MotoGP Round 17 | Bezzecchi beats Fernandez in Mandalika. The Italian kept his title hopes alive with a first victory since Mugello, with Aprilia making history in Indonesia to see Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team #93) finish outside of the top five. Report: BikeReview/MotoGP Press

Friday Practice and Saturday Qualifying
MotoGP

Raul Fernandez (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team #25) was the fastest on Friday at Mandalika with the Spaniard setting a new all-time lap record to lead the charge into the rest of the weekend. A 1’28.725 perched the British GP winner on top in what was a crash-strewn session, leading Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing #72) and his Championship-leading teammate Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing #89) with the Aprilias in mighty form, locking out the top three for the first time in Practice history.

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For the first time in MotoGP, Raul Fernandez (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) would launch from pole position as a tantalising qualifying scrap unfolded at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia. It was an Aprilia 1-2 at the spearhead of the grid thanks to Marco Bezzecchi’s (Aprilia Racing) efforts, the Italian 0.109s adrift of Fernandez’s 1:28.852, and denying Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) and Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) a front row start on Lombok was a rather rapid birthday boy on Saturday morning – Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team #49) the rider to join Fernandez and Bezzecchi on the front row.

Moto2

Winner in Austria. Winner in Japan. And now the all-time lap record holder in Moto2 after the opening day of action at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia. Those accolades go to Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 #28) as the rider second in the title chase laid down the gauntlet in Practice with a 1:32.337, 0.231s quicker than second-fastest Alex Escrig (KLINT Racing Team #11).

What a lap. What a session. For the fifth time in 2026, title-hunting Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) would launch from pole position for the Moto2 Grand Prix thanks to a stunning 1:31.963 – the very first Moto2 lap in the 1:31 bracket. It was a rollercoaster Q2 that saw Alex Escrig (KLINT Racing Team) clinch P2, the Spaniard only 0.098s away from pole, with Colombia’s David Alonso (CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team #80) leaving it late to jump up to the front row.

Moto3

Aiming to keep his title aspirations alive for as long as possible, David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP #22) was once again the rider to beat on Friday, just edging clear of Championship leader Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team #28).

Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo #51) lit up Mandalika with a sensational Saturday charge, grabbing his third pole position of the year and planting himself right at the heart of the title fight. Alongside him, fellow contenders David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) and Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo #83) completed a blockbuster front row.

Saturday
Tissot Sprint

Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) took victory in Saturday’s Tissot Sprint at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia to move into the Championship lead after a dramatic race that saw early leader Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) fade to fourth, while Ai Ogura (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) finished second and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) completed the podium.

The Sprint exploded into life at Turn 1, as a drag race between polesitter Raul Fernandez (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) and Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) ended in contact. Marc Marquez and Di Giannantonio had also gone up the inside, and a chain reaction followed as riders sat up and adjusted their lines. With nowhere to go, Bezzecchi crashed out alongside Fernandez, ending both riders’ races immediately. Amid the chaos, Martin swept around the outside to seize the lead.

Martin quickly looked in control, building a gap of more than a second over Marc Marquez, who held second ahead of Ogura and Di Giannantonio. As the laps wound down, the battle appeared set to be between the two title contenders, with Marquez shadowing the Aprilia rider from close range.

However, the race turned on its head with four laps remaining when Martin suddenly lost significant pace and dropped more than two seconds in a single lap, later attributing the issue to tyre pressure. Marquez inherited the lead, while behind them Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing #37) was handed a Long Lap penalty for track limits, removing him from contention in the fight for the podium.

Martin initially recovered and began chasing Marquez once again, but further drama followed as he ran wide and off the circuit at Turn 15 while attempting to stay in the fight. The mistake dropped the #89 out of podium contention and promoted Ogura and Di Giannantonio into the top three.

At the front, Ogura mounted a late challenge and significantly reduced the gap on the final lap, but the Japanese rookie could not get close enough to launch an attack. Marc Marquez crossed the line to secure his first Sprint victory at Mandalika, with Ogura taking an impressive second place and Di Giannantonio rounding out the podium.

Martin had to settle for fourth after a race that promised much more, a costly result that leaves Marquez holding a four point Championship advantage.

“It was a very tough race, especially from the beginning. With the start and then I saw Martin was leading, I pushed with what I had. I made a big mistake on the third or fourth lap and he opened a gap, but in the last part of the race I was able to catch him a bit, and then he had some problem with the tyre pressure or something. But even like this, in the end I felt better and better, my pace was better. I tried to manage the risk and manage the gap between me and Ogura,” Marquez said.

Tissot Sprint Race Results

  1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo
  2. Ai Ogura Trackhouse Aprilia (+0.509s)
  3. Fabio Di Giannantonio Pertamina VR46 Ducati (+0.835s)
  4. Jorge Martin Aprilia Racing (+1.947s)
  5. Alex Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati (+3.410s)

Sunday
MotoGP

Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) secured a crucial victory at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia, leading home a historic Aprilia 1-2-3-4 finish as Raul Fernandez (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) claimed a heroic second despite racing with two broken fingers and Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) finished third to reclaim the World Championship lead after Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) crossed the line in sixth.

Unlike the drama that unfolded in Saturday’s Sprint, the GP began cleanly. Fernandez held the lead into Turn 1 despite an aggressive challenge from Bezzecchi, while Marc Marquez slotted into third. Further back, Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP #54) made an excellent start, briefly rising to fourth before crashing at Turn 16 on Lap 2.

That incident promoted Martin into fourth, and half a lap later the Spaniard moved past Marc Marquez at Turn 10 to take third place. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was also on the charge and soon joined the fight, setting the fastest lap before overtaking Marc