MotoGP Report Round 10 | Bastianini bags British double

The 75th Anniversary livery was spectacular and Ducati Lenovo Team Italian hero Enea Bastianini became the 10th different winner in the MotoGP class of 2024 at Silverstone as Jorge Martin beat Francesco Bagnaia to claim the Championship lead. MotoGP Report: Ed Stratmann/MotoGP Press

Friday Practice and Saturday Qualifying
MotoGP
A late flyer from Jorge Martin saw the Prima Pramac Racing star set the early weekend pace at the Monster Energy British Grand Prix, as the #89 edged out 2023 Silverstone victor Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) by 0.045s after clocking a 1:57.911. World Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) bagged P3, with the #1 lurking just 0.119s away from his main title challenger.

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Saturday then saw Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) lead the way, with the 2023 winner putting in a late dash to take over on top with a new lap record. He became the sixth different polesitter at Silverstone in the last six Grands Prix at the venue, and was the first of four riders who broke the previous lap record in a stunningly quick Q2.

Reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) lined up in P2, just ahead of teammate Enea Bastianini. Behind the Espargaro, Bagnaia, Bastianini lockout, Martin headed the second row ahead of Alex Marquez (via Q1) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing).

Full Practice results here and Qualifying results here…

Moto2
A new Moto2™ Silverstone lap record handed Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) top honours on Friday, with the Spaniard’s 2:03.602 time just under three tenths quicker than Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in second place. The leading pair were the only riders to venture into the 2:03s on Day 1, with Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) rounding out the top three, 0.457s away from Canet.

For the first time since the 2022 Malaysian GP, Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) will launch a Moto2™ race from pole position after the Japanese rider beat pre-session favourite Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) by 0.052s. Ogura’s 2:02.940 was a new Silverstone Moto2™ lap record, and it was a time that third place Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) was just 0.183s away from as the rookie earned a first intermediate class front row start. British crowd favourite Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) would go from the middle of the front row in P5 as he aimed to repeat his 2022 Silverstone podium success.

Moto3
Despite a crash in the afternoon, Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) topped the Moto3™ times on Friday at Silverstone as the Dutchman set a 2:09.565 to end the day a healthy 0.387s clear of second place Ivan Ortola (MT Helmet – MSI). Rookie Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) claimed an impressive P3 in Practice 1 to be one of three riders to get within half a second of Veijer’s effort.

A new lap record in Moto3™ Q2 saw Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) edge out Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) by a slender 0.041s for pole position at Silverstone, with the Spaniard slamming home a 2:09.270 to pocket a second Saturday P1 of the season ahead of his 50th GP start. Joel Kelso (BOE Motorsports) lapped alone and claimed an impressive P3 to land a first front-row start since Portimao. World Championship leader David Alonso (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team) launched from P4 on the grid as he hoped to extend his title race advantage at the circuit he won his first race in 2023.

Saturday
Tissot Sprint
Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) stormed to an incredible Tissot Sprint victory, taking his first Saturday podium in some style: on the top step. Beast mode was very much engaged as the #23 denied Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), although the #89 clawed back some crucial Championship points after drama for points leader Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) saw the reigning Champion slide out.

As the lights went out it was a fantastic start from Bagnaia, who pushed Espargaro wide on the entry to Turn 1. It was an immediate melee at the front, however, and Martin was able to sneak through and snatch the Sprint lead on the opening lap. There was drama behind too as Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) and Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) crashed on the opening lap after the former overshot Turn 1 and sent both sliding out. Both passed fit, but Morbidelli was given a double Long Lap penalty to serve on Sunday.There was soon more action in the fight just behind the podium battle too as Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) clashed, with no harm done to either but a confetti shower of winglets sent into the air. The clash was also just enough for Marc Marquez to pry the door open and slice past both, needing no second invitation.

At the front, Martin continued to lead from the chasing Bastianini, with the Italian hanging on to the tail of the #89 as Espargaro and Bagnaia shadowed the duo. The first title fight headlines then unfolded, with Bagnaia losing the front on Lap 5 at Turn 4. Rider ok, but that was all she wrote and the Italian was forced to watch from the sidelines as teammate Bastianini started to harry Martin. Polesitter Espargaro was released from the pressure of having the reigning Champion sat on his tail too, and with Martin still at the front, the #1 looked to have lost the Championship lead.

