From a Correspondent
Aragon, Spain: Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing) beat Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) by just 0.042 seconds in a dramatic Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragon on Sunday.
That was however just one talking point in an astonishing race.
Eight-time world champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) made his competitive return at MotorLand Aragon and unwittingly set off what could prove a season-defining moment when Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) crashed heavily on Lap 1.
The current world championship leader escaped serious injury but walks away from Aragon with a zero.
In a small consolation for him, Bagnaia was unable to fully capitalise because of the exploits of Bastianini, his future team-mate.
The two Italians traded hot laps before Bastianini made his move on the 23rd and final lap and went on to score victory number four of the year.
Bagnaia closes to 10 points behind Quartararo at the top of the table – but it could have been just five with five races to go.
Still, Ducati scored another 25 points towards the constructors’ championship – and have already won that title for another year.
Mid-track mayhem
Bagnaia headed the field into Turn 1 after a dream start off pole position but it was a nightmare for several riders behind him.
From 13th on the grid, Marquez was up to sixth position when his rear tyre slipped exiting Turn 3 and he closed the throttle, leaving Quartararo with nowhere to go.
The Frenchman rammed the back of the RC213V and was thrown from his own YZR-M1.
The contact damaged Marquez’s Honda and there was essentially a repeat incident a few corners later when he was hit by Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu).
The Japanese rider’s fall sent the following field scattering every which way but everyone evaded missed the man stranded on the race track.
While Quartararo and Nakagami were out on the spot, Marquez did not get much further, pitting at the end of the lap in an early conclusion to his comeback.
Blinding Binder
Amid the mayhem, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) jumped from 10th on the grid to fifth off the start and then somehow beat another three bikes to be running second midway through Lap 1.
In less two miles, the South African had got past than Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team), Bastianini, and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing).
Miller however overtook the South African on Lap 3 and Bastianini did likewise exactly a lap later, putting the KTM back to fourth.
Another classic
At the front, Bastianini overtook Bagnaia on Lap 9 and it looked like the Gresini rider might be able to pull away, given the pace advantage he seemed to have over Pecco.
Instead, he outbraked himself half a lap later at Turn 12 and handed the lead back to Bagnaia and barely holding off Binder through the bus stop complex.
From there, however, Bagnaia and Bastianini cleared out, their margin over Binder up to one full second on Lap 12, two seconds on Lap 18, and three seconds after just one lap more.
The Bologna bullets traded quick laps around Aragon, and there was still no certainty over who would prevail.
Bastianini twice had looks at Turn 16 but thought better of it – would there be one last attack?
Turning the tables
Bastianini sprang a surprise move on his works counterpart on the final lap and got through.
Bagnaia gave chase and when he got a better run out of the final corner, it was still in the balance.
Fortunately for Bastianini, the finish line was close enough to the exit of the final turn and he was able to cling on by a margin of just 0.042 seconds.
It was payback for what had unfolded 14 days earlier at the San Marino GP. In the last two races, the total of the gaps between those two at the chequered flag is a mere 0.076 seconds.
The third podium placing went to Espargaro, who finished six seconds behind the top two but Binder was just 0.240 seconds behind him at the chequered flag.
Miller was just over half a second away for fifth place.
Up next is Round 16 of the MotoGP world championships, the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, at Mobility Resort Motegi on September 23, 24 and 25. (courtesy Eurosport)
Aragon GP top 10
1. Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™)
2. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 0.042
3. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) + 6.139
4. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) + 6.379
5. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 6.964
6. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) + 12.030
7. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) + 12.474
8. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) + 12.655
9. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 12.702
10. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) + 16.150
Also read: New MotoGP season kicks off with new faces, minus a prominent one
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