MotoGP, Bagnaia wins the sprint race in Japan and closes on Martin in the standings

Bagnaia wins the Japanese sprint and recovers 6 points from Martin, who today finishes in 4th place, remains leader of the world championship but now with a 15 point advantage over Pecco. And in Sunday’s GP (start at 7am Italian time) the reigning champion will start from the front row, while his Spanish rival will be forced to chase from fourth, in eleventh position. An amazing Bastianini takes to the podium on Saturday, winning a great duel with Marc Marquez in a spectacular finale. Triumph of the two official Ducatis, but in the end there are 7 Borgo Panigale bikes ahead of everyone. Pedro Acosta, who had earned pole in the morning by setting a new track record, had led for three-quarters of the race but crashed with 4 laps to go.

Happiness Pecco: «But it wasn’t easy»

For Bagnaia it is the thirteenth success of the season, the sixth in the sprint race: «It wasn’t easy, we had to be cautious throughout the race: on the bike I had a map with less power. I’m very happy, winning and scoring points on a day like this is really important. I have to thank the team for the work done, we must continue in this way.”

The Beast, whom you overtake: «I had fun»

Bastianini, a final overtaking on Marquez that leaves one speechless. «Nice sprint», the Rimini native laughs. «The pace was always very good: in the end I was very close to Pecco, but I had lost time at the start. Marc attacked me, but at turn 11 I broke away hard and then closed my eyes.”

And Marquez moans: «It’s a shame about the qualifying»

Marquez is still angry about what happened in the morning during qualifying: they took away his pole position with the track record for cutting the track by centimeters. “I had a great time, but you know what happened,” he mutters. «I knew I had a good pace, in the last laps it was a good fight with Enea: after being behind, however, the tire temperature had risen. I enjoy this podium.”

Pecco finds the start again, Acosta is a devil

After the uncertainties of the last races, Bagnaia finds the start again: at the green light Pecco goes to lead, but in a couple of laps Acosta passes him on the inside. Bastianini follows the pair by half a second, Binder soon gives up due to a technical problem and leaves room for Marquez – fourth -, who started on the third row, then Martin.

The Shark of Mazarron ends up in the gravel

Pedro, the Shark of Mazarròn, increases the pace and brings his advantage over Bagnaia to 7 tenths: but he overdoes it, loses control of his Ktm and ends up in the gravel. A real crime for the twenty-year-old Spanish rookie, outgoing Moto2 world champion. The boy deserved this success, but with the talent he finds he will soon be able to do it again.

Martin is satisfied, 7 Ducatis ahead of everyone!

Marc Marquez is starting to make up ground on the official Ducati pair, while Martin seems to be content with fourth position. With 2 laps to go, the Cannibal attacks, overtakes the Beast, who however responds angrily and returns in front of him. It’s an all-red finale, and after Marc and Martin here are Morbidelli, Di Giannantonio and Alex Marquez: 7 Ducatis ahead of everyone.