As part of a major shake-up to the MotoGP format for 2023, half-distance sprint races take place on the Saturday of every grand prix weekend.
Bagnaia converted second on the grid to make history as MotoGP’s first ever sprint race winner, as he capitalised on a mistake from Pramac Ducati counterpart Martin on the final tour.
Poleman Marc Marquez completed the podium after home hero Miguel Oliveira ran off track on the last lap, while there were no points on offer for Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo after a nightmare sprint.
Claiming a shock pole earlier on Saturday, Marquez converted this to the holeshot off the line as Enea Bastianini leaped up from sixth to second on the factory team Ducati.
Bastianini’s team-mate Bagnaia scythed up the inside of him at Turn 3, which left the door open for Pramac’s Martin to move into second briefly.
As Bastianini dropped down the order, Bagnaia carved back past Martin up the inside of Turn 4.
Behind, Quartararo lost ground from 11th on the grid and was 15th coming through Turn 1. By the end of the first lap he was 19th after being forced wide by a crashing Joan Mir at Turn 13.
The Honda rider made contact with Quartararo as he tried to make a move up the inside of him, and the incident is now under review.
Joan Mir, Repsol Honda Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
At the start of the second lap of 12, Bagnaia and Martin blasted past Marquez to demote him to third on the run into Turn 1.
Martin took the lead at the start of lap four as Marquez found his hands full with RNF Aprilia’s Oliveira and the KTM of Jack Miller.
Miller led Oliveira through on Marquez at Turn 1 on lap five, and come lap six Miller took second away from former team-mate Bagnaia at Turn 5.
The KTM rider was the only one in the leading group running the soft front tyre, and used that grip advantage to move into the lead on lap seven at Turn 13.
Miller’s lead was fleeting, however, as Martin eased ahead into Turn 1 on the following tour, while Bagnaia came back through on lap 10.
Heading onto the penultimate lap, Martin’s lead stood at over half a second, but was wiped out by a hard-charging Bagnaia.
On the final lap, Martin ran wide under braking for Turn 5 which allowed Bagnaia to ease into the lead and take the chequered flag for the first sprint race.
Martin trailed by 0.307s at the chequered flag, while Marquez was gifted the final spot on the podium when Oliveira – who sat in third at the start of the…
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