Jorge Martin won the MotoGP World Championship race Sunday at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino. Riding his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati Desmosedici, the Spaniard won the 27-lap race by 1.350 seconds. It was his second win of the season.

Marco Bezzecchi finished second on his Mooney VR46 Racing Team Ducati, and defending World Champion Francesco Bagnaia made it a Ducati sweep of the podium with third on his Lenovo Team Ducati.

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Game on: Martin doubles up to home in on Bagnaia

Martin and Bezzecchi pip Pecco to cut the Championship deficit as Pedrosa threatens to spoil the party at Misano

Sunday, 10 September 2023

Pole position, Tissot Sprint win and a Sunday race victory. Jorge Martin’s (Prima Pramac Racing) weekend at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini couldn’t have gone any better as the Spaniard made no mistakes to take maximum points on his title rivals’ stomping ground. The winning margin over second place Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) was just 1.3s as Bez homed in though, with reigning World Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) fighting through the pain to claim an important third. And Pecco was only just ahead of some familiar company at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli: wildcard Dani Pedrosa (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing).

Martin untouchable again as Pecco fends off Pedrosa

Just like he did in the Tissot Sprint, Martin got a perfect launch and pocketed the holeshot as Bezzecchi and Bagnaia slotted in behind. Pedrosa got away well again and was up to P4, and the MotoGP™ Legend held on after a moment between Turn 1 and 2 looking for a way through on Bagnaia. But Bagnaia then picked his way past Bezzecchi at Turn 3 as the #1 immediately began to hound Martin.

Unlike yesterday, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) made good progress off the start and at the beginning of Lap 2, the South African was up to P4 and began to chase Martin, Bagnaia and Bezzecchi.

A fascinating early race fight was unfolding at the front. Martin, Bagnaia and Bezzecchi were locked together, with Binder 0.7s adrift heading onto Lap 5. On Lap 6, Bezzecchi passed Pecco for P6 down at Turn 8 but just like he did a lap previous, the Italian was wide at Turn 10 to allow the Champion back through. That gave Martin a little bit of breathing room – if you can call 0.3s that – as Binder went quicker than the trio in front of him.

Disaster then struck for Binder at Turn 14 on Lap 8. The KTM star was down at the tight right-hand hairpin as his podium hopes ended, handing Pedrosa the lead KTM baton. The #26 was 1.5s off the leaders, as KTM’s afternoon then got worse as Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crashed out of contention after being involved in an incident with Michele Pirro (Aruba.it Racing).

Elsewhere, on Lap 12 of 27, it was time to cue the jaws music. Who for? Pedrosa. The wildcard was beginning to close at a vast rate of knots and with 15 laps left, Pedrosa was just 0.6s off Bezzecchi’s rear wheel. Unbelievable. The Little Samurai was the only rider lapping in the 1:31s at this stage of the race.

Pedrosa’s pace dropped off soon after but the gap remained at just over a second. At the front, with 10 laps to go, Martin’s lead grew to over a second for the first time as the #89 began to get the hammer down. Were the injuries to Bagnaia and Bezzecchi starting to take their toll or was Martin’s pace just too good? Bezzecchi was looking impatient behind VR46 compatriot Bagnaia, and a move came at Turn 8. By now though, Martin’s advantage was 2.2s.

Bagnaia was fading. Pedrosa was coming. 0.7s split the double World Champion from the three-time World Champion, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) and an extremely classy ride for Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) putting him a further four seconds back after initially closing on the number 12. A huge six laps beckoned, could Bagnaia hold on to what would be a very valuable and hard-earned 16 points?

With four laps to go, Bagnaia was holding Pedrosa at bay by 0.6s. Bezzecchi was now under two seconds away from Martin but it was too little too late, with the latter controlling his advantage nicely as he powered towards completing the perfect weekend.

With two to go, Pedrosa was right on Bagnaia’s coattails. Catching the Ducati rider was one thing but as he found out in the Sprint, passing was a whole different kettle of fish. In the end, Bagnaia did hold on to a crucial P3 as Martin made no mistake to cap off a sensational weekend. Bezzecchi bagged P2 despite his injured hand to gain ground in the title chase.

