BAGNAIA BEATS MARC MARQUEZ TO TAKE MAIDEN VICTORY

Italian Francesco Bagnaia held off a race long attack from Marc Marquez at Aragon to take his maiden MotoGP race victory.

After finishing second four times previously, Bagnaia broke through to take his first MotoGP win in dramatic fashion.

Marquez made a move for the lead on several occasions in the closing laps, however every time Bagnaia had an answer and fought back to retake the lead.

Bagnaia did not buckle under the pressure of the onslaught from Marquez to take the win.

In the end, it was the Italian who forced Marquez into an unforced error on the final lap.

The win was Ducati’s first at the venue since 2010, with Bagnaia taking the victory by 0.6s from the factory Honda of Marquez.

Marquez fired up on the final lap on several occasions, however bit off more than he could chew at Turn 12, the six-time champion ran wide and had to settle for second.

The top two were in a league of their own, reigning champion Joan Mir moving up from seventh on the grid to finish the race a lonely third on his Suzuki, 3.9s off the race victor.

After claiming Aprilia’s first MotoGP podium at Silverstone, Aleix Espargaro backed it up by finishing in fourth at Aragon.

Australian Jack Miller sat in third for most of the race, however a mistake from the Queenslander at the halfway stage of the race into the final turn saw him fall behind both Mir and Espargaro, he never recovered, finishing the race in fifth.

On Saturday reigning Moto2 champion Enea Bastianini scored his first top 10 grid position and converted that into a career best sixth place finish on his Avintia Esponsorama machine.

It was a difficult weekend for the KTM riders, however Brad Binder salvaged a seventh place finish for the Austrian factory team.

Championship leader Fabio Quartararo had a lacklustre performance, he struggled for pace throughout the race, only just holding onto eighth on his factory Yamaha.

Rookie sensation Jorge Martin on his Pramac Ducati was ninth, with Takaaki Nakagami in 10th.

Iker Lecuona sat sixth at one stage, but a mistake at Turn 8 saw him fall to 10th, he eventually lost a further place and finished in 11th.

Suzuki rider Alex Rins had a weekend to forget, crossing the line in a disappointing 12th he still made up eight places on his grid position.

Pol Espargaro, Miguel Oliveira and Danilo Petrucci rounded out the points finishers.

Replacement rider Cal Crutchlow, championship contender Johann Zarco, Maverick Vinales on his Aprilia debut, seven-time champion Valentino Rossi and his half-brother Luca Marini rounded out the 20 finishers.

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