16 rounds of the MotoGP World Championship have taken place, with only four remaining before the end. And, looking at the list of Grand Prix race winners, it would be easy to think that Francesco Bagnaia was significantly leading the championship. But Sprint races, introduced last year, show they can decide championships.
But no. The Ducati Italian has eight Grand Prix victories out of a possible 16, failing to reach the podium just four times. However, he is in second position in the standings, ten points behind leader Jorge Martín (Prima Pramac/Ducati).
The Spaniard has only three victories in main races, also failing on the podium four times. However, he has not scored in two Sundays so far, while Bagnaia has not scored in three. Even then, that wouldn’t justify the whole difference: in San Marino, Martín only got one point in the main race.
The key to Martín’s leadership lies in Sprint races. The driver has proven to be a specialist in this format since its introduction last year, and continues to be very strong this year: he has only been outside the top three three times and has not scored any points in twice. Bagnaia, for his part, has a less good record in Sprint races, with eight podiums and four non-points results.
In terms of points, in the Sprint races Martín has 131 points and Bagnaia 103, while in the main races the Spaniard has totaled 261 points and the Italian 279. That is, Martín’s best performance in the Sprint races makes all the difference.
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