VIDEO Expensive mistake Espargaro in MotoGP: Spaniard stops lap too early | Sport

The 23-year-old Quartararo, who took the world title in the premier class last year, came on 147 points. He took advantage of a blunder from Aleix Espargaro, the Spanish number 2 in the standings. Espargaro, who had started from pole position, headed for second place in front of his own crowd. Espargaro however, going into the last lap thought the race was already over. The Aprilia driver got up, slowed down and waved to the crowd. It wasn’t until some other drivers had rushed past at high speed that Espargaro realized he had one more lap to go.

The Spaniard crossed the finish line disillusioned in fifth place and saw his deficit in the World Cup at Quartararo rise to 22 points. The winner was joined on the podium by Spaniard Jorge Martin (second) and his compatriot Johann Zarco (third).

The Italian Francesco Bagnaia, who triumphed in front of his own crowd in Mugello last week, was already knocked down in the first corner by the Japanese Takaaki Nakagami. It slid down and took Bagnaia and Spaniard Alex Rins into the gravel. Italian Enea Bastianini, the number 3 in the World Cup standings, also crashed in Barcelona and was left without points. Bastianini saw his gap with Quartararo increase to 53 points after nine of the twenty grands prix.