The 2024 MotoGP title battle will go down to Sunday’s season finale after Francesco Bagnaia won the Barcelona Sprint.
Ducati Italian rider Francesco Bagnaia smiles as he celebrates gettinhg the pole position after winning the Moto GP sprint race of the Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona at the Circuit de Catalunya on November 16, 2024 in Montmelo on the outskirts of Barcelona. Picture: Manaure Quintero / AFP.
Championship leader Jorge Martin finished third behind Bagnaia’s Ducati-Lenovo teammate Enea Bastianini and will take a reduced 19-point lead into Sunday’s grand prix.“I just tried to be smooth in the first sector. As soon as I was leading I knew my pace was good enough to open a gap. That was the objective for today. I didn’t need to push too much to open the gap.
The Italian has already won 10 of 19 grands prix this season but his lack of consistency has let him down. While Bagnaia ran his own race up ahead Martin was locked in a thrilling duel with Bastianini, the two swapping places throughout until the final lap when the Italian swept past on turn 5 and held on for second.
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