Pecco’s championship bid took a massive knock as the champ was left picking his bike out of the gravel with his title rivals completing the top two In a thrilling debut at the IndianOil Grand Prix of India, Marco Bezzecchi of the Mooney VR46 Racing Team showcased his mastery of motorcycle racing, leaving his rivals in the dust. Bezzecchi clinched an impressive victory, crossing the finish line with a commanding lead of 8.649 seconds.
Jorge Martin, representing the Primac Pramac Racing Team, demonstrated unwavering determination by fending off fierce competitors Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) to secure the runner-up position. Martin’s performance tightened the championship race, bringing him within 13 points of the leader.
The race commenced with lightning-fast starts from Martin and Bagnaia, surpassing pole-sitter Bezzecchi. Bagnaia’s initial aggression briefly kept Martin at bay, but an audacious move led to Bagnaia running wide and falling to fourth place, allowing Bezzecchi to take the lead. Bezzecchi then surged ahead, setting the fastest laps and extending his lead.
Bagnaia endured relentless pressure from Martin, who made a daring move with 17 laps to go, closing the gap on Bezzecchi, now two seconds ahead. Meanwhile, Marc Marquez, in fourth place, grappled with the challenging pace but remained in contention. The race’s turning point occurred when Bagnaia, in pursuit of Martin, made a minor error, resulting in a dramatic crash and reshaping the race dynamics. This incident also propelled Fabio Quartararo onto the podium.
In a final-lap showdown, Bezzecchi’s remarkable performance remained largely unchallenged as he secured a well-deserved victory, earning crucial points in the championship battle. Despite struggling with fatigue in the sweltering Indian heat, Martin displayed exceptional defensive skills to retain second place. Further down the ranks, Brad Binder engaged in an intense battle with Joan Mir for fourth place, while Johann Zarco, Franco Morbidelli, and Maverick Viñales rounded out the top positions. Marc Marquez staged an impressive recovery, finishing ninth after an early incident. The race’s dramatic developments once again reshuffled the MotoGP™ championship standings.
Up next on the MotoGP™ calendar is the Motul Grand Prix of Japan at the Mobility Resort Motegi, scheduled from September 29th to October 1st. Stay tuned for all the action and updates on motogp.com!