Bagnaia dominates Grand Prix of the Americas MotoGP dash

Prime three qualifiers Francesco Bagnaia (1) of Italy and Ducati Lenovo Staff, Alex Rins (42) of Spain and LCR Honda Castrol and Luca Marini (10) of Italy and Mooney VR46 Racing Staff stand on the podium on the end of the MotoGP qualifying rounds at Circuit of the Americas.
| Photograph Credit score: Dustin Safranek-USA TODAY Sports activities

World champion Francesco Bagnaia breezed to a snug win within the Grand Prix of the Americas MotoGP dash on Saturday.

The Ducati rider began from pole at Austin and dominated the 10-lap sprint to bounce again from his fall final day trip in Argentina.

Alex Rins on the Honda-LCR took second with Jorge Martin on one other Ducati in third.

Marco Bezzecchi got here in sixth for the VR46 Ducati group owned by motorcycling legend Valentino Rossi to retain his lead on the earth championship however solely by one level now from Bagnaia.

This was the proper pick-me-up for ‘Pecco’ who had begun the defence of his world title in impeccable type in Portugal, successful each the dash and grand prix.

However Bezzecchi arrived in Texas with a nine-point championship lead after Bagnaia completed solely sixth within the dash in Argentina, and a lowly sixteenth within the grand prix itself.

He confirmed he meant enterprise this weekend when nailing pole with a lap report, and constructed on that to cross the road over two and a half seconds in entrance of Rins within the third dash of the season.

“I had more trouble in Argentina,” the 26-year-old smiled.

“I started well, and tried to push, do my pace, to build up a gap. Now I’ve got to focus on tomorrow, that’s going to be harder.”

MotoGP launched the Components One-style dash format this 12 months, with the primary two editions quick and livid affairs.

The third lacked the thrills and spills of Portimao and Termas de Rio Hondo as Bagnaia and his speedy Ducati proved in a category of their very own.

Behind him Martin sliced by way of the pack to make the rostrum from twelfth on the grid.

France’s 2021 world champion Fabio Quartararo exited at flip one on lap 4 when dropping management of his Yamaha, remounting to path in nineteenth.

In blazing sunshine the tempo proved too scorching for Alex Marquez, who slid off his Ducati, crashing again to earth after his breakthrough MotoGP pole and podium in Argentina.

Lacking in Austin have been seven-time winner on the circuit Marc Marquez and final 12 months’s Grand Prix of the Americas winner Enea Bastianini – each recovering from accidents sustained within the season-opener.