The points scorers in Misano

Just off the podium of Martin, Bezzecchi and Bagnaia, Pedrosa took the chequered flag just 0.6s away from the rostrum as the Little Samurai again demonstrates why he’s a three-time World Champion and a MotoGP™ Legend. Unreal from the popular Spaniard, who finished six seconds up the road from fifth place Viñales.

Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) was sixth ahead of Marc Marquez, who somehow bags a brilliant P7 after racing with a soft rear tyre. Raul Fernandez (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) takes home his best MotoGP™ finish in P8, as the Ducatis of Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) complete the top 10.

Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), Catalan GP winner Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), a recovering Binder and Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) closed out the points in San Marino.

Pol Espargaro (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) and Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) joined Miller and Pirro as the riders to notch up DNFs.

36 points in it heading to India!

A brand-new challenge awaits us next time out as India hosts MotoGP™ for the very first time. Martin’s perfect weekend sees the gap between him and Championship leader Pecco sit at 36 points as the flyaway tour of the season begins… for the first time in some time, it’s back below the 37 points on offer in one weekend. Don’t miss it!

Masterclass: Acosta stamps some authority on Misano

Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was back in business at Misano, putting in an inch-perfect performance to take victory The Spaniard controlled the race perfectly at the front as he edged away from home hero Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing) pilling on the pressure mid race. The Italian brought home an important second place, with Alonso Lopez (+Ego SpeedUp) keeping Tony Arbolino (Elf MarcVDS Racing Team) at bay to round out the podium.

Acosta came out the gates with fire in his belly as he took the holeshot from the polesitter Vietti. Manuel Gonzalez (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Mastercamp) tried to hold on from his front row start, but the Spaniard quickly fell victim to Lopez and Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) who charged their way through on the first lap.

The front three then began to break away as Lopez dropped off the back of the group, with a few bike lengths back to Gonzalez in fifth. Acosta was pushing on at the front and was asking big questions of Vietti, who was keeping the Spaniard in his sights. Still, the Championship leader’s pace began to stretch out the field and it wasn’t long before the Red Bull KTM Ajo machine was almost a second up the road.

With the pace getting hotter and hotter, Canet then cracked as a tiny mistake at Carro corner saw him crash out of a podium position with 14 laps to go, promoting Lopez to P3. That left Vietti in a lonely 2nd place and with some ground to cover to Acosta out the front. Vietti responded to the Spaniard’s hot pace however as he began to reel in the Championship leader tenth by tenth.

The Italian was throwing absolutely everything he had at it with the prospect of a home Grand Prix victory dangling before his eyes. Vietti’s bike was making all sorts of shapes as the Italian had no choice but to push the limits to try and match Acosta’s pace.

After a couple of big moments, that was all she wrote in terms of the Italian’s charge for the win though. With five laps remaining Acosta had stretched the gap back out to over two seconds, and it was game set and match from there going forward as Acosta had done all the hard work and cruised to victory by 6.3s, extending his Championship lead.

Whilst the battle for victory had been decided the battle for third was raging on. Arbolino had been carving his way through the field from the moment the lights went out. The Italian desperately needed a good result to keep his Championship hopes alive and after charging from ninth on the grid to fourth, with five laps to go he had just under a second to Lopez in the final rostrum position…

Arbolino had the bit between his teeth as he proceeded to hit his markers in a valiant attempt to reel in the Boscoscuro machine. Lopez had it covered however as the Spaniard’s pace just made it too difficult for the Italian to bridge the gap. The SpeedUp rider took his first podium since Le Mans, with Arbolino forced to settle for P4.

A late charge from Idemitsu Honda Team Asia’s Ai Ogura and Somkiat Chantra saw them pip Gonzalez as the Spaniard dropped to P7, with Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team), Filip Salač (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) and wildcard home hero Mattia Pasini (Fieten Olie Racing GP) completing the top ten.

The attention now turns to Buddh International Circuit in India as a brand-new challenge awaits the Moto2™ grid. Join us in India from the 22nd to the 24th of September!

Back-to-back glory for Alonso

David Alonso (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team), take a bow. The young Colombian takes his third victory in four races after beating Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in a phenomenal Moto3™ battle at the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini. The top three crossed the line 0.2s apart as World Championship leader Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) struggled to P16, blowing the title race wide open.

