Bagnaia was chasing the Gresini rider for third place in the closing moments of the 23-lap race when the #73 ran wide.

The Italian rider sought to capitalise on the Spaniard’s mistake and tried to go around the outside at the following turn.

However, the pair made contact and got locked together. Both bikes and their riders fell to the ground. Bagnaia was briefly pinned under Marquez’s bike before hitting the gravel.

Bagnaia rolled viciously through the gravel before coming to a halt while Marquez slid further through the run-off.

HUGE DRAMA IN ARAGON 😱😱😱

Not only does this affect the race but also the Championship!!!!!!

📺 Watch the #AragonGP via @kayosports https://t.co/AwHlb9dt5r
📲 RACE CENTRE https://t.co/IK7Uxil5QQ#MotoGP pic.twitter.com/u6DEC2iJC0

— Fox Motorsport (@Fox_Motorsport) September 1, 2024

It capped off a shocking weekend for Bagnaia, whose deficit to Pramac rider Jorge Martin blew out to 23 points in the MotoGP title race.

Martin finished second to Marc Marquez, who scored his first grand prix win since the Emilia Romagna motorcycle Grand Prix at Misano in 2021.

Marquez controlled the race from start to finish, to finish 4.789 clear of Martin.

Bagnaia, who started third, got the worst start of any rider and plummeted to seventh by Turn 1.

Another wheel-spin start for Pecco Bagnaia 🌀

📺 Watch the #AragonGP via @kayosports https://t.co/AwHlb9dt5r
📲 RACE CENTRE https://t.co/IK7Uxil5QQ#MotoGP pic.twitter.com/C8jQ6Hovnw

— Fox Motorsport (@Fox_Motorsport) September 1, 2024

Martin tried to make headway early and put a pass on second place rider Pedro Acosta of Tech into Reverse Corkscrew.

However, in doing so, Martin ran wide and took Acosta with him. That gifted Marquez a two-second advantage.

Martin conceded the place but by the end of Lap 2 had the pass completed and stretched his legs leaving Acosta to fight over the final place on the podium.

Alex Marquez made quick work of Acosta, who had to fend off Franco Morbidelli and Bagnaia.

Fabio Quartararo was an early exit, crashing on Lap 6 at Turn 5 at high speed, sending his Yamaha hurtling through the gravel trap.

Lap 9 saw Morbidelli bowl a wide at Turn 5 and dropped from fifth to eighth.

That eased the pressure on Acosta but it wasn’t long before Bagnaia had his way and made a pass for fourth.

Bagnaia then set about hunting down Alex Marquez for third and with six laps to go the mistake came from the Gresini rider, beginning the downfall for them both as they tangled.

Bagnaia visited the medical centre after the crash where he was declared fit.

Acosta was gifted the final place on the podium as a result while KTM rider Brad Binder and the other factor Ducati of Enea Bastianini rose to fifth.

“It was an amazing race,” said race winner Marquez.

“Today was a super difficult race, especially because when you have the pace but then with the gap it was difficult to fully focus on the riding. But okay, I was able to manage the gap.”

MotoGP heads to Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli for the first of two races on September 6-8.

Results: MotoGP Aragon Motorcycle Grand Prix, MotorLand Aragon