MotoGP Portuguese GP: Bagnaia claims maiden sprint race win

As part of a major shake-up to the MotoGP format for 2023, half-distance sprint races take place on the Saturday of every grand prix weekend.

Bagnaia converted second on the grid to make history as MotoGP’s first ever sprint race winner, as he capitalised on a mistake from Pramac Ducati counterpart Martin on the final tour.

Poleman Marc Marquez completed the podium after home hero Miguel Oliveira ran off track on the last lap, while there were no points on offer for Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo after a nightmare sprint.

Claiming a shock pole earlier on Saturday, Marquez converted this to the holeshot off the line as Enea Bastianini leaped up from sixth to second on the factory team Ducati.

Bastianini’s team-mate Bagnaia scythed up the inside of him at Turn 3, which left the door open for Pramac’s Martin to move into second briefly.

As Bastianini dropped down the order, Bagnaia carved back past Martin up the inside of Turn 4.

Behind, Quartararo lost ground from 11th on the grid and was 15th coming through Turn 1. By the end of the first lap he was 19th after being forced wide by a crashing Joan Mir at Turn 13.

The Honda rider made contact with Quartararo as he tried to make a move up the inside of him, and the incident is now under review.

Sprint race winner Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

At the start of the second lap of 12, Bagnaia and Martin blasted past Marquez to demote him to third on the run into Turn 1.

Martin took the lead at the start of lap four as Marquez found his hands full with RNF Aprilia’s Oliveira and the KTM of Jack Miller.

Miller led Oliveira through on Marquez at Turn 1 on lap five, and come lap six Miller took second away from former team-mate Bagnaia at Turn 5.

The KTM rider was the only one in the leading group running the soft front tyre, and used that grip advantage to move into the lead on lap seven at Turn 13.

Miller’s lead was fleeting, however, as Martin eased ahead into Turn 1 on the following tour, while Bagnaia came back through on lap 10.

Heading onto the penultimate lap, Martin’s lead stood at over half a second, but was wiped out by a hard-charging Bagnaia.

On the final lap, Martin ran wide under braking for Turn 5 which allowed Bagnaia to ease into the lead and take the chequered flag for the first sprint race.

Martin trailed by 0.307s at the chequered flag, while Marquez was gifted the final spot on the podium when Oliveira – who sat in third at the start of the penultimate lap – ran off track up at Turn 10.

That mistake dropped the Portuguese rider to seventh, with Miller just 0.086s behind Marquez in fourth.

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

The factory Aprilia pair of Maverick Vinales and Aleix Espargaro survived late contact with each other to finish fifth and sixth, while Johann Zarco was eighth on his Pramac Ducati.

Alex Marquez took the final sprint point in ninth on his Gresini Ducati, while Yamaha’s Quartararo recovered to 10th after his lap one woes.

RNF’s Raul Fernandez was 11th ahead of KTM’s Brad Binder, LCR Honda’s Alex Rins, Yamaha’s Franco Morbidelli, Takaaki Nakagami (LCR) and Gresini’s Fabio Di Giannantoio.

Mir didn’t re-join the race after his lap one crash and was joined on the sidelines by Tech3’s Augusto Fernandez.

Bastianini was caught up in Luca Marini’s crash at Turn 5 on the second lap and had to be taken to the medical centre for checks. Following a trip to hospital for further checks, Bastianini was found to have sustained a fractured shoulder, making him a doubt for tomorrow's race.

The incident was placed under review by the stewards, but no further action was taken. 

VR46’s bad day was compounded by Marco Bezzecchi crashing out on lap three.

MotoGP Portuguese GP - Sprint race results:

Cla	Rider		Bike	Gap
1	Francesco Bagnaia		Ducati
2	Jorge Martin		Ducati	0.307
3	Marc Marquez		Honda	1.517
4	Jack Miller		KTM	1.603
5	Maverick Viñales		Aprilia	1.854
6	Aleix Espargaro		Aprilia	2.106
7	Miguel Oliveira		Aprilia	2.940
8	Johann Zarco		Ducati	5.595
9	Alex Marquez		Ducati	5.711
10	Fabio Quartararo		Yamaha	5.924
11	Raúl Fernández		Aprilia	8.160
12	Brad Binder		KTM	8.384
13	Alex Rins		Honda	11.288
14	Franco Morbidelli		Yamaha	17.138
15	Takaaki Nakagami		Honda	18.128
16	Fabio Di Giannantonio		Ducati	21.235
	Marco Bezzecchi		Ducati
	Enea Bastianini		Ducati
	Luca Marini		Ducati
	Joan Mir		Honda
	Augusto Fernandez		GASGAS
View full results