Francesco Bagnaia reclaims MotoGP title lead in Indonesia

One day in MotoGP is a long time as Pecco Bagnaia found out at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia.
By Maurice Montgomery
Published 18th Oct 2023, 21:09 BST
Updated 18th Oct 2023, 21:09 BST
Francesco Bagnaia celebrates his win with runner-up Maverick Vinales and Fabio QuartararoFrancesco Bagnaia celebrates his win with runner-up Maverick Vinales and Fabio Quartararo
Francesco Bagnaia celebrates his win with runner-up Maverick Vinales and Fabio Quartararo

The Italian could only manage eighth in Saturday’s Sprint race behind race winner and main title rival Jorge Martin.

Martin took the lead in the championship for the first time and looked odds-on to increase his lead in Sunday’s race as he led comfortably, three seconds clear of Maverick Vinales, before crashing out on lap 11.

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Bagnaia, starting from 13th, hit the front eight laps from home to take the chequered flag 0.306s ahead of Aprilia’s Vinales with Monster Energy Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo, the 2021 champion, completing the rostrum.

With five rounds remaining the Lenovo Ducati reigning champion heads to this weekend’s Australian MotoGP in the lead with an 18-point advantage over Martin.

“Incredible! I’m very happy,” said Bagnaia. “This win was so important.

"I was struggling at the weekend, my team again have done such an incredible job. I was trying to adapt and they gave to me the maximum. This morning in the warm-up I was very happy with what they did, and, in the race, we won again, finally, because it was a long time without a win after the crash in Barcelona.

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"Now I’m ready to fight all the way to the end like always.”

Spain’s Pedro Acosta has one hand on the Moto2 title after claiming his seventh win of the season.

British star Jake Dixon was fourth with Sam Lowes tenth.

Related topics:Indonesia