Метка: Spanish GP

Marquez’s Jerez MotoGP duel with Bagnaia «like old times»

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


The Gresini rider qualified on pole for the first time on a Ducati before going on to score his first grand prix podium after a thrilling 25-lap race at Jerez on Sunday.

Marquez locked horns with Bagnaia in the latter stages of the grand prix, with the pair engaging twice at Turn 9 on laps 21 and 22.

On the first attempt, Marquez launched his bike up the inside of Bagnaia’s at Turn 9, before the latter retaliated at Turn 10 as the pair ended up making contact.

Both survived this and Bagnaia came through into the lead, defending a second attempt from Marquez on the following tour.

Marquez ultimately lost out on the win by 0.372s to Bagnaia and admitted he was «a bit stiff» in the early laps having crashed out of the lead of the Americas GP and the Jerez sprint.

«It was an important race – a super important race,» he said.

«In the beginning, I was a little bit stiff because I crashed in Austin, I crashed yesterday and in the beginning with the full [fuel] tank I was stiff and I lost some positions.

Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing

Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

«But the speed was there to come back, the speed was there to fight with Bagnaia.

«It was a tight fight, even like old times. This is good, it’s racing. I tried to close the door, but he was inside and this is something that happens in the racing.

«On the last lap, he was super good, he pushed, and he did the fastest lap of the race. And then I tried to follow him but he had a bit more.

«But I’m super happy for this first [grand prix] podium. As you see, it doesn’t matter what happened in the past – just I fight until the end.»

Second at Jerez marked Marquez’s first grand prix podium since the wet Japanese GP last year, a few days after which he informed Honda he would be leaving the team at the end of 2023.

Not since the 2022 Australian GP has Marquez stood on a grand prix podium in the dry.

He now sits sixth in the standings on 60 points, 32 behind championship leader Jorge Martin after the Pramac rider crashed out of the Spanish GP while leading on lap 11.

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Bagnaia fends off Marquez in thriller as Martin crashes

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO



Pramac Ducati rider Martin threatened to take a 47-point lead in the championship as he led the field on the 11th of 25 laps ahead of Bagnaia and Marquez.

But a crash at Turn 6 flipped the grand prix on its head, with Bagnaia released into the lead and forced into a thrilling scrap with Gresini Ducati’s Marquez for the win.

Beating Marquez by 0.372s after putting in a stunning Jerez race lap record of 1m37.449s on the 23rd tour, Bagnaia is now just 17 points behind Martin having crashed out of Saturday’s sprint.

Marquez celebrated a first grand prix podium as a Ducati rider and his first since last year’s Japanese GP, while VR46 Ducati rider Marco Bezzecchi got his first rostrum of the campaign in third.

Converting pole to the holeshot, Marquez led the field through the first few corners as Martin slotted into second ahead of Bezzecchi and Bagnaia, who started seventh.

Signalling his intent from the outset, Bagnaia staged an incredible double overtake on the brakes on the outside of Bezzecchi and Martin into the Turn 6 hairpin to move up to second.

At Turn 13 at the end of the opening lap, Bagnaia scythed through Marquez when the door opened slightly in the middle of the corner.

But Marquez moved to retaliate instantly, attempting to retake the lead into Turn 1 on lap two but forcing both to go wide and allowing Martin into second as Bagnaia narrowly held onto first.

A mistake for Bagnaia at the final corner allowed Martin to come through to the lead and dropped the factory Ducati team rider to third, though only briefly as he outdragged Marquez to get second back as they began lap three.

Marquez was overtaken by Bezzecchi on lap four, while the top two – headed by Martin – streaked six tenths clear and then to almost a second come the start of the ninth tour.

What was shaping up to be a duel for the win between the two GP24s of Martin and Bagnaia ultimately didn’t materialise as the former lost the front end of his bike under braking for Turn 6 on lap 11.

This released Bagnaia into a lead of eight tenths as that also became the gap separating Bezzecchi and Marquez.

But Marquez soon upped his pace and moved through on Bezzecchi in a battle on the brakes at Turn 6 on lap 14.

This gave Bagnaia a 1.2s lead over Marquez, but would be chipped away by the Gresini rider as the pair traded fastest race laps.

At the start of lap 20, Bagnaia was now only half a second clear of Marquez and on the next tour the Gresini rider launched his GP23 up the inside of the Italian at Turn 9.

