Barcelona MotoGP Sprint: Alex Marquez edges Acosta, Martin crashes again

Ducati triumphs with the Gresini team rider, who holds off Acosta’s late charge; Fernandez is the top Aprilia; factory riders struggle in the Catalunya sprint race.

Marc Marquez isn’t here, but his brother Alex takes care of putting a Ducati ahead of all the other bikes in the MotoGP Sprint at Barcelona. A flawless race by the BK8 Gresini rider, who in the final laps managed to fend off a hard-charging Pedro Acosta, who had started from pole position. Fabio Di Giannantonio climbs onto the podium with the Pertamina Enduro VR46 team’s Ducati.

Trackhouse’s Raul Fernandez is the best Aprilia rider, finishing fourth ahead of an excellent Johann Zarco on the LCR Honda. Sixth place for Pecco Bagnaia, in front of Franco Morbidelli and Ai Ogura. The points-paying positions are rounded out by Marco Bezzecchi, who struggled badly in the final part of the Catalunya sprint race. His teammate Jorge Martin did even worse, crashing on lap three.

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LAP 1: Acosta holds the lead off the line, followed by Zarco, Alex Marquez, Fernandez, Martin, Di Giannantonio, Morbidelli, Quartararo, Bezzecchi, and Bagnaia. Mir and Binder crash after contact in the first sector.

LAP 2: red-hot battle between Fernandez, Diggia, and Martin for fourth place.

LAP 3: Alex Marquez is glued to Acosta and piling on the pressure; Zarco is right there, towing the rest along. Bezzecchi eighth ahead of Bagnaia. MARTIN CRASHES IN SECTOR 4!

LAP 4: Alex Marquez slips past Acosta into Turn 1, Fernandez does the same to Zarco. Bezzecchi and Bagnaia overtake Morbidelli to become sixth and seventh respectively. They are 1.4s behind Diggia.

LAP 5: Fernandez passes Acosta at Turn 5 and sets off after Alex Marquez. Diggia has passed Zarco and is up to fourth.

LAP 7: Alex Marquez, Fernandez, Acosta, Di Giannantonio, Zarco, Bezzecchi, Bagnaia, Morbidelli, and Bastianini in the points.

LAP 8: Bagnaia has passed Bezzecchi and is sixth. The two Italians are 1.5s behind fifth-placed Zarco.

LAP 9: Alex Marquez leads by four tenths over Fernandez and Acosta. Pedro overtakes Raul to move into second; Diggia is lurking too.

LAP 11: Acosta reels in Marquez; Diggia passes Fernandez and grabs the podium spot. Bezzecchi is overtaken by Morbidelli, who moves up to seventh. Bastianini also gets by the Aprilia rider, who is in serious trouble.

LAP 12 (FINAL): Acosta is all over Alex Marquez; a sprint to the line with the Gresini rider narrowly ahead of the KTM rider. Podium completed by Diggia.