### “Revving Up the Title Race: How MotoGP 2024 Would Look Without Sprint Races

What would the 2024 MotoGP championship standings be like without sprint races?

What would the championship scenario be without sprint events?

Nearly two years have passed since MotoGP revealed its plan to introduce sprint races to grand prix weekends starting with the 2023 season.

Revealed on August 20, 2022, shortly after participants learned about it from news outlets, the introduction of the half-distance races quickly sparked debate, primarily because they were scheduled for every race event.

In the context of World Superbikes, some questioned whether this new format should have been initially tested at a few specific events, similar to Formula 1’s sprint strategy, rather than Dorna's decision to implement it across the board.

The inclusion of 20 additional races likely played a role in no single event last year having all the full-time 2023 participants present, but it did succeed in increasing trackside attendance.

Regarding the championship race, the sprint races guaranteed that the competition remained intense until the very end. If only the grand prix results were considered, Francesco Bagnaia would have easily clinched the championship with a total of 327 points, compared to Jorge Martin's 260 points. This would have meant that Bagnaia would have secured the title as early as the Qatar race.

With eleven rounds completed in the 2024 season, we are now in a position to discern if the impact of the sprints from the previous year was just an anomaly.

Following the Austrian Grand Prix held last weekend, Bagnaia is in the lead with 275 points, with Martin close behind at 270 points.

Eliminating the sprint points would result in a top five championship standings that appear as follows:

1. Bagnaia – 218 points (Current: 275)

2. Martin – 175 points (Current: 270)

3. Bastianini – 161 points (Current: 214)

4. Marquez – 134 points (Current: 192)

5. Binder – 100 points (Current: 128)

This year, Martin has caused significant impact in the championship primarily on Saturdays, amassing 95 points through four victories and nine overall podium finishes.

Bagnaia has performed well in sprint races, accumulating 57 points with three victories. However, it is his seven grand prix wins, compared to Martin's two, that would put him 43 points ahead as they approach Aragon if only grand prix points were considered.

Interestingly, eliminating sprint points would narrow the gap between Enea Bastianini and Martin in the race for second place in the standings. At the moment, they are separated by 56 points, but without the sprint results, the difference would shrink to only 14 points.

This would significantly alter Ducati's position in the championship, prompting speculation that the Italian manufacturer might implement team orders more frequently and use Bastianini as a dedicated support rider for Bagnaia.

Marquez’s position in the championship standings remains largely unaffected by the sprint race outcomes. He is presently trailing by 83 points, and without the points from Saturday races, he would be 84 points behind. With only 225 points still available in the upcoming nine rounds, it would be difficult to consider him even a remote contender for the title.

What would the 2024 championship race look like if only sprint races were considered?

If we consider just the points earned from sprints this year, the championship standings would be entirely different.

As previously stated, Martin has consistently been the top sprint rider this season and would hold a significant lead in points if only Saturday results were considered:

1 Martin with 952 points, Marquez holding 583 points, Bagnaia at 574 points, Bastianini at 535 points, and Vinales with 51 points.

Martin is poised to enter the Aragon race with a 37-point advantage, equivalent to more than three sprint race victories ahead of his competitors. With 108 points still available, Martin is on track to secure his second world championship title early, assuming the situation mirrors last year's.

In this scenario, Marquez is currently holding second place in a close competition for the runner-up position with Bagnaia, Bastianini, and Vinales. The strong performance of Aprilia on Saturday effectively conceals the issues it has encountered on Sundays.

Interestingly, Marquez is still waiting for his first race victory since the 2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. In 2024, he has secured second place in all five of his sprint podiums. If the championship were decided solely on sprint points, it would create an intriguing situation, potentially altering the dynamics of Ducati's 2025 rider lineup. However, that’s a complicated issue best avoided for now.

How does the F1 system work?

Formula 1's strategy of including only six sprint events throughout its season adds an element of excitement to select race weekends.

Imagine if MotoGP had implemented this format and conducted sprint races at the Grand Prix events in the Americas, Italy, Britain, and Austria up to this point, with additional sprints planned for the Emilia Romagna GP and the final event in Valencia.

The championship scenario would appear as follows:

1. Bagnaia – 244 points

2. Martin – 200 points

3. Bastianini – 183 points

4. Marquez – 152 points

In this situation, Bagnaia has a significant advantage of 44 points ahead of Martin. However, Bastianini is much nearer to second place, trailing by just 17 points.

Marquez's chances of winning the championship are still slim, and Aprilia's issues on Sunday allowed KTM's Brad Binder to overtake Vinales for fifth place, albeit by a narrow margin of just six points.

The upcoming sprint following the Austria event will be the second race held at Misano, potentially marking a crucial juncture for the championship aspirations of the top four competitors. The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix is expected to be tightly contested, as all racers will have previously competed in the San Marino Grand Prix and participated in the subsequent test sessions at the same location.

The possibility of a decisive sprint finish in Valencia adds excitement to the flyaway races.

In every other possible scenario, the championship standings shift drastically, but in none of them is the title race as tight as it is currently.

Sprints have now become a regular part of the MotoGP routine, and life continues as usual. With only five points separating the leading two competitors after 11 rounds in 2024, it is clear that sprints have proven their value.

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