MotoGP Portimao: Patience pays off as Bagnaia wins thrilling inaugural sprint

Ducati Lenovo’s Pecco Bagnaia has emerged triumphant in the inaugural MotoGP Sprint Race after pouncing on Jorge Martin for the lead on the final lap of a thrilling - and at times chaotic - 12 lap encounter at Portimao.

The first time a MotoGP race has been held on a Saturday, while the move by Dorna to transform each event in a double-header for 2023 has proven divisive among riders and teams, it nonetheless put on a brilliant show of no-holds barred action from the off.

In the end though it was the defending champion coming out on top, the Italian keeping his cool amid some frantic action around him to ease his way onto the rear of long-time leader Martin on the final lap and snatch the initiative when the Spaniard ran wide getting onto the power at Turn 5.

Behind the Ducati 1-2, pole sitter Marc Marquez scored a somewhat fortuitous podium in third place at the behest of Miguel Oliveira, whose error at Turn 10 on the final lap denied him a famous home podium on his debut with RNF Aprilia.

Despite the race being only 12 laps long, five riders were out by Lap 3, including both VR46 Ducati riders, rookie Augusto Fernandez, Repsol Honda’s Joan Mir and Ducati Corse’s Enea Bastianini, who has been taken to the medical centre for checks.

Full Portuguese MotoGP Sprint Race Report to follow