Bagnaia capitalises as Acosta slides out in Motegi Tissot Sprint
Words and images courtesy MGP
The gap in the Championship is back down to 15 points after a rollercoaster Tissot Sprint at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan. Reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia(Ducati Lenovo Team) lands the spoils as he stayed flawless under pressure at the front, taking over after a heartbreaker crash out the lead for rookie and polesitter Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3).
The podium behind was then decided by a spectacular Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) vs Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) showdown, before the two then also homed in on Bagnaia for an incredibly close finish over the line. Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) came home fourth, moving forward from a tough qualifying but unable to quite get into the rostrum fight.
Bagnaia got a scrappier start but was able to make it back, just getting it under control in the braking area to nab the holeshot from Acosta. Bastianini then briefly got ahead of Acosta in the early stages before the rookie hit back, and behind them Martin and Marquez had made big gains. After the first shuffle concluded, Bagnaia, Acosta, Bastianini and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was the leading quartet ahead of a small gap back to the #89-#93 duo in fifth and sixth.
The fireworks started there on Lap 2. Marquez went for it at T10 and got it done, but the two stayed close together in the race to catch the front four and Martin wasn’t ultimately able to reply. There were then more fireworks at the front as Acosta went for a late dive for the lead at Turn 5, likewise making that stick and forcing Bagnaia to tuck in behind. Bastianini remained close company too, before the three gained a little more time in their wake as Binder pulled off to the side of the track with a technical issue, leaving some space.
From there, Acosta was on a charge. The rookie held the reigning Champion at bay looking comfortable enough, but then it all came apart. Already with his head in his hands as he slid across the gravel, the mistake was made and the win gone. Bagnaia took over in the lead, with Bastianini and Marquez on the chase.
Initially, it looked comfortable enough, but there were spots of rain threatening and the #93’s reputation preceded him. All over the back of Bastianini, he went for the move but the ‘Beast’ wasn’t for turning. Marquez was briefly ahead, the two were side-by-side, and then the #23 Ducati was sailing back up the inside. Somehow, Bastianini got it stopped and was back into second – and then the two started eating into Bagnaia’s lead.
Metre by metre, the gap to the front disappeared as the grey skies threatened again. But half a second proved the limit for the duo on the chase, and the #1 crossed the line ahead by just over a tenth, with all three covered by 0.349 at the flag. Bagnaia’s win cuts the gap back down to 15 points as Martin came home fourth, unable to get in the podium fight on Saturday.
Bastianini’s second place, meanwhile, keeps him just ahead of Marquez in the Championship and the two completing the podium ensures they make a gain – however small – on Martin overall…
Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) finished P5, just able to stay ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) as his compatriot hounded him to the flag. In a big group battle behind, Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) just came out on top ahead of Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) taking the final Sprint point as Marco Bezzeccchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) just missed out.
There was some home heartbreak for Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) as some unfortunate contact from his CASTROL Honda LCR teammate ended his final home Sprint as a full time rider early. Zarco was given a Long Lap penalty for the incident after also having come together Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) earlier in the race and will be looking for some amends on Sunday.
MOTO2
Tricky conditions were the name of the game in Moto2 qualifying and timing the table-topping lap to perfection was Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team). The Briton’s early 1:52.693 was enough to seal pole position by just 0.006s as Q1 graduate Zonta van den Goorbergh (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP) secured his best Saturday result of the season in P2, while Indonesian GP winner Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) claimed P3.
Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) spearheads a second row that is made up of an on-song Izan Guevara (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) and rookie Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team).
Row 3 is fronted by another Q1 graduate in the form of Barry Baltus (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP), with the Belgian joined by two of the top three in the title chase – Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp) and World Championship leader Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI).
There’s work to be done on Sunday for Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) and MT Helmets – MSI’s Sergio Garcia as two 2024 race winners launch from P15 and P17 respectively.
MOTO 3
For the second weekend in a row, Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) set a new lap record to take pole position – and what an effort it was. The #48’s 1:54.781 was the only sub-1:55 lap of a session that was completed (amazingly) with rain in the air, as Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) finished 0.356s down in P2. Meanwhile, on match point Sunday in Motegi, Championship leader David Alonso(CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) will launch from P3 as the #80 aims to wrap up the title tomorrow.
It was another strong qualifying for rookie Angel Piqueras. The Leopard Racing star will start from P4 on Sunday morning and is joined on Row 2 by home hero Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) and Australia’s Joel Kelso (BOE Motorsports).
Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) is Alonso’s chief chaser in the 2024 title race, but the #96 has a little more work to do off the grid than he would have liked. It’s a P9 slot for the Spaniard, just behind compatriots Adrian Fernandez(Leopard Racing) and David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports).