It’s been a crazy year for MotoGP, with Martin vs Bagnaia coming down to the final race of the year in Valencia. Ultimately, it was another year of domination for all Ducati teams and we saw eight different Grand Prix winners. Check out all the best shots from the season below…
It’s been a crazy year for MotoGP, with Martin vs Bagnaia coming down to the final race of the year in Valencia.
1 Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team –467 points 2 Jorge Martin – Prima Pramac Racing –428 points 3 Marco Bezzecchi – Mooney VR46 Racing Team –329 Points 4 Brad Binder – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing – 293 points 5 Johan Zarco – Prima Pramac Racing –225 points
2023 Season Best Shots
Australian Red Bull KTM star Jack Miller ended his 2023 MotoGP campaign in mixed fashion, with some solid efforts in Malaysia and Qatar before closing out his campaign with a DNF at Valencia in the finale.
Saturday saw Rins on the podium, surprise errors at the front, some serious charges through the field and a single point in it at the top of the standings…
The race began as the classic Moto3 freight train, but bit by bit a front, smaller group managed to escape: Sasaki, Masia, Artigas, Moreira, Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Ortola.
Marini brought home his Ducati for second and a first Grand Prix podium in the MotoGP class.
539 days and 24 Grands Prix have passed since Honda were last on top, and Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol) has brought that long wait to an end with a truly impressive ride to glory at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas.
Back at the front, Bagnaia began to stretch out the field as he put down some lightning-fast pace.
The Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas did not disappoint as MotoGP leaves the USA.
Behind Rins’ headline-grabber, Marini made his own as he held station in second once he was past Quartararo, and the Italian takes his first Grand Prix podium!
As the lights went out, it was the perfect start for Pecco as the Italian took the holeshot, with Rins in hot pursuit.
Bagnaia was untouchable once again. Getting on the front early and staying there…
Rins was unstoppable, simply blitzing the field and having some spare time to celebrate.
Martin managed to score his second Tissot Sprint podium of the 2023 season!
There was adrenaline from the moment the lights went out for the Tissot Sprint at the Grand Prix of The Americas.
Marini was shadowing Quartararo’s every move though, and with 3.5s to the battle for 4th behind, the duo were putting the hammer down in hopes of catching the LCR Honda man out front.
Ducati and KTM test the limits of awesomeness in Jerez, with some sideways poetry, pitch perfect defence and a dash of chaos for some big names.
The KTMs still began to pull away from the two Ducatis though, and by four laps to go the gap was half a second.
Bagnaia was forced to drop one position after that earlier contact, letting Miller back past.
Split by just two tenths over the line, it was fitting it went to the wire after a stunning race.
It was a KTM one-two once again, but Martin soon got back past Aleix Espargaro to start bothering Miller again.
It’s been a massive month for our Aussie talent racing internationally. Check out what Edward has for us this month…
take two was another KTM show from lights out as they slotted into a 1-2, with Binder leading Miller as Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) slotting into third.
Ready to race? You bet. The KTMs attacked straight away on take two, with Binder grabbing the lead from Miller and both Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) and Bagnaia also slicing past polesitter Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing).
Miller unfortunately ended up letting the Ducati through, but still did a spectacular job to stay on the podium.
Marco Bezzecchi made history on Sunday as the race winner at the 1000th FIM Grand Prix! Check out all the action from Le Mans!
A four-rider battle for victory had formed as Miller now found himself with Marquez, Bezzecchi, and Martin for company, before Bezzecchi pushed his way through on Marc Marquez – and dropped the Spaniard from 2nd to 4th.
With six to go, Martin thought it was time to pounce on Marc Marquez. The Spaniard tried to push his way through on the eight-time World Champion, but the Repsol Honda man was not giving in easy.
With 15 laps to go, Bezzecchi had 1.2s in his pocket to Marquez behind, who was 0.5s up the road from Martin, who had found his way through on Miller.
Martin ensured he’s the top scorer at Le Mans this year, and then the home hero reached the flag.
The grid formed in front of the biggest crowd MotoGP has ever seen and it was Marc Marquez who shot into the lead as Bagnaia dropped down the order to P5.
The Tissot Sprint at Le Mans was another jaw dropper throughout the field, and we have a new name in the history books as Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) put in an inch-perfect ride to take his first Sprint win in MotoGP.
Binder was on the move, pushing his way past Marini to set the fastest lap and latch himself onto the back of the top 3.
Marquez pushed his way through at the Dunlop chicane with 8 laps to go…
Martin crossed the line to take his first Sprint win as well as his first Grand Prix points at Le Mans, bouncing back in style as Binder took second to gain in the title fight, ahead of Bagnaia completing the podium.
It was Bagnaia who stormed off the line to take the holeshot as the lights went out, whilst Jack Miller shot into P2.
The front two began to break away as Bagnaia attempted to stretch out the field, with Martin clinging onto the coattails of Pecco as chaos started to unfold behind in the battle for third.
Bagnaia kept it pitch perfect to manage the gap ahead of Martin. It was down to only a second on the final lap, however, as the number 89 pushed on and Zarco homed in on him in turn, but Bagnaia kept it calm.
The pack began to shuffle as the rain came down on the far section of the circuit with nine laps to go.
Chaos at Mugello! Saturday proved Ducati is a force to be reckoned with by locking out the podium on Saturday.
The fight for the final spot in the top 3 was decided by less than a tenth of a second!
The pressure was on for Bagnaia but the #1 responded in true Champions’ fashion stretching out the field with four laps remaining. Bagnaia put the hammer down setting the fastest lap of the race, giving himself some breathing space.
