MotoGP Thailand GP: Bastianini wins sprint as Martin extends points lead

Enea Bastianini cruised to his second Saturday success of the MotoGP season as he saw off feuding title rivals Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia to win the Thailand Grand Prix Sprint race at Buriram.

The factory Ducati rider capitalised on a scuffle between Pramac's Martin and team-mate Bagnaia at the first corner to grab the lead of a race he would control right to the chequered flag.

He led home Martin in second place, the Spaniard getting the better of title rival Bagnaia to eke his overall advantage out to 22 points with Sunday’s full-length encounter still to come.

The race outcome would be largely assured moments after the start when Martin’s deep inside line into turn one sent him wide on the exit, taking Bagnaia out to the run-off with him and allowing Bastianini to slice past both on the long run to the hairpin.

Once in front Bastianini would assert his control to open up an early half-second advantage that he would extend out to a winning margin of 1.5s.

If Bastianini had it relatively easy out front, then Martin by contrast was made to work hard for second after slipping down to fifth place behind Bagnaia in the wake of their turn one skirmish.

Nevertheless, after disposing of Pedro Acosta and Marc Marquez, Martin set to work on relieving Bagnaia of second and duly succeeded with a well-judged overtake coming through the flip-flop at turns 10 and 11.

From here Martin would have the measure of his rival to hold position to the flag and nudge his advantage up with five races of the season remaining, including two sprints.

Enea Bastianini, Ducati Team (Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images)

In fourth, Marquez faded from the podium battle after a bright start, the Gresini rider having plenty in hand over brother and team-mate Alex Marquez in fifth after Acosta low-sided out of the position on lap four.

His exit allowed Ducati to lock out the entire top eight with Franco Morbidelli (Pramac), Marco Bezzecchi and Fabio di Giannantonio (both VR46) taking sixth, seventh and eighth respectively, with KTM’s Brad Binder the only point-scorer on alternative machinery in ninth.

MotoGP Thailand GP - Sprint results

Main Information Additional Data Additional Data Driver Info Driver Info

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Main Information Additional Data 1  -  2
Cla	Rider	#		Bike	Laps	Time	Interval	km/h	Retirement	Points
1	E. Bastianini Ducati Team	23		Ducati	13	-				12
2	J. Martin Pramac Racing	89		Ducati	13	+1.357 1.357	1.357			9
3	F. Bagnaia Ducati Team	1		Ducati	13	+2.372 2.372	1.015			7
4	M. Marquez Gresini Racing	93		Ducati	13	+5.402 5.402	3.030			6
5	A. Marquez Gresini Racing	73		Ducati	13	+10.140 10.140	4.738			5
6	F. Morbidelli Pramac Racing	21		Ducati	13	+11.087 11.087	0.947			4
7	M. Bezzecchi Team VR46	72		Ducati	13	+11.538 11.538	0.451			3
8	F. Di Giannantonio Team VR46	49		Ducati	13	+11.680 11.680	0.142			2
9	B. Binder Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	33		KTM	13	+13.692 13.692	2.012			1
10	F. Quartararo Yamaha Factory Racing	20		Yamaha	13	+14.483 14.483	0.791
11	J. Miller Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	43		KTM	13	+18.397 18.397	3.914
12	J. Zarco Team LCR	5		Honda	13	+18.544 18.544	0.147
13	J. Mir Repsol Honda Team	36		Honda	13	+19.265 19.265	0.721
14	R. Fernández Trackhouse Racing Team	25		Aprilia	13	+19.688 19.688	0.423
15	A. Espargaro Aprilia Racing Team	41		Aprilia	13	+19.988 19.988	0.300
16	A. Fernandez Tech 3	37		KTM	13	+21.298 21.298	1.310
17	A. Rins Yamaha Factory Racing	42		Yamaha	13	+21.413 21.413	0.115
18	T. Nakagami Team LCR	30		Honda	13	+23.400 23.400	1.987
19	L. Marini Repsol Honda Team	10		Honda	13	+23.979 23.979	0.579
20	M. Viñales Aprilia Racing Team	12		Aprilia	13	+29.474 29.474	5.495
21	L. Savadori Trackhouse Racing Team	32		Aprilia	13	+39.389 39.389	9.915
dnf	P. Acosta Tech 3	31		KTM	10	3 laps			Retirement
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