Jorge Martín started the MotoGP season with a victory in the Sprint race of the Qatar GP at Losail. The 2023 vice-champion led from start to finish, with no opponents to match him.
Martín (Prima Pramac/Ducati) had a strong start from pole position to stay in the lead, while Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) positioned himself third ahead of Enea Bastianini (Ducati). The Italian was surpassed by Aleix Espargaró (Aprilia) and teammate Francesco Bagnaia in the first lap.
Lap 1 complete in 2024! ✅@88jorgemartin is getting on with this but @BradBinder_33 is SO CLOSE! 😮#QatarGP 🇶🇦 pic.twitter.com/P24Q7vkcdd
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) March 9, 2024
Shortly after, Bagnaia overtook Espargaró to reach the podium positions. Eight laps from the end, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team/Ducati) suffered a crash in which he narrowly avoided being hit by some opponents but emerged unharmed. However, he became the first to retire from a race in 2024.
In his first race for Gresini and on a Ducati, Marc Márquez was not content with secondary results and gradually recovered until reaching the leading group. He even managed to be in fourth, but Espargaró regained the position.
At the front, Martín remained solid throughout, with Binder in second. Two laps from the end, Espargaró returned to third, swapping positions with Bagnaia, managing to maintain the position.
Now it really is a @marcmarquez93 warning! 🚨
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) March 9, 2024
He's through into 4th! Is a podium on the way?! 😮#QatarGP 🇶🇦 pic.twitter.com/meXWc6gvIu
Until the end, nothing changed in the top positions, and Martín showed that he remains a specialist in Sprint races with the victory. Binder finished second, 0.548s behind, while Espargaró completed the podium ahead of Bagnaia. Marc Márquez closed in fifth, and Bastianini was sixth. Rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GasGas Tech3/KTM) scored points with an eighth-place finish.
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