Jorge Martin won the FIM MotoGP World Championship Sprint Race Saturday afternoon at Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP24, the Spaniard won the 12-lap race by 2.970 seconds, extending his lead in the point standings.

Rookie sensation Pedro Acosta was the runner-up on his Red Bull Tech3 GASGAS, and Fabio Quartararo took an impressive third place on his Monster Energy Yamaha YZR-M1, just ahead of Red Bull KTM test rider Dani Pedrosa. Martin’s teammate Franco Morbidelli rounded out the top five finishers.

UPDATE: But that was before several riders were penalized eight seconds each for violating minimum tire pressure rules. Pedrosa was promoted to P3 in the Tissot Sprint as Quartararo, Fernandez, Di Giannantonio, Miller, and Rins were handed the penalties. Riders must comply with the minimum pressures for 30% of laps during the Sprint or 60% of laps in any race distance over 15 laps.

Quartararo had qualified 23rd on the grid but battled Pedrosa and crossed the line in P3. However, Quartararo was demoted to P5 after the eight-second penalty was applied, placing him behind Pedrosa and Franco Morbidelli.

Other riders receiving eight-second penalties included Raul Fernandez, who dropped from P6 to P12; Fabio Di Giannantonio, who received a penalty but remained in P13; and Jack Miller and Alex Rins, who remained in P14 and P15 after the penalty was applied.

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Martin strikes Sprint gold ahead of high drama in Jerez: Acosta second, Pedrosa third

Marc Marquez one of 15 crashers as chaos reigns in Spain, before another dose post-race as penalties shake up the podium

Saturday, 27 April 2024

For Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), it was a smooth Tissot Sprint at the office at the Gran Premio Estrella Galicia 0,0. But behind the #89, who extended his Championship lead, chaos reigned in Spain. 15 riders crashed, all ok. Most or many remounted. Rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) took second and made his first visit to the Sprint rostrum in front of a rapturous crowd. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) initially celebrated there too, gaining an unreal amount of positions, before a tyre pressure penalty demoted him to fifth. And that promoted MotoGP™ Legend and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing wildcard Dani Pedrosa to third.

Polesitter Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) crashed out the lead but remounted and then went on a charge, taking no prisoners. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) slid out in three separate incidents but in perfect sync. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), meanwhile, got the short end of a sandwich between Binder and Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), deemed a racing incident but with the other two continuing. COTA winner Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) also went down, and the list didn’t end there as a largely dry track, but not perfectly just yet, caught out some big big names. But let’s rewind to the start of a dramatic and chaotic Sprint.

As the lights went out, Marc Marquez bolted left to cover Bezzecchi and Martin, but Binder nailed it from P4 and nabbed the holeshot instead. The KTM put the hammer down immediately too, gaining some breathing space ahead of Martin, Marc Marquez and a storming start from Gresini teammate Alex Marquez. By Lap 2 Martin was back on the tail of Binder, however, attacking for the lead immediately.

Marc Marquez was next to strike, seeing the Prima Pramac machine starting to pull the pin and elbowing Binder out the way to give chase. But it wasn’t job done quite yet, with Binder replying at the final corner, pushing the #93 wide and then having his own moment on the exit, allowing both Gresini machines back through.

The drama then started really heating up. Three into one doesn’t go, and as Bezzecchi divebombed Bagnaia at Turn 1, in fairness getting it stopped pretty well, the reigning Champion was pushed a little wide. So Binder went for the gap, but Bezzecchi had gathered it up, leaving Bagnaia sandwiched as the #1 got punted out of action, rider ok but left on the sidelines. It seemed like the big drama of the day at the time, but it was only the half of it.

The next was Binder, Alex Marquez and Bastianini as they all slid out, leaving Acosta in third after he’d caught the group following his own misadventures in the early stages. Up ahead though, there was some distance to #MM93 and even more to Martin, with those two looking set to duel it out.

