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Francesco Bagnaia stretched his advantage over Jorge Martin, his closest contender, in the MotoGP championship by an impressive 46 points. This significant lead was solidified when he triumphed in the Austrian GP Sprint Race held on Saturday afternoon. Securing the second position was Brad Binder, the KTM rider, trailing the victor by two seconds. This duel took place just ahead of the main race scheduled for Sunday at the Red Bull circuit.
Saturday’s Austrian MotoGP Sprint Race saw Francesco Bagnaia seize the victory ahead of KTM’s Brad Binder, who claimed the second spot. This achievement marked Bagnaia’s fourth triumph in Sprint Races, further extending his dominance at the pinnacle of the rankings as he aspires to maintain his status as the reigning world champion.
As the race commenced, Bagnaia immediately surged ahead. However, during the initial attempt at Turn 1, a series of unfortunate incidents unfolded. Fabio Quartararo, Johann Zarco – who is reportedly on the verge of confirming a move to LCR Honda for 2024 – Miguel Oliveira, and Marco Bezzecchi all suffered crashes.
Subsequently, Takaaki Nakagami endured a definitive crash that necessitated a medical evaluation. Later on, Luca Marini’s race ended in a crash as Jorge Martin initiated an inside attack. The race stewards deemed no further action was necessary in this scenario. Brad Binder secured the second position, performing well in front of the home crowd at the KTM GP. Meanwhile, Martin, who commenced the race from the 12th position, secured the last spot on the podium. Gresini’s Alex Marquez secured the fourth position.
Bagnaia continued to widen the gap throughout the race and concluded with a lead of more than two seconds over his closest adversary. This victory propelled him to a substantial 46-point lead over Martin, with Bezzecchi trailing by 59 points. Just behind, Jack Miller claimed his place, while Pol Espargaro marked a commendable return in his second competition after a four-month hiatus caused by a significant crash during the season’s inaugural race in Portimao, Portugal. Aleix Espargaro, Pol’s brother, secured the seventh spot.
Noteworthy was the performance of a determined rider who started from the 13th position and managed to climb seven spots during the day. Maverick Vinales began in the second position but became entangled in the Turn 1 incident. He managed to recover and clinch the eighth position, one spot ahead of Yamaha’s Franco Morbidelli.
The forthcoming main race is scheduled for Sunday, with Bagnaia aiming to further extend his lead.