Martin holds off Binder and Espargaro in the opening gambit of 2024

Three factories on the Tissot Sprint podium, Bagnaia and Marc Marquez swish off it… storylines abound on Saturday at Lusail.

Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) started 2024 with an announcement run – arguably a signature one – as the number 89 shot out the blocks to take the first Tissot Sprint win of the 300 and sixty five days. Harried all the design home by Brad Binder (Pink Bull KTM Factory Racing), Martin held agency below stress for Sprint win 10 of his occupation.

Binder had his gain stress factual to the flag too, with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) battling previous every Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Group) and Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) on his technique to taking third, factual on the KTM’s tail and making it three factories on the first rostrum of the season.

Binder had a storming begin up from fourth to value onto the succor of Martin straight, with the number 89 taking the holeshot and getting the hammer down however detached now not ready to shake the South African. Espargaro misplaced out initially from his P2 on the grid however then began to pull it succor, taking fourth from Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Group) and then third location succor from Bagnaia.

In the period in-between, Marc Marquez and Gresini teammate Alex Marquez were in the thick of the battle with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Group). Sooner or later, Marc Marquez changed into as soon as ready to rep it stick and headed off in pursuit of Bastianini on the rear of the entrance team, and now not too prolonged after that Diggia changed into as soon as sadly out of the battle after a weird and wonderful and initially dramatic rupture, however rider ok.

At the entrance, Martin rolled on. Nevertheless he wasn’t getting away. Binder changed into as soon as detached very powerful in touch, and Bagnaia changed into as soon as on the transfer too as he dispatched Espargaro to transfer into third. The subsequent transfer then came in from Marc Marquez, with Bastianini barely huge and the number 93 needing no 2d invitation.

By 5 laps to transfer, the eight-time World Champion changed into as soon as attacking Espargaro and previous him at the cease of the straight, as Martin gave the affect to contain the hammer down at the entrance. Nevertheless there changed into as soon as detached no breakaway from the number 89. The chasers spoke back, with Binder holding agency forward of Bagnaia, Marc Marquez and Espargaro. Bastianini, nonetheless, began to go barely from that team.

A moment for Marc Marquez, capitalised on by Espargaro as the Aprilia struck again, narrowed that gap to Bastianini, nonetheless. And that changed into as soon as key for the final lap battle, with Espargaro ready to maintain it, maintain the hammer down, and then home in on the leading trio. It changed into as soon as a four-rider battle for the podium with two to transfer.

The penultimate lap saw the Aprilia take on Bagnaia, however the reigning Champion decrease succor as Espargaro sailed huge. Nevertheless onto the main straight the #41 then made it stick and got the hammer down passable to maintain onto third into Flip 1, now with the subsequent intention locked on: Binder.

The KTM changed into as soon as chasing Martin, however a brand original topic changed into as soon as carving up the gap to tuck factual onto his tail. Espargaro ate thru the metres passable to nearly give himself striking distance by the final nook, nevertheless it changed into as soon as swish that bit too a long way for a transfer. Martin crossed the line for an announcement tenth Sprint win to begin the season forward, with Binder taking that 2d and Espargaro compelled for resolve for that third.

Reigning Champion Bagnaia likewise needed to resolve, in his case for fourth, with Marc Marquez subsequent up. Bastianini crossed the line sixth, forward of Alex Marquez in a lonelier seventh. The number 73 had had some conclude company from rookie sensation Pedro Acosta (Pink Bull GASGAS Tech3) in the latter stages, however changed into as soon as ready to pull the gap succor out.

Acosta, nonetheless, took an impressive P8 in his first MotoGP™ appearance – and he changed into as soon as the 2d RC16 heading in the correct direction. What can the number 31 attain with a pair of extra laps to rep in the groove?

Ninth location went to Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), with Jack Miller (Pink Bull KTM Factory Racing) completing the high ten in a conclude team forward of Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Group) and a draw photo-finish with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Power Yamaha MotoGP™). Take a contain a study the full outcomes below!

That’s a wrap on a in truth trim Saturday. From the flurry of fast laps in the morning to an announcement Sprint in the evening, there’s easiest powerful extra to thought forward to on Sunday. So join us from 20:00 (UTC +3) for the first Grand Prix of the season!