The gap from #89 to #93 had been coming down, and fast. Marc Marquez was on a charge and one small error from Martin had seen him lose the momentum with six laps to go, giving the Gresini a chance to strike. And it didn’t go begging, with the eight-time World Champion taking over in front. Martin would try to respond, but not long after that, he needed to no longer as the number 93 in the lead suddenly slid off, leaving Martin in free air in the lead on home turf. Acosta was at a distance, and now the race was on for the #89 to hold on. For Marc Marquez, the race was on to recover as many positions as possible.

Viñales then slid off, adding another key contender to the list, before the spotlight went back to Marquez as his charge started elbowing riders behind out the way, including a nudge of former Repsol Honda teammate Joan Mir, for which the #93 was then given a drop position penalty, quickly served. Meanwhile Quartararo was on his own march, gaining 14 positions in the first two laps and now in podium contention as he’d kept the hammer down, but he had close company from Pedrosa.

As Martin crossed the line up ahead, Acosta followed him home at around three seconds back in a Spanish 1-2 on home turf, and it’s a first for both – Jerez win for Martin, and Sprint podium for Acosta. But behind, the battle for third went to the wire as Pedrosa homed in on Quartararo, after Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) proved another faller, forced to forfeit that battle. The #26 shadowed the Yamaha ahead round the final lap but couldn’t find a gap, forced to settle for fourth before that post-race penalty for Quartararo. Then, it was that historic P3 as the Frenchman’s 8s penalty demoted him to fifth.

Amongst the chaos, Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) kept it together to take his equal best Sprint result in P4, ahead of Quartararo’s ultimate position. Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) crossed the line in P6 but also got the automatic +8s tyre pressure penalty, dropping him out the points. Marc Marquez took that sixth by the flag after his charge, ahead of Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3), Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing); also sent wide by Marquez on his comeback, and Mir, who recovered from that incident to take the final Sprint point in P9. Bezzecchi and Diggia ultimately crashed out, riders ok. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) didn’t make it round Lap 1, and Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crashed early on too. Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team) and Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) both also crashed out.

In the aftermath of such high drama, Martin remains supreme at the top… but Acosta is now second in the standings and 29 points down. Start the Jaws music for Sunday? Maybe. But when the lights go out for the Grand Prix race, all that pace that went begging in the Sprint will be reset and reloaded for a serious cast of challengers… so don’t miss showtime at 14:00 (UTC +2)!

Aldeguer attacks for pole on home turf

Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) stormed to pole position at the Gran Premio Estrella Galicia 0,0 de España, putting in a statement performance on Saturday as he continues the search for that first win of the year. Joining the #54 on the front row will be Albert Arenas (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) who sneaked onto the front row after a great final lap – ending the session 0.438s adrift. CFMOTO Aspar Team’s Jake Dixon secured third, claiming a first front-row start of the season.

Heading the second row of the grid will be Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™), who will start from fourth after a great qualifying – ending the session ahead of Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team). The #10 will start inside the top five after setting a blisteringly quick 1:41.657 in tricky conditions. Americas GP and Championship leader Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) starts from sixth, rounding out the second row. Find the full results below and then tune in for the intermediate class showdown at Jerez at 12:15 (UTC +2)!

 
Alonso pulls the pin for second pole in succession

David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) has been the fastest rider in Moto3™️ since Sunday at the Portuguese GP, and in Jerez even more so. The Colombian has been untouchably quick in most sessions so far and was so in qualifying for the Gran Premio Estrella Galicia 0,0 de España, over a second clear of the field until a late attack from David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) to cut the gap to just over two tenths. After duelling Alonso on the timesheets earlier still in the session, Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) completes the front row.

Row 2 is Joel Kelso (BOE Motorsports), Rysuei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) and Q1’s fastest rider, rookie Angel Piqueras (Leopard Racing), meanwhile Championship leader Dani Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) crashed in the session and will have to put in a comeback from P18. Can he protect that two-point lead over Alonso? Tune in at 11:00 (UTC+2) to find out!

