Enea Bastianini takes second win of MotoGP season, SA's Binder 12th

 • Enea Bastianini took his second MotoGP race win of the 2022 season at the Circuit of the Americas.  • Marc Marquez rode an incredible race to go from last to sixth place.  • SA's Brad Binder managed 12th place despite struggling all weekend.

True to its recent form, the fourth round of the 2022 MotoGP season once again delivered high drama. 

Saturday's qualifying was dominated by Ducati riders, who claimed the first five positions on the grid with Jorge Marin on pole and Jack Miller in second position. 

South African Brad Binder only managed 17th in qualifying, despite being the quickest rider aboard a KTM, with riders of the Austrian machines struggling with front-end grip and feel.

When the lights went out on Sunday, pole-sitter Martin lost a place to Miller, into the first corner. Miller managed to retain the lead from fellow Ducati riders Martin and Enea Bastianini, and the trio lapped in that order until lap 12. A mid-race charge from factory Suzuki riders Alex Rins and Joan Mir saw them snatch third and then fourth from Martin.

With five laps to go, Bastianini took the lead from Miller, and the Australian could not respond. The Pramac Ducati rider slowly managed to stretch out a lead of almost two seconds, to take victory without further threat and, in doing so, retake the World Championship lead.

"Miller set a great pace in the first part of the race, and I was just hanging on. Once I came under pressure from Rins, I decided to push, which motivated me to find the extra pace needed to take victory. Now it is time to eat some hamburgers," said Bastianini.

Suzuki rider Rins managed to snatch second place from Miller in the last sector of the previous lap. When the chequered flag came out, it was Bastianini ahead of Rins