How would the title picture look without sprints?
It’s almost exactly two years since MotoGP announced that it would be adding sprint races to grand prix weekends from the 2023 campaign.
While the addition of 20 extra races almost certainly contributed to no single contest last year featuring the entire full-time 2023 grid, the aim to boost trackside attendance did certainly come to pass. After the Austrian Grand Prix last weekend, Bagnaia leads the way with 275 points, while Martin is just five adrift on 270.Martin has done most of his damage in the championship this year on Saturdays, scoring a total of 95 points with a total of four wins and nine podiums overall.
That would change the complexion of Ducati’s championship situation considerably, leading one to think the Italian brand may opt to utilise team orders more and try to use Bastianini as a proper tailgunner for Bagnaia. Ironically, Marquez’s wait for a first race win since the 2021 Emilia Romagna GP would still be ongoing, with all five of his sprint podiums in 2024 second-place finishes. If sprint points were the only metric factoring into the title battle, it leads to a fun scenario where Ducati’s 2025 rider market drama would likely look quite different. But that’s a can of worms best left sealed.
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