Current MotoGP world champion Francesco Bagnaia began the 2023 season with victory in the Portuguese Grand Prix on Sunday.
The Italian rider won MotoGP’s inaugural sprint race on Saturday and was dominant again in his Ducati in Sunday’s race as he finished ahead of Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales and Ducati’s Marco Bezzecchi who took second and third respectively.
Pole-sitter and six-time MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez lost three places as home favourite Miguel Oliveira moved from fourth to first on the opening lap. Marquez then clipped Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin and crashed into Oliveira, the trio’s race coming to an end.
Bagnaia got into the lead from the melee and comfortably held on till the very end of the race.
Johann Zarco finished fourth on his Ducati despite struggling with illness while Marquez’s junior brother Alex was fifth for his new team Gresini Racing.
South Africa’s Brad Binder finished a fine sixth in his KTM despite nursing a neck injury all weekend. He finished ahead of his teammate Jack Miller who crossed the line in seventh.
Fabio Quartararo was eighth on his Yamaha while Aleix Espargaro was ninth on his Aprilia and Alex Rins completed the top 10 on his Honda.
#TissotSprint winner ✅
Race Winner ✅It’s the perfect start to @peccobagnaia’s title defence at the end of the #PortugueseGP ????????#MotoGP pic.twitter.com/ctmTPws6d3
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) March 26, 2023
The race recorded six retirements: Raul Fernandez, Luca Marini, Martin, Fabio Di Giannantonio, Oliveira and Marquez while Enea Bastianini and Pol Espargaro did not start the race.
