Pedro Acosta had a bittersweet sprint race at the Grand Prix of Aragón in Alcañiz: the KTM factory rider crossed the line in fourth, just 0.559 seconds behind third-placed Marco Bezzecchi, with the podium agonizingly close. The victory, however, went to Marc Márquez, who started from second on the grid, seized the lead with a bold move at the first corner, and never looked back.
“I knew the first corner would be decisive. After the move, I set a strong pace,” said the 33-year-old. This marked the fifth sprint win of the season for the seven-time world champion. Behind Márquez, his brother Álex Márquez (Ducati) took second, while Bezzecchi (Aprilia) secured the final podium spot in third.
Defending champion Jorge Martín (Aprilia) finished a disappointing fifth. Acosta earned six points, keeping him seventh in the championship standings, while teammate Brad Binder (South Africa) finished 15th and left empty-handed. With Ai Ogura (Aprilia) sidelined due to a left-hand injury, Marc Márquez moved up to third in the championship with 212 points, overtaking Ogura’s 203.
Martín remains at the top of the standings with 245 points, followed by Bezzecchi on 216. Sunday’s main race (14:00, Sky) gives Marc Márquez the chance to climb to second place.
