Spaniard Jorge Martin (Ducati Pramac) wins the Sprint race in the MotoGP of Qatar on the Lusail international circuit, with a 0.548 advantage over the South African Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) and 0.729 over Aleix Espargarò (Aprilia). World champion Francesco Bagnaia was fourth at 1,625, then Marc Marquez on his debut in Ducati with 1,872.
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Brad Binder, Red Bull KTM
The Spaniard from Ducati Pramac also scored the first pole of the season in the Qatar Grand Prix, the first round of the MotoGP World Championship of the season, for him it is the 14th pole in the major class. The Spaniard from Team Ducati Pramac set the best time in Q2 with 1’50″789 and preceded his compatriot Aleix Espargaro on the Aprilia, +0.083 behind. Third time and front row for the official Ducati of Enea Bastianini at +0.086 In the second row the Ktm of South African Brad Binder at +0.124 ahead of the other official Ducati of Pecco Bagnaia at +0.139 and the Ducati of Marc Marquez’s Team Gresini at +0.172.
This is the starting grid:
1 ° fila
1. Jorge Martin (Ducati) Esp 1’50″789
2. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) Esp 1’50″872
3. Enea Bastianini (Ducati) Ita 1’50″875
2 ° fila
4. Brad Binder (Ktm) Rsa 1’50″913
5. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) Ita 1’50″928
6. Marc Marquez (Ducati) Esp 1’50″961
3 ° fila
7. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Ducati) Ita 1’51″019
8. Pedro Acosta (Ktm) Esp 1’51″130
9. Alex Marquez (Ducati) Esp 1’51″266
4 ° fila
10. Maverick Vinales (Aprilia) Exp 1’51″306
11. Jack Miller (Ktm) From 1’51″340
12. Raul Fernandez (Aprilia) Esp 1’51″521
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Francesco Bagnaia
Francesco Bagnaia chasing his third consecutive MotoGP title. On the Lusail international circuit, in Qatar, the main obstacle for the reigning champion is Jorge Martin, with the personal goal of reaching the official Ducati. Even if the Spaniard prefers to glide: “I’m happy where I am, it’s a great place to fight.” The program: Sprint on Saturday at 5pm, race on Sunday at 6pm.
Among Pecco’s challengers is also Marc Marquez, who is aiming for a low profile: “I have to improve and learn from the other Ducati riders. I don’t feel ready to fight for podiums and victories.” Among the other candidates for the podium also Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) and Marco Bezzecchi (Ducati 2023). “I feel fit, we worked well in the tests – begins Bagnaia -. My feeling on the new bike is good, it’s very competitive.” The renewal until 2026 arrived a few days ago and this, underlines the rider, “is important for me and for Ducati, my mind is free and I can concentrate on the results”.
Only three riders in the modern era have managed to win at least three consecutive MotoGP titles: Michael Doohan, Valentino Rossi (five each) and Marc Marquez (four). Bagnaia starts with a positive spirit: “I will do my best, the performance of the bike is there and the team is fantastic. Head down and hard work, we will try to reconfirm ourselves. The ambition is the same.”
Pecco leads a patrol of eight Ducatis, four GP24s and four GP23s. Martin, last year’s runner-up, rides a Pramac-branded GP24. “I had some difficulties during the tests” points out the Spaniard, although after the technicians got to work “I immediately saw that it was going better, it’s an excellent bike”. And to those who ask him if he feels like a challenger to the official Ducati, he replies: “I am my own rival, I don’t look at others. I did a good job in the winter and I feel ready.”