Reigning MotoGP champion Pecco Bagnaia defeated Marc Marquez in a spellbinding duel for victory in the Spanish Grand Prix, after points leader Jorge Martin crashed out
Pecco Bagnaia, the reigning MotoGP champion, emerged victorious in a thrilling duel against Marc Marquez at the Spanish Grand Prix, seizing the opportunity after points leader Jorge Martin crashed out during the race. Despite a collision with Brad Binder, Bagnaia managed to reclaim 25 crucial points against Martin by fending off an aggressive late surge from Marquez, who secured his first podium in a grand prix race as a Ducati rider. Marquez started from pole and initially stayed ahead of Martin, who later gained the second position by passing Marco Bezzecchi and Binder at Turn 1. Bagnaia made a daring move by overtaking Martin and Bezzecchi before eventually taking the lead and engaging in a fierce battle with Marquez. Despite a few lead changes, Bagnaia ultimately retained his position, setting the fastest lap of the race and finishing ahead of Marquez, cutting down the championship lead gap to just 17 points behind Martin. Additionally, Bezzecchi secured his first podium with the Ducati GP23, contributing to a Ducati-dominated top five finish at the event.