Bagnaia forced the issue into Turn 10 and the pair made contact, though the factory Ducati rider was able to take the lead back through Turn 11.

Marquez tried the same move on the next tour but Bagnaia had already anticipated it and ran defensively into Turn 9 to ensure his rival ran wide on the exit.

Bagnaia made a decisive break on lap 23 when he fired in the fastest lap of the race, which put his lead up to half a second and out of reach of Marquez.

Marking his second grand prix win of the season, Bagnaia is now just 17 points adrift of Martin in the championship.

Bezzecchi ultimately ended up 3.5s behind Marquez in third, with Alex Marquez fourth on the sister Gresini Ducati ahead of the second factory team Ducati of Enea Bastianini.

Brad Binder was the top KTM in sixth from VR46’s Fabio Di Giannantonio, Trackhouse Racing’s Miguel Oliveira, Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales and Tech3 rookie Pedro Acosta – who survived early contact with LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco.

The final points went to Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing), Joan Mir (Honda), Alex Rins (Yamaha), Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda) and Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha).

Jack Miller (KTM) and Franco Morbidelli (Pramac) collided late on at Turn 5 to join the considerable list of retirees, with the stewards set to investigate the incident after the race.

Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) and Johann Zarco (LCR) also collided at Turn 5 during the race, which is another incident under investigation.

KTM wildcard Dani Pedrosa fell off his bike on lap four, while Augusto Fernandez (Tech3) and Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia) retired in the pits.



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2024 MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix – How to watch, session times & more

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO



Pramac’s Jorge Martin leads the championship on 80 points as MotoGP makes its first visit of 2024 to Spain, with Ducati rider Enea Bastianini his closest rival on 59 points.

Victory in the Americas Grand Prix has promoted Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales to third in the standings, 24 points behind Martin.

2024 MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix session timings

Session

GMT

BST 

CEST

ET

PT

AEST

JST

IST

FP1

08:45

09:45

10:45

04:45

01:45

18:45

17:45

14:15

FP2

13:00

14:00

 15:00

09:00

06:00

23:00

22:00

 18:30

FP3

08:10

 09:10 10:10

04:10

01:10

 18:10

17:10

 13:40

Qualifying

08:50

 09:50 10:50

04:50

01:50

18:50

17:50

 14:20

Sprint

13:00

 14:00 15:00

09:00

06:00

23:00

22:00

18:30

Warm up

07:40

08:40

 09:40

03:40

 00:40

17:40

23:40

13:10

Race

12:00

13:00

14:00

08:00

 05:00

22:00

21:00

 17:30

2024 MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix session timings in the UK and Portugal

Friday 26th April 2024

  • Free Practice 1: 09:45 — 10:30 BST
  • Free Practice 2: 14:00 — 15:00 BST

Saturday 27th April 2024

  • Free Practice 3: 09:10 — 09:40 BST
  • Qualifying: 09:50 — 10:30 BST
  • Sprint: 14:00 BST

Sunday 28th April 2024

  • Warm up: 08:40 — 08:50 BST
  • Race: 13:00 BST

2024 MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix session timings in Europe 

Friday 26th April 2024

  • Free Practice 1: 10:45 — 11:30 CEST
  • Free Practice 2: 15:00 — 16:00 CEST

Saturday 27th April 2024

  • Free Practice 3: 10:10 — 10:40 CEST
  • Qualifying: 10:50 — 11:30 CEST
  • Sprint: 15:00 CEST

Sunday 28th April 2024

  • Warm up: 09:40 — 09:50 CEST
  • Race: 14:00 CEST

2024 MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix session timings in the US

Friday 26th April 2024

  • Free Practice 1:  04:45 — 05:30 ET / 01:45 — 02:30 PT
  • Free Practice 2:  09:00 — 10:00 ET / 06:00 — 07:00 PT

Saturday 27th April 2024

  • Free Practice 3: 04:10 — 04:40 ET / 01:10 — 01:40 PT
  • Qualifying: 04:50 — 05:30 ET / 01:50 — 02:30 PT
  • Sprint: 09:00 ET / 06:00 PT

