The plot thickens as the Italian retakes the Championship lead despite Binder refusing to go down easy with Bezzecchi crashing out.
A heroic comeback from the World Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) saw the number 1 fend off the Tissot Sprint winner Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) who piled on the pressure in a nail-biting final two laps to fall just short of the victory.
Despite Bagnaia snapping up a 22-point lead in the Championship, KTM's dream weekend continued as Binder consolidated solid points to put himself 3rd in the Championship just 25 points away from Bagnaia, with the previous Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) dropping to 2nd after crashing out. To put the icing on the cake for the Austrian manufacturer, Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) rounded out the Spanish Grand Prix podium having battled hard throughout the race to make it two KTM's in the top 3 for both the Tissot Sprint and the Grand Prix.
The pressure was on as you could cut the tension with a knife on the grid after the fierce and feisty Tissot Sprint was the perfect precursor to MotoGP™'s first Grand Prix on its return to Europe. The eyes were on the KTM's as the lights went out and both the factory bikes took to the front with Miller leading Binder and Martin through turn 1.
In the meantime, Fabio Quarararo's (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) nightmare start to the season continued as the Frenchman crashed out of the race at turn 2. The 2020 World Champion hobbled away after competing for the same inch of tarmac with Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) and Marco Bezzecchi, which saw the Portuguese rider join the Yamaha man in the gravel.
The French and Portuguese riders went down together at Turn 2 on Lap 1 of the Spanish GP in an unfortunate incident, both riders conscious
The incident brought out the red flags as the air fence had gone down at turn 2. Whilst the necessary safety precautions were put in place the grid were preparing to reset and go again for the restart. Luckily for Quartararo, a medical check deemed the Frenchman fit and the #20 returned to pitlane to recompose himself for a second bite at the cherry, but this time with a long lap penalty to serve for irresponsible riding at turn 2.
Surprise surprise, it was the flying KTM's once again that took to the front with Binder rolling around the outside of Miller to take the lead with Martin slotting into 3rd before an incredible round-the-outside move at Pedrosa corner came from the World Champion Bagnaia which stunned fans as he made the impossible possible.
Binder, Miller, Bagnaia, Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) was the order the first time across the line. It wasn't long before the KTMs switched places as Miller took the lead in hopes of making himself the first rider in MotoGP™ history to take three victories with three different manufacturers.
With 21 laps to go the KTM's began to pull away from the Ducati's of Bagnaia and Martin stretching the gap out to just over half a second. Binder then took the lead back from teammate whilst Bagnaia had put the afterburners on to set the fastest lap of the race so far and bridge the gap to the leading duo.
Bagnaia wasted no time in getting past the Aussie in 2nd, putting his factory Ducati in the tiniest of gaps at Pedrosa corner to sit up the KTM man and set his sights on the other KTM in the lead. One lap later and Miller had fallen victim to Martin as the Spaniard moved up into P3 demoting Miller to P4. Miller wasn't having any of it though and at the final corner through his bike up the inside of Martin and parked his KTM at the apex to push the Spaniard wide allowing Espargaro through reshuffling the order to see Miller in 3rd, Espargaro 4th, and Martin drop to 5th in one fell swoop.
One lap later and Bagnaia was forced to drop one position after making contact on his way past Miller which shuffled the order once again, as the Italian let Miller back past making it a KTM one-two once again with Bagnaia now 3rd and Espargaro looking menacing in 4th.
Martin got back past Espargaro with 13 laps to go as his thirst to taste the champagne on home soil was yet to be quenched. The Spaniard had his sights set on Bagnaia who was half a second up the road and sat in the final podium position.
Meanwhile, Miller was coming under further pressure from Jorge Martin as his teammate Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) had crashed out of the Grand Prix just after getting the better of Espargaro on his charge up to 5th place.
Soon after there was a significant twist in the Championship story as Championship Leader Marco Bezzeccchi crashed out of the Grand Prix gifting the top spot to close friend Pecco Bagnaia.
The pre-race World Championship leader went down unhurt at Turn 6 heading into the closing stages of the Spanish GP
The crash had meant that the battle for victory out the front was between the two men at the top of the MotoGP™ World Standings. With Bagnaia in 2nd and Binder six-tenths up the road, the provisional points put Bagnaia in the lead 15 points adrift of the race leader.
Bagnaia wasn't settling for best of the rest however as the Italian could smell blood, and like a shark hunting its prey clawed down the gap to Binder. Four laps to go and Bagnaia was glued to the rear of Binder's KTM before the World Champion through himself up the inside of the South African at the final corner to cross the line in the lead with three laps remaining.
As the penultimate lap came to a close fans had an enthralling battle for the victory on their hands as it was between the two men 1st and 3rd in the standings for the Spanish Grand Prix. The final sector quickly came around and the stage was set for a final corner lunge but Bagnaia was too strong on the brakes, and the World Champion silenced the critics with all the pressure on his shoulders, giving the Ducati garage plenty to shout about.
Following the incident during the initial race start at turn 2, Fabio Quartararo had been slapped with a long lap penalty for what was deemed to be irresponsible riding. The restart was underway and after the Yamaha man had settled into the race Quartararo decided it was time to take his long lap penalty.
The time came for the Frenchman but after failing to complete the full penalty Quartararo had to repeat the long lap which pushed the #20 right down the order. Nothing was going to stop the indomitable spirit of the former World Champion, however. One by one Quartararo picked off the riders ahead to bring home a heroic 10th place. Despite Yamaha rider's efforts, it’s not looking good for Quartararo in the title fight as he sits in 11th in the standings 47 points adrift from race victor Bagnaia.
With the championship plot ever-changing in MotoGP™, there's no telling what the chapter holds as the paddock moves to the SHARK Grand Prix de France on the 12th - 14th of May. Make sure to keep up to date with all of the action as it unfolds on motogp.com!
Top 10:
1. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team)
2. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) +0.221
3. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) +1.119
4. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) +1.942
5. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) +4.760
6. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) +6.329
7. Dani Pedrosa (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) +6.371
8. Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) +14.952
9. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda IDEMITSU) +15.692
10. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) +15.846
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