Jorge Martin snapped a nine-race winless run and extended his MotoGP world championship lead with victory in the Indonesian Grand Prix, the Ducati rider making immediate amends for crashing from the lead in Saturday’s sprint by winning from pole position.
The Spaniard, who fell on the opening lap at the Mandalika circuit in Saturday’s 13-lap sprint, was peerless in searing heat in Lombok, leading from start to finish to win by 1.404 seconds, his third Grand Prix victory of the year and first since the French Grand Prix in May.
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Spanish 20-year-old sensation Pedro Acosta (GasGas) equalled the best result of his rookie season with second place, while Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia, the reigning world champion who won Saturday’s sprint, recovered from a poor start to round out the podium.
Martin’s victory, which came after he crashed from a three-second lead in Indonesia a year ago, saw his series lead swell to 21 points over Bagnaia in an attritional race where just 12 of the 21 starters made it to the chequered flag.
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Outside championship contenders and Ducati duo Enea Bastianini and Marc Marquez both failed to finish, Bastianini crashing on lap 21 of 27 from third place after setting the fastest lap one lap earlier, while Marquez’s bike caught fire on lap 12 when the six-time MotoGP world champion was in sixth place.
“I am very happy, this is not just a victory because I think after what happened last season, after yesterday’s crash, to perform this way was quite difficult,” Martin said.
“I had a lot of … not doubts, because I trust in myself, but I thought I would crash in every corner. To be able to find that feeling during the race and to win today with this gap was incredible. We are ready for the next.”
Australia’s Jack Miller crashed out seconds into the race, the KTM rider falling as the field thundered through the third corner of the first lap and skittling Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro, Honda’s Luca Marini and Ducati’s Alex Marquez, all four riders eliminated on the spot.
Miller, who qualified in 16th place and finished out of the points in 11th in the sprint, wasn’t penalised for the crash after an investigation from race stewards.
The third leg of MotoGP’s triple-header takes place at the Motegi circuit in Japan next Sunday (October 6), with five rounds remaining in the 2024 season.
Source Agencies
