The reigning world champion, Bagnaia, appeared poised for a triumphant sprint victory, his first since the Austrian Grand Prix last year. Holding a lead of just under a second as lap nine began, it seemed like smooth sailing for the Ducati rider.
However, a crucial mistake under braking saw Bagnaia overshoot at Turn 1, tumbling down to fourth position. This mishap paved the way for Vinales to take a narrow lead ahead of Jorge Martin from Pramac Racing.
Despite battling gastroenteritis, Vinales showcased remarkable determination, fending off Martin in the closing laps. He managed to widen the gap and clinch victory on the final lap, crossing the finish line 1.039 seconds ahead of his competitors. This marked his first win donning Aprilia colors and his first triumph since the 2021 Qatar GP when he rode for Yamaha.
In a last-minute maneuver, Marquez overtook Martin at Turn 5 on the final lap, securing second place and claiming his maiden podium for Gresini Ducati.
Although Bagnaia finished fourth after his error, he retains a marginal two-point lead in the championship race.
Jack Miller from KTM seized the lead from fifth on the grid, while Bagnaia swiftly climbed from fourth to second with a daring overtake on Vinales at Turn 3.
Enea Bastianini, starting from pole position on the factory Ducati, dropped to fourth at the start, while Martin slipped to sixth from third on the grid.
Marquez swiftly moved past Bastianini to claim fifth at Turn 13 on the first lap, capitalizing on a slight error from the factory Ducati rider, with Martin following suit shortly after.
On lap two, Marquez executed a bold maneuver, diving inside Vinales at Turn 11 and making contact with the Aprilia rider on exit before securing third position.
As the race progressed, Bagnaia extended his lead to a full second, maintaining it until a braking error at Turn 1 on lap 12 caused him to slip to fourth place.
Despite Martin’s relentless pursuit, Vinales managed to defend his position, ultimately securing victory with a comfortable margin over Marquez, who made his decisive move on the final lap.
Vinales’ triumph marks a significant milestone as he becomes the first rider in modern MotoGP history to achieve victories with three different manufacturers. However, it’s worth noting that sprint wins, like this one, aren’t officially recorded as grand prix wins.
Behind the leaders, Bagnaia finished 3.033 seconds off the podium in fourth, followed by Miller and Bastianini. Tech3 GasGas rookie Pedro Acosta claimed seventh place, ahead of Aleix Espargaro from Aprilia and Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo.
Unfortunately, Quartararo’s teammate, Alex Rins, crashed out on lap three, while Brad Binder from KTM and Fabio Di Giannantonio from VR46 Ducati suffered separate falls a lap later. Additionally, Johann Zarco also encountered a fall while riding for LCR Honda.
