MotoGP Thailand GP: Martin dominates sprint to cut Bagnaia’s championship lead
Martin converted pole to a fifth consecutive sprint victory in 2023 to bring his tally for the season up to seven, the Pramac Ducati rider 0.933 seconds clear of KTM’s Brad Binder at the chequered flag. Leading every lap, Martin came under no challenge as he romped away from the field, while Bagnaia struggled to seventh. Binder won out in a battle with VR46 Ducati’s Luca Marini, while Marc Marquez snatched fourth on his Honda from Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro on the final lap. Marco Bezzecchi’s title challenge further fades as he was sixth on the second VR46 Ducati ahead of Bagnaia, Alex Marquez and Johann Zarco. Martin didn’t get the perfect initial launch off the grid, allowing second-placed Marini on his year-old Ducati to draw alongside on the run into Turn 1. But the Pramac rider outbraked Marini to hold onto the holeshot and defended well on the run down into the Turn 3 hairpin. That would be as close as Martin would come to being overtaken in t...