Pecco’s back!
AT A GLANCE, the Spanish Grand Prix marked the return of normality. After two years of closed grandstands, the Circuit of Jerez Angel Nieto was bolstered by 56,000 fans making an almighty racket from sunrise. And after five races which featured little rhyme or reason, last year’s top two riders finally faced off in what will surely be the first battle in a season-long war.
On a hot, greasy track, Francesco Bagnaia (Lenovo Ducati) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) delivered a riding masterclass, cementing their reputations as the leading names on the grid. This was more a battle of wits, as the latter’s repeated attempts to push the former into a mistake failed to pay off. With his lead over the reigning champion never exceeding 0.8sec, Bagnaia didn’t once blink.
And it wasn’t all about the fabulous pairing. After 22 months of enforced absences and injury complications, there were signs that Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) was rekindling some of that old magic once more. On a day when overtaking was at a premium, the 29-year-old added some much needed spice to a lively fight
