Marc Marquez put on a dominant display to win the 2024 Aragon MotoGP, ending his 1043-day victory drought in the premier class as his brother got tangled in a nasty crash with Bagnaia.
Six-time champion Marc Marquez secured victory at the 2024 Aragon MotoGP, marking his first win in the series since 2021. The Gresini Racing rider led from start to finish, showcasing his exceptional skills and determination on the resurfaced Motorland Aragon circuit.
Marquez’s victory was made even sweeter by the fact that he achieved it in front of his adoring fans, who erupted in celebration as he crossed the finish line. The Catalan rider danced in front of the packed grandstands, expressing his joy and relief at finally returning to the top step of the podium after a challenging period marred by injuries and setbacks.
“What was amazing race to win in front of these amazing, amazing fans,” Marquez exclaimed after the race. “Today was a super difficult race, especially because when you have the pace, then with the gap, it was difficult to focus on the on the riding, especially the last laps, but I was able to manage the gap.”
While Marquez’s triumph was undoubtedly the highlight of the day, the race was not without its share of drama and controversy. In a shocking incident, reigning world champion Francesco Bagnaia collided with Marquez’s younger brother, Alex Marquez, while battling for the final podium position with six laps remaining.
The incident happened when Bagnaia, who had struggled with wheelspin off the line and dropped to seventh on the opening lap, had managed to catch up to Alex Marquez.
As the younger Marquez ran wide into Turn 12, Bagnaia saw an opportunity to make a move, but as he turned across the front of the Gresini rider into the next right-hander, Alex Marquez clipped the back of the Ducati, sending both riders tumbling through the gravel.
Bagnaia, who was briefly caught under the bikes as they crashed, was able to walk away from the incident and headed to the medical center for a check-up. Initial reports suggest that the Italian champion suffered no fractures, but the collision dealt a significant blow to his title hopes, as he now trails championship leader Jorge Martin by 23 points.
The Bagnaia-Alex Marquez incident is currently under investigation by the FIM Stewards.
Despite the drama, the race itself was a thrilling affair, with Jorge Martin of the Pramac Ducati team finishing a distant second, nearly five seconds behind Marquez. The Spaniard had a tough battle early on with rookie sensation Pedro Acosta of the Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 team, who managed to hold on to the final podium position, adding to his sprint podium from the previous day.
Acosta’s impressive performance was made even more remarkable by the fact that he had to fend off the advances of KTM’s Brad Binder, who finished fourth. Enea Bastianini of the Ducati Lenovo team rounded out the top five, salvaging a solid result after starting from 14th on the grid.
The rest of the top ten was filled by Franco Morbidelli (Pramac Ducati), Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46 Ducati), Marco Bezzecchi (VR46 Ducati), Alex Rins (Monster Yamaha), and Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM). Di Giannantonio and Miller were both penalized for tyre pressure infringements, dropping them down the order.
Aleix Espargaro of Aprilia Racing finished 11th, while Takaaki Nakagami was the top Honda rider in 12th for the LCR team. Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3), Johann Zarco (LCR Honda), and Joan Mir (Repsol Honda) rounded out the points-scoring positions.
The race was not without further casualties, however, as Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Aprilia) crashed out on the opening lap, while Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing) retired his machine after a handful of laps. Fabio Quartararo of the Yamaha Factory Racing team also crashed out early in the race.