Sunday 28th April 2024

  • Warm-up: 03:40 — 03:50 ET / 00:40 — 00:50 PT
  • Race:  08:00 ET / 05:00 PT

2024 MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix session timings in Australia

Friday 26th April 2024

  • Free Practice 1: 18:45 — 19:30 AEST
  • Free Practice 2: 23:00 — 00:00 AEST

Saturday 27th April 2024

  • Free Practice 3: 18:10 — 18:40 AEST
  • Qualifying: 18:50 — 19:30 AEST
  • Sprint: 23:00 AEST

Sunday 28th April 2024

  • Warm-up: 17:40 — 17:50 AEST
  • Race: 22:00 AEST

2024 MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix session timings in Japan

Friday 26th April 2024

  • Free Practice 1: 17:45 — 18:30 JST 
  • Free Practice 2: 22:00 — 23:00 JST 

Saturday 27th April 2024

  • Free Practice 3: 17:10 — 17:40 JST 
  • Qualifying: 17:50 — 18:30 JST
  • Sprint: 22:00 JST

Sunday 28th April 2024

  • Warm-up: 16:40 — 16:50 JST
  • Race: 21:00 JST

2024 MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix session timings in India

Friday 26th April 2024

  • Free Practice 1: 14:15 — 15:00 IST 
  • Free Practice 2: 18:30 — 19:30 IST

Saturday 27th April 2024

  • Free Practice 3: 13:40 — 14:10 IST 
  • Qualifying: 14:20 — 15:00 IST
  • Sprint: 18:30 IST

Sunday 28th April 2024

  • Warm-up: 13:10 — 13:20 IST
  • Race: 17:30 IST

Can’t find your country or region in the list? Check the MotoGP schedule page for the broadcast times in your local timezone.

Can I stream the Spanish MotoGP?

MotoGP has its own on-demand streaming service, offering live broadcast of practice, qualifying and the Sprint, as well as highlights. The MotoGP Video pass is available for an annual fee of 139.99 euros. Several local broadcasters also stream MotoGP races on their official websites.

Spanish MotoGP — Starting grid:



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Bagnaia critical of “no plan” MotoGP sprint races

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The reigning world champion was taken out of the 12-lap sprint at Jerez on Saturday when he got sandwiched between Marco Bezzecchi on the outside and Brad Binder on his inside.

It has put Bagnaia 42 points back on Pramac’s Jorge Martin, who won the chaotic sprint.

The incident was placed under investigation by the FIM stewards but no further action was deemed to have been warranted, which Bagnaia hinted that he didn’t agree with.

«Racing incident,» he said when asked about the collision. «This is the decision by the race direction and it’s their job. It’s like this.

«For me, to overtake two riders on the kerb is not the correct line. But I’m not here to penalise someone.»

While not directly taking aim at Binder, Bagnaia said the fault lay at the feet of «the guy on the inside», but was also critical of how little thought he reckons is put into overtakes in sprint races sometimes.

«For sure it was caused by the guy on the inside, but we have to say that it was quite crazy,» he added.

«I just did two laps and a half corner and I saw four, five contacts in this first two laps.

«I have to say that the sprint race sometimes is like no plan overtakes – just let the bike go in and if you touch the rider on the other side it doesn’t matter.

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

«Just try to overtake. This is why we saw many contacts during the race.»

Binder – who crashed out late on while battling for the podium — says the incident started when he lost the rear of his KTM exiting the final corner at the end of lap two, which allowed the factory Ducati of Bagnaia and the VR46 Ducati of Binder to flank him on the run into Turn 1.

As Bezzecchi tried to outbrake Binder, the Italian ran deep himself and Bagnaia was taken slightly wide too – opening the door for the KTM to make a move.

«I was on the normal line,» Binder said. «Well, on the entry. I saw the video and at the centre it was tighter than normal for sure.

«But I had a little highside coming out of the last corner and they [Bagnaia and Bezzecchi] split me.

«One went left, one went right and I thought there was chaos coming before there when the bike on the inside [Bezzecchi] looked like it was going straight to me… well, to be honest I thought both were going straight, so I turned in on my normal line and it looked like to me he just got sandwiched between the two bikes.»

Bezzecchi – who also crashed out later — says he felt he could still complete the overtake despite running wide because «if you go wide [at Turn 1] you have the big kerb and there is not much space to make an overtake back».

He says Bagnaia «could do nothing to avoid me» but refused to lay blame on Binder, stating: «I don’t want to express myself because every time [I do] people break my balls».

