MotoGP Round Seven | Bagnaia completes perfect weekend

Francesco Bagnaia completed a near-perfect weekend on home turf with a masterclass in the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo and Ducati got a famous home -2 with teammate Enea Bastianini coming home in second on the other DucatiCorreInAzzurro livery machine. Report: Ed Stratmann/MotoGP

Friday Practice and Saturday Qualifying
MotoGP
After an intense Practice at the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo, reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) was at the top, stamping some authority on the field at the end of Friday to set a magnificent 1:44.938. However, he was also then given a three-place grid penalty for the Grand Prix race on Sunday for an incident with Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), as he was deemed to have been slow on line and disturbed the #73. Meanwhile, the chasing pack was led by Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ Team) in second as Yamaha continued to make a statement of intent to fight further forward this weekend. Rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) made a brilliant recovery after a crash at Turn 13 to complete the top three.

Check out our previous MotoGP reports here…

Further back in fourth after a brilliant end to Friday’s proceedings was Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing), who improved late in the session to make it four different bikes in the top four as he repped for Aprilia. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) set a new lap record on Saturday to deny Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) pole position, with the two split by just 0.043 at the top. Bagnaia had a three-place grid penalty for Sunday, but not Saturday, so he lined up second for the Tissot Sprint. Completing the front row on Aprilia Racing’s home turf was Maverick Viñales, with Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) forced to settle for fourth after a crash at Scarperia on what could have been a pole-threatening lap.

Moto2
Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) ended Friday with a 1:50.841, but it was tight at the top, with Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) a mere 0.011s behind and MB Conveyors SpeedUp duo Fermin Aldeguer and Alonso Lopez still within a tenth. After a dramatic qualifying at the Gran, Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) claimed pole position on Sunday after a late heater to claim a new lap record. The #16 continues to battle for the World Championship against Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI), who started from second on the grid. MB Conveyors SpeedUp’s Alonso Lopez rounded out the front row in third.

Moto3
CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team’s David Alonso set the benchmark to beat once again on Friday at the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo, over half a second clear of Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP). Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) was third quickest as his quietly impressive 2024 continued, and the Japanese rider was the final competitor within seven tenths of the top. A brilliant Moto3™ qualifying concluded with David Alonso (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team) storming to pole position after an incredible performance all weekend. The #80 secured top spot on his final lap after a frantic session, heading Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) as the Spaniard got closest. Rounding off the front row at Mugello was Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jose Antonio Rueda, who took his sixth front row of the season. Veijer headed the second row of the grid after a late crash at Scarperia while the #95 was on a fast lap. Alongside the Dutchman was Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) in fifth.

Check out the full Practice and Qualifying results here…

Saturday
Tissot Sprint
Bagnaia got an almighty launch from second to take the holeshot, heading down into San Donato with metres to spare. Teammate Bastianini also launched it like a rocket to take the inside line and move into P2, denying polesitter Martin. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) shot up from P13 on the grid to challenge in the top five, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) losing out to the South African and Marc Marquez.

Binder vs. Marquez was the first big move, with the #93 attacking the KTM next time round down the main straight. He just found room on the right, tight as anything, and just kept it into Turn 1. The Gresini then set off after the top three – but drama was already brewing up ahead. Bagnaia held the lead as Martin barreled back past Bastianini, but the Beast went for a move at Turn 1, heading slightly deep. Martin took the cutback and there was contact, with Bastianini sliding out of his home Sprint.

With four to go, there was yet more drama, though, and at the front. This time alone, but once again for Martin. The #89 had passed Marquez and been passed back, and he was holding a fairly secure third just ahead of Acosta. But around San Donato, the front said no more, and the Championship leader was off.

That left a familiar chess match at the front: Bagnaia vs. Marquez. Next time around, the #93 took a huge chunk out of the lead, and it was down to seven tenths with two to go. But the reigning Champion found a response in the third sector of the penultimate lap, and with that, the deal was done. One more lap to right the wrong of the Barcelona Sprint – and with a second in hand. It was 1.469 as he crossed the line, and Marquez had put down his own burst of speed to leave Acosta a further two and a half seconds back.