Fermin Aldeguer captured pole position during Moto2 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, in Spain. The 18-year-old Spaniard used his Beta Tools SpeedUp Boscoscuro to turn a 1:40.673 lap time around the 2.7-mile (4.4 km) course, topping the field of 31 riders.

Albert Arenas was second-best with a lap time of 1:41.111 on his QJMOTOR Gresini Kalex, and Jake Dixon claimed the third and final sot on the front row with a 1:41.466 on his CFMOTO Aspar Team Kalex.

American Joe Roberts qualified 11th with a time of 1:41.759 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.

David Alonso took pole position during Moto3 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his Gaviota Aspar Team CFMOTO, the 18-year-old Colombian did a 1:44.954 around the 2.7-mile (4.4 km) course to top the field of 26 riders.

David Munoz was the best of the rest with a 1:45.174 on his BOE Motorsports KTM, and Collin Veijer captured the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:46.013 on his Liqui Moly Intact GP Husqvarna.

Marc Marquez mastered tricky conditions to claim pole position during MotoGP qualifying Saturday at Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his year-old Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici on the wet 2.7-mile (4.4 km) track, Marquez turned a 1:46.773. Not only was that good enough to top the 25-rider field and give Marquez his first pole position on a Ducati, it was the 93rd pole position of Marquez’s career.

Marco Bezzecchi was the best of the rest with a 1:47.044 on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team Ducati, and Jorge Martin claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:47.381 on his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati.

Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia was fastest during MotoGP World Championship Practice Friday afternoon at Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici GP24 on Michelin control tires, the two-time and defending World Champion lapped the 2.7-mile (4.4 km) course in 1:36.025, which was good enough to top the field of 25 riders and to break his own All-Time Lap Record of 1:36.170 from 2022.

Factory Aprilia rider Maverick Vinales was also under the old lap record with 1:36.125, as was Marc Marquez, who did a third-quickest 1:36.168 on his Gresini Racing Ducati Demosedici GP23.

That’s 0.143 second separating the top three.

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Just 0.143 splits Bagnaia, Viñales and Marquez as lap records fall on Friday

Day 1 serves up the perfect aperitivo ahead of a tantalising super Saturday in Andalucia

Friday, 26 April 2024

It was a hard battle for the top 10 in MotoGP™ Practice at the Gran Premio Estrella Galicia 0,0 de España as the shootout for direct entry to Q2 went down to the wire, setting the stage for a truly super Saturday. By the end of play, a top three split by only 0.143 had emerged: reigning Champion Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), COTA winner Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) and eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™).

For Bagnaia, it was a day to test things out on the bike following by a shiny new lap record; for Viñales, a crash early doors before a laptime that initially put him top; and for Marquez, just one sector that stood between him and the fastest lap of the day. All three were under the previous lap record too, not just Bagnaia, and that teases plenty of action on super Saturday even before the full cast of characters are brought onto the stage.

Despite a crash at turn one at the beginning of the session, Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing) fought back to fourth in the final 10 minutes of the day, with he and teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio both having a positive Friday and ‘Diggia’ also through to Q2 in P9.

Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) is fifth on Friday, but it’s a four-tenth gap to the top he’s looking to bridge in Q2, and he’s got some company he’d likely rather escape right behind him: Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3). The rookie sensation was outside the top 10 heading into the final run but got the pedal to the metal and jumped up to sixth at the end of the day, after earlier running round in tandem with MotoGP™ Legend and wildcard Dani Pedrosa (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) too.

Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) was seventh as he looks to get back on a par with Viñales at a track that saw the #41 take pole last year, making it both factory Aprilias securing a spot in Q2. Second in the Championship Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) set a 1:36.480 for P8 – improving on his pace from the morning Free Practice session – but he’ll want more on Saturday.

Behind the aforementioned Diggia, Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) is the final rider heading straight through. That means there are a few fast and famous faces ready to do battle in a star-studded Q1.