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Jerez MotoGP sprint should have been red-flagged amid crash chaos

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In total, 15 riders of the 25 starters suffered falls across the 12-lap sprint, with 10 of those tumbles occurring in about 10 minutes between lap seven and the end.

At Turn 5, Vinales fell on lap 10 having inherited third when Alex Marquez, Brad Binder and Enea Bastianini all had identical front-end crashes the tour before.

Moments after they did this, Marc Marquez crashed out of the lead at Turn 9, while Luca Marini, Stefan Bradl, Johann Zarco and Marco Bezzecchi slid off soon after.

The race was not stopped despite the sudden spate of falls, with Pramac’s Jorge Martin going on to win from Pedro Acosta and Fabio Quartararo before the latter was hit with a tyre pressure penalty.

Most riders noted that there were damp patches in several key places, with Vinales noting that the one he crashed on at Turn 5 was impossible to see.

Asked about what happened, the Aprilia rider felt the race should have been stopped as so the circuit could be inspected.

«At the end it [the track] was 95% dry and the 5% that was wet was completely in the middle of the line,» he said.

«And especially at Turn 5 you could not see with your eyes that it was wet. For example, on the warm-up lap I passed Turn 5 and I just looked back to see where was wet and all the corner looked dry.

Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing crash

Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing crash

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

«So, was impossible to see. Also, last corner it was impossible to see [the damp patches].

«I think after the crash of Binder and all the guys, I think race direction should understand that the track was not rideable for these kinds of bikes.

«I just passed maybe on the same line and then I crashed without any warning. So, we need to really be careful when the track is on these conditions because it’s so easy to make a big crash.»

He added: «I don’t think it’s about luck. It’s about the track, the conditions of the track.

«For sure if I’m in a test I don’t go out with these conditions. I wait till it’s dry. Obviously, it was completely in the middle of the line, so that’s why I say race direction should understand that if we are 20 [riders] – or something like that – and 14 riders crash, it’s because of something. Put a red flag and check the conditions.»

Vinales also noted that riders have been asking for ways to be able to communicate from the bike to race direction to signal if there is a problem on track for it to investigate, but nothing has come of that so far.

Alex Marquez noted that Jerez being slow to dry in places is «typical» of the asphalt there, but says since the track was resurfaced in 2019 Turn 5 has been a bigger issue.

«Yeah, it’s typical, but also for many years it’s been the same problem,» he added.

«So, we need to make something to avoid these things because it’s something there… I think they resurfaced there, I don’t remember the year, but from that point we’ve had this issue.

«So, we need to do something to avoid this because for sure for the spectators it was really fun and was a spectacular race. But for the riders… it was good, but not the things we want to ride.»

Binder says his crash at Turn 5 was a result of him reacting to Alex Marquez falling in front, and in checking up he touched the damp patch.

Brad Binder, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

Brad Binder, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Aleix Espargaro, Vinales’s team-mate – who crashed on lap one – doesn’t believe halting that race was the correct solution, but questioned whether it should have gotten underway when it did.

«I mean, yeah, you guys all saw the track conditions,» he said.

«I don’t think the red flag was the solution. Once you start the race, if the track is not getting worse for some circumstances and the track was not worse on the last lap than the first one.

«But the question mark is whether we should have started that race or not. It’s difficult really to have a fully agreed decision between all riders.»

Asked if the race should have been delayed and the track dried out, he added: «I spoke to Loris this morning and he said ‘yes, we are going in corner two and five every time to try to dry up before the sessions, but there was not time enough’.

«So, for me it’s very dangerous to have these super powerful bikes to go out on the slicks when there are some wet patches.

«But it’s difficult also for race direction because how you control that one rider doesn’t put on the slicks at the end of Q2 and risk? It’s too difficult, really.»



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Marquez «crashed in the easiest part» of Jerez MotoGP sprint race

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Gresini rider Marquez made a relatively slow launch from pole position to drop to third at the start, but repassed both KTM’s Brad Binder and Pramac star Jorge Martin to retake the lead on lap 7.

By the start of lap 9, Marquez had pulled himself clear of the chasing pack and was seemingly on his way to a first victory of 2024, only to suffer a fall at the Turn 9 left-hander.