Taking his first Saturday victory since the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix was a big statement as Bagnaia cut the gap to 27 points at the top of the Championship. He also once again escaped Marc Marquez, but the #93 banked some solid points, stayed consistent and this time starts Sunday ahead of the reigning Champion too. For Acosta, a podium was a nice way to mark a day that also saw him confirmed as a Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider for 2025. Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) equalled his best result of the season so far, taking his second P4 in a Sprint after doing the same in Jerez, with Viñales completing the top five after getting past Binder.

“I’m very happy, we were close in the last one in Barcelona. We managed everything in a perfect way. The last two laps were quite difficult to manage to remain at a constant pace, but I’m very happy,” Bagnaia reflected.

Tissot Sprint Race Results

Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo
Marc Marquez Gresini Ducati (+1.469s)
Pedro Acosta Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 (+4.147s)
Franco Morbidelli Pramac Ducati (+5.421s)
Maverick Viñales Aprilia Racing (+7.693s)

Sunday
MotoGP
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) completed a near-perfect weekend on home turf with a masterclass victory in the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo. As the lights went out, Bagnaia went full Bagnaia. Second around San Donato as he threaded the needle from the second row, he immediately then lined up and pickpocketed Martin to go into the lead. From there, the hammer was down as Martin dug in to hold on, with Bastianini third ahead of Marc Marquez and Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing).

The chess game was on from there on out. Three tenths, six tenths, eight tenths, five tenths; Martin wasn’t getting dropped but he wasn’t consistently able to stay close enough to attack the #1 in the lead.

Meanwhile, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) was on the march. Marquez made a move on Bastianini into San Donato and headed wide, with the #23 hitting back immediately. And that put the rookie superstar right on Marquez’s tail. The GASGAS ace shadowed him round the lap but couldn’t find a way through before heading wide at the final corner to see his rival disappear out of striking distance.

At the front, the chess match rolled on. Bagnaia led Martin and Bastianini, with Marquez then starting to harry the #23. Acosta was a few tenths further back, with Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) starting to come under pressure from Viñales with 12 to go. It was tense holding stations, with the one small ripple in the calm coming as Martin went deep into San Donato with 10 laps to go, but he gathered it back up.

By six laps to go, it wasn’t checkmate, but it was starting to heat up into a grandstand finish. Marc Marquez finally made a move on Bastianini, attacking into San Donato with a clean move that gave the #23 no right of reply. He closed the deficit to Martin, but Martin was starting to cut the gap to the front once again. By three laps to go, it had been halved from the eight or nine tenth maximum Bagnaia had had at any point. Game on. Very much so, but not for the #89.

Instead, Bagnaia threw down the gauntlet and disappeared again as Bastianini stole the spotlight. Through on Marc Marquez at Scarperia, the exact same style of move the #93 had pulled on him, the Beast was on a charge and his next target was the other half of the Sprint tangle that had sent him into the gravel.

Locked on and flying, as Bagnaia crossed the line to take his third Italian GP win in a row as part of his second Mugello double, Bastianini was homing in. Into the very final corner the Ducati Lenovo Team rider found space on the inside to complete the fairytale 1-2 for the team, and in some serious style as pandemonium erupted in the grandstands. Over the line with time in hand over Martin, Bastianini followed Bagnaia home – and Martin’s lead is now cut to just 18 points.

Still, it was another podium finish and a good haul of points, and it was ahead of fellow frontrunner Marc Marquez, who was forced to settle for fourth. Acosta ended up in a lonelier ride for fifth after he’d lost touch with the front group.

“It’s incredible. It wasn’t easy starting from P5, but I had a strategy to go from the outside and it worked perfectly,” explained Bagnaia.

MotoGP Race Results

Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo
Enea Bastianini Ducati Lenovo (+0.799s)
Jorge Martin Pramac Ducati (+0.924s)
Marc Marquez Gresini Ducati (+2.064s)
Pedro Acosta Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 (+7.501s)

Check out the full MotoGP race results here…

MotoGP Championship Points

Jorge Martin Pramac Ducati – 171
Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo – 153
Marc Marquez Gresini Ducati – 136
Enea Bastianini Ducati Lenovo – 114
Pedro Acosta Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 – 101

Moto2
In a blockbuster Moto2™ race, Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) took victory in a nail-biting last lap decider – the American repelling the best efforts of Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) to take top honours for the first time since the 2022 Portuguese GP.