It was Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) who got the best launch from the middle of the front row as the Japanese star grabbed the holeshot into Turn 1, but Masia immediately responded to take the lead at Turn 4. Kaito Toba (SIC58 Squadra Corse) lost ground on the first lap, he was shoved down to P5 as Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) and Alonso made forward progress.

Masia held a 0.6s advantage on Lap 2 as Sasaki and Moreira squabbled for second place. The lead was up to a second heading onto Lap 3, with the chasing pack needing to settle down and work together to try and reel in the early runaway leader. However, settling down isn’t something Öncü can do. The Turk shoved his way past Moreira and set his sights on catching Masia.

By Lap 6 of 20, Öncü and Moreira had bridged the gap. Sasaki, David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports), Alonso and Toba were a further 0.7s adrift, with World Championship leader Holgado battling outside the top 10.

With 12 laps left, a lead group of seven had formed with Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) and Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) tagging onto the back of the battle in P8 and P9. Lap 11 of 20 saw the lead change for the first time as Masia went from P1 to P3 in the blink of an eye, with Öncü now at the front.

With seven laps remaining, a top four of Öncü, Masia, Muñoz and Alonso had gapped Moreira, Sasaki, Toba, Veijer and Rueda. The front quartet were two seconds up the road, with Holgado still P11 and over a second off tenth place Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team).

It was bubbling up nicely for a final lap spectacular in Misano. The top four was as you were for a few laps before Muñoz had a big front-end moment at Turn 2 – the Spaniard did well to keep it upright but lost P3 to Alonso.

Heading onto the final lap, Öncü led from Masia and Alonso, with Muñoz 0.6s adrift in P4. Alonso slammed in the fastest lap of the race as we strapped in for a last-lap thriller. It stayed the same through the first half of the lap before Alonso grabbed P2 at Turn 10. Then on the run into Turn 14, Masia pocketed a two-for-one deal. It was a cracking move but Alonso returned the favour on the cutback and managed to hold onto the lead all the way to the flag. The Colombian beat Masia by 0.036s to P1 with Öncü settling for P3 having led for most of the second half of the race.

Muñoz bounced back from his Catalan GP disappointment with a solid P4, as Veijer takes home a top five after showing great late race pace. Japan’s Toba and Sasaki crossed the line in P6 and P7 respectively, with Ortola doing well to claim P8 after being shoved well wide in the early exchanges. Rueda and Romano Fenati (Rivacold Snipers Team) rounded out the top 10, as Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia), Moreira, Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team), Ryusei Yamanaka (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) and Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) rounded out the points.

For Holgado, P16 is what the Spaniard has to swallow in Misano. The #96 remains the title leader, but his gap has been cut to just four points ahead of the inaugural Grand Prix of India. The top six – Holgado, Sasaki, Masia, Öncü, Alonso and Ortola – are split by just 29 points now. It’s game on in the Moto3™ title race! Joins us for more in India!

David Alonso won the FIM Moto3 World Championship race Sunday at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino. Riding his Gaviota Aspar Team GASGAS, the Colombian won the 20-lap race by just 0.036 second.

Jaume Masia finished a close second on his Leopard Racing Honda, and Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Deniz Oncu was just 0.2 second behind Masia in third place at the finish.

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Race 1: history made as Casadei seals it with a win

The Pons rider puts in a near-perfect performance to fend off Garzo as Spinelli completes the podium

Saturday, 09 September 2023

Mattia Casadei (HP Pons Los40) is the 2023 FIM Enel MotoE™ World Champion, and he did it in style! The Italian took the crown with a hard-fought victory in Race 1 of his home round, coming out on top in a close finish against Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) by just 0.021s. Casadei is the first Champion since the series became a full eight-round, 16-race Championship this year, making some history in the process. The Champions’ teammate Nicholas Spinelli was in the mix from start to finish too, and took an important podium to add to the Pons team celebrations.

Casadei’s closest title rival Jordi Torres (Openbank Aspar Team) suffered some drama, slapped with a double long lap penalty after jumping the start, and it was a tougher first race for Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) as Casadei emerged imperious.

