Enea Bastianini delivered a thrilling performance to claim the 2024 Emilia Romagna MotoGP win after a dramatic final lap that saw him edge out Jorge Martin.
The race held at the iconic Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli was marked by intense battles strategic maneuvers and a significant crash that altered the championship landscape.
The race commenced with Francesco Bagnaia, the reigning champion and pole-sitter, hoping to extend his lead in the championship standings. However, it was Jorge Martin who made an explosive start, overtaking Bagnaia right off the line.
Martin’s aggressive move into Turn 1 allowed him to seize control early in the race. Despite this setback, Bagnaia quickly regrouped and fought back, reclaiming the lead by executing a daring maneuver around Turn 3.
As the laps trickled down, a three-way battle emerged among Bagnaia, Martin, and Bastianini with each rider showcasing their skills as they exchanged positions and traded fastest laps.
On Lap 6, Martin demonstrated his racing prowess by executing a perfect exit out of Turn 6, allowing him to overtake Bagnaia once again. This marked a pivotal moment in the race as the Pramac rider began to establish himself as the frontrunner.
Bastianini remained close behind, applying pressure on both Martin and Bagnaia. The tension escalated when Brad Binder crashed out on Lap 2 after an ambitious attempt to overtake Bastianini. The incident opened up space for Pedro Acosta to move into fourth place while the leaders continued their fierce contest for supremacy.
As they approached the halfway mark of the race, the dynamics shifted dramatically. Bagnaia struggled to maintain pace and eventually lost second place to his teammate Bastianini after an intense wheel-to-wheel battle down a narrow corner.
The sequence of events was compounded by a critical error from Bagnaia on Lap 21 when he crashed out while attempting to catch up with Bastianini and Martin. This crash not only ended his race but also significantly impacted his championship hopes.
With six laps remaining, Bastianini ramped up his efforts to close in on Martin by beginning to exploit any opportunity to overtake, showcasing his determination and skill on the track. Despite the latter’s impressive defensive riding, which included shutting down several of Bastianini’s attempts at overtaking, the pressure mounted as they entered the final lap.
The climax of the race unfolded dramatically as Bastianini made his move on Martin heading into Turn 4 forcing him to go off track momentarily, and the home favorite seized the lead just as they approached the finish line.
The move was controversial; while some praised Bastianini’s audacity, others felt it bordered on reckless racing. Nevertheless, he crossed the finish line first with the 2024 Emilia Romagna MotoGP win marking Ducati’s historic 100th victory in the premier series.
Martin finished in second place as Marc Marquez secured third place after benefiting from Bagnaia’s misfortune. His podium finish was crucial as he continues to climb up the championship rankings.
VR46 academy riders Marco Bezzecchi and Franco Morbidelli came home in 4th and 5th respectively as Aprilia‘s Maverick Vinales took the Yamaha of Fabio Quartararo in the final corner for sixth, ahead of the second Aprilia of Aleix Espargaro in eighth.
Gresini’s Alex Marquez was ninth as Trackhouse’s Miguel Oliveira rounded out the top ten. Honda duo Joan Mir and Luca Marini finished 11th and 12th respectively ahead of the second Trackhouse bike of Raul Fernandez.
Fabio Di Giannantonio was 14th despite receiving a long lap penalty for track limits, while Johann Zarco made it three Hondas in the points after taking the flag in 15th.
Miller was unable to salvage a point from a nightmare weekend as he crossed the line in 16th, ahead of LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami in 17th and Augusto Fernandez’s GasGas in 18th.
2024 Emilia Romagna MotoGP Race Results
