Francesco Bagnaia wins Spanish Grand Prix for second success of season, Brad Binder second and Jack Miller third
ByTNT Sports
Updated 30/04/2023 at 16:28 GMT+1
Francesco Bagnaia won the Spanish Grand Prix. It was his second win of the season after picking up the victory at the season-opening Portuguese Grand Prix. Brad Binder took second and Jack Miller third. The race was notable for a red flag after Fabio Quartararo and Miguel Oliveira came together on Turn 1. Bagnaia would win an abridged race of 24 laps.
Ducati Italian rider Francesco Bagnaia (L) competes during the MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix at the Jerez racetrack in Jerez de la Frontera on April 30, 2023.
Image credit: Getty Images
Francesco Bagnaia moved to the top of the MotoGP standings after winning the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon.
Aleix Espargaro of Aprilia started on pole, with Australian Jack Miller of KTM second, and Ducati’s Jorge Martin - another Spaniard - third.
There was early drama as Fabio Quartararo was pushed off the track by Miguel Oliveira at turn one, and the pair of them slid off into the gravel, and while they both looked seriously hurt, Oliveira was conscious and taken for a medical check, while the Italian was OK to get back into the action.
They were given the chance of a restart after a red flag, which led to a slightly abridged race of 24 laps, with Quartararo given a long-lap punishment for irresponsible driving.
At the restart, Miller took second and yesterday’s sprint rider Binder, another KTM, took first.
Bagnaia nudged Miller out of the way and moved into second, forcing the Australian to ride aggressively to hold onto third, before Bagnaia was obliged to give back the spot, before the spots swapped hands yet again on Lap 10.
With eight remaining, Marco Bezzecchi slid out as fatigue started to set in with some riders.
Three laps later, Bagnaia started to make his move and whittled the lead down from 0.75 seconds to just under a quarter, before claiming a superb win.
Ride of the day - Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo)
The 26-year-old Italian demonstrated just why he is the reigning world champion. After two successive failures in the last races, he might have been forgiven for settling into third and taking what was on offer. Instead, he battled past Miller again and again to get a run at Binder, and demonstrated his experience and ruthlessness to claim first spot and then refuse to let it go.
Where the race was won
25 TO GO - QUARTARARO OUT A nasty crash in the first turn and that's him out, face down in the gravel. A disaster!
25 TO GO - RED FLAG Oliveira was done too, and there's a chance that both could get back on grid for the restart.
24 TO GO - WE'RE OFF Miller and Binder take it away, Binder into first, and Martin in third.
23 TO GO - MILLER BACK IN FRONT He's put down the fastest lap of the race so far.
10 TO GO - BAGNAIA NOW DOES IT He makes the most of another Miller error and slips past.
5 TO GO - BAGNAIA PUTS DOWN FASTEST LAP Binder has a quarter of a second advantage.
3 TO GO - BAGNAIA HAS FIRST PLACE - He slips past and there may well be a chance for Binder to launch an attack of his own.
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