Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1498309
ROUND 4 / APRIL 28-30, 2023 CIRCUITO DE JEREZ ANGEL NIETO / JEREZ, SPAIN MOTOGP I FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP P88 accepted the faster rider won. Not even a personal best time was enough to salvage vic- tory. Miller was overjoyed with third, just 1.1 back, dedicating his showing to those that had doubted him over the winter. Martin was never far away in fourth, coming home just 1.9 seconds off the victor. Espar - garo, who took advantage of Zarco's fall to finish fifth, was left to bemoan the Aprilia's bluntness in battle, while Marini just stayed in front of Pedrosa to earn a hard fought sixth, the pair 6 seconds back of first. Vi - nales retired from eighth on the last lap with a broken chain, let- ting Alex Marquez and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda) through. Quartararo, who was handed another Long Lap Penalty after exceeding the limits of the penalty lane during his first run, recovered from 14th to tenth. The result sees Bagnaia (87 points) retake the initiative in the championship, with Bez - zecchi (65) and Binder (62) still in touch. Miller (49) climbs to fourth. MOTOGP SPRINT Another Sprint, another let off. This one came just two corners in as Franco Morbidelli (Mon- ster Energy Yamaha), hugging the inside line, tagged Alex Marquez (Gresini Ducati). Both went down mid-pack, with the unsighted Bezzecchi smashing into Morbidelli's wayward M1. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda) narrowly missed the stricken Yamaha man. Augusto Fernan - dez (Tech3 GasGas) also fell in at Pedrosa Corner on lap nine didn't quite work out. He made sure it did the following time around. Bagnaia picked Miller's pocket for second, after the KTM man ran in hot at Turn 6 on the final lap. Martin was a frus - trated fourth, ahead of Oliveira and Pedrosa, 1.6 seconds in arrears. 62,375 fans were there to watch. MOTO2 Sam Lowes (Marc VDS Kalex) turned the intermediate class event into a procession, as he eased to his tenth win in the class—his first since suffering a serious left shoulder injury last the aftermath. Miraculously, all riders made the restart. The restart, held over eleven laps, was a cracker. Binder grabbed the early initiative from Miller after Espargaro veered right off the line, clearing the way for the South African to his left. The Australian gained the upper hand on lap three, while Bagnaia, Martin, Espargaro, Oliveira and Pedrosa followed. The lead group was whittled down to six as Espargaro crashed out of fifth on lap six. With three to go, the front four had pulled clear and Binder was never likely to give this up. An outrageous outbraking move Bagnaia gets it sideways under brakes as he fends off the charging Binder (33) on the last lap.