ALCANIZ: Six-time champion Marc Marquez dominated the Aragon sprint race from pole position in front of adoring home fans on Saturday to end three years in the MotoGP wilderness, as Jorge Martin of Prima Pramac Racing came in second to retake the world championship lead.

Twice MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia, who had come into the weekend in Alcaniz with a five-point lead in the world championship over Martin, dropped several places to finish a lowly ninth after qualifying third on the grid.

Martin now leads Bagnaia by three points and will have the opportunity to extend that lead in Sunday’s race.

Marquez led from pole on his Ducati-Gresini bike to crush his rivals, taking the chequered flag by almost three seconds from Martin with Pedro Acosta in third.

It was the 31-year-old’s first sprint win with Ducati, having switched from Honda ahead of this season. Victory ends a long painful wait, stretching back to October 2021 and his last grand prix success at Emilia Romagna, after a series of crushing injuries and crashes and a misfiring bike.

Marquez jumps up to third, albeit 72 points adrift of Martin.

Fellow Spaniard and Red Bull GasGas Tech3’s 20-year-old rookie Acosta put on an impressive display to complete the podium.

Marquez’s brother and team mate Alex made up one place to finish fourth.

Enea Bastianini, who had a frustrating morning after the Italian Ducati rider finished fourth in the first qualifying session, made up several positions to come seventh.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2024