3.22pm – Bagnaia, a victory that we will remember for a long time
(Paolo Lorenzi) Fists in the air, after Saturday’s defeat. The answer of Bagnaia she arrived on time. And what a response, strong hearted stuff. He is Marquezfive laps at record times, the space of nothingness separating them, Marc’s attack on the twenty-first lap, Bagnaia’s decisive response, elbow to elbow, fairings that graze, touch each other. A tough but fair duel, to be put on the ideal bulletin board of those who will talk about it for a long time. Marquez has the advantage of ennobling his opponents. It happened back in the day Dovizioso, because Spanish doesn’t make it easy for anyone. When he smells victory his killer instinct kicks in.
Bagnaia found himself glued to the tail of the Ducati with five laps to go. Another struggle after the duel with Martin, followed for eleven laps. He thought about it Martinator to resolve the issue by slipping under the pressure of his brand mate: a huge mistake, which relaunches Bagnaia’s run-up in the standings, the gap is now reduced to 17 points. «Jorge made a mistake but with Marc it was tough. With him you know you have to be aggressive”, explained Bagnaia. A fully rediscovered Marquez, on the track where his ordeal had begun four years earlier; the fall, the breaking of the humerus which was then operated on repeatedly. It took him his time but the Spaniard is back in the limelight, with the help of Ducati which opened the doors of the Gresini team to him. At the risk of putting him directly in competition with his number one.
Everyone knew it would happen, the starter in Portimao, the accident with Pecco had already made it clear that two champions face each other head on when they meet on the track. «Close battle like in the old days – said Marquez -, I tried to pass Pecco on the inside, but he was very strong. As happy as in the past, he will always fight to win.” Pecco was missing a success like this, to regain confidence after an uncertain start, the zero in Portugal, and the one on Saturday due to Binder’s fault. «These victories give strength, Pecco immediately made it clear to Marquez that he wouldn’t give up and in the end he had that little bit more of an advantage, which allowed him to leave”, the summary of Valentino Rossi, an exceptional spectator in Jererz, doubly happy for the Bagnaia race and Bezzecchi’s third place with his team’s insignia. Just to know: six Ducatis in the top ten places, in addition to the three on the podium, in fourth that of Alex Marquez, ahead of Bastianini, in seventh Di Giannantonio.
3.20pm – Bezzecchi smiles: «It’s nice to be competitive again»
«For me the start of this season and the final part of last were difficult and therefore this result makes me happy. It’s nice to react right here in Jerez, where I suffered last year. I am grateful to my team who has always supported me.” This was declared by Marco Bezzecchi (Ducati Pertamina), third at the end of the Spanish Grand Prix, on the Jerez track.
3.16pm – Marquez: «Bagnaia was very strong»
«It was a very important race for me. At the beginning of the race I was very stiff, given the previous falls: for this reason, I lost a few positions. However, I had the speed to go back up and fight with Bagnaia. I tried to pass Pecco on the inside, but he was very strong in the final laps. However, I am very happy for the podium. It doesn’t matter what happened in the past: I will always fight to the end.” These are the words of Marc Marquez (Ducati Gresini), second at the end of the Spanish Grand Prix, staged on the Jerez track.
3.00 pm – Gioia Bagnaia: «What fun with Marquez»
«The first lap was crazy, starting that way was very important. I tried to push from the front, then Martin made a mistake and I took advantage of it. In the finale with Marc (Marquez, ed.) I had a lot of fun, I knew I had to be aggressive to take home the victory and I did it.” This is how a very happy Francesco Bagnaia expressed himself after his great victory in the Jerez Grand Prix. This is the second success of the season for the Italian from Ducati Lenovo, coming ahead of Marc Marquez and Marco Bezzecchi.
2.46pm – Bagnaia masterpiece, Bezzecchi third
A truly spectacular race from Bagnaia, a test of strength against the best Marquez who seemed to have more. But Pecco won a very tight melee, with the two even touching each other without sparing anything. Excellent third place by Bezzecchi under the eyes of Valentino Rossi
2.42pm – Bagnaia wins!