Bagnaia, Marc Marquez, Martin, Luca Marini, Bezzecchi, and Miller was the order the first time across the line.
Lap 3, Turn 12 – a change of the lead. Martin pounced on Pecco and with it, the Sprint victor set the fastest lap.
In one of the closest ever finishes at the Sachsenring, Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) came out on top against reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) in a duel that went right to the wire.
As Martin crossed the line for another stunning Sprint win, Bagnaia and Miller secured their visits to the rostrum.
So that’s that. An instant classic and a maximum of 37 points means it’s a perfect weekend for Martin in Germany.
Miller got a rocket ship launch on the KTM RC16 once again, he had the inside line for Turn 1 but Bagnaia hung it around the outside to hit the front at Turn 2.
Martin and Bagnaia looked like they were out of reach for the chasing pack. Binder was 2.9s adrift with 17 laps to go, and Bagnaia starting to put pressure on the shoulders of Martin.
Lap 6 ticked by and Martin was asking big questions – a 1:20.990 saw the Spaniard sit eight tenths clear of Bagnaia, who had also now overtaken Miller.
What do you get when you add the two riders at the top of the standings to a record crowd at the Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland? One hell of a show!
Bagnaia tagged the back of the Pramac ahead, with no harm done but some metres lost for the reigning Champion. The race was really, really on now.
Bagnaia did hold on to a crucial P3 as Martin made no mistake to cap off a sensational weekend. Bezzecchi bagged P2 despite his injured hand to gain ground in the title chase.
Disaster then struck for Binder at Turn 14 on Lap 8. The KTM star was down at the tight right-hand hairpin as his podium hopes ended, handing Pedrosa the lead KTM baton.
Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was back in business at Misano, putting in an inch-perfect performance to take victory.
David Alonso (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team), take a bow. The young Colombian takes his third victory in four races after beating Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in a phenomenal Moto3 battle.
The number 89 is unmatched to deny Bezzecchi a home win as the reigning Champion fights off a Legend and Binder throwns down with everyone else in the Sprint.
Martin led by a second over Bezzecchi as we strapped in for a KTM vs Bagnaia scrap for the final podium place.
With five laps to go, Martin’s gap to Bezzecchi was up to 0.8s as Pedrosa reeled in Bagnaia in by 0.4s.
Martin got the exact launch he’d have wanted from pole as he grabbed the holeshot into Turn 1, as Bagnaia powered his way around the outside of Bezzecchi to grab an early P2.
Martin’s lead grew to over a second for the first time as the #89 began to get the hammer down.
Bagnaia was fading. Pedrosa was coming. 0.7s split the double World Champion from the three-time World Champion, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing).
Pecco held on to third against Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) but Martin wasn’t so lucky, getting shuffled back behind the Italian and left with a little more work to do from fifth.
MotoGP Sepang Sprint.
With five to go Alex Marquez struck with a brutal, clean move for the lead. And then came Martin attacking Bagnaia.
The rider who got the best start on the front row was actually Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team). the Beast played it to perfection for teammate Bagnaia as the Championship leader didn’t come under attack as he grabbed the holeshot.
MotoGP Sepang Sprint.
The number 89 was all over the number 1 but he attacked and was denied, attacked and was denied as the two scythed round Sepang near side-by-side. It was stunning, and it could prove important in terms of more than just points.
At the front, Bastianini pounded on. With just over a second in hand, the Beast was keeping very calm as he carried on.
For the final and most important time in 2023 it was time to race. Bagnaia got the dream getaway from pole to grab a crucial holeshot, with Martin also making a fantastic launch to grab an early P2.
With three laps left, 0.3s was still the gap between Pecco and Zarco. But Di Giannantonio was on a mission.
Following a highly dramatic Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana, the 2023 MotoGP World Champion is Francesco Bagnaia after Jorge Martin crashed out of the race following an incident at Turn 4 with Marc Marquez.
Five to go. The gap in the Championship was 14 points between Sprint leader Martin and fifth place Pecco
Martin soon got back past Marquez as we watched Bagnaia drop into the clutches of the group behind that included Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) – the Frenchman making a phenomenal start.
Bagnaia got a dream launch from P2 to grab the holeshot into Turn 1 as Martin also got away well. Maverick Viñales immediately bit back at Turn 2 with a late lunge on Pecco though as Binder nearly slipped up the inside of Martin.
Martin led Binder, with Bagnaia still holding Diggia behind him. Halfway around the lap, Binder still wasn’t close enough.
It was an immediate shot of adrenaline in the title fight in Turn 1 too, with Marini getting the holeshot as Alex Marquez slotted into second – but there was contact right behind the two between Martin and Bagnaia.
The next move saw Diggia attack Marini for second, and from there the number 49 set off after Martin.
Martin hit back not long after, putting him right back on the rear wheel of Bagnaia. On Lap 2, it got seriously close again as the number 89 opened the door for himself and made it through, with Diggia trying to do the same.
The battle for victory, however, was now a duel: Bagnaia vs Diggia. The laps ticked down and the gap went out to a few tenths then back down, but no move was made in a tense game of chess.
Right at the front though, Bagnaia held firm with a few tenths in hand – ahead of quite a squabble too. Diggia got through on Marini and Alex Marquez tried to follow suit, but had to wait a few corners before he got through.
As the lights went out, everything changed in an instant. Split by just 0.022 and one position on the grid, by the exit of Turn 1 Bagnaia had shot through to steal the holeshot from Marini as Martin suffered a difficult start.
At the front, Bagnaia and Di Giannantonio still had Binder for company, but the gap would start to increase from there on out as the KTM was left to battle Alex Marquez and Marini instead.
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