The lights went out for MotoE™ Race 1 and there was fight in Torres yet as the Spaniard flew from 5th place on the grid to snatch the holeshot from Casadei, after that small but real jump start, with Spinelli watching on in 3rd. Garzo soon latched onto the top three too as a leading group of four broke away from the rest of the field.

Casadei had fire in his belly as he hit the front, with Torres being bullied to the back of the group. We then had six laps of frantic MotoE™ action ahead of us.

That’s when news broke of Torres’ lightning launch: it was down to a jump start from the title contender, and the Spaniard then had to take two tours through the long lap loop at Tramonto before rejoining the race down in 12th place.

Meanwhile at the front, Casadei led the way with Garzo and Spinelli snapping at his heels. All the Italian had to do was finish the race with Torres down the order and he would be crowned Champion, and Spinelli and Garzo started to swap paintwork behind the race leader too. That allowed Casadei to stretch out some breathing space with three laps to go, Championship in clear sight.

The Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse duo of Kevin Manfredi and Kevin Zannoni then joined the party, and they brought Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) with them. The trio latched onto Spinelli and Garzo, who started to reel in the race leader once again.

It was too little too late though as Garzo was left with few options to attack the race leader on the final lap. The Spaniard was all over Casadei’s rear wheel through the final sector and pulled alongside the Pons machine as they flew towards the line, but it wasn’t quite enough. Casadei made it the perfect ending to his Championship challenge as he just beat Garzo to it, sealing the crown with a win.

Behind the first ever FIM Enel MotoE™ World Champion came Garzo and then Spinelli completing the podium, with Torres recovering to 10th place in the end but making sure to congratulate his title rival after the flag dropped. Manfredi, Zannoni and Ferrari completed that front group in that order.

Race 2: Spinelli takes stunning maiden win to sign off in style

A three-way fight for victory between Spinelli, Garzo and Casadei brings the curtain down on a classic season

Nicholas Spinelli (HP Pons Los40) rounded out the season in style in Race 2, making it a Pons team clean sweep of riders’ crown, double on Saturday and teams’ Championship as the squad prepare to bow out of World Championship competition. The Italian took his maiden win with the gloves off as he fought off both Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) and recently crowned Champion Mattia Casadei (HP Pons Los40), although the recently-crowned Champion still put a cherry on top of a dream weekend with another podium.

With the Championship decided it was time for all-out war as a showstopping MotoE™ finale was on it’s the way. The lights went out for the final time in 2023 and it was the Champion Casadei who held firm through the first sector to hold onto the lead, with Spinelli and Garzo glued to his rear wheel.

Jordi Torres (Openbank Aspar Team) was in the mix as well as the Spaniard now had nothing to lose, but everything to gain with his sights set on a solid result to cap off his 2023 season.

Right at the front though, Casadei dropped from 1st to 3rd in one fell swoop as Spinelli ducked under the Champion through the fastest sector on track, and Garzo quickly capitalised as well to barge his way through on the Italian.

Spinelli led Garzo as the duo broke away from the pack ever so slightly with the laps ticking away. The Spaniard had a few cheeky looks up the inside, but Spinelli held firm… until Turn 1 on the final lap. Garzo pushed his way through but Spinelli answered back with some poetry to leave the two side-by-side… and then Casadei appeared.

He shot past both, but Spinelli wasn’t accepting second in the final showdown of the season. He attacked again, Garzo took back over in second, and it was all down to the final sector. Spinelli kept it pinned to win in style, with Garzo holding off Casadei as the three staged another battle to remember.

With all that, Andrea Mantovani (RNF MotoE™ Team) and Torres both tagged right onto the podium fight, and a small freight train formed. They completed the top five, ahead of Kevin Zannoni (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) after a tougher weekend on home turf. Tito Rabat (Prettl Pramac MotoE™), Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) and Alessandro Zaccone (Tech 3 E-Racing) completed the top ten. Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) crashed out with Kevin Manfredi (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse), riders ok.

That brings the 2023 MotoE™ season to a close after a stunning year of competition. A new name on top, an incredible winning run and more history made is only the half of it as the electric series delivered some of the closest racing on Earth. But that’s all for now – join us for more in 2024!

