#SPANISHGP – MOTOGP SPRINT & RACE
MOTOGP – SPRINT – Pure gold: Binder vs Miller vs Bagnaia lights up Jerez!
There’s racing, and there’s racing. MotoGP™ is in the business of the latter, and the Tissot Sprint at Jerez was another sublime showdown as 2023 continues to deliver. The same can be said of Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) as with the South African went toe-to-toe with teammate Jack Miller over the slightly shortened 11-lap dash, just able to edge clear on the final lap to his second Sprint win in four. Miller certainly made it a Thriller at the front, but the Australian was ultimately pipped to second by reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) on the final lap, heading ever-so-slightly wide and Pecco needing no second invitation.
The first start saw a crash bring out the red flag as Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi was caught out by an incident between Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) and Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), with Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) also unable to avoid it. The riders were all ok and able to head back for the restart, but damaged bikes needed moving. Morbidelli was also then given a Long Lap for the contact, to be served on Sunday.
LIGHTS OUT = ELBOWS OUT
Ready to race? You bet. The KTMs attacked straight away on take two, with Binder grabbing the lead from Miller and both Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) and Bagnaia also slicing past polesitter Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing). Martin then went for Miller, but it wasn’t long before the Aussie struck back, and the squabble offered Bagnaia his first pickpocketing opportunity of the afternoon as he slotted into third: Binder, Miller, Bagnaia and Martin were locked together.
Drama hit then for Alex Marquez as hit the gravel trap, and just one lap later and disaster struck for another Spaniard as Aleix Espargaro crashed out of a point-scoring position for the 3rd time in 2023. The polesitter was out of it, and both will try and reset for Sunday.
Miller took to the front by eight to go, however, and the duel was on. The KTMs still began to pull away from the two Ducatis though, and by four laps to go the gap was half a second. Meanwhile, Martin was riding all over the rear wheel of Bagnaia’s factory Ducati, as the reigning Champion seemed to struggle to hold onto the leading duo. Martin was desperate to find a way past the Italian as the number #1 was proving a tricky hurdle.
Miller and Binder were ragged perfection in the lead though, sliding their way around Jerez circuit in a two-man show for a few laps. Binder looked ready to pounce, Miller held him off, the two blasted round in tandem and then the South African tried it once, denied, but twice, absolutely not shy. It looked like a lot to ask as the number 33 machine squirreled and headed in a little deep, but on the exit Binder sealed the deal, back into the lead with a lap and half to go.
From there, Binder had it pinned. There was no catching the South African this time, and instead the duel was now for second. The Ducatis had gained ground and Bagnaia lined up a move on Miller into the Pedrosa corner, with the Australian trying to resist on the brakes but overshooting it, giving the reigning Champion an opportunity he wouldn’t turn down.
Miller gathered it back up to avoid another duel with earlier sparring partner Martin, and the Australian didn’t quite get that win or make it a 1-2, but he definitely still stormed Jerez. Bagnaia’s second is an impressive turnaround from where his Saturday started in Q1 too.
DUELS, DUELS, DUELS
Fifth was also an incredibly close finish. Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team) and Dani Pedrosa (Red Bull KTM Racing Team) also had viewers glued to their screens as the Portuguese rider fended off the MotoGP™ Legend for 5th place… just.
Just 1.5 seconds further back Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) had his hands full trying to defend his 7th place from Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing Ducati), but the Spaniard came out on top in that scrap leaving the Frenchman to settle for P8. The Mooney VR46 Racing riders were involved in an intense fight for the final point-scoring position in the Sprint too, in the end it was Bezzecchi who won the battle against Luca Marini to bag 9th place.
Top 10:
1. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
2. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – +0.428
3. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) – +0.680
4. Jorge Martín (Prima Pramac Racing) – +0.853
5. Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team) – +1.638
6. Dani Pedrosa (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) – +1.738
7. Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) – +3.248
8. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) – +3.380
9. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) – +5.711
10. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) – +7.015
MOTOGP – RACE – Bagnaia topples KTM with the pressure piled on
Pick a name out of a hat and stick with it as there’s no predicting the action in the 2023 MotoGP™ season. The Gran Premio MotoGP™ Guru by Gryfyn de España did not fail to entertain as the Grand Prix remained completely open right until the final corner. 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.
Three into one doesn’t go…
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 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.
Take two
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.
Moto3™ or MotoGP™?
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.
Game on in the championship fight
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 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.
Champions spirit from the Flying Frenchman
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.
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
“Much better today. My pace was more competitive and I was in a more competitive group. Even my start was better. We made a big step and the top ten was not so far. The gap is getting smaller and now I am looking forward to the test tomorrow and working more on the GP bike. Just having that extra track time will be a big help because we miss that on the race weekends.”
Augusto Fernández P13
Click the button below to find out all the images of the #KytCrew during the weekend in Spain.