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Francesco Bagnaia impeccably converted his pole position and returned back to winning ways at the picturesque Algarve International Circuit with Suzuki’s Joan Mir in second and Jack Miller in third.
2021 champion Fabio Quartararo crashed out late on in the race which ended his dream of reaching the 300-point mark this campaign.
Starting Grid
On pole position was Bagnaia, who set an impressive 1:38.725 during Saturday’s Q2 session. The Italian lined up on the front row alongside Miller and Mir in third.
Both Pramac Ducati riders fronted row two. Jorge Martin started fourth with Johann Zarco in fifth and Repsol Honda’s Pol Espargaro in sixth. Fabio Quartararo lined up in seventh alongside Alex Marquez and Franco Morbidelli on the third row of the grid.
Iker Lecuona started his penultimate MotoGP race from 10th. The Spaniard who is moving to World Superbikes in 2022 lined up ahead of his compatriot Alex Rins in 11th and Luca Marini in 12th.
Fresh from another podium in Misano last time out, Enea Bastianini started 13th and was joined on the fifth row of the grid by Aleix Espargaro and Danilo Petrucci. Valentino Rossi lined up in 16th in his penultimate MotoGP outing with the Italian joined by home hero Miguel Oliveira and Maverick Vinales on row six.
Brad Binder fronted row seven and lined up ahead of Stefan Bradl, who came in for the unfit Marc Marquez, and Andrea Dovizioso with Takaaki Nakagami starting at the back of the grid in 22nd.
As It Happened
It was Miller who got the holeshot off the line however Bagnaia reclaimed the lead by turn two. Martin ran in third momentarily but Mir snatched the position straight back at the tight turn five.
Tech3 KTM’s Petrucci was the first retirement of the race after he lost the front at turn four.
Meanwhile, Mir lifted himself into second place ahead of Miller. The reigning MotoGP champion hunted for his first win of the season as he chased down Bagnaia. Alex Marquez also looked for his best result of the season as he dived up the inside of Pol Espargaro aa he claimed fifth place.
At the start of lap two, Quartararo was there to pounce as Lecuona ran himself and Pol Espargaro wide which promoted the Frenchman into sixth.
Mir chased Bagnaia into forming a gap between the rest of the pack as the leader showed no signs of slipping up.
Alex Marquez claimed another position as he made a tidy move on Martin at turn four on lap six. Their thrilling battle continued through sector two as they ran side by side through turn six, however, the LCR man managed to hold on to fourth.
Lecuona made his second blunder at turn one in a handful of laps, as he dropped from eighth to 12th on lap seven.
Exactly a lap later, his fellow Spaniard, Aleix Espargaro, became the next rider to crash out of the race. Thankfully, the Aprilia man walked away from his fast crash at turn one.
Marquez made a brave dive up the inside of Miller at turn one on lap 12 as he moved into the podium places before gaps started to form between riders.
On lap 18, despite a difficult few laps after some mistakes, Quartararo moved back into sixth place as he made a move on Zarco.
Miller and Marquez continued their battle for third. The Australian managed to get past the Spaniard on lap 19, but Marquez was quick to get back past on the switchback.
A lap later, the battle between Zarco and Quartararo also continued, as the former effortlessly glided past the Yamaha man along the main straight.
Zarco claimed fifth place away from Martin on lap 21 by replicating the move he completed on Quartararo a lap prior. Quartararo followed his fellow Frenchman past Martin at turn three, which promoted him up to a sixth-place.
Miller also made moves as he finally got past Marquez into turn five, before Quartararo lost the front moments later and crashed out of the race on lap 21.
On lap 23, the race was halted after Oliveira and Lecuona crashed at turn 13. Thankfully, both riders walked away and the race was not resumed meaning Bagnaia clinched his third win of the season in dominant style with Mir and Miller completing the rostrum.
Alex Marquez, Zarco, Pol Espargaro, Martin, Rins, Bastianini and Binder rounded out the top 10 finishers.
Bagnaia’s win, Miller’s podium as well as strong finishes from the Pramac Ducati riders secured the constructors’ title for Ducati.
What’s Next?
An emotional final round of the season awaits in Valencia in a week’s time at the Circuito Ricardo Tormo where Valentino Rossi will ride his 371st and final outing of his illustrious 26-year MotoGP career as he hangs up his leathers.
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