Bagnaia takes Sprint win from Martin after captivating race

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) regained the world championship lead with a runaway victory in the Austrian GP Sprint.

Bagnaia and Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) traded the lead multiple times over the course of the opening lap, but the title defender eventually gained P1 for good when Martin couldn’t get his bike stopped and was forced through the short-cut at Turn 2 on the second lap.

The duo broke away from the field, but when Martin was deemed to have not lost sufficient time on his off-track excursion and awarded a long lap penalty, Bagnaia was left in a lonely lead that he brought home for his third Sprint win of the season.

“Incredible,” Bagnaia said in parc ferme. “But the most incredible thing is the best lap time we did during battle, a 28.7, that’s two tenths lower than the pole position time last year.

“I’m very happy. The fight was intense, but then I saw Jorge [Martin] going wide and I said, okay, be calm there could be a problem for the front tyre.

“But then everything went perfectly, I’m very happy and let’s continue like this.”

Bagnaia stole the holeshot at lights out and Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) too challenged pole sitter Jorge Martin. However, Martin fought back immediately to slot past Marquez and attack Bagnaia.

He swiftly made his way past into the lead and although Bagnaia tried to retaliate, but he couldn’t make it stick and Martin led the field over the line for the first time.

However, Bagnaia was back in P1 when Martin couldn’t get his bike stopped going into Turn 2 on the second lap.

Initially, a trio of Bagnaia, Martin, and Marquez broke away from the pack, but Marquez soon wasn’t able to match the rhythm on the one year older Gresini Ducati and lost touch.

It was Bagnaia and Martin at the front, but when Martin was deemed to have not lost sufficient time on his off-track excursion and was awarded a long lap penalty, Bagnaia was left in a lonely lead.

While Bagnaia was cruising towards victory, Martin faced a two and a half seconds gap to Marquez with Bagnaia another 1.6 seconds ahead.

Martin struggled to take time out of his opponents but disaster struck for Marquez on Lap 10 when his front end folded at Turn 3 and took him out of the race.

Martin inherited runner-up spot and brought it over the line. He and Bagnaia now sit tied on points in the championship standings, but Bagnaia leads on merit of a superior Grand Prix race record.

“It was a difficult race for sure,” Martin admitted. “I think it would have been a much better show without the long lap penalty because I had something left to try – I was really close to Pecco [Bagnaia]. The first two laps were amazing, I really enjoyed that.

“Even though I lost a lot of time [going wide], they put me on the long lap. I was trying to get a podium position, I was trying to maintain the pace. Hopefully, tomorrow we’ll have something else, let’s see.”

Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) had not been able to match the pace of the three front runners early in the race but was able to break away from the rest of the field in a lonely fourth.

He too benefited from Marquez’ crash late in the race, elevating him to a podium finish.

“I’m extremely happy,” Espargaro said post-race. “It’s probably one of the best Saturdays of my career.

“I never expected it in Austria – one of my worst tracks where I almost never finish in the top 10 – to do the lap time I did and get a podium in the Sprint, I’m extremely happy.

“It’s even better than some victories in Sprints or GP races because this track is very difficult for us, Aprilia and myself, so I’m extremely proud.”

Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) recovered from a P7 start to take fourth, beating Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) to the position going into the penultimate lap.

Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) was sixth from Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) while Wildcard Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) snatched the final point on offer in ninth.

It’s been a season to forget so far for Miller with results below par that saw him lose his factory KTM spot to rookie sensation Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3).

However, the Aussie has looked reinvigorated this weekend, likely motivated by a rumoured deal with Pramac that would keep him in the paddock for 2025.

Miller held a top five spot throughout the Sprint and heroically defended a three-rider onslaught late in the race to stay there. Despite having to surrender to Bastianini in the end, P5 it was and the best KTM finish of the day.

1/14: BAGNAIA STEALS HOLESHOT – Blistering start from Bagnaia who steals the holeshot into Turn 1. M Marquez too challenges pole sitter Martin, but he retaliates immediately.

1/14: MARTIN BACK IN THE LEAD – Martin barges his way pack past Bagnaia who tries to fight back but can’t make it stick.

2/14: MARTIN WIDE, LEAD CHANGES AGAIN – Martin can’t get his Pramac stopped at Turn 2, goes wide and through the short-cut, allowing Bagnaia back into the lead. Martin rejoins in second ahead of M Marquez.

6/14: LONG LAP PENALTY MARTIN – Martin is deemed to have not lost sufficient time when going wide on Lap 2 and rejoining the track through the short-cut. It’s a long lap penalty for the Pramac rider.

8/14: MARTIN SERVES PENALTY – Martin serves his long lap penalty and rejoins the track in third. He’s two and a half seconds behind M Marquez and another 1.6 behind Bagnaia in the lead.

10/14: MARQUEZ DOWN – M Marquez is down at Turn 3 as his front end folds.

14/14: BAGNAIA WINS IN AUSTRIA – Bagnaia regains the championship lead with victory in the Austrian GP Sprint. Martin follows almost five seconds later with A Espargaro completing the podium.