However, after one failed attempt that saw Martin hit back immediately, the Beast then sliced through to the lead on Lap 6 and attempted to stretch away almost instantly. The #23 put together a series of impressive times inside the 1:58 bracket with a handful of laps remaining, gaining a little breathing space but Martin was still very much in touch. Marc Marquez then frustratingly lost the front at Turn, bringing an end to the Spaniard’s chance to earn some vital Championship points as he retired to the pitlane, leaving it as a KTM-GASGAS battle for fourth.

With one lap remaining, all that was coming in was perfection from Bastianini. The #23 extended his lead from a handful of tenths to one second and that was that – a first ever Sprint victory secured at Silverstone. Martin consolidated second nevertheless, clawing back crucial Championship points to now sit just one behind Bagnaia. Binder and Acosta’s battle didn’t stop as they continued their fight until the line, with the South African pipping the rookie for fourth after the 10-lap dash.

“I’m very happy. It was a very good fight with Jorge where we pushed the limits. The lap times were crazy, the whole sprint was crazy. That’s my first victory of the year and I’m so happy. I saw yesterday that my pace was good so to do it here at Silverstone, one of my favourite tracks, it’s fantastic,” Bastianini said.

Tissot Sprint Race Results

Enea Bastianini Ducati Lenovo
Jorge Martin Pramac Ducati (+1.094s)
Aleix Espargaro Aprilia Racing (+2.023s)
Brad Binder Red Bull KTM (+8.644s)
Pedro Acosta Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 (+8.777s)

Sunday
MotoGP
After a dream Saturday, it was a stunning performance on a special Sunday for Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team), who capped off a historic weekend at the Monster Energy British Grand Prix with a win. The #23 became the 10th different rider to take victory at Silverstone in the last ten events at the track, storming through late on to put himself third in the title fight and only 49 points off the top.

Reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) secured the final spot on the podium as he bounced back from a crash on Saturday, but the 16-point haul on Sunday puts him back behind Martin by three. It was his 43rd MotoGP™ podium, all on a Ducati, which makes him the rider with the most podiums taken with Ducati.

Once the lights went out, it was a blast from the past from Bagnaia, who claimed the holeshot on the run to Turn 1 after a phenomenal launch, ahead of Bastianini and Martin. While it was a great start from the #1, it was a tougher opening lap for polesitter Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), who dropped to fourth position after some shuffling, with Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) moving briefly past the Aprilia before being demoted to P5 once more.

Unfortunately, it was an early end to the Grand Prix for Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), following an issue at the start. Later in the opening lap, Trackhouse Racing’s Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez races also came to an end, crashing out. Bagnaia led from Bastianini, but Martin was quick to make his way past the #23. Bastianini soon dropped back to fourth too, with Espargaro finding a way through. Marc Marquez was also close on the chase as the top five started to break away, but Bagnaia was holding station at the front.

Tension kept building at the top as Martin homed in, looking for an opportunity to pounce on Bagnaia in the lead. He took over at the front for the first time on Lap 12, making the move stick on the entry to Turn 3. Behind the leading duo, Bastianini then found a gap in Espargaro’s armour – entering the provisional podium places.

However, Martin ran wide at Turn 13 one lap later, putting Bagnaia and Bastianini right back on his tail. The next move inside the top three came from Bastianini though, who overtook his teammate for second as Pecco suffered a front end moment. The Beast immediately started to pull back the gap to Martin.

It was six laps to go and seven tenths up the road to Martin. Slowly but surely, that was creeping down. It was an agonising progress though, with hundredths and tenths making the difference as the #23 edged further and further forward. By the penultimate lap he was there and suddenly Martin was wide once and then again at Turn 3. Bastianini duly pounced after the second mistake and headed over the line in the lead as the final lap began.

In only one lap, Bastianini put together a fantastic end to the British Grand Prix, stretching out a magnificent gap to cross the line and create history ahead of Martin and teammate Bagnaia, who claimed the final spot on the podium. Marc Marquez took fourth after a late charge at Pecco but was unable to arrive, and he had his own closing gap to deal with as Di Giannantonio climbed from 10th on the grid to fifth at the chequered flag.

“It was a very difficult race. The last four or five laps, Jorge pushed a lot and it was difficult to close the gap to him but in the end, the last two, three laps, I always have something more and today was the same. This second consecutive victory has arrived and I’m really satisfied,” explained a delighted Bastianini.