Bagnaia wins in Jerez! Masterpiece duel with Marquez, who however has to give up. Martin falls, Pecco drops to -17 in the standings
Bagnaia still has a 5 tenths advantage over Marquez
2.39pm – What a tour of Bagnaia! -2
After defending himself with absolute determination in Marquez’s two attempts, Bagnaia brings out the wild card. Super lap in 1’37”4, Pecco put 5 tenths of a second between him and Marquez
2.37pm – More overtaking and counter-overtaking. -3
Marquez tries again at the same corner and Bagnaia responds in the same way, crossing and getting back in front
2.36pm – Bagnaia defends himself, what a duel! -4
Marquez tries to pass Bagnaia, who however crosses and responds! The two touch, but in the end Pecco gets the upper hand
2.35pm – Marquez very close. -5
Marquez is truly monstrous, he even laps in 1’37”6. The Spaniard is studying overtaking
2.33pm – Bagnaia and Marquez attacked. -6
Bagnaia continues to push hard, but Marquez does even better (1’37”7) and has now got him. They are attacked
2.32pm – Bastianini fights for fifth place. -7
Bastianini battles with Binder for fifth position, fourth is Alex Marquez who is more than two seconds behind Bezzecchi (the podium seems to be in his hands). The duel continues (for now still at a distance) between Marc Marquez and Bagnaia
2.30pm – Bagnaia reacts, what a duel. -8
Bagnaia isn’t there and tries to react. This time the fastest lap is his, with a world champion response from Pecco. Morbidelli and Miller fall, with the latter furious with the blue
2.28pm – Fast lap by Marquez, who sees Bagnaia. -9
Marquez is going very fast, fastest lap in 1’37”8. Now he sees Bagnaia, who is less than six tenths away
2.26pm – Marquez approaches Bagnaia. -10
Ten laps to go, Marquez recovers and closes the gap to 8 tenths of a second from Bagnaia. Acosta passes Bradl and is tenth
2.24pm – Marquez passes Bezzecchi, now he believes it. -12
After the mistake a few corners ago, Marquez overtakes Bezzecchi and sets off at full speed in pursuit of Bagnaia. He wants the eight-time world champion to return to victory, having been missing for three years
2.21pm – Bagnaia is now in control, Bezzecchi is at risk. -14
After Martin’s fall Bagnaia leads with 1”2 on Bezzecchi, who goes wide and almost hits Marquez
2.19pm – Martin falls! -15
Incredible, Martin falls! The World Championship leader slipped when he was in the lead and seemed quite in control despite Bagnaia’s pressing. He changes everything, with Pecco in mind that he can make a big step forward in the standings. Bezzecchi second ahead of Marquez
2.15pm – Double fall
Sixteen laps to go, Aleix Espargaro falls together with Zarco, who had already collided with Acosta at the start
2.14pm – Bezzecchi and Marquez don’t give up. -19
Bagnaia is always close behind Martin, who however does not offer him any opening. Bezzecchi and Marquez recover a couple of tenths from the first two.
2.12pm – Fast lap for Martin. -20
Martin goes fast, more than anyone else in this last lap (1’37”). He and Bagnaia, who keeps pace, have a 7 tenths advantage over Bezzecchi and Marquez
2.09pm – Bagnaia approaches Martin. -21
Pedro Acosta was delayed, only 15th also due to a contact with Zarco at the start. Bagnaia is very close to Martin, who however confirms that he is a tough nut to crack. Bezzecchi still ahead of Marquez, but they seem to be losing something from the first two
2.07pm – Bezzecchi overtakes Marquez. – 22
Bagnaia brakes very hard, but Martin does the same. Bezzecchi enters cleanly on Marquez, while Pedrosa goes to the ground
2.06pm – Bagnaia makes a mistake, Martin takes advantage
It goes slightly long Pecco, with Martin slipping it. Marquez is close to the first two
2.04pm – What a first lap for Bagnaia, he’s in the lead! -23
First lap was a masterpiece by Bagnaia, who also separated Marquez, who was in turn overtaken by Martin. Pecco is unleashed, he knows that he has to recover after his recent falls and he doesn’t want to waste time
2.02pm – Marquez in the lead, Bagnaia super. – 24
Clean start, Marquez gets off to a good start and keeps the lead. Behind him was a wild Bagnaia, who in one fell swoop overtook Bezzecchi and Martin
1.55 pm – The choice of tires
All the drivers are fitted with a pair of medium tyres, with the sole exception of Bradl
1.50 pm – Aldeguer wins in Moto2, Arbolino seventh
Fermin Aldeguer wins the Spanish GP in Moto2, the fourth round of the world championship of the season. The Spanish rider riding Boscoscuro, favorite on the eve, prevailed, preceding the American Joe Roberts (Kalex) by more than 1′. On the podium the Spaniard Manuel Gonzalez (Kalex). First among the Italians was Tony Arbolino (Kalex), seventh, while Celestino Vietti (Kalex) finished in ninth place. Joe Roberts climbs to the top with 69 points, +5 on Sergio Garcia and +15 on Fermin Aldeguer. Fourth was Gonzalez with 23 points. Vietti ninth at -40, Arbolino 13th at -51.
1.40pm – Veijer triumphs in Moto3, Carraro 8th
Collin Veijer won the Spanish GP for the Moto3 class ahead of the Spaniards David Munoz and Ivan Ortola. Crash during the first lap for David Alonso, who started from pole position and climbed up to eleventh position. Nicola Carraro, best of the Italian drivers, finished in eighth place ahead of Stefano Nepa, ninth.
1.30pm – Why so many crashes in the Sprint?
Fifteen riders down in 12 laps, why were so many of them cautious in yesterday’s Sprint Race? Certainly someone exaggerated in the heat (see Binder on Bagnaia), but there is also an explanation linked to the weather. READ the full analysis HERE
1.20pm – Martin wins the craziest Sprint ever
Crazy race, heavy result. Crazy due to the unexpected result and the many crashes, 15 with 9 retirements, almost all triggered by the patches of damp left over from the morning rain. Marc Marquez paid the price, after chasing and overtaking Martin, and on the same lap, simultaneously, his brother Alex, with Binder and Bastianini, as if in a crowd dancing slides. READ the full story HERE
1.10 pm – Bad fall for Acosta in the warm up
After the many crashes of the Sprint, the morning warm up also opened with a few moments of fear. The protagonist, this time, is Pedro Acosta, among the few to remain standing yesterday. The Spaniard ended up against the inflatable barriers, breaking them. The KTM rider escaped without consequences from the impact, with only a bruised jaw.
1.00 pm – MotoGp Jerez, where to watch the race
Back on track at the Jerez circuit. Everyone is chasing Jorge Martin who, with his success in the craziest Sprint Race of the year, has further extended his lead in the standings. Only Pedro Acosta, increasingly the revelation of the year, is keeping pace with the Spaniard (92 points), trailing him by 29 points. READ HERE the complete guide
