Martín dominated the dramatic MotoGP race in Portugal. World champions Bagnaia and Márquez collided

Last year’s world vice-champion Jorge Martín dominated the Portuguese GP on the Portimao roller coaster. The vast majority of the race was relatively uneventful, but the last few laps made up for it. First, champions Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Márquez crashed out after a mutual crash. Then, on the last lap, sprint winner Maverick Viñales crashed out due to technical problems, which rookie Pedro Acosta took advantage of for his debut podium finish.

After the season opener at the desert circuit in Qatar, the MotoGP series made a brief stop in Europe, or rather Portugal at the Portimao circuit. It was here that last year’s reigning world champion Pecco Bagnaia triumphed in both the opening sprint and Sunday’s main race.

Qualifying on Saturday morning was best managed by Bagnaia’s teammate Enea Bastianini, who claimed only his second pole position in the premier class. However, it was Maverick Viñales on the factory Aprilia who dominated the afternoon’s short race after Bagnaia gave him the win following a mistake from pole position.

the 27-year-old Italian barely edged his Ducati, but had to settle for fourth place behind an improving Marc Márquez and sprint king Jorge Martín.

Martín dominated the race, Acosta once again showed

Martín made the best move off the grid, taking the lead from Viñales and Bastianini on the approach to the first corner from third position. This trio was followed by reigning World Champion Bagnaia and Marc Márquez, who momentarily locked horns for fourth place, from which the Italian driver emerged victorious for the moment.

🚦LIGHTS OUT IN #MotoGP🚦@88jorgemartin leads into T1! 🔥#PortugueseGP 🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/92Uj0Tm09t

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) March 24, 2024

Martín’s teammate Franco Morbidelli did not last long in the race, crashing after the opening corners, but there was no final retirement. The same was not true for the younger of the Márquez brothers, Álex, who also mounted his satellite Ducati after his own crash, but decided to pit during the race.

After these two crashes, the riders in at least the first half of the starting field dutifully lined up behind each other except for KTM riders Brad Binder, Jack Miller and Pedro Acosta. This trio, circling in sixth to eighth place, had the most interesting jockeying for position during the opening part of the Portuguese GP.

Meanwhile, Raúl Fernández also joined the list of retirements on Aprilli after a mistake into Turn 8.

Fans had to wait until the final laps for the drama

While everyone around him was guarding their position, Acosta made a charge for the higher positions. First he tackled his factory teammates, then, like last time in Qatar, he sped past the older Márquez and began to chase down Bagnaia, with the eight-time world champion holding on to him tooth and nail.

In the same moments Martín continued to protect his lead, with Viñales and Bastianini maintaining a gap of around half a second between them.

Halfway through the race, Acosta attempted a manoeuvre in front of Bagnaia. Although it was an unsuccessful attempt, Bagnaia clearly wasn’t just keeping up with the leading riders, so he stubbornly held on to fourth position. An off-track exit on lap 16 didn’t stop Acosta either and he continued to put enormous pressure on the troubled winner of the opening Qatar Grand Prix.

However, it was against Qatar that the 19-year-old Spanish teenager didn’t lose pace, even forcing Márquez behind him to drop the pressure and with five laps to go, he finally made his move on Bagnaia, this time successfully.

Bagnaia seemed to absolutely explode after losing fourth position. Not only did he immediately lose a huge amount of time on Acosta, he allowed Márquez behind him to close in on him. The Gresini Ducati rider sensed a chance at more championship points, and with three laps to go, he dropped under Bagnaiu in turn five. However, there was a slight contact during the so-called Bagnaiy switchback, which sent both riders to the ground!

To add to all the excitement, on the very last lap, incredible bad luck fell on Viñales, the winner of Saturday’s short race. The Spaniard suddenly lost speed on the home straight and fell behind Bastianini, who dropped into second place. Viñales went into the breakaway zone at the first corner, but his rear wheel went off on the dirt and he fell off at relatively low speed.

Acosta then went on to claim the podium of his life in a surreal finish behind the victorious Martín, the new championship leader, and second-placed Bastianini.

🏁 #MotoGP RACE 🏁@88jorgemartin wins in Portimao!!!🏆 #PortugueseGP 🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/ZeBKKaeMh1

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) March 24, 2024

MotoGP Portuguese Grand Prix results (race 2/21, 25 laps = 114.800 km; top 10 only):

1. Jorge Martín (Sp., Ducati) 41:18.138
2. Enea Bastianini (Ita., Ducati) +0.882
3. Pedro Acosta (Span., KTM) +5.362
4. Brad Binder (RJA, KTM) +11.129
5. Jack Miller (Aus., KTM) +16.437
6. Marco Bezzecchi (Ita., Ducati) +19.403
7. Fabio Quartararo (Fra., Yamaha) +20.130
8. Aleix Espargaró (Span., Aprilia) +21.549
9. Miguel Oliveira (Por., Aprilia) +23.929
10. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Ita., Ducati) +28.195

2024 MotoGP rider standings (after 2/21; top 10 only):

1. Jorge Martín (Spa., Ducati) 60 points
2. Brad Binder (RJA, KTM) 42
3. Enea Bastianini (Ita., Ducati) 39
4. Francesco Bagnaia (Ita., Ducati) 37
5. Pedro Acosta (Span., KTM) 28
6. Marc Márquez (Span., Ducati) 27
7. Aleix Espargaró (Span., Aprilia) 25
8. Maverick Viñales (Span., Aprilia) 19
9. Jack Miller (Aus., KTM) 16
10. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Ita., Ducati) 15

Sources: MotoGP, Twitter