Bagnaia keeps hopes of a miracle alive with MotoGP sprint win in Barcelona, third-placed Martín one step away from title

Pecco Bagnaia fulfilled half of his goals with an important MotoGP sprint triumph at the Solidarity VC Barcelona. With his seventh win in the short race, the 27-year-old Italian pulled five points clear of World Championship leader Jorge Martín. The latter finished a dramatic sprint in third place after a battle with Enea Bastaini. The Team Prima Pramac Ducati rider will enter Sunday’s final with a 19-point cushion at the head of the championship. A top-9 position in the main race guarantees him the title no matter where his rivals finish.

Tensions were at an all-time high in the build-up to the final round of this season’s World Road Motorcycle Championship. Not quite in relation to the accompanying categories, which already know their world champions, but to the duel for the premier class champion trophy between Jorge Martín and Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia.

24 points separated the Spanish-Italian duo ahead of the final sprint at the circuit near Barcelona. The Catalan city took over as host of the last grand prix of the 2024 edition after Valencia, the original site of the 20th stop of the series, was hit by devastating floods.

Bagnaia entered the weekend with one goal in mind. A double victory in the sprint and Sunday’s main race was a must for the 27-year-old reigning champion. To do so, the factory Ducati rider had to hope for a fatal crash by his rival in the battle for the Martino title in at least one of those events.

It was Bagnaia who eventually snatched pole position ahead of home circuit expert Aleix Espargar at Montmeló. Marc Márquez filled the front row of the grid with MS leader Martín in fourth position.

Bagnaia defends key lead after thrilling start

Bagnaia thus set off into the last sprint of the year from a position where there was the slightest chance of a potential bunch crash, which was not far away by the first corner after a finish straight of several hundred metres.

🚦LIGHTS OUT IN THE FINAL #TissotSprint OF 2024 🚦@Bestia23 leads @PeccoBagnaia as @88jorgemartin is 3rd into T1 💥#SolidarityGP 🏁 | #TheRematch pic.iikUpZUNY

– MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) November 16, 2024

Bagnaia got off to a great start, but there were individuals with a better response. Martín, from fourth on the grid, joined the jostling for the lead into the opening braking manoeuvre along with Marc Márquez and, incredibly, Enea Bastianini.

Teammate Bagnai, though qualifying only eighth, led after exiting the first corner. Márquez tamed his machine on the opening brakes, a wonder he didn’t take out Bagnai or Martín in front of him. However, the eight-time champion’s troubles continued when Pedro Acosta’s ktm hit him at turn three.

the 20-year-old rookie subsequently retired with his fairing off after the contact, not following Bagnaiu, who eventually defended the lead after the opening lap. Bastianini and Martín followed the reigning world champion, with Franco Morbidelli and Álex Márquez close behind.

Martín in a tricky position, Bastianini playing his own game

Bagnaia managed a hectic start to the sprint and quickly built up a safe lead of several tenths of a second on teammate Bastianini. Martín’s provisional third place might have been enough for the Spaniard, but his vision of deciding the title as early as Saturday played a part. The 26-year-old Madrid native swept past Bastianini on the run-in to the third lap and just less than a second and another manoeuvre separated him from glory.

Bastianini was not about to give up, however. The extra two points in the battle for third overall in the drivers’ championship were enough motivation to exact revenge on Martín in the same place a lap later. Their shootout not only helped Bagnai increase his lead at the front, but also drew the Morbidelli-led group closer together.

Lap five saw the culmination of the first part of the battle for second place. Once again, with the help of a slipstream on the home straight, Martín humbled Bastianini into turn one. This time, however, he forced the Italian to the very edge of the track, which was almost taken advantage of by the aforementioned Morbidelli.

It’s all kicking off again for 2nd! 🤯@88jorgemartin is through on @Bestia23 and @FrankyMorbido12 & @alexmarquez73 join the fight too! 💥#SolidarityGP 🏁 pic.sULMBdCH7

– MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) November 16, 2024

Martín, however, had a tough decision to make. Nearly a second and a half separated him from the sprint leader, with some very good rivals behind him. Either Martín would bite the bullet and head for Bagnaia at the cost of an unnecessary crash, or in the worst case scenario, he would allow a couple of riders to finish ahead of him without the threat of losing too many points.

Bastianini takes points from Martín, the victorious Bagnaia holds out slim hopes of a miracle

While Morbidelli and the younger Márquez were battling it out for fourth place, Bagnaia maintained a lead of around a second and a half on Martín lap after lap. Although Bastianini, in third position, lost the first act of the duel with Martín, the end of the sprint promised great drama.

“With two laps to go, the Ducati factory team’s ‘number two’ pulled up on the championship leader in the style befitting Bastianini. The 26-year-old Italian’s pace gathered momentum, which may have reminded Martín of their controversial VC finish at Emilia Romagna.

On the final lap, Bagnaia was heading for a commanding victory and Bastianini was planning a final manoeuvre on Martín. It took place on the brakes into turn five. With a hard but fair overtake, Bastianini worked his way into second place. Although Martín shook his head, his loss of second position could not affect him in the context of the title fight.

Bagnaia eventually dominated the last sprint of the season ahead of Bastianini and Martín. The top 5 was completed (despite losing places to the statue) by the home team of Aleix Espargaró and Álex Márquez. 19 points separate Martín and Bagnaia ahead of Sunday’s final round of the 2024 edition. The second man in the standings must absolutely finish it in second place, Martín just needs ninth position in case Bagnaia wins.

Results of the sprint at the Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona MotoGP (12 laps = 55.884 km; top 10 only):

1. Francesco Bagnaia (Ita., Ducati) 20:03.173
2. Enea Bastianini (Ita., Ducati) +0.942
3. Jorge Martín (Span., Ducati) +1.270
4. Aleix Espargaró (Span., Aprilia) +1.875
5. Álex Márquez (Span., Ducati) +1.942
6. Franco Morbidelli (Ita., Ducati) +5.263
7. Marc Márquez (Span., Ducati) +5.303
8. Marco Bezzecchi (Ita., Ducati) +5.507
9. Brad Binder (RJA, KTM) +5.573
10. Fabio Quartararo (Fra., Yamaha) +5.937

2024 MotoGP rider standings (top 10 only):

1. Jorge Martín (Spa., Ducati) 492
2. Francesco Bagnaia (Ita., Ducati) 473
3. Enea Bastianini (Ita., Ducati) 377
4. Marc Márquez (Span., Ducati) 372
5. Pedro Acosta (Span., KTM) 209
6. Brad Binder (RJA, KTM) 207
7. Maverick Viñales (Spaniard, Aprilia) 189
8. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Ita., Ducati) 165
9. Franco Morbidelli (Ita., Ducati) 165
10. Álex Márquez (Span., Ducati) 160

Source: MotoGP, X