The Motorland Aragon circuit hosted the 12ᵉ round of the 2024 MotoGP championship, marking Marc Marquez's (Gresini) triumphant return to the top of the premier class after 1,043 days without a victory. The Spanish rider rode a masterful race, dominating the event from start to finish... Recap :
MotoGP: Sixth win for Marquez at Aragon, end of drought
Right from the start of the main race, reigning world champion Franscesco Bagnaia (Ducati) ran into difficulties, crossing the first bend in seventh position after having also missed his take-off in the Sprint (9th) the day before. Meanwhile, Marc Marquez (Gresini), on pole position, immediately took control, ahead of Pedro Acosta (GasGas-Tech3) and Jorge Martin (Ducati-Pramac).
First podium in Aragon for Jorge Martín
The eight-time world champion quickly took the lead, taking advantage of an incident between the overall leader and the rookie. Attempting to overtake Acosta, Martin touched the young rider, both going off the track, but retaining their positions ahead of Alex Marquez (Gresini). Martin then consolidated his second place, while Acosta, struggling against the Ducatis, was finally overtaken by Alex Marquez, temporarily losing his place on the podium.
Bagnaia's setbacks...
After a slow start, Pecco Bagnaia slowly found his rhythm. On lap 9, he took advantage of a mistake by Franco Morbidelli (Ducati) to move up to fifth, followed by Brad Binder (KTM). On lap 12, he even passed Acosta to close in on the podium. However, his race took a dramatic turn with five laps to go. Battling with Alex Marquez, Bagnaia tried to overtake from the outside, but the two riders collided, sending Bagnaia under Alex Marquez's Gresini before both ending up in the gravel trap.
The incident could have had serious consequences for the Italian, who dominates at the Red Bull Ring, but fortunately escaped unhurt. So, perhaps Alex Marquez closed the door a little early or, although the Spaniard claims not to have seen him, should he have cut the throttle? Opinions differ... His brother, winner of the race, also had something to say on the subject: “Pecco was optimistic about overtaking him from the outside, trying to use that clean line, because if you go out on the dirty line, everything becomes more risky.” Before he described the situation as “very unlucky”.
MotoGP Aragon 2024 sprint race results :
Aragon Motorcycle Grand Prix 2024 race results :
Untouchable throughout the race, Marc Marquez cruised to victory by a 5-second margin, his first win since the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in October 2021. Jorge Martin, powerless against Marquez's pace, secured a crucial second place, extending his championship lead to 23 points. Pedro Acosta completed the podium, benefiting from the collision between Bagnaia and Alex Marquez. It was also his first double podium since the Grand Prix of the Americas.
It has to be said that the rookie could approach this Grand Prix with confidence, building on his past success at Motorland Aragon. In 2022, he scored an impressive victory in the Moto2 category on this circuit. Before the race, Nicolas Goyon, Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 Team Manager, reiterated his confidence in his young rider: “The results haven't been what Pedro had hoped for in the last few races, we're all aware of that and we're working hard to help him and give him the bike that will allow him to get back to the top.” It's already done.
The last winner on the Motorland Aragon circuit, Enea Bastianini (Ducati), who started 14th, put in a solid second half of the race to finish fifth, taking advantage of the incidents in front of him. Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha), just outside the top-10, crashed out on the sixth lap, putting an end to his points hopes. Johann Zarco (LCR Honda) finished fourteenth, taking two important points. For the first time since this year's Portuguese Grand Prix, three Hondas finished in the points, with Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda, 12th) and Joan Mir (Repsol Honda, 15th) accompanying Zarco.
MotoGP Aragon: Johann Zarco too conservative?
Zarco expressed his disappointment after the race, describing his performance as “conservative” due to a lack of grip. Despite scoring two points, the French rider, who won at Suzuka and was rewarded this weekend (see video), was hoping for better after finishing 10th on the grid.
For his part, Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) also expressed his frustration after a race marked by grip problems, with the Niçois clearly struggling with his machine. “A disaster from the start”, both for him and for Yamaha, which recently appointed Paolo Pavesio, already in European management of its racing activities, as successor to Lin Jarvis (since 1999) at the helm of Yamaha Motor Racing, the division which manages the MotoGP program.
MotoGP 2024 riders' standings after the Aragon GP (02/09/2024)
Will the Grand Prix of Aragon be remembered as the scene of the return of the “Prince of Aragon”, Marc Marquez (Ducati-Gresini), to the pinnacle of MotoGP? With this major incident for Bagnaia (Ducati), the cards could well be reshuffled for the world title. After a perfect weekend, Marc Marquez (Ducati-Gresini) is now third in the championship, 70 points behind the leader.
MotoGP 2024 race calendar
The Spanish track precedes the double stage at Misano.
1 Qatar Grand Prix (Losail circuit), March 10. Winner: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati).
2 Portuguese Grand Prix (Circuit Internacional do Algarve), March 24. Winner: Jorge Martín (Ducati). Argentine Grand Prix (Termas de Río Hondo), April 7.3 Grand Prix of the Americas (Circuit des Amériques), April 14. Winner: Maverick Viñales (Aprilia)
4 Spanish Grand Prix (Circuit de Jerez), April 28. Winner: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
5 French Grand Prix (Le Mans Bugatti circuit), May 12. Winner: Jorge Martin (Ducati)
6 Catalan Grand Prix (Barcelona-Catalunya circuit), May 26. Winner: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
7 Italian Grand Prix (Mugello circuit), June 2. Winner: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) Kazakhstan Grand Prix (Sokol International Racetrack), June 16. REPORT 8 Dutch Grand Prix (TT circuit Assen), June 30. Winner: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
9 German Grand Prix (Sachsenring circuit), July 7. Winner: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
10 British Grand Prix (Silverstone circuit), August 4. Winner: Enea Bastianini (Ducati)
11 Austrian Grand Prix (Spielberg circuit), August 18. Winner: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
12 Aragon Grand Prix (Motorland Aragon circuit), September 1. Winner : Marc Marquez (Gresini)
13 San Marino Grand Prix (Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli), September 8. Indian Grand Prix (Buddh International Circuit), September 22. CANCELLATIONKazakhstan Grand Prix (Sokol International Racetrack), September 22. CANCELLATION14 Grand Prix d'Emilie-Romagne (Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli), September 22
15 Indonesian Grand Prix (Mandalika International Street circuit), September 29.
16 Japanese Grand Prix (Twin Ring Motegi circuit), October 6.
17 Australian Grand Prix (Phillip Island Circuit), October 20.
18 Thai Grand Prix (Chang International circuit), October 27.
19 Malaysian Grand Prix (Sepang International circuit), November 3.
20 Valencia Grand Prix (Ricardo Tormo circuit), November 17.
With Marc Marquez holding the record for most wins in a single season (13), can Bagnaia (now 7/12) match or even surpass it this year? Or does the Aragon GP mark the end of Ducati hegemony, as Pol Espargaró recently suggested? As a reminder, he recently stated that “2025 will mark the beginning of the end of Ducati domination”. Only time will tell.
