MotoGP™: Maiden MotoGPTM win for Bagnaia and Michelin’s 460th!

The Gran Premio TISSOT de Aragón (Round 13 of the 2021 MotoGPTM World Championship) saw Lenovo Ducati Team’s Francesco Bagnaia collect the first win of his career at this level. Second and third at Aragon were Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda Team) and defending champ Joan Mir (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR), while four different Michelin-equipped bikemakers filled the top four places as more records tumbled at the exacting Spanish circuit. 

Bagnaia was able to celebrate his first MotoGPTM success in style when he emerged in front after a thrilling late duel with Marquez. In addition to posting the fastest race lap, the Italian also established a new track lap record (1m46.332s) in qualifying to earn pole position.

The Ducati rider got away perfectly at lights-out as the Spaniard leapt to second spot from fourth on the grid before applying constant pressure on the eventual winner all the way to the flag.

Making the most of the grip delivered by their hard and soft MICHELIN Power Slicks front and rear, the two riders produced a memorable race which reached its climax during the last three laps as Márquez made several attempts to pass. The Italian held firm each time, however, and ultimately crossed the line 0.673 seconds clear, completing the 23 laps in a time of 41m44.422s to shave 0.511s off the venue’s previous shortest race-duration that had stood since 2015.

Mir was rewarded for his assertive climb up the order from seventh in qualifying with another podium finish.

After scoring a landmark top-three result a fortnight agio at Silverstone, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) ended up fourth, chased by Jack Miller (Lenovo Ducati Team) and Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) who pocketed his best MotoGPTM-placing to date. Seventh and eighth places for Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) meant that all six bike manufacturers were classified in the day’s top-eight.

Meanwhile, Michelin took its tally in motorcycle racing’s premier series to 460 wins with 57 different riders.

While all the available MICHELIN Power Slicks were used during free practice and qualifying, practically all the riders opted to mate the soft rear with the hard front on Sunday afternoon despite the extremely hot weather. The only exception was Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) who selected the medium front.

Quartararo (214 points) continues to top the provisional championship order, 53 and 57 points clear of Bagnaia and Mir respectively.

Next round: Gran Premio Octo di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini, Misano, Italy (September 17-19).