Motogp, Bagnaia dominates Assen. Sprint Race and then pole

The Saturday of the Dutch Grand Prix is ​​colored in Ducati red and speaks Italian, thanks to the splendid victory of Francesco Bagnaia in the Sprint Race. The world champion rider is having a simply perfect weekend, also topped by the pole position (in 1’30″540) and the record never broken in all the practice sessions. Bagnaia is also the favorite for today’s long race. “We’ve been doing a great job with the team since yesterday morning.

After the fast lap, I wanted to avoid risks and manage: maybe there is still room to go faster”, commented the rider from Chivasso, now only fifteen points away in the championship from Jorge Martin.

And the rider from Madrid himself, riding the Ducati Prima Pramac, second in the Sprint, will have to serve a three-place penalty on the starting grid of today’s race for having obstructed Raul Fernandez in Q2. Martin, who will therefore start from fifth position, on the second row, nevertheless appeared very satisfied with the result, especially thinking back to the difficulties he had on Friday. “Only with an error from Bagnaia I could have won today. He is in a state of grace and does everything perfectly. I have improved compared to yesterday, but I am suffering in the second sector”, said the World Championship leader.

The lowest step of the podium, however, went to Maverick Vinales, who appeared frustrated at the impossibility of replicating the infernal pace of Martin and Bagnaia. The missing protagonist of the afternoon was certainly Marc Marquez, who crashed at the beginning of the second lap. The eight-time world champion set a wider trajectory than necessary on the curb, ending up on a pothole. The mistake costs Marc dearly, third in the championship, but forty-four points away from Martin.

“The mistake is serious and it’s mine alone. I took the same kerb as the first lap and the bike jumped, due to a pothole”, commented the Spaniard, seventh on the starting grid. Aleix Espargaro is also out, having had a bad fall during the last lap. Among the Italians, Enea Bastianini and Fabio Di Giannantonio are smiling, respectively fourth and fifth. The top ten of the Sprint, in order, is completed by Binder, Quartararo, Alex Marquez, Morbidelli and Acosta.

Bagnaia triumphs in the Sprint Race

It is the second consecutive victory for Bagnaia, after the great double in Mugello. Triumph for the Ducati world champion, who started perfectly and held the first position for all 13 laps, keeping his rival Jorge Martin, who finished second with the Ducati Pramac, at a safe distance. The Italian driver, thanks to this success, closes to -15 from the top of the general classification occupied by the Spaniard. On the podium another Italian motorcycle, the Aprilia of Mavericks Vinales, followed by the other official Ducati of Enea Bastianini and the Ducati VR46 of Fabio Di Giannantonio. However, Marc Marquez with the Ducati Gresini crashed and was forced to a heavy zero.