By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, April 11: Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing) is now a two-time MotoGP race winner in 2022 as ‘The Beast’ delivered a Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas masterclass to retake the World Championship lead before heading off to Europe.
Bastianini led home Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) and Jack Miller (Ducati) as the Suzuki and Ducati duo scrapped it out on the last lap for P2 and P3; Rins’ success brings up a magical 500 podiums for the Hamamatsu factory in the 500th GP for Dorna, IRTA, FIM and MSMA.
Miller got the best start of the leading Ducati trio on the front row and grabbed the holeshot ahead of Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati). It was a nightmare start from P9 for Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) though, something went wrong off the line for the eight-time World Champion and at Turn 1, the number 93 was plumb last.
Bastianini then got the better of Bagnaia for P3 on Lap 1 before Martin pushed for the lead at the penultimate corner. Miller instantly retaliated at the final corner as the Australian held the race lead baton on Lap 2.
It was a Ducati 1-2-3-4-5, Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) scrapping away with Pecco for P4, with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) and the Team Suzuki Ecstar duo of Rins and Joan Mir, P6, P7 and P8 behind the Desmosedici quintet.
On Lap 18 of 20, Bastianini stretched his lead to one second and that famous late-race pace he possesses was yet again soaring to the surface.
Starting the final lap, Bastianini had 1.6s in his pocket but Miller had just 0.3s to Rins. Mir was 1.3s off the podium scrap, Bagnaia was a lonely P5 with Marc Marquez and Quartararo fighting tooth and nail for P6.
Turn 11, Rins’ favourite corner, saw the Suzuki man get by. But Miller got his Ducati hooked up on the straight and the Aussie was back into P2. Miller was defending well but Rins got a great run out of Turn 18, and at Turn 19, Rins was up the inside.
Rins got it stopped and turned to perfection, no way back for Miller, as Bastianini rounded the final corner to win his second race of the season and claim COTA’s converted crown.
Mir’s podium attack didn’t quite come to fruition in the end, as Bagnaia finished P5 from the front row. Marc Marquez produced a stunning fightback to claim P6. Quartararo battled as hard as anyone to pick up P7.