– Franco Morbidelli (Pramac Racing)
