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Follow the Grand Prix Catalunya live. This MotoGP race starts at 14:00 on 26 May 2024. Find race results, calendar, standings, scores and all of this season’s MotoGP races.
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BAGNAIA BURIES BARCELONA DEMONS WITH CATALAN GP VICTORY
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Racing) bounced back in style to win the Catalan Grand Prix in Barcelona.
Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) and Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) broke away from the field in the first half of the race, but Martin was left lonely at the top when Acosta's front folded at Turn 10.
Bagnaia came into his own in the second half of proceedings, gradually taking time out of Martin and closing down a one-second gap to the championship leader. Bagnaia took the lead on Lap 19, diving down the inside at Turn 5, the very spot he crashed out of yesterday's Sprint, and disappeared into the distance from there.
Martin had to settle for second while Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) completed the podium, having come back from P14 on the grid.
THANK YOU AND GOODBYE
That's it for the Catalan GP for this year - thank you for your company through today's action. MotoGP will be back already next weekend with the Italian Grand Prix at iconic Mugello - see you then!
BAGNAIA POST-RACE
"I was very angry about yesterday, but I knew the potential was good enough to win the race. I tried everything. The start wasn't easy because all the riders were pushing a lot. But then when I saw they were starting to struggle a bit with the front, I started to push more and the pace was fantastic, the bike was fantastic, my team did an incredible job yesterday to set up the bike again. I'm very happy and now looking forward to my home GP."
MARTIN POST-RACE
"I'm super happy, super proud of my race - today was a tough one! Starting from seventh, it was a difficult one, but I executed the first corner perfectly, going up into fourth. Then I felt great, I felt I was saving some tyre even though I was overtaking other riders. At some point I felt Pecco [Bagnaia] had something else. I tried to keep the pace, always, and in the end, I had nothing left in my pocket. I just tried to finish; I saw we had a big gap [to third], I tried to put some pressure on Pecco [Bagnaia], but it was difficult."
MARQUEZ POST-RACE
"I chose the soft rear tyre which I knew was more risky, but it was the only solution to be able to attack from the beginning. Because, usually, with the medium, you're stuck there behind the others in the beginning and then you cannot possibly overtake. So the grid position of 14th place forced me to choose the soft. Unluckily, I started poorly, I didn't make a good start, and then, step by step, I knew that the race was long, I didn't want to stress the tyres and then when I caught and overtook Aleix [Espargaro], I wanted to push, but the tyre was already finished. But I was able to defend the position, so I'm super happy. I'm sorry for Aleix [Espargaro] because it was his last race here in Catalunya, but happy that at a difficult circuit we are with these top guys again."
BAGNAIA WINS IN CATALUNYA
No errors today, Bagnaia brings the win home with Martin taking the chequered flag in runner-up spot. M Marquez manages to hold Espargaro behind him for third.
POSITIONS SETTLED
Martin has now definitely settled for second and the race is Bagnaia's for the taking.
ESPARGARO NOT DONE YET
The fight for third is still wide open with Espargaro still stalking M Marquez closely.
BAGNAIA'S TO LOSE
With more than eight tenths in his favour now, this is Bagnaia's race to lose. Martin is in a comfortable runner-up spot with more than nine seconds over M Marquez in third.
MARQUEZ INTO THIRD
Coming out of the slipstream, M Marquez takes third off Espargaro.
BAGNAIA GAINS GROUND
It's more than half a second already between Bagnaia and Martin.
BAGNAIA TAKES THE LEAD
Wasting no time, Bagnaia sees a chance at Turn 5, dives down the inside and makes it stick.
FRONT DUO
Bagnaia has now caught Martin.
MARQUEZ INTO FOURTH
Down the straight and out of the slipstream, M Marquez takes R Fernandez for fourth. Espargaro is three tenths ahead.
GAP COMES DOWN
Bagnaia is now starting to take serious time out of Martin. It's half a second separating them now.
