Enea Bastianini scored his first MotoGP sprint win in British GP from Jorge Martin and Aleix Espargaro, as Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez crash out.
It was a rather clean start at the front in MotoGP sprint in British GP at Silverstone, as multiple riders looked to take the lead until Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin took it away from Ducati’s Enea Bastianini and Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro, who started on pole.
Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia dropped down to fourth from fast chargers KTM’s Brad Binder and GASGAS Tech 3’s Pedro Acosta, with Gresini Ducati’s Marc Marquez dropping to seventh from VR46 Ducati’s Fabio di Giannantonio and Gresini’s Alex Marquez in Top 9.
There was a moment for Pramac’s Franco Morbidelli in the mid-pack where he lost control and clouted the back of VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi at Turn 1. While the leaders fight it out, the points runners in the mid-pack were having a battle of their own.
Binder and Acosta came together in the corner when the two collided and shed some carbon. They managed to continue but M Marquez took the opportunity to clear them and move up to fifth, with the South African retaining his position ahead of the Spaniard.
They were sixth and seventh with A Marquez in eighth and di Giannantonio dropping to ninth in the points but Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales and KTM’s Jack Miller were strong behind in the fight for points. The Turn 1, incident, was put under investigation.
As thing started to settle, Bagnaia lost control to crash out from fourth and a lap later, teammate Bastianini fought hard to clear Martin to take the MotoGP sprint lead in British GP. Espargaro got himself on the tail of the Pramac rider soon.
M Marquez was fourth from Binder, Acosta and A Marquez, as a Long Gap Penalty for di Giannantonio for track limits dropped him out of points, allowing Vinales to be ninth from Miller. Several riders started to be pinged for track limits as the race progressed.
There was further drama after the crash of M Marquez which allowed di Ginanantonio to be back in the points. The Spaniard managed to continue but eventually pitted to retire. Bastianini, meanwhile, took his first MotoGP sprint win in British GP.
His win allowed Bagnaia to retain MotoGP points lead, as Bastianini moved himself up to third in the riders’ standings. Martin had to settle for second from a charging Espargaro, as Binder and Acosta were fourth and fifth despite having damage to their bikes.
A Marquez was sixth from Miller who cleared Vinales on the final lap, as di Giannantonio was ninth with the final point with Trackhouse Aprilia’s Miguel Oliveira was 10th. His teammate Raul Fernandez was caught out in the Turn 1 melee.
Result: https://x.com/MotoGP/status/1819746518900900202
UPDATE: Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) has received a double Long Lap penalty for Sunday’s Monster Energy British Grand Prix after the Italian was involved in a crash with Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) at Turn 1 on the opening lap of the Tissot Sprint at Silverstone.
The FIM MotoGP Stewards investigated the incident and found Morbidelli to have been riding in an irresponsible manner causing a crash, handing the #21 a double Long Lap penalty to be served in the next Grand Prix. Morbidelli will start the British Grand Prix from the fifth row after qualifying 13th on the grid.