One of the most famous is probably Pedrosa, as he was P14 at the end of play. And the most desperate to get through is probably teammate Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), who finished up P11 after a crash near the end of PR when he was setting red sectors. Barring any bad luck or trouble, the South African would seem a safe bet for moving up from Q1. Teammate Jack Miller looks to do the same, ending Friday in P13, and Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) wants to ruin the party for them all. The Italian, who missed pre-season through injury, is really getting there on pace and put in a convincing Friday in Jerez, in the upper echelons of the timesheets until getting pushed down to P12 by the end of the decisive PR session. 

Erstwhile master of Jerez Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) was in P20 too, and will aim for a big step on Saturday after teammate Alex Rins turned the tables on Day 1, taking P15 and four tenths up the road.

The next time the MotoGP™ field is out on track will be at 10:10 local time (UTC +2) for Free Practice before the battle begins at 10:50 local time for qualifying, with that Q1 promising a showdown. Then the full grids and pole will be decided before the Tissot Sprint lights up the stunning Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto… so don’t miss a minute of a truly super Saturday, up next!

FP2: 10:10 (UTC +2)

Q1: 10:50

Q2: 11.15

Tissot Sprint: 15:00

Roberts rockets to the top ahead of Aldeguer

Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) rocketed to the top spot at the end of Friday action in Jerez as the American continued to show strong pace at the Gran Premio Estrella Galicia 0,0 de España, setting a strong 1:40.664 to end Practice 1 ahead of pre-season favourite Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) by 0.234. Race winner at COTA and Championship leader Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) rounded out the top three after a brilliant session for the #3.

Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing Team) capped off a great opening day for American Racing, finding pace late in the session to set a 1:40.964. Ramirez was ahead of Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI), who showed strong pace in the early stages of the session, rounding out the top five. Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2), Zonta Van Den Goorbergh (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP) and Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp).

Albert Arenas (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™), CFMOTO Aspar Team’s Izan Guevara, Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Aspar Team), Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia), Filip Salac (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Barry Baltus (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP ), who took the final place inside the top 14, are currently the final riders set to move through to Q2.

It was a tough day in the office for Aron Canet (Fantic Racing), who crashed at the end of the session and was later declared unfit with a broken ankle. He’ll have to watch on as the Moto2™ grid head back on track on Saturday morning at 9:25 local time (UTC+2) for Practice 2 before qualifying at 13:45 local time.

Alonso smashes lap record to pull nearly a second clear on Friday

David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) dominated Day 1 at the Gran Premio Estrella Galicia 0,0 de España, setting an incredible 1:43.710 to destroy a lap record which had just been set by the Colombian on Friday morning. Alonso was almost a second clear of rookie Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3), with Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) only a further 0.083 adrift on a very impressive Friday for the Dutchman.

Finding time in the afternoon session was Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3), who jumped to fourth position, ending the session ahead of the returning David Almansa (Rivacold Snipers Team), who found time in the final sector on a final fast lap to round out the top five. Joel Kelso (BOE Motorsports), last year’s race winner Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI), Riccardo Rossi (CIP Green Power), BOE Motorsports’ David Muñoz, Stefano Nepa (LEVELUP – MTA), Tatsuki Suzuki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI), CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team’s rookie Joel Esteban and Scott Ogden (MLav Racing) round out the top 14 currently set to move straight to Q2.

The Moto3™ grid will have one last chance to fight for the top 14 spots at 8:40 local time (UTC +2) before qualifying begins at 12:50 local time! Come back then for more and check out the full results below.

Joe Roberts led Moto2 World Championship Practice One Friday afternoon at Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex on Pirelli tires around the 2.7-mile (4.4 km) course, Roberts turned a 1:40.664 to top the field of 32 riders.

Fermin Aldeguer was the best of the rest with a 1:40.898 on his Beta Tools SpeedUp Boscoscuro, and Sergio Garcia was third in the session with a 1:40.931 on his MT Helmets – MSI Boscoscuro.