Marco Bezzecchi returned to the top step of the MotoGP podium at the Indonesian Grand Prix, securing his first victory since the Italian Grand Prix in May after overtaking early leader Raul Fernandez at the Mandalika International Circuit.
Jorge Martin completed the podium in third place to retake the MotoGP World Championship lead from Marc Marquez, who could manage only sixth. Ai Ogura finished ahead of the reigning World Champion as Aprilia secured a historic 1-2-3-4 finish in the premier class.
Pedro Acosta fights back to fifth at Mandalika
Acosta maintained his excellent recent form with another determined performance at the Indonesian Grand Prix, working his way through the field after a difficult opening lap.
The Spaniard quickly found his rhythm, making a series of smart overtaking moves to climb the order. A decisive pass on Alex Marquez on lap two moved him into seventh, before he gained another two positions by lap four.
Acosta then produced an aggressive move on Marc Marquez at Turn 10 on lap seven to move ahead of the nine-time World Champion.
However, front tyre pressure issues soon complicated his race. Acosta was forced to allow Marquez back through on two occasions to ensure his front Michelin tyre remained within the required operating range.
Although Acosta passed Marquez again on lap 20, he was unable to hold off the advancing Ai Ogura in the closing stages. The KTM rider ultimately secured fifth place, extending his impressive record of consistent top-six finishes this season.
It was a solid day for the entire Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team, with Brad Binder finishing 11th after a late battle with Enea Bastianini and Luca Marini.
Bezzecchi beats Fernandez after Mandalika Sprint drama
Tension was already high ahead of Sunday’s MotoGP race following a dramatic Indonesian Grand Prix Sprint on Saturday, when a Turn 1 collision resulted in both Bezzecchi and Fernandez crashing out.
The tension increased further during Sunday morning’s Warm-Up when Bezzecchi made contact with Fernandez’s rear wheel while the riders were stopped for a practice start.
Fernandez was also battling through the pain of two fractured fingers on his right hand, an injury he had sustained in the Sprint fall.
Despite his injury, the Trackhouse Aprilia rider made an excellent start to the Grand Prix, taking the lead from Bezzecchi through Turn 1 and quickly opening up a 0.8-second advantage.
Bezzecchi remained within striking distance, however. The Italian made his decisive move at the start of lap 19, passing Fernandez to take control of the race. He then pulled clear to secure his fifth MotoGP victory of the season, crossing the finish line 4.2 seconds ahead.
Fernandez deserves enormous credit for his performance, holding on to second place despite racing with two fractured fingers. The result marked his first MotoGP podium since the British Grand Prix in August.
Jorge Martin reclaims MotoGP World Championship lead
Martin arrived at Sunday’s race determined to respond after losing the championship lead during Saturday’s Sprint.
A front tyre pressure issue had prevented the Spaniard from challenging for victory in the shorter race, leaving him fourth when a win had looked possible.
The 2024 MotoGP World Champion made a difficult start to Sunday’s Grand Prix, dropping a position to sixth behind Marc Marquez, Fabio Di Giannantonio and Fermin Aldeguer.
However, Aldeguer’s crash, combined with rapid overtaking moves on Marquez and Di Giannantonio, allowed Martin to climb to third place by lap three.
Although he could not match the pace of the leading pair, Martin comfortably secured the final podium place and his ninth MotoGP top three of the season.
Crucially, the result was enough to put him back on top of the World Championship standings ahead of Marquez.
MotoGP Championship fight remains wide open
The MotoGP World Championship battle remains finely balanced after 17 rounds, with Martin holding a slender two-point advantage over Marquez and 185 points still available.
Despite losing the championship lead, Marquez can take plenty of positives from the Indonesian Grand Prix. The reigning World Champion maintained his two-point deficit at a circuit where he has traditionally struggled and where Aprilia proved exceptionally competitive.
He also achieved an important personal milestone by finishing his first MotoGP Grand Prix race at Mandalika at the fifth attempt.Bezzecchi’s victory has also revived his hopes of challenging for the MotoGP title. The Italian remains 46 points behind Martin with five rounds remaining, keeping him within reach of the championship leaders.
Attention now turns to the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island, scheduled for October 23-25, as the MotoGP title contenders prepare for the final stages of the campaign.