FIGHT FOR THIRD
Espargaro is heading the fight for third just ahead of R Fernandez. However, M Marquez is faster than both of them and already all over R Fernandez' rear.
BAGNAIA CATCHES
Bagnaia keeps taking time out of Martin, albeit marginally. The gap is on around eight tenths.
BIG GAPS AT THE FRONT
Martin, left in a lonely lead, holds around a second of an advantage. However, Bagnaia is the slightly faster rider at the moment. He, in turn, has more than four seconds on Espargaro in third.
WHICH MOTOGP RACES ARE ON TNT SPORTS? WHAT IS DISCOVERY+?
TNT Sports will broadcast every MotoGP race, from the season opener in Qatar to the final race in Valencia on November 17.
The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination.
You can also watch TNT Sports through BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.
DEGRADATION HITS
Binder's tyres are done as his lap times keep dropping and he falls into the clutches of M Marquez who has finally found a way past Morbidelli.
ACOSTA DOWN
Acosta's front end folds at Turn 10 and the KTM goes down. He is able to rejoin the race.
ESPARGARO CHARGES
Espargaro comes out of the slipstream and claims Binder before they even reach the T1 braking zone. R Fernandez too capitalises to go past the KTM.
TYRE CHECK
Martin continues to lead Acosta. Mind Martin is on the medium, Acosta on the soft rear tyre - on paper, the advantage over race distance should be with the Ducati.
FRONT GAPS CHANGE
It's now a full second in Martin and Acosta's favour. In contrast, Binder is losing touch to Bagnaia and falling into the clutches of Espargaro.
TOP DUO BREAK
Martin and Acosta now have a seven tenths buffer over Bagnaia and Binder who themselves hold half a second over Espargaro and R Fernandez.
MARQUEZ STUCK IN EIGHTH
M Marquez is so far struggling to replicate yesterday's comeback, finding no way past Morbidelli in seventh.
ACOSTA INTO SECOND
Acosta now claims Bagnaia for second and becomes Martin's first chaser.
TOP 4 BREAK
The top six group has become a group of four with R Fernandez and Espargaro losing touch.
MARTIN TAKES THE LEAD
Martin sees a chance to dive down Bagnaia's inside, goes for it, and makes it stick.
MARTIN INTO SECOND
Martin increases the pressure on Acosta and it pays off as he claims second.
TOP SIX ESCAPE
More than 1.5 seconds separate the top six from the rest of the field led by Morbidelli.
ACOSTA ATTACKS
Acosta tries for the lead, there is a bit of contact, and Bagnaia holds firm.
MARTIN LEADS THE CHARGE
Martin clearly saw the front duo escape and has closed the gap right back down, dragging Binder, Espargaro, and R Fernandez with him.
GAP AT THE FRONT
Bagnaia is under intense pressure from Acosta, but, nevertheless, the front duo has already gained around half a second of an advantage over the field.
MARTIN CHARGES
Martin claims Binder for third as the front duo are already stretching away.
BAGNAIA STEALS HOLESHOT
It's Bagnaia with the best getaway and beats Acosta to the holeshot. Binder is fourth from Martin and Espargaro.
WARM UP LAP
The riders are out on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and we're just about ready to go racing.
Pedro Acosta and Jack Miller have now also made a late swap to a medium/soft tyre combination.
TYRE NEWS AND WEATHER REPORT
There's not a cloud in the sky in Barcelona and temperatures are up to the hottest conditions of the weekend. Expect some intense tyre degradation today.
Tyre-wise, a medium/medium combination is the popular choice with everyone except the Marquez brothers opting for it. The Gresini duo is on medium/soft.
ACOSTA EXPECTING CHALLENGING RACE
Pedro Acosta bagged yet another podium in yesterday's Sprint but admitted that it was a tough one out in the Barcelona heat. He is expecting more of the same in the full race:
"The Sprint for sure was the toughest race of my short MotoGP career; how we need to manage the tyre, how we can not make any mistake on the throttle to not overheat. It was hard to manage, but it's more information for the full race and we survived a difficult race - there were many strange crashes, it's all about the low grip and the heat.
