2024 so far has been a season of incredible racing, standout performances and statement wins, with showdowns for the ages and duels right to the flag. It’s also it’s the closest ever in the MotoGP™ era over the first six Grand Prix races. The average gap between the winner and second place is just 1.083 seconds, beating the previous 1.196s of 2002.
History was in the making from the first Grand Prix of the season when Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) played his opening hand under the floodlights of Qatar, winning by just over a second. Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) – as he is now – then laid down his first response in Portugal but was only eight tenths clear at the flag.
The Americas GP then saw Aprilia Racing rule with Maverick Viñales as BatMav sliced back through to win, having dropped as low as 11th on Lap 1 after a Turn 1 shuffle. Maybe lucky for our history-making run given the 1.728s gap he pulled out in only a few laps once he hit the front…
Next up it was Jerez and the mighty duel between Bagnaia and Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™). With so much on the line, the previous lap record kept getting bettered over the last few laps and then the two went shoulder-to-shoulder more than toe-to-toe. But Bagnaia’s 1'37.449 on Lap 23 gave him just enough to cross the line with 0.372 in hand.
From there, the French GP beckoned and Martin had his own statement to make after a crash out in Jerez. The #89 threw down with both Marquez and Bagnaia, and after 27 laps of Le Mans took victory by less than half a second. The 297,471 crowd over the French GP weekend – a new all-time attendance record – were treated to another classic.
Most recently, it was the vibrant city of Barcelona playing host, and it was another Sunday statement from Bagnaia – and another he needed to make after crashing out the lead in the Tissot Sprint. After stalking Martin tenth by tenth, the reigning Champion overtook the Championship leader late on and then kept the hammer down to the flag – the 1.740s he pulled out just enough to pip Viñales’ margin at COTA. But far from enough for the average in 2024 to fail to better that 1.196s set in 2002.
Next up it’s the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo at the stunning Tuscan venue of Mugello. Will that 1.083s average winning gap go back down below a second, as it was before Barcelona? Time will tell, and there’s plenty more history on the line besides as 2024 continues to deliver storyline after storyline, and some of the best racing in history. We don’t call it the world’s most exciting sport for nothing – ci vediamo al Mugello!