MotoGP Race Results

Enea Bastianini Ducati Lenovo
Jorge Martin Pramac Ducati (1.931s)
Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo (+5.866s)
Marc Marquez Gresini Ducati (+6.906s)
Fabio Di Giannantonio VR46 Ducati (+7.736s)

Check out the full MotoGP race results here…

MotoGP Championship Points

Jorge Martin Pramac Ducati – 241
Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo – 238
Enea Bastianini Ducati Lenovo – 192
Marc Marquez Gresini Ducati – 179
Maverick Viñales Aprilia Racing – 130

Moto2
Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) became just the fourth British rider to win on home turf since 1977 after a last-lap pass on Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) sealed victory for the Silverstone crowd hero, as only 0.177s split the duo at the chequered flag. Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo) took P3 to pocket his first rostrum of the year, as drama unfolded in the Moto2™ title race.

Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) got a perfect getaway from pole position with Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo) surging ahead of Canet for P2 off the line. Dixon was getting his elbows out in the opening exchanges as the British rider climbed from P5 off the line to P3, with Canet quickly pushing to the front of the field after losing a place at the start.

On Lap 3, Canet led by just over half a second from Dixon, with Ogura battling away with the fast-starting Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) and Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team). Meanwhile, after dropping to P24 on Lap 1, Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) recovered to P14 on Lap 4. With 12 to go, Dixon had reeled in Canet, as Roberts passed Ogura for P3. Moreira’s strong showing ended at Turn 6 on Lap 5, and then, Roberts crashed out a lap later at Turn 2. This left Canet and Dixon with a 3.8s buffer to Albert Arenas (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™), with Ogura now P4 and Garcia up to P9.

As the battle for the final podium place raged, 7.6s up the road was a fight for British GP victory between Canet and Dixon. Heading onto the last lap, Dixon struck at Turn 1 – and it was a move that stuck. A small error from Canet cost him time and despite his best efforts, Dixon held onto the lead and crossed the line to become the first British rider to win on home soil since 2015. Canet settled for a close P2, with Vietti unleashing some great late-race pace to secure P3.

Garcia’s climb back through the field ended in the World Championship leader claiming a fantastic P4 to extend his Championship lead, while Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) and Darryn Binder (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) completed the top six.

Moto2 Race Results

Jake Dixon CFMoto Inde Aspar Team
Aron Canet Fantic Racing (+0.177s)
Celestino Vietti Red Bull KTM Ajo (7.054s)
Sergio Garcia MT Helmets – MSI (+8.476)
Manuel Gonzalez SPA QJMOTOR Gresini (+9.718s)

Check out the full Moto2 race results here…

Moto2 Championship Points

Sergio Garcia MT Helmets – MSI – 160
Ai Ogura MT Helmets – MSI – 142
Joe Roberts OnlyFans American Racing Team – 123
Fermin Aldeguer Beta Tools Speed Up – 112
Alonso Lopez Beta Tools Speed Up – 100

Moto3
Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) claimed a phenomenal Monster Energy British Grand Prix triumph as a fierce lightweight class battle played out at Silverstone. David Alonso (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team) grabbed P2 as the fight for the win went down to the wire, with Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) rounding out a podium trio that was split by 0.103s at the chequered flag.

Joel Kelso (BOE Motorsports) pinched the holeshot from the front row as a Moto3™ freight train formed at the front. Unfortunately for the home crowd, Scott Ogden’s (Fibre Tec Honda – MLav Racing) British GP ended prematurely as the #19 couldn’t avoid Angel Piqueras’ stricken Leopard Racing Honda at Turn 18 on Lap 2.

Back at the front, Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) was one rider who had a turn at leading the race before heading into the final six laps, as Ortola threatened to break clear. 0.4s was the #48’s gap, but after two laps, the chasers reeled the Spaniard back in.

What followed was a frantic scrap for positions in the closing two laps. It was excitement aplenty and Moto3™ racing at its finest. On the last lap, Veijer held the P1 baton, with former race leader Alonso shoved to P4. The Colombian bagged a two-for-one deal at Brooklands on the final lap to pounce up to P2 before Ortola bit back.

From leading the race at the start of the lap, Veijer was P3 heading into the final sector as the race down the Hangar Straight saw Ortola just about hold onto P1, as he shut the door on title rival Alonso down at Stowe. The latter then expertly lunged up the inside of Veijer at Vale to pinch P2 off the Dutchman, with Ortola holding onto the race win despite running wide at Turn 16.

Holgado settled for P4, 0.107s away from the win, as Stefano Nepa (LEVELUP – MTA) closed out the top five to secure his best finish of 2024. Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) in sixth and Kelso in seventh were also less than a second away from the win.

Moto3 Race Results