The Pramac Spaniard takes the ninth mini-race of the season. The World Championship will be decided tomorrow in the GP. Binder and Marc Marquez were also on the podium today
– Milan
Ninth symphony, but it’s early for the world championship concert. Jorge Martin in Valencia, the last GP of the season, he wins for the ninth time of the season Sprint Race and brings the world championship challenge with Pecco Bagnaia to the last act, the GP of the Valencian Community on Sunday 26 November. The Spanish of Ducati Pramac prevails in the short race on Saturday, an obligatory route to fuel world championship dreams, and thanks to the 5th place for the reigning champion Bagnaia takes himself to 14 points from him in the World Cup. Everything is still open with just one race to go until the end of a very long season: in the event of Martin’s further success tomorrow in Bagnaia, finishing 5th would be enough to retain the world championship crown. A feat within his reach, despite a Sprint that wasn’t a protagonist. At the basis of the difference in performance of the two contenders for the World Championship is probably the choice of the rear compound, with Martin wearing a soft one on the rear, like Brad Binder, second with the Ktm, and Marc Marquez, third with the Honda, while Bagnaia adopts an average with which he can only defend himself.
martin progress
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Martin wins, recovering progressively, first on Maverick Vinales, 4th with the Aprilia after the record pole, then on Binder, who threatens him until the end and comes within less than 2 tenths of a second. No direct duel with Bagnaia, if not on the 1st lap, in a crossroads resulting from a forehand by Pecco, taken very well, which opens a gap into which Binder and Marquez also slip. From then on Martin begins his ascent, also jostling with Marc Marquez complete with scars from the marks on his suit, while Bagnaia can only limit the damage.
Diggia doesn’t dare
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Pecco seems unable to push, unable to change pace and actually has to worry about keeping Fabio Di Giannantonio behind him in the final. The Roman from Ducati Gresini, who had beaten him in Qatar, doesn’t dare this time and gives the feeling of not wanting to take excessive risks after the victory at Losail. Understandably, the Borgo Panigale raison d’etat prevails. The points ranking is completed by Marco Bezzecchi (Ducati VR46), 8th Alex Marquez (Ducati Gresini) and 9th Johann Zarco (Ducati Pramac), while a lively Fabio Quartararo falls immediately after passing Bagnaia when he has a good pace from top-5.
a year in 27 laps
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Now everything is at stake in one match, with Bagnaia starting from a solid +14 on Martin and with the advantage, not only psychological, of staying ahead of him front on the grid: second versus sixth square. There will be 27 laps of the race with your heart in your mouth, with the knowledge that the slightest error, in tension, driving, technique or strategy will be fatal, in an intense and beautiful head-to-head between two champions. It’s nice and right that the epilogue of the Bagnaia-Martin duel is this. In the Valencia theater, set up for the final concert.
motogp valencia, sprint race ranking
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The Valencia Sprint Race ranking (top 9)
- Jorge Martin, Ducati Pramac 19:38.827
- Brad Binder, KTM +0.190
- Marc Marquez, Honda HRC +2.122
- Maverick Viñales, Aprilia +3,106
- Pecco Bagnaia, Ducati +4,253
- Fabio Di Giannantonio, Ducati Gresini +4,400
- Marco Bezzecchi, Ducati VR46 +4,502
- Alex Marquez, Ducati Gresini +5,578
- Johann Zarco, Ducati Gresini +5,910
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