"We don't have a plan [for the Grand Prix race]. We suffered with the soft tyre in the Sprint, we might suffer also with the medium and also with the double race distance. It could be a funny race and also a mentally-challenging one.
MARQUEZ REALISTIC AFTER 'TOTALLY UNEXPECTED PODIUM'
Having worked his way from 14th to second in the Sprint, Marc Marquez is managing expectations for the Grand Prix race:
"The Sprint podium was totally unexpected and difficult to understand. I didn't have the pace all weekend but then I was on the level in the Sprint. I'm super happy that I'm able to do this type of race at a circuit where I struggle a lot.
"Let's see what we can do in the full race. We're starting again from P14, it will be difficult, but let's see what we can do."
BAGNAIA RUES MISSED OPPORTUNITY BUT KEEN TO TURN BARCELONA FORTUNES AROUND
Francesco Bagnaia continues to be haunted by the Barcelona curse, this circuit being one of the few where a GP podium has so far eluded it. However, the title defender hopes to take his strong pace into today's race and turn his fortunes around:
"It hurts a lot; we lost another opportunity to score points, I was finally leading in a Sprint, and I was doing everything perfect, so I'm very angry. The only thing about the crash to take from the data is that I was taking more care of the front, so maybe it's better to always push.
"But it's really strange; at a normal circuit this kind of crash doesn't happen, but here the grip level is very critical. For the full race it will be important to be more careful in some situation, but I was so strong and controlling.
"The Grand Prix race is very important. 44 points behind ... in the Sprint we had a chance to make up a lot of points, but I crashed. It will be important to start well again and be consistent with the tyres. We know we have the potential for a win. I will try to be more careful at Turn 5 because the crash in the Sprint was quite strange."
ESPARGARO READY TO CONTINUE DREAM WEEKEND
It's been a fairytale weekend so far, on and off the track, for Aleix Espargaro at his home Grand Prix. The Spaniard is keen to continue it today:
"One thing I learned during my career is that you must celebrate every single small victory, even if it's one fast lap that puts you into Q2, anything - you have to celebrate. Of course, [we have the Grand Prix race on], we won't party through the night, but you have to enjoy. It's my last season; Saturday has been a dream, not many riders can take the pole position and win the Sprint.
"I'm ready [for the Grand Prix race], it will be very special. The atmosphere I felt on the grid [before the Sprint] was a dream; I have my wife there, some friends, all the grand stands cheering my name ... the mood was amazing and I can't wait to be there again."
WHICH MOTOGP RACES ARE ON TNT SPORTS? WHAT IS DISCOVERY+?
TNT Sports will broadcast every MotoGP race, from the season opener in Qatar to the final race in Valencia on November 17.
The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination.
You can also watch TNT Sports through BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE SPRINT
It was a dramatic Sprint race in Catalunya as home favourite Aleix Espargaro came out victorious in stunning fashion as title defender Francesco Bagnaia crashed out of the lead on the final lap.
Read all about it:
WHAT HAPPENED IN QUALIFYING
Aleix Espargaro has been in formidable form so far this weekend and broke the lap record in qualifying to take pole position at his home event. He will share the front row with Francesco Bagnaia and Raul Fernandez.
Meanwhile, championship leader Jorge Martin crashed at the tail end of Q2 and could not exceed seventh place.
HELLO AND WELCOME
Good afternoon and welcome to our live text coverage of the Catalunya GP. The paddock has arrived at one of its most iconic homes at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and everything is served for an exciting weekend.
Having just announced his retirement at the end of the season, Aleix Espargaro has had a fairytale weekend so far, bagging both pole position and the Sprint win. He'd love to keep the trend going in the full race today but plenty of riders have ambitions and scores to settle after a dramatic day yesterday. Who will reign supreme in Barcelona? We're about to find out!
Catalunya GP Live - Espargaro chases fairytale weekend at final home Grand Prix