The Spanish rider was able to hop back on his bike and recover to seventh, as a number of other frontrunners crashed out from what turned out to be a race of attrition. He was elevated to sixth following post-race penalties. 

Asked if he is now closer than ever to a maiden victory on the Desmosedici, having completed his adaptation from the Honda RC213V, the six-time MotoGP champion said: «Closer than Austin but still not enough. Just four laps and we didn’t finish that four laps to finish the perfect day.

«But the good thing is that for me today is a super good day, pole position. We understand that in wet conditions we are fast.

«Then in the main [sprint] race we were the fastest there but unfortunately I wasn’t able to finish the race. I did the most difficult thing [of taking the lead], but then I crashed in the easiest part of the race.

«But like most of the riders I would say I take a wet patch and I lose the front. So most of them but the good thing is that every time we are closer and closer.»

Saturday’s sprint at Jerez was an unusually dramatic race as more than half the field suffered major crashes, with arguably the most bizarre incident taking place moments before Marquez’s fall as younger brother Alex Marquez, Enea Bastianini and Binder all slipped off their bikes in tandem into Turn 5.

Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing

Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Although there has been no official statement from FIM, MotoGP or Jerez, a number of riders reported that water from an earlier rain shower had seeped its way onto the asphalt, even though it wasn’t clearly visible in the TV footage.

Marquez explained that he never saw the wet patch that led to his crash at Turn 9, but he was conservative on the entry to the corner on that particular lap.

«I didn’t realise that [it] was that wet patch during all the race,» he said.

«I saw that there were some wet patches in the entry but on gas I didn’t see that wet patch. And then, in fact, that lap I braked a bit earlier and I kept a bit more corner speed but maybe I only went 10cm [wide] because [at] worst [it was a] 20cm patch.

«I went 10cm out or in, I don’t know. I don’t know if I was passing that patch in the previous laps in or out because I was not overriding.

«But unfortunately when I lost the front I wasn’t able to recover but even like this we finished seventh in the race so good.»

The Jerez sprint marked the second consecutive race in which Marquez crashed from the lead, having also lost a potential victory in the Americas GP earlier this month.

He also retired from the Portuguese GP after an incident with reigning champion and factory Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia.

But the 31-year-old isn’t concerned about his recent run of incidents, as he feels fast on the Ducati since he turned up the wick in the US round.

«I understand since Austin [that] I’m strong enough about the mental side,» he said.

«First two races [of the year] I was constant and I tried to control the situation. Since Austin we increase one step the risk and then you expose the limits and then you can crash. I understand that.

«Yeah, people can talk a lot. I have my plan, I know what I’m doing and I’m happy because I’m fast. This was my main worry this season. So at the moment I’m fast.

«Of course, I need to work on the consistency but the good thing is that all the crashes I had on the race in Portimao, Austin and here it was not [due] to over-riding [the bike]. It was always the extra conditions.»

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Quartararo hit with penalty in Jerez MotoGP sprint; Pedrosa inherits podium

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Yamaha’s Quartararo qualified a career-worst 23rd in the damp Q1 session, but put on a sensational fightback in the early stages of the 12-lap sprint at Jerez on Saturday.

Leaping up to 11th on the opening lap, Quartararo was in the points in ninth on the third tour and vaulted up to third after a spate of crashes in the latter stages.

Quartararo fended off KTM wildcard Pedrosa by 0.050 seconds to score a first podium since the Indonesian Grand Prix last October.

However, Quartararo was later found to have broken the minimum tyre pressure rule and has been handed an eight-second time penalty.

This drops Quartararo down to fifth and promotes Pedrosa to the podium, marking his first rostrum of any kind since he won the Valencia GP in 2017 when he was a full-time racer.

Ahead of this season, the penalty for riding underneath the minimum tyre pressure of 1.8 bar for more than 30% of a sprint and 60% of a grand prix was meant to be disqualification.

However, this was tweaked earlier this year so that the penalty was eight seconds for a sprint in fraction and 16s in the grand prix.

Quartararo has become the first rider this season to be penalised for breaking the minimum tyre pressure rule.

Trackhouse Racing Aprilia rider Raul Fernandez has also been penalised eight seconds for breaking the minimum tyre pressure rule, which promotes Marc Marquez to sixth after his chaotic race. Alex Rins and Jack Miller were each handed eight-second penalties too.

