On their return to Europe, KTM factory riders Pedro Acosta and Brad Binder clearly missed out on podium positions in MotoGP. At the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez, Acosta finished tenth in front of his home crowd, with South African Binder directly behind him in eleventh place. In the championship standings, Acosta dropped one position to fourth.
Three days after his 30th birthday, Àlex Márquez triumphed as he did the previous year. The Ducati rider dominated the race and claimed his fourth Grand Prix victory in the premier class. “We have a good feeling, a good flow. Thank you to the team,” Márquez said after the victory.
The day was disappointing for his older brother. Marc Márquez lost the front wheel on the second lap at Turn 11 and crashed hard—the world champion must wait longer for his 100th Grand Prix victory. In the standings, the Spaniard is now only fifth.
Behind Àlex Márquez, Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia) took second place, with the Italian extending his championship lead. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Ducati) completed the podium. Bezzecchi’s impressive streak of five consecutive Grand Prix victories across seasons ended in Jerez, and he was unable to extend his record for leading laps (121).
Bezzecchi leads the championship with 101 points, ahead of his teammate Jorge Martín (Spain/90) and Di Giannantonio (71). The series continues in two weeks in Le Mans, France.
