During one of the most physically demanding races on the calendar, Marco Bezzecchi showcased an amazing performance to snatch the win ahead of Jorge Martín and Pedro Acosta. After taking a 2-grid penalty, Bezzecchi performed flawlessly and became the third driver to achieve five wins in a row. Read more about what happened and the results of the 2026 MotoGP Austin Grand Prix.
Early Stage Chaos
Marco Bezzecchi, who was handed a 2-grid place penalty after yesterday’s Tissot Sprint, was demoted to fourth on the grid. But that didn’t deter him from having an outstanding launch and positioning himself in second place.
Back-to-back polesitter Fabio Di Giannantonio and Francesco Bagnaia lost several positions; meanwhile, Pedro Acosta had a flawless launch, taking the lead. In between the chaos, Marc Márquez positioned himself at the front. But action is far from over.
There is contact between Marco Bezzecchi and Acosta, as the Aprilia rider risked overtaking the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider for the lead in Turn 11 successfully. His teammate, Jorge Martín, in third place now. Right behind them, Di Giannantonio made up places, overtaking Márquez for fourth.
As Bagnaia cleared Márquez and went up to fifth, Johann Zarco crashed, triggering a momentary yellow flag and rejoining the race in last. Márquez, who got a Long Lap penalty, served it early on and rejoined in eleventh position.
Midway Surprises at the Front
As the MotoGP Austin Grand Prix reached its midway point, Di Giannantonio and Bagnaia were catching up to the three on the podium positions. But Álex Márquez and Ai Ogura entered the scene with an amazing pace and battled it out in sixth.
At the front, Marco Bezzecchi kept a comfortable lead ahead of Acosta, showcasing a flawless performance around the Circuit of the Americas. Ogura kept climbing up positions, overtaking Bagnaia for fifth and chasing Di Giannantonio. With a stunning overtake on the VR46 Racing Team rider, Ogura set himself in fourth, eyes set on the podium. But a late issue saw him falling down the order and out of the points.
Marc Márquez struggled after his Long Lap penalty down in ninth, but quickly caught up with riders in front, Enea Bastianini and Bagnaia. Meanwhile, at the front, a small mistake from Acosta, who ran wide, was all it took for Martín to snatch second position.
Last Lap Constant Battles
With three laps remaining, all action was focused on the battle between Bastianini, Márquez, and Bagnaia. The Italian Ducati rider was defending his fifth position as the other two battled it out behind him. Marc Márquez emerged as champion and took fifth place ahead of Bastianini and Bagnaia.
At the front, Bezzecchi managed to keep the gap to his teammate, but the Italian saw the chequered flag ahead of his teammate. With this win, Bezzecchi registered five consecutive wins and reclaimed the lead in the Championship from Martín.
Looking to Spain
Another Aprilia 1-2 extends the gap and solidifies the team’s domination. So far, Marco Bezzecchi has had an unimaginable start to the season, with five wins in a row and leading the Championship. For other teams, it is now clear who the ones to beat are, and their next chance will come in Spain.