More, from a press release issued by Red Bull:

Carpe takes action-packed last lap Rookies Misano win 

11 KTMs fought over every square centimetre of the Misano circuit from first corner to last before Álvaro Carpe stole the slightest advantage in the last half lap. Fellow 16-year-old Spaniard Angel Piqueras chased him across the line, pursued by 15-year-old arch-rival Max Quiles for an all red-and-yellow flagged podium.

The list of race leaders through the 15 laps included pole man Rico Salmela who stole the early advantage before being swallowed by the pack. Marcos Ruda had his turn in front as did Alberto Ferrandez, Quiles, Piqueras and Carpe.

Alvaro knew he could win

“Yes, it was a fantastic race, a fantastic weekend. The battle was really difficult, with all riders riding aggressive, me also because otherwise I would have dropped to the back of the group.”

“I stayed in the front, that was good, trying to run my race at my pace and I am thrilled to secure second in the Cup in my Rookie year. I really appreciate everyone who supports me and gives me this opportunity.”

“It was a harder race than I thought it would be after Qualifying, I thought it would be a small group of us. But it was a really big group, I think it will be the same tomorrow, I will try and win as always.”

No record number yet for Piqueras

“It was difficult, I was trying to do my pace but always someone wanted to overtake me.”

“I have to be happy because it’s another podium and tomorrow we have another podium and I will do my best and try to win the race.”

“The bike is OK for me. In my opinion, I was riding well. I felt I had more pace than the other riders but I couldn’t get clear. I will try to escape tomorrow,” concluded the Cup winner who is looking to be the most successful Rookie in the 17-year history of the series.

Max happy to be back on the podium

“Yes, that was a great race, I enjoyed it a lot. In the last lap, I did some good overtakes, got into a good position but not close enough to Carpe to catch the slipstream. Coming into the final corner Pini entered very wide, crashed, I almost touched the bike.”

“I thought I would then be overtaken on the run to the line as I was very slow out of the final corner but it didn’t happen. I was very happy with that.”

“I am happy to be back on the podium, I was frustrated in Qualifying, I was happy with the bike but just didn’t get a good lap in. I am happy with the bike and will not change it for tomorrow.”

Marcos Ruda fighting at the front

“Yes, that was a good race, but on the last lap a big problem,” explained the 18-year-old Spaniard who had to check his speed suddenly as Ferrandez fell ahead. Ruda was clipped from behind by Salmela but still managed to take 4th.

“That was a big shame because I had a good feeling in the race, I was confident on the bike and enjoying it. Now I have to look forward to the final race tomorrow and getting a good result.”

“We will think about slightly changing the settings to see if we can find more grip.”

Ruche Moodley takes excellent 5th

“It was a really big group, I didn’t expect that,” explained the 16-year-old South African. “In the first laps, I made a lot of mistakes and dropped back to 11th. So I had to pass the guys one at a time and work my way forward again.”

“There was a lot of contact and pushing. Hopefully tomorrow with the experience from today I can make a better race.”

“In the fast corners, I was running a bit wide so I hope we can change something to hold a better line there.”

Rico Salmela falls on final lap

“I don’t know, I couldn’t ride normally. The bike was, like, OK I didn’t feel bad with the bike but there was just something, I couldn’t make any overtakes. I had good places to pass but just couldn’t make it, I don’t know, it just didn’t feel right today.”

“In the last lap, I think was P6 or 7, I passed Ruche and Morelli. Then before the back straight, Ferrandez crashed, Ruda had to take the brake, I touched his rear tyre and I crashed.”

“I will change the gearing for sure because, already before the first turn on the back straight the bike is hitting the limiter.”

Alberto Ferrandez didn’t make it to the line.

“I am not very lucky today,” grinned the 16-year-old Spaniard. “When we arrived at the right-hander onto the back straight on the last lap, Piqueras passed me and Max arrived, touched Piqueras who stood up the bike, touched me and I crashed.”

“But for the rest of the race, I feel very very good, with the tyres and suspension, I am ready for tomorrow. I don’t need to change the bike.”

Broadcast

This weekend’s Rookies Cup races can be seen live on www.redbull.tv and on TV stations around the world.

Race 2 is on Sunday at 08:45, the show starts 10 minutes before the race.