Maverick Vinales, Aprilia Racing Team, Emilia Romagna MotoGP 2024
Maverick Vinales, Aprilia Racing Team, Emilia Romagna MotoGP 2024
© Gold and Goose

Emilia Romagna MotoGP: Sprint as it happened

Text coverage of qualifying and the sprint for the 2024 MotoGP Emilia Romagna Grand Prix as it happened.

Jorge Martin looks to extend a seven-point lead in the MotoGP standings with back-to-back Misano sprint victories on Saturday at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. 

The Pramac rider led every lap of the San Marino GP sprint despite starting from fourth on the grid, but will have his work cut out for him this time around after Francesco Bagnaia dominated to take pole earlier on Saturday at the Emilia Romagna GP.

The factory Ducati team rider the strongest on long run pace on Friday - though Martin was very closely matched as a duel between the pair this weekend is brewing. 

Marc Marquez has the momentum of back-to-back grand prix wins coming into the Emilia Romagna GP and is looking to slash a 53-point championship deficit, but a crash in qualifying has left him with work to do from seventh.

The sprint begins at 2pm BST.

21 Sep 2024
14:44

That's all from us for Saturday. 

Thanks for your company and join us again on Sunday for live coverage of the Emilia Romagna GP. 

Remember, the race starts an hour earlier tomorrow. Lights out at 12pm BST. 

14:43

sprint report

Read the full race report from the 2024 Emilia Romagna GP sprint.

14:23

chequered flag - bagnaia wins sprint

Bagnaia holds off Martin to exact revenge on the Pramac rider for his defeat in the San Marino GP sprint. 

It's brought the championship lead down to just four points. 

Bastianini completes the podium ahead of Marquez, Acosta, Binder, Quartararo, Bezzecchi and Morbidelli. 

14:21

penalty

Raul Fernandez now has a long lap penalty for exceeding track limits. He is 15th just now. 

14:20

final lap

Onto the last lap and Bagnaia continues to lead Martin, his advantage standing at 0.540s. 

14:19

lap 12/13

Onto the penultimate lap and Bagnaia's lead is stable at around half a second. Does Martin have any response?

14:18

penalty 

Joan Mir has been given a long lap penalty for exceeding track limits too many times. The Honda rider is currently 18th.

14:18

lap 11/13

Bagnaia's lead is 0.5s over the line to start lap 11. 

14:17

Marquez made a mistake at Turn 13 last time around and he's got Acosta coming for his fourth place. 

14:16

lap 10/13

Bagnaia's lead is 0.414s over Martin with four laps to go. The Pramac rider looks like he's regrouped a bit.

14:15

Bagnaia is over half a second clear midway through lap nine. 

14:15

Lap 9/13

Bagnaia leads over the line, Martin has a track limits warning. That lap eight was a tough one for the Pramac rider.

14:14

But Martin makes a big mistake! He's wide at Turn 13 and Bagnaia leads!

14:14

Overtaking is so tough here at Misano. At the San Marino GP sprint, Bagnaia said he struggled so much in the wake of Martin's bike. He's going to have to invent something special to take the win from Martin here in these last few laps.

14:13

lap 8/13

Over the line to start lap eight and the gap between the pair is 0.3s. Martin is responding to Bagnaia's pace with a 1m30.9s last time around. 

14:12

Bagnaia has a big moment on the switch between Turns 5 and 6, and has lost a few tenths to Martin. 

14:12

lap 7/13

Bagnaia is pushing so hard here as he's right on Martin's tail now!

14:11

Bagnaia has really closed up in this last sector. 

14:11

lap 6/13

Bagnaia's pace remains strong as he posts a new race best of 1m30.792s to keep the pressure on Martin, but he hasn't been able to break the Pramac rider yet. 

14:09

Gap between Bastianini and Marquez is about eight tenths, with Acosta steadily edging towards the Gresini rider on this lap five. 

14:09

lap 5/13

Martin back into the 1m30s and gets his lead out to 0.568s across the line after a small mistake from Bagnaia on lap four. 

14:08

Bagnaia's pace is supreme here. Only rider in the 1m30s last time around. 

14:07

lap 4/13

Martin's lead shrinks to 0.5s over the line to start lap four. Bastianini has a track limits warning in third, as does Quartararo in seventh. 

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