Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia, riding the Ducati Desmosedici GO22, secured his fourth straight victory by winning the San Marino Grand Prix at the Marco Simoncelli circuit in Misano Adriatico. He edged Italian teammate Enea Bastianini on the Ducati Desmosedici GP21 by a margin of just 0.034 seconds, marking a historic milestone as the first rider from the Italian marque to achieve such a feat in this context. Source: MotoGP
Despite the fervor around Ducati, no other rider on the team joined in the four-win run. Sixth place went to Aleix Espargaró on the Aprilia RS-GP, a result that matched Bagnaia’s early-season pace and tightened the gap to the world championship leader, Frenchman Fabio Quartararo on the Yamaha YZR-M1, who finished in fifth after a relentless chase from the front runners. Source: MotoGP
Bagnaia faced no team orders from Ducati, and Bastianini pushed hard in a dramatic final lap trying to overtake his 2023 teammate, ultimately falling short. Source: MotoGP
Australian Jack Miller delivered a competitive performance, triggering a multi-rider tumble at the final corner as contenders Johann Zarco (Ducati Desmosedici GP22), Pol Espargaró (Repsol Honda RC 213 V), and Michele Pirro (Ducati Desmosedici GP22) clashed. Source: MotoGP
Among the carnage, Bastianini and Bagnaia found themselves contained behind Miller, who briefly led before crashing on lap two, opening a window for Marco Bezzecchi and others to contest the top positions. Source: MotoGP
The race rapidly evolved into a high-octane duel. Within just two laps, several drivers faced disqualification or penalties, and Bastianini briefly held the lead before Bagnaia regained control as Aleix Espargaró moved up from ninth to fifth behind Quartararo and other title contenders. Source: MotoGP
Maverick Viñales, aware of Bagnaia’s intent to press, shadowed the Ducati rider and applied pressure to prevent a solo escape. The pace was relentless as Viñales sought to exploit any misstep while Bagnaia maintained the edge he needed to sustain his pursuit of the title. Source: MotoGP
The early stages set the tone for a fluctuating race, with Bagnaia dictating the tempo and Viñales, Bastianini, and Luca Marini tracking closely. Aleix Espargaró tried not to fall too far behind as the group stretched and reformed across the laps. Rins, aboard the Suzuki GSX-RR, clocked the fastest lap on lap five, underscoring the level of competition in the pack. Source: MotoGP
Viñales recognized the risk Bagnaia posed and chose to engage while ensuring he did not lose contact with the championship contenders—his strategy aimed at denying Bagnaia an uncontested stride toward the title. The dynamic tension between the riders sharpened as the field compressed and spread through the mid-race stages. Source: MotoGP
The race continued to unfold with Bagnaia maintaining the pace and Viñales, Bastianini, and Marini acting as his shadow. Quartararo trailed a little further back, while Espargaró sought to minimize the points deficit and stay within striking distance of the leaders. Alex Rins finished seventh, ahead of Jorge Martín and Miguel Oliveira, with Brad Binder and Alex Márquez among the next pack, as the field navigated the complexities of lap penalties and track limits. Source: MotoGP
On lap sixteen, both Bagnaia and Viñales set the fastest race lap, signaling a peak in pace, while Bastianini momentarily lost ground after a minor error that allowed Marini to close the gap within the leading group. Source: MotoGP
Bastianini seized an opportunity in the 20th lap, overtaking Viñales, but Ducati’s overall performance proved decisive as Bagnaia extended a safe margin to secure his fourth consecutive win and sixth of the season. The championship picture remained tense, with Viñales securing third and Bastianini second behind Bagnaia, who pushed to maximize his advantage toward the season title. Source: MotoGP
Finally, Rins ended seventh, Martín ninth, and Alex Márquez tenth after Oliveira encountered a long-lap penalty for exceeding track limits, while Raúl Fernández finished thirteenth on the KTM RC16. Source: MotoGP
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