-KTM’s Brad Binder finishes second
-Aprilia’s Pol Espargaro is third
-Pecco Bagnaia misses out on the podium
The 2024 season of the MotoGP World Championship got off to a mega start at the floodlit Lusail International Circuit in Qatar. Last year’s Championship runner up, Jorge Martin clinched victory in the first Sprint Race of this year, putting up a dominant performance. The Pramac Ducati rider led from the start of the race, fending off attacks from the fast starting Brad Binder who is racing for the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team.
Jorge Martin’s Sprint win doesn’t come as a surprise as he picked up from where he left last season. Martin is undoubtedly among the fastest riders on the grid and his pace during Sprint races has been his forte ever since the format was introduced last year. By bagging the win, Martin couldn’t have asked for a better start to his 2024 Championship campaign and he is sure to be pumped up for Sunday’s 22 Lap race.
Defending Champion, Pecco Bagnaia, riding for the Lenovo Factory Ducati Team, tried to salvage as many points as possible in the Sprint. The Italian was off the pace of the front runners in the beginning but slowly began to claw his way back up the field. He was running in third at one point before being passed by Aprilia Racing’s Aleix Espargaro. The Spaniard mounted a late charge, caught and passed Bagnaia after one failed attempt and sealed the third position for his team.
KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder was also in his element as he fought with Martin for the lead during the race. He finished in second position but it was notable to see that his KTM was pretty quick down Lusail’s start-finish straight, keeping up with Martin’s Ducati. We hope it is a sign of things to come this season as more manufacturers challenge Ducati’s domination in recent times.
With 12 points in the bag, Jorge Martin will be hoping to grab maximum points in tonight’s main race and build a strong lead in the Championship. For those watching in India, the Qatar GP begins at 10:30pm.
