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Bezzecchi wins Indonesian MotoGP

The Italian Bezzecchi, riding an Aprilia, made his move on pole-sitter Raul Fernandez in the final third of a captivating grand prix at a sweltering Mandalika International Circuit.

Agencies
Mandalika, West Nusa Tenggara
Sun, October 11, 2026

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Aprilia Racing rider Marco Bezzecchi of Italy during the qualifying session ahead of the MotoGP Indonesian Grand Prix at the Mandalika International Circuit in Mandalika on October 10, 2026. Aprilia Racing rider Marco Bezzecchi of Italy during the qualifying session ahead of the MotoGP Indonesian Grand Prix at the Mandalika International Circuit in Mandalika on October 10, 2026. (AFP/Sonny Tumbelaka)

M

arco Bezzecchi stormed to victory in Indonesia on Sunday as Jorge Martin was third to retake the lead from Marc Marquez in the MotoGP world championship.

The Italian Bezzecchi, riding an Aprilia, made his move on pole-sitter Raul Fernandez in the final third of a captivating grand prix at a sweltering Mandalika International Circuit.

Spain's Fernandez came home second and compatriot Martin third, also riding Aprilia bikes.

Ducati's reigning seven-time world champion Marquez finished sixth.

That meant Martin retook the lead in the championship from Marquez by two points, with five more race weekends after this.

Bezzecchi is still alive in the championship title hunt in third.

"It's amazing, I'm very, very happy," said Bezzecchi, who sits on 309 points in the standings.

Martin is top with 355, with Marquez on his tail on 353.

"Very happy to be back on the top step of the podium. It was a nice battle with Raul (Fernandez) and I think me and all my team deserve a result like this.

"They have been through tough times with me," said Bezzecchi, who last won a grand prix in May.

Martin, who will head to Australia in a fortnight with the most slender of leads, said he had done all he could.

"I did the maximum," said Martin, who started alongside title rival Marquez on the second row of the grid.

"I did my best. At the start I lost a lot of positions but tried to be calm and was overtaking riders step by step.

He added: "We are still in the fight and still in the lead."

Fernandez, having to improvise to brake after fracturing two fingers in Saturday's sprint, got away cleanly from his first-ever pole.

He and Bezzecchi, who started alongside him on the grid, had clashed and crashed out in the sprint.

The sprint was won by Marquez to grab the championship lead for the first time from compatriot Martin.

After a third of the 27 laps in the grand prix, Fernandez kept the fellow Aprilia of Bezzecchi at bay despite his injury.

Former world champion Martin was running third, with Marquez looming in fifth without ever really threatening.

Fernandez, who had two previous victories, kept his cool under tremendous pressure from Bezzecchi until lap 19, when the Italian made his move to grasp the lead.

Bezzecchi streaked away from there to win by 4.260sec as Fernandez gamely hung on for second.

The most exciting duel in the race took place behind the top three, with Marquez engaging in a thrilling back-and-forth with KTM's Pedro Acosta.

Marquez had a strong start and swooped into third place in the opening lap, but his Ducati struggled to keep pace with the Aprilia machines around him, and a hard-charging Martin picked him off with ease in the third lap.

The defending champion was then quickly overtaken by Acosta, but for the second time in as many days, Marquez profited from tyre pressure issues for his opponent and was allowed back into fourth.

When Acosta was sure he would not receive a penalty, he once again locked horns with Marquez, but as they traded blows, Trackhouse's Ai Ogura capitalised and moved past both riders to seal a first-ever 1-2-3-4 finish for Aprilia.

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