Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) vs Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). 0.041s. The closest Tissot Sprint finish ever. And it was the sky blue of Marquez who edged out the orange of Acosta in an edge-of-your-seat Saturday blockbuster that saw Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) tumble out of contention early doors. The bronze medal went to Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), the Italian was only 0.4s away from the victory in Barcelona.
THE START: ACOSTA HOLESHOT, BINDER & MIR CRASH
On the long run down to Turn 1, it was Acosta vs Alex Marquez for the holeshot, with the polesitter just about keeping his elbows wide enough to keep the Spanish GP winner behind him. Drama unfolded a little further back, involving Acosta’s teammate, Brad Binder. The South African, who got a small nudge on the inside from Di Giannantonio, then collected Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol), as both slid out of contention. The Stewards saw it as a racing incident.
Elsewhere, it was a rapid start from Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR), who was getting a wriggle on. The Frenchman briefly held second before Alex Marquez responded, with Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) bullying his way past Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) and Di Giannantonio on Lap 2.
MARTIN OUT OF THE SPRINT
Then, drama struck for the French GP winner. Martin, at Turn 10 on Lap 3, crashed out of the top-five battle. The #89 was uninjured, but that’s now four crashes this weekend for the 2024 World Champion.
THE RUN TO THE FLAG
Back at the front, Alex Marquez pounced on Acosta into Turn 1 to lead the Sprint for the first time. Third place was now Fernandez’s, and that soon became P2 on Lap 5 when the lead Aprilia carved up the inside of Acosta at Turn 5.
With five laps to go, Marquez led Fernandez, Acosta, and Di Giannantonio by 0.4s. The winner would be coming from one of these four, but who? Well, Acosta made his move with four laps to go to snatch P2 back from Fernandez. Could the #37 reel in Marquez, who was now 0.6s up the road?
On Lap 11 of 12, Di Giannantonio then demoted Fernandez to P4 with a classic move at Turn 1, as Acosta clawed back a couple of tenths on Marquez.
Last lap time, and over the line, the margin was down to 0.2s. Acosta swarming, Marquez defending, Di Giannantonio lurking. It was all pointing towards a Turn 10 lunge from the polesitter, but Acosta wasn’t quite close enough. And a Rossi-esque lunge at the final corner wasn’t possible either, as Alex Marquez just clung onto a Sprint win on home soil, with less than a tenth of a second splitting the Spaniards.
Less than half a second adrift was Di Giannantonio, as Fernandez faded in the closing stages to finish P4. Zarco’s good start and subsequent decent pace handed the #5 P5 on Saturday, as Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) produced a fine comeback from a disappointing P13 in qualifying to P6 in the Sprint.
From the front row, Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) ended the Sprint in P7, 0.6s clear of Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team). The Japanese rider clawed his way back from 18th on the grid to bag two points in P8, as championship leader Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) struggled to really get going on Saturday afternoon. The Italian’s title chase lead over teammate Martin grows, but only by a single point ahead of Sunday’s Grand Prix.
The closest ever Tissot Sprint finish. That sets us up very nicely for Grand Prix Sunday in Barcelona, so make sure you don’t miss a beat.
MotoGP Catalan GP Sprint results!