The MotoGP Sprint continues to offer a show encapsulated in a few laps, and big surprises. This time, in the short test, with 12 laps, of the Argentine GP, the unexpected winner was South African Brad Binder (KTM), who recovered 14 positions to claim 12 points. He prevailed over
The Sprint started with Àlex Márquez from pole position, the other big surprise of the day, since the man from Cervera scored the double first starting position (for the Sprint and for the Sunday race) after arriving from the Q1 playoffs, and after a fall in which his Ducati Gresini burned.
However, the youngest of the Márquez family did not get off to a good start and found himself overtaken by a boisterous Morbidelli on his Yamaha –incredible to see the blue bike up ahead- and tightly packed by Marini. At the end of the first lap, the Catalan had a scare with the bike and Binder also overtook him, who came like a shot from the fifth row at the start.
The South African did not think twice and with courage got rid of Morbidelli and Marini to put himself first on the third lap. And from there no one lowered him from there, despite the fact that in the last lap Bezzecchi pushed the pins looking for all the holes with a final turn of heart attack. Binder, very tough in the melee, prevailed by only 72 thousandths of a second over the Italian on the Ducati VR46 at the finish line.
The podium was completed by Luca Marini, third. Morbidelli was fourth, ahead of Àlex Márquez, fifth, and Pecco Bagnaia, who strengthened his leadership with 4 more points (41 in total). The World Cup leader took advantage of the losses due to injury to his teammate Enea Bastianini and Marc Márquez (fractured right thumb).
Second in the championship is Maverick Viñales (28 points), although he was discreet in the Sprint, seventh, despite starting fifth.
In the Sprint, Aleix Espargaró suffered crashes, when he was fighting for seventh position, with four laps to go; and Joan Mir at the start (he had to be treated at the circuit’s mobile clinic due to ankle discomfort).
The Catalan Pol Espargaró and the Portuguese Miguel Oliveira are also absent in Argentina due to injuries in the first Portuguese GP.
