Ducati Lenovo’s Pecco Bagnaia claimed his first victory of the 2022 season in stunning style at the Spanish Grand Prix despite a damage shoulder.
The Italian was tailed throughout the race by Monster Energy Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo with the duo dominant as they crossed the line over ten seconds clear of Aleix Espargaro’s Aprilia. The Spaniard’s dream season continuing as his third podium promoted him to second in the championship standings.
Bagnaia was back on pole, his first with the GP22, as the 25-lap race prepared under the southern Spanish sun. Yamaha’s reigning champion lining up alongside with Espargaro continuing his dominant run on the RS-GP from third.
The Italian grabbed the holeshot with teammate Jack Miller sandwiching Quartararo from third, Espargaro bickering with Marc Marquez off the line as the Aprilia dropped to sixth with LCR’s Takaaki Nakagami capitalising with a move to fourth. Pramac’s Jorge Martin enduring another disastrous race day as he crashed out at turn 13 alongside wildcard rider Stefan Bradl.
Bagnaia held a two-tenth lead after two laps around the Andalucian circuit, Quartararo a further four ahead of the Australian with Marquez, Espargaro and Joan Mir equally spaced behind. Maverick Viñales struggling once again with a new rear tyre on the Aprilia as he circulated in 20th despite his 12th place grid start.
Nakagami had Marco Bezzecchi for company as the Mooney VR46 held a top eight position by lap four, Johann Zarco and Brad Binder completing the leading ten on the Pramac and KTM machines respectively with Enea Bastianini, Pol Espargaro and Miguel Oliveira behind.
LCR Castrol’s Alex Marquez made a move on Suzuki’s Alex Rins for 14th as the race unfolded. The Ecstar rider enduring a difficult race day compared to his stunner last time out with Monster Energy’s Franky Morbidelli just adrift of the points and heading class rookie Darryn Binder on the WithU RNF. The South African’s progress was short lived, however, after the number 40 joined the turn two club on lap six.
The commanding duo circulated half a second quicker than the rest of the pack as their lead extended. Miller running over two seconds adrift as lap eight began while Marquez looked to reel him in on the Repsol Honda. Espargaro remaining in check on the Aprilia with Mir and Nakagami around a second apiece back in the top seven.
Lap ten saw Rins drop to 22nd after running wide and across the gravel at turn 12 and Zarco crash the second Pramac out at turn five. Miller coming under pressure from the eight-time world champion as Bradl suffered his second fall of the race, at turn one.
Oliveira was up to 12th having started 21st at mid-race distance, albeit two seconds shy of Pol Espargaro and Binder ahead. The battle for third intensifying as the Honda and Aprilia dug in behind the Ducati of Miller.
Bezzecchi and Bastianini continued to circulated strongly in eighth and ninth with Nakagami showcasing his skills on the HRC - with contract negotiations hanging in the air - from seventh.
Quartararo was within half a second of Bagnaia out front with 11 laps remaining. Espargaro beginning to take a look at Miller and Marquez ahead of him before settling back in fifth, at least for now.
The battle for third was inseparable with eight to go, the Spanish fans relishing the action with the home heroes continually frustrated by the Australian ahead. Seven seconds separating them from the dominating victors out front with the front-running pace still half second faster than the rest.
Five laps remaining and Marquez finally made the move stick into Sito Pons corner, Miller attempting to fight back before Espargaro leapfrogged the pair on his way to podium contention at the final corner as the Repsol rider saved a moment on his left knee. Miller this time managing to fight back on Marquez as he returned to fourth at turn one.
The Aprilia had its head down as the fourth lap played out, a half-second gap building quickly as he looked to protect another podium celebration. Quartararo bridging the gap to Bagnaia two laps later.
The final lap began with four-tenths splitting the leaders and a full ten seconds to best of the rest. Marquez getting the better of Miller into turn eight for fourth positions as the crowd went wide, with Bagnaia meeting the flag by a mere 0.285s from the hard-charging M1.
Espargaro claimed his third podium of the 2022 season from Marquez and Miller with Mir completing the top six. Nakagami led home Bastianini and Bezzecchi as the Italian duo swapped positions in the closing stages with Binder, Espargaro and Oliveira maintaining their 10th to 12th positions across the line. Alex Marquez, Viñales and Morbidelli collecting the final points on offer ahead of Luca Marini, Andrea Dovizioso and Fabio Di Giannantonio with Rins completing a disappointing home GP in 19th. Remy Gardner, Aprilia test rider Lorenzo Savadori and remounted Martin the final finishers.
