Pecco Bagnaia dominates the Italian Grand Prix and closes in Jorge Martin in the championship

Jorge Martin started from pole position for the Italian Grand Prix who looked to rectify his DNF in the Tissot Sprint, Maverick Vinales started in second with Marc Marquez in third. Enea Bastianini started in fourth ahead of Tissot Sprint winner Francesco Bagnaia who had a three place grid penalty for impeding Alex Marquez in Practice with Franco Morbidelli in sixth.

The lights went out and Martin took the lead into turn one but Pecco Bagnaia went around the outside of everyone and took the lead into turn two! Bastianini was third with Marquez in fourth and Pedro Acosta in fifth.

On lap three Marquez attacked The Beast into turn one but ran wide and had to hold off Acosta, Morbidelli was behind them.

Augusto Fernandez retired with a technical fault. Joan Mir crashed out at turn one, the 2020 World Champion is still struggling with the Repsol Honda.

Nothing could separate the top four in pace, Pecco was controlling the gap between 0.5 to 0.7 seconds to Martin. Bastianini was 0.6 seconds behind with Marquez right behind the number 23.

On lap 18 Marquez finally made his move and blocked Bastianini from a cut back and moved into third place.

Bastianini got a great run out of Arrabbiata two forced Marquez wide onto the dirty part of the track into turn ten and the Italian was back into third.

Bastianini was closing in on Martin on the last lap who had made a small mistake at turn 12 on the penultimate lap. The Beast turned it underneath the Prima Pramac Ducati at Bucine and snatched second place from the championship leader!

Pecco Bagnaia crossed the line to take back-to-back victories, the first to do so in a season since himself when he took four consecutive victories from Assen to Misano in 2022.

Bastianini was second ahead of Martin in third, Marc Marquez settled for fourth with Acosta in fifth, top RC16 by 8.4 seconds.

Martin still leads the championship standings on 171 points, but Pecco has reduced the gap down to 18 points.

Featured Image: Joel Cooper Photography