Fabio Di Giannantonio received the FIM MotoGP World Championship race Sunday night time at Lusail Worldwide Circuit, in Doha, Qatar. Driving his Gresini Ducati Demosedici, the Italian received the 22-lap race by 2.734 seconds. It was Di Giannantonio’s career-first MotoGP race win.
Defending World Champion and present Championship level chief Francesco Bagnaia was the runner-up on his Lenovo Ducati, and Mooney VR46 Racing Crew Ducati’s Luca Marini positioned third.
Bagnaia’s solely remaining challenger within the Championship, Jorge Martin, completed tenth. In consequence, Bagnaia’s level lead elevated from seven to 21 factors over Martin with one spherical remaining and 37 factors nonetheless up for grabs.
Extra, from a press launch issued by Dorna:
#PECCOvsMARTIN: Bagnaia rolls the cube as Diggia takes gorgeous maiden win
The quantity 49 makes slightly historical past to defeat the reigning Champion, however the 20-point haul for the #1 sees the lead improve to 21 factors
Sunday, 19 November 2023
It was tense. It was superior. And it was received in type – defeating the reigning Champion over 22 laps of the Lusail Worldwide Circuit. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) trailed Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Crew) for a lot of the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar, picked his second, made a decisive transfer for the lead, after which saved it collectively to turn into a MotoGP™ race winner. And all that within the unbelievable context and pressure of #PECCOvsMARTIN.
That context and pressure was Bagnaia main the best way for a lot of the race and Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) going through a comeback after a foul begin, earlier than then dropping extra positions too as he light right down to tenth. Bagnaia didn’t appear to know that both, because the #1 practically opened the aim for himself as he tried to assault Diggia in return and sailed into the run off at Flip 1. With the hole behind sufficient for him to get again on observe in second, it was a coronary heart in mouth second however solely a second.
Third went to Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Crew) because the quantity 10 obtained his elbows out within the struggle on the entrance after which discovered sufficient within the locker to carry off a cost from Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) over the ultimate few laps. However let’s rewind.
Because the lights went out, all the pieces modified straight away. Cut up by simply 0.022 and one place on the grid, by the exit of Flip 1 Bagnaia had shot by means of to steal the holeshot from Marini as Martin suffered a troublesome begin and dropped again to eight, behind teammate Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing). Not lengthy after that the workforce confirmed the Frenchman who was behind him too, and he both had a second and dropped again or heeded a message and let Martin by means of. With the added complication of Viñales glued to the rear wheel of the quantity 89 and getting previous as effectively.
Proper on the entrance although, Bagnaia held agency with just a few tenths in hand – forward of fairly a squabble too. Diggia obtained by means of on Marini and Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) tried to observe swimsuit, however needed to wait just a few corners earlier than he obtained by means of. Brad Binder (Purple Bull KTM Manufacturing facility Racing) wanted no invitation to slice previous the quantity 10 both, earlier than additionally attacking Alex Marquez. Unhindered by the battle, Bagnaia marched on. And so did Diggia – capable of unleash his tempo and begin to reel within the Ducati Lenovo machine forward.
Martin had his arms full too. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Crew) was proper on his tail and Viñales proper behind the quantity 93, with Zarco watching on and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Power Yamaha MotoGP™) catching the group as effectively.
On the entrance, Bagnaia and Di Giannantonio nonetheless had Binder for firm, however the hole would begin to improve from there on out because the KTM was left to battle Alex Marquez and Marini as a substitute. The gaps behind Martin, nonetheless, have been even smaller as a queue was forming behind the quantity 89.
Viñales was the primary mover within the group to get previous Marc Marquez after which stalk Martin earlier than making a transfer. As soon as previous, the Aprilia was gone. The Repsol Honda then attacked and took over earlier than heading broad, letting Martin and Quartararo again by means of. El Diablo wasted no time in then dispatching Martin, leaving Jack Miller (Purple Bull KTM Manufacturing facility Racing) subsequent up because the quantity 89 was right down to eighth once more. Miller was by means of with 10 to go, and subsequent up was Zarco. What would the Frenchman do?
The battle for victory, nonetheless, was now a duel: Bagnaia vs Diggia. The laps ticked down and the hole went out to a couple tenths then again down, however no transfer was made in a tense recreation of chess. Lap by lap, the 2 marched on spherical Lusail.
Loads of strikes have been made within the podium struggle although as Viñales arrived at Binder, Alex Marquez and Marini, with too many headlines to decide on because the elbows got here out.
By 5 to go, “Mapping 8” appeared on Diggia’s dashboard, earlier than “0000000” appeared on his pit board. Everybody was left questioning what that precisely meant. Regardless, as Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Crew) additionally made his method by means of on Martin, extra factors within the title struggle have been on the road on the entrance as Diggia determined to make his transfer.
It was a fairly good one at that, squeezing by means of at Flip 12. And Bagnaia tried to answer on the cutback however Diggia shut the door. From there they headed spherical the ultimate sector after which nook earlier than blasting onto the primary straight, after which hearts went into mouths within the Ducati Lenovo field.
Bagnaia tucked in and gained down the straight earlier than pulling out to try to take the lead again – and couldn’t get it stopped. He managed to tug up sufficient to keep away from clattering into the Gresini and headed into the run off, then capable of scrub off the velocity and rejoin in second. Personal aim prevented for the Championship chief, however that was that if Di Giannantonio might do three extra clear laps of Lusail. And he might!
Crossing the road with 2.7 seconds in hand, the Italian turns into the eighth completely different winner of the season and takes an emotional maiden MotoGP™ victory. Bagnaia takes these 20 factors to increase the hole to 21 over Martin, with the Spaniard crossing the road in tenth after a dramatic weekend of contact within the Tissot Dash, slightly glory and disappointment for each riders, all the pieces on the road… and the title struggle definitively to be determined within the remaining spherical.
Marini accomplished the rostrum as he pulled sufficient out late on to remain out of vary of Viñales, with the Aprilia rider nonetheless charging as much as fourth. Fifth went to Binder, forward of Alex Marquez and Quartararo, who obtained extraordinarily near that struggle within the remaining laps. Bastianini additionally charged up the order, setting a scorcher late on and ending eighth forward of Miller.
Behind Martin, a remaining frisson of stress hovered within the type of Marc Marquez over the ultimate lap, however the quantity 93 couldn’t discover a method by means of. Zarco, proper behind each the quantity 93 and his personal teammate Martin, tried a transfer although – and made some contact with Marquez, the Honda staying up however Zarco barely, dropping again just a few seconds to take P12 solely tenths forward of Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Crew). Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Crew) and Rookie of the Yr Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Manufacturing facility Racing Tech3) accomplished the factors.
And so the curtain falls in Qatar for 2023, after a weekend of two halves for the title contenders and slightly chapter of superior historical past made for Di Giannantonio. Now, it’s actually all or nothing in Valencia. Bagnaia leads by 21 factors. 37 extra are on the desk… and the gloves will likely be off. Be part of us for the Grand Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana subsequent weekend – there will likely be fireworks!
