Ducati scored its 100th MotoGP win with Enea Bastianini at the wheel at the Emilia Romagna GP, overtaking rival Jorge Martin in the last corner of the final lap. The win was rather dramatic, as he overtook Martin and forced the Pramac rider off track while the defending champion Bagnaia crashed in lap 21.
Intense Final-Lap Battle
Jorge Martin led most of the 27 laps and seemed to be cruising to victory before Enea Bastianini applied the pressure toward the last laps of the race. During the last few turns, Martin had several tries to overtake Enea Bastianini, but he was able to contain him until the last turn. Despite being forced wide in the final lap, Martin extended his championship lead to 24 points, capitalizing on Bagnaia’s crash.
The contact was illegal, but he crossed the line 5.002 seconds ahead of Martin, who was not a threat to the victory. To date, there has been no word on an investigation by stewards.
Bagnaia’s Struggles and Crash
Bagnaia, who had a pole start, had a challenging Sunday. He was once again leading during the next lap, but Martin surpassed him soon after. By lap five, he had also lost second place to his teammate Enea Bastianini, while the world champion seemed out of form.
As for Francesco Bagnaia, his rhythm started to pick up around the midway point, and he began to reduce the distance to the top two. But his dreams of a return to the podium evaporated on the 21st lap when he slid through the gravel trap at Turn 8 after locking his front wheel while braking, resulting in his seventh retirement of the season.
Bastianini’s win seals the Constructors Championship
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Enea Bastianini’s second victory of the season not only claimed Ducati’s one-hundredth Grand Prix victory but also finalized the 2024 Constructors’ title for the Italian marque. Despite being forced wide in the final lap, Martin extended his championship lead to 24 points, capitalizing on Francesco Bagnaia’s crash.
What a turn of circumstances on the podium. Gresini Ducati’s Marc Marquez finished third, while VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi decided to go for a soft rear tire and finished fourth. Bethon was again sixth ahead of his teammate Franco Morbidelli, who was fifth on the Pramac Ducati.
Behind the leaders, Maverick Vinales of Aprilia was sixth, while Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo became the seventh. Espargaro finished eighth on the second Aprilia, with Alex Marquez and Miguel Oliveira completing the top ten. Of those, Joan Mir was the best-placed Honda rider, finishing 11th. While Tech3’s Pedro Acosta also fell, KTM’s Brad Binder did rejoin and came in 19th.
Final Thoughts
Enea Bastianini’s victory not only moved Ducati to its landmark 100th MotoGP victory. But also brought a star in the making into the championship fold. His decision to overtake Jorge Martin on the last lap was as audacious as it may be controversial, but it brought important points for Ducati in the constructors’ standings for 2024. In Emilia Romagna, for the young Italian Francesco Bagnaia, it was only a bitter loss, as his crash further extended the gap in the championship. As we reach towards flyaway rounds, Bagnaia will need to up the ante if he is to challenge Martin for the championship title.
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