Rough start to MotoGP: fracture for Márquez after colliding with Oliveira and victory for Bagnaia before arriving in Argentina

The previous MotoGP disembarkation at the Termas de Río Hondo racetrack, in Santiago del Estero, had everything.

On Friday,

broke his jaw and a dorsal vertebra during the first practice session of the Algarve Grand Prix in Portimao (Portugal), and this Sunday the Spanish Marc

ended up with a fractured thumb after hitting

, in a race won by the defending champion, the Italian

(Ducati).

On the first date of the season, Bagnaia finished ahead of

(Aprilia) and

(Ducati-VR46), in a race in which polesitter Márquez fell and had to retire, suffering a new fracture after in the last two years he was hit by a humerus injury.

"It was long! I am no longer in the habit of completing such long races

," said the winner, referring to the dispute on Saturday in the first sprint test, which he also won.

After starting in pole position at the Portimao circuit, Márquez (Honda) left after a

with the Portuguese Miguel Oliveira (Aprilia-RNF), who also had to leave the test.

The Spaniard, a six-time world champion in the highest category, suffered a fractured thumb on his right hand, according to the competition.

"Possible fracture of the first metacarpal (thumb) of the right hand in the N.93 pilot. He will undergo additional tests at the Dexeus hospital in Barcelona

," said MotoGP.

If the injury is confirmed, it would be a blow for the 30-year-old, whose last three seasons have been marked by various physical problems and operations.

Oliveira, the local idol, had had an excellent start, after starting fourth on the grid and placing second.

Despite the spectacularity of the maneuver, he only suffered

.

Second on the starting grid, behind Márquez, Bagnaia took control of the race from the second lap.

At the finish line, fourth position went to Frenchman

, thanks to an excellent comeback from three places on the last lap.

The other Frenchman,

(Yamaha), MotoGP world champion in 2021, finished in eighth position, after starting tenth on the grid.

On Saturday, Bagnaia had already won the first sprint in the history of MotoGP, a new, shorter race format, which will be held throughout this season on the eve of the traditional Sunday event and which offers up to twelve additional points in the World Championship, in addition to of those attributed in the grand prize.

In the World Cup 'Pecco' commands again, with 37 points (the maximum possible), ahead of Viñales (25) and Bezzechi (16).

Zarco is fourth with 15.

Greatly absent from the Portimao starting grid, Enea Bastianini (Ducati), also Italian, suffered a violent fall in the sprint on Saturday.

The 25-year-old driver suffers a fractured shoulder blade and will not be able to be at the Argentine GP next week.

In the lower categories, the 18-year-old Spanish promise Pedro Acosta (KTM Ajo) prevailed in Moto2 after starting third.

He took first place on the second lap to win ahead of his compatriot Aron Canet.

In Moto3, the Spanish Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) resisted the pressure of the competition until the end and won the first race of his career at the age of 17.

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