Bagnaia outpaces Martin to win Austrian MotoGP sprint race
It was another duel between Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin as it was the Italian who got the upper hand at the Red Bull Ring, taking victory in Saturday's Sprint race.
![Bagnaia](https://media.citizen.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Pecco-Bagnaia-Sprint-race.jpeg)
Second placed Prima Pramac Racing’s Spanish rider Jorge Martin, first placed Ducati Lenovo Team’s Italian rider Francesco Bagnaia and third placed Aprilia Racing’s Spanish rider Aleix Espargaro celebrate on the podium after the Tissot Sprint Race of the Austrian MotoGP weekend at the Red Bull Ring racetrack in Spielberg, Austria on August 17, 2024. Picture: Jure Makovec / AFP.
Italian Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia raced clear to win the Austrian MotoGP sprint on Saturday and join Jorge Martin at the top of the championship standings.
Spaniard Martin of Ducati-Pramac finished second, while compatriot Aleix Espargaro of Aprilia completed the podium.
The reigning two-time MotoGP champion Bagnaia completed the 14 laps in 20 minutes 59.768 seconds, 4.673sec faster than pole-sitter Martin, who was hit with a penalty early in the sprint.
The duo now sit tied at the top of the championship standings ahead of Sunday’s Grand Prix, both on 250 points.
Enea Bastianini, fresh off a sprint-GP double at the British MotoGP, finished fourth on his Ducati and KTM’s Australian rider Jack Miller raced through in fifth place.
Six-time world champion Marc Marquez started third but slid off his Ducati-Gresini bike with five laps to go and did not finish.
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