Off like a rocket at the start, Roberts led early on. He had close competition, though, with Lopez and Darryn Binder (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) following on eagerly. A flying start also came from Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) as well, who stormed to seventh after starting 12th.

Lopez would follow Roberts until lap four before he pounced at San Donato, but it wouldn’t be until Turn 3 before he could make the move stick. Unfortunately for the MB Conveyors Speed Up team, it was glory for one and disaster for another in that moment as Lopez’s teammate Fermin Aledguer crashed out after contact from Jeremy Alcoba (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team).

Still in the lead, Lopez now had Gonzalez behind as he had found his way through on Roberts. Slightly further back in the lead pack, disaster struck for Binder who skittled into the gravel at Arrabbiata 1, an early end to what had been a strong weekend.

In a six-rider battle for the lead, everything was building to a grandstand last half of the race. The action kicked off as Roberts and Lopez ran wide at Turn 1 – giving them both more work to do – and allowing Gonzalez and Canet to the lead. But it wouldn’t be long before Roberts would then return the favour and find his way through to the front with just three laps remaining.

As a dramatic finish loomed, Roberts entered the final lap in the lead. Gonzalez got a fantastic slipstream and attacked round San Donato, but the American hit back at the next available chance, diving to the inside at Turn 2. Under tremendous pressure, Roberts held firm to take his first victory since the 2022 Portuguese GP – by just 0.067s. Gonzalez’s search for a first Moto2™ win continues while Lopez picked up his third podium of the season.

Claiming fourth was Championship leader Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI), whose advantage in the standings was reduced to seven points. Behind Garcia was teammate Ogura, who Garcia pipped on the last lap.

Moto2 Race Results

Joe Roberts OnlyFans American Racing Team
Manuel Gonzalez QJMOTOR Gresini (+0.067s)
Alonso Lopez MB Conveyors Speed Up (+0.934s)
Sergio Garcia MT Helmets – MSI (+1.192s)
Ai Ogura MT Helmets – MSI (+1.253s)

Check out the full Moto2 race results here…

Moto2 Championship Points

Sergio Garcia MT Helmets – MSI – 122
Joe Roberts OnlyFans American Racing Team – 115
Ai Ogura MT Helmets – MSI – 99
Alonso Lopez Beta Tools Speed Up – 79
Manuel Gonzalez QJMOTOR Gresini – 66

Moto3
David Alonso (CFMoto Valresa Aspar Team) remains the rider to beat in Moto3™, taking his fifth win of the season in style at Mugello. The Colombian led from the front for much of a shortened 11-lap dash and held off a late charge from Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) to take another 25-point haul. Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) charged up from P13 on the grid to secure third and his first ever Grand Prix podium.

The initial start was red-flagged following a crash for Fillippo Farioli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Xabi Zurutuza (Red Bull KTM Ajo), with Zurutuza heading to hospital for further examination. Once back underway, the distance was reduced to 11 laps of Mugello, with one clear aim for most: keep up with Alonso.

There was drama nearly immediately as Dani Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) tagged riders at Turn 1, sending Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Stefano Nepa (LEVEL UP-MTA) crashing out, with the #96 given a double Long Lap for irresponsible riding.

Meanwhile at the front, it was a breakaway group of six making their moves: Alonso, Veijer, Yamanaka, Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI), Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) and David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports). With four to go, it looked like Alonso was trying to make a break, and it took Veijer a couple of laps to take over in second and get enough breathing space to start trying to close the Colombian down. That he did. And by the start of the final lap the Dutchman was within a couple of tenths, with Ortola in third.

Ultimately, however, he couldn’t get close enough to make a move, and then there was drama in the fight for the final place on the podium too as Ortola slid out at Turn 12, ending his rostrum hopes. One of the quickest remounts of all time saw him still take sixth, but Yamanaka was up the road to take his maiden Grand Prix podium to continue his impressive consistency running near the front this season.

Fourth went to Furusato as he was the final rider within a couple of seconds of the front, with Muñoz forced to settle for fifth further down the road.

Moto3 Race Results