Dani Pedrosa

Dani Pedrosa

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

While it has not been confirmed if it was front or rear tyre pressure that was out of the minimum limit, all penalties for the infraction last year were down to front pressures.

If it was the front, due to the 2021 world champion’s starting position, it’s likely his Yamaha crew set his tyre pressures for the 12-lap sprint in anticipation of him circulating in the pack for the duration and thus experiencing a quick increase in pressure that would have ensured he avoided a penalty.

Pedrosa’s podium return comes a year on from his rides to sixth in the sprint and seventh in the grand prix as a wildcard for KTM at Jerez.

At the San Marino GP, he finished fourth in both races.

Speaking about his 2024 Spanish GP sprint, Pedrosa said: «I was around P13 more or less and I was already behind Fabio.

«Then I wanted to overtake him immediately in the first two laps but I saw one crash, then in the next lap another crash, then in another lap another crash.

«Then I said ‘Okay maybe just don’t push too much because maybe the tyres are not ready and the track is tricky’.

«So, I go step by step. So I stay behind Fabio for the race but every two or three laps, two guys off.

«Three guys off. Another guy off after. I didn’t know my position anymore because when I was passing in the straight line I was trying to overtake Fabio and I always pass on this side and I don’t see very well my board.

«So, in the last lap we didn’t know we were P3, P4. I thought we were P6, P7.»



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Mir rages at «irregular» MotoGP stewards after Marquez sprint clash

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While battling for the outer reaches of the sprint points late on in Saturday’s crash-strewn sprint race at Jerez, Marquez collided with Honda’s Mir at the last corner as he made a failed overtake attempt.

Mir took a strong hit and lost several places, ultimately finishing out of the points in 10th.

Gresini rider Marquez, who crashed out of the lead on lap nine, was ordered to drop one position by the stewards for the clash but still scored points in seventh.

Mir felt the punishment Marquez got was «unfair» as he feels he was given a harsher penalty for a collision with Fabio Quartararo in the Portugal sprint last year, and took aim at what he feels is the stewards’ lack of consistency.

«It was a bit unfair because I think I made a really good start, then I had the contact in Turn 2,» Mir started.

«Then I lost a lot of positions and then I started to break away from the group I had behind to the guys in front. I overtook the group with Miguel [Oliveira] and then I stayed behind Raul to prepare one attack for the last laps.

«And then Marc just came at the last corner, he touched me, he hit me out of the track, I lost all the positions.

«And then when he overtook Miguel in the same exact way, [and] he was demoted [only] one position and that’s it.

Joan Mir, Repsol Honda Team

Joan Mir, Repsol Honda Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

«So, the last time I received a penalty was in Portimao in the [2023] sprint race, similar thing. I braked, I overtook Fabio, I lost the front, I kicked Fabio out and he lost a couple of positions.

«I crashed and for the race on Sunday they gave me a double long lap.

«That was the last penalty I got. So, this time he didn’t crash, he hit me out of the track, I lost four positions – [he is] demoted one position. I want to understand.

«This is something that when I went into the box I was with a poker face because I say ‘how is this possible that one rider you say one thing, and for the same move or even worse it’s [only] demoted one position’.»

Marquez felt his penalty was «good for the stewards» and feels Mir «tried to insist» on the brakes in his defence.

«Was exactly the same situation as with [Brad] Binder,» the Gresini rider remarked. «Binder overtook me and then I saw him and then I saw and pick up the bike.

«I try to overtake Mir in a smooth way but then he released the brakes and go in and then we had the contact.

«Was my fault but yeah, sometimes you need to understand. For example, with Binder I was able to go in and had the contact but then I know that I will lose not only with Binder, I will also lose more positions.

«So sometimes you need to analyse. But in that case, Mir tried to insist and I didn’t release the brakes enough to overtake him completely.

«I take the penalty, one position, was a good penalty for the stewards but it was easy to drop a position to Oliveira and come back from there as well.»

Mir added: «I’m not pissed with the manoeuvre from Marc, because if he waited three seconds more we pass the corner and in the straight he overtakes me.

«So, this is something that I don’t really understand being in that position.

«If we fight for the podium I understand. But man, it’s unbelievable how they value these types of things, and they are so irregular with penalties. It’s unbelievable.

«In the end, I’m a rider who in the past liked to overtake with contact. It’s something that I do because nowadays with the aero it’s very difficult to overtake.

«So, with a bit of contact, we have to have this margin in the overtakes. But one thing is the margin to touch and open your line, and the other thing is to kick the rider out of the track.

«This is a completely different story. They have to judge as they did in the past.»

Asked if he felt Marquez’s overtaking was over the limit, Mir replied: «He came into my line, he kicked me out of the track to get that position. So, this is something at the moment you cannot do. Or if you do, you have to be penalised.»

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Martin wins mad, crash-filled sprint race from Acosta

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Martin leapt into the lead on the opening lap but was quickly reeled in and passed by poleman Marquez, who looked on course for a first Gresini Ducati win.

But on lap nine of 12, Marquez fell off at Turn 9, just seconds after third to fifth-placed Alex Marquez, Enea Bastianini and Brad Binder slid off at Turn 5.

Maverick Vinales crashed at the same place on the following lap while running third, with several others all having front-end crashes through to the finish.

In all, 16 riders out of 25 made it to the chequered flag, but everyone from 12th down also suffered crashes at some stage.

Reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia was involved in a collision with Marco Bezzecchi and Brad Binder at Turn 1 on lap three which took the factory Ducati rider out.

Through all the chaos, Tech3 rookie Pedro Acosta found himself in second, while Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo rose from 23rd on the grid to complete the podium.

Martin now leads the championship by 29 points from Acosta, while Bagnaia is 42 adrift.

Early rain threats came to nothing as the lights went out for the 12-lap Jerez sprint, with Binder jumping into the lead from fourth on the grid on his factory KTM.

Martin slotted into second ahead of Marquez, while Bagnaia found himself mired in sixth.

At Turn 9 Martin took the lead away from Binder, while Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro became the first crasher in a dramatic sprint at Turn 8.

Jack Miller would slide off his KTM at the last corner at the end of the first lap, but would remount to finish 14th.

At the front, Marc Marquez overtook Binder at Turn 9 for second with a tough move. However, the KTM rider scythed past again into the last corner on the third tour.

This move let Alex Marquez come through on the pair of them, while Binder ultimately lost the most.

Marc Marquez repassed his Gresini team-mate and brother Alex Marquez for second at Turn 1, while Binder went to reclaim fourth as Marco Bezzecchi threw his VR46 Ducati up the inside of Bagnaia.

Bezzecchi ran wide and forced Bagnaia to open the door to Binder, who came steaming up the inside but connected with the factory Ducati rider and sent him down.

The incident was placed under investigation by the FIM stewards, but no further action was taken.

Through all this chaos, Martin had opened a 1.3s lead over Marc Marquez come the start of lap four – though the Gresini rider would close the Pramac GP24 down by the start of the seventh tour.

Marquez capitalised on a moment for Martin going through Turn 7 to line up a move into Turn 9, which he executed cleanly to move into the lead.

But on lap nine his hopes of a first win since Misano 2021 were dashed when he fell at Turn 9, doing so seconds after Alex Marquez, Binder and Bastianini had identical crashes at Turn 5.

Martin was released into a comfortable lead as a result, with the Spaniard taking his second sprint win of the year by 2.970s from Acosta.

Yamaha’s Quartararo was already enjoying a strong fightback from a career-worst 23rd on the grid as he circulated in ninth before the chaos that enveloped the end of the race unfolded.

After Vinales fell at Turn 5 while running third on lap 10, Quartararo found himself in an unlikely rostrum spot and fended off KTM wildcard Dani Pedrosa by 0.050s to secure third.

Franco Morbidelli completed the top five for Pramac Ducati, passing LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco at the last corner of the final lap before the Frenchman also tumbled off his bike.

Raul Fernandez was sixth for Trackhouse Racing as Marc Marquez recovered to ninth – though was forced to drop a spot for punting Honda’s Joan Mir wide at Turn 13 on lap 11.

Tech3’s Augusto Fernandez and Oliveira, who was shuffled down to ninth after another aggressive Marquez overtake, secured the final sprint points.

Mir was 10th, 0.135s outside of the points, with LCR’s Takaaki Nakagami 11th as Zarco, Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46), Miller, Alex Rins (Yamaha) and Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia) saw the chequered flag despite crashes.

Honda’s Luca Marini and Stefan Bradl were late fallers, as was Bezzecchi.

 

 



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