MotoGP India: Marco Bezzechhi Gets Win While World Champion Francesco Bagnaia Crashed Out After Slip

Curated By: Amar Sunil Panicker

Last Updated: September 24, 2023, 17:12 IST

Gautam Buddha Nagar, India

MotoGP Podium Winners. (Image: AFP)

MotoGP Podium Winners. (Image: AFP)

Marco Bezzecchi managed to secure a win in India's inaugural MotoGP event after a near-perfect race.

Marco Bezzecchi who started on Pole managed to win India’s inaugural MotoGP after a near-perfect race on Sunday. Unfortunately, the World Champion, Francesco Bagnaia crashed out after slipping on a turn.

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Winner of Saturday’s sprint race, Jorge Martin, barely managed to hold second spot with Fabio Quartararo who finished third at the Buddh International Circuit.

Pole-starter Marco Bezzecchi won India’s inaugural MotoGP in a near-flawless race on Sunday, but world champion Francesco Bagnaia crashed out after slipping on a turn.

But it was heartbreak for Bagnaia, who lost control of his Ducati and the bike went for a somersault.

The Italian still leads the world championship but saw his lead cut at the top.

Spain’s Martin, his nearest challenger in the title tussle, was given a scare by Quartararo in a dramatic last lap that had the number two and three fighting hard.

Martin had a strong start to the race, jumping into the lead from his second position on the grid, with Bagnaia and Bezzecchi second and third.

Bezzecchi soon went past Bagnaia with a clean overtake at a corner and kept up the pace to increase the gap to over three seconds in the first five laps.

Martin edged out Bagnaia as the competition for second and third spot remained tight, while fourth-placed Marc Marquez slipped on turn one of the sixth lap to slide down the order.

Bagnaia, known as “Pecco”, found space on lap 13 and squeezed past Martin, before his race met a premature and painful end.

The race belonged after that to Bezzecchi, who came in as one of the favourites after he scorched the track in qualifying.

The race was trimmed by three laps to 21 after riders complained about heat and humidity in Friday’s practice sessions.

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first published:September 24, 2023, 17:12 IST
last updated:September 24, 2023, 17:12 IST