Jorge Martin claimed victory in the 2024 San Marino MotoGP Sprint to further solidify his championship lead after denying home favorite Francesco Bagnaia a win in his backyard.
The Pramac Ducati rider put on a masterclass, coming from fourth on the grid to lead every lap and extend his championship lead over the reigning champion.
Martin got off the line like a rocket, blasting past the three VR46 riders ahead of him to take the lead into the first corner and despite early pressure from Bagnaia, the Spaniard maintained his composure and began to pull away.
As the race wore on, Martin’s pace proved too hot for Bagnaia to handle and by the end of the race he had created a gap of 1.495 seconds, marking his fifth sprint win of the season and extending his championship lead to 26 points over Bagnaia.
Completing the podium was Franco Morbidelli, who delivered a strong performance to secure third place marking his first podium finish in a MotoGP Sprint race, a significant achievement for the Pramac Ducati rider. He started the race from a solid position and managed to fend off pressure from Enea Bastianini, who finished behind him in fourth.
Bastianini, who had qualified down in eighth, showcased his resilience by pushing hard to challenge for a podium spot. His aggressive riding style led to a thrilling last-lap battle with Morbidelli, where he attempted to overtake at Turn 8 but ran wide, allowing Morbidelli to reclaim his position.
Six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez a challenging race, starting from ninth on the grid but eventually pulled off his trademark tenacity, battling his way up to fifth place. In a thrilling final lap, Marquez executed a bold move on rookie Pedro Acosta to round out a Ducati top five lock out.
KTM finished in sixth, seventh and eighth with Acosta as the top rider on his Red Bull GasGas Tech3 machine. The KTM Factory Racing riders Brad Binder and Jack Miller finished in seventh and eighth place respectively.
Fabio Quartararo delivered an impressive performance for Yamaha after finishing in ninth place, as Alex Marquez rounded out the points in tenth on his Gresini Ducati.
The only Aprilia rider to feature close to the top 10 was Maverick Vinales in 11th, with Aleix Espargaro finishing 12th marking a tough day for the Italian manufacturer, who had been hoping for a stronger showing at their home race.
It was a day to forget for the VR46 Academy riders, with both Marco Bezzecchi and Fabio Di Giannantonio crashing out of the race.
Bezzecchi, who had qualified on the front row, plummeted down to eighth on the opening lap before crashing out on lap five at Turn 2. Di Giannantonio also tumbled on lap two at Turn 14, rejoining but later retiring to the pits.
2024 San Marino MotoGP Sprint Results
