The Ducati Lenovo Team wrapped up the eighth Grand Prix of the season with an excellent result in the 23-lap race at MotorLand Aragón. Marc Márquez returned to winning ways with a masterful performance, while Francesco Bagnaia secured a very important third-place finish.
Márquez had a very good start from pole and pulled away in the central part of the race courtesy of a streak of fast laps as he was the first-ever rider to break the 1’47secs barrier during a race at the Spanish track. Bagnaia moved up one position at the start and stayed in contention for second place up to the final stages of the encounter.
As the eighth Grand Prix of the season draws to a close, Marc Márquez extends his lead in the championship standings with 223 points, 32 ahead of his brother Alex. Bagnaia remains third, 93 points behind the leader. The Ducati Lenovo Team retains its position at the top of the teams’ standings (373 points), while Ducati continues to lead the manufacturers’ classification with 282 points.
The Ducati Lenovo Team will be back in action tomorrow at Aragón for a one-day official test, with the ninth Grand Prix of the season getting underway on June 20th at the Mugello International Circuit.
Marc Márquez (#93 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1st
“Today, with a good start, I managed to put together the type of race I wanted, as I could push harder when I felt like I could do it. I felt comfortable and could ride well. These are the type of races in which – if you want to fight for the title – it is crucial to ensure the best possible result without making mistakes, because as we saw today, both Alex and Pecco were very competitive. It was the perfect weekend: I got back the feeling I had before Silverstone and I hope we can continue this way at Mugello.”
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 3rd
“This podium finish is a very important one for the morale as well as for the whole team. We have been working tirelessly in the last three weekends to solve the issues, but then for a reason or another we just couldn’t put everything together. After yesterday’s Sprint, in which I didn’t manage to get the front tyre to work, today we got off to a better start and the adjustment made during warm up surely helped me a lot. It was a small modification that gave me a lot more confidence, especially under braking, and allowed me to be more competitive.”
Luigi Dall’Igna (General Manager Ducati Corse)
“This has been one of the best Sundays I’ve ever lived. I’m happy for Marc – who dominated on one of his favourite tracks – as well as for Pecco, who bounced back the way only champions do. I now hope that we can keep moving forward in this direction: tomorrow’s test will be very important to prepare for Mugello and Assen, two tracks Pecco really likes, and where I’d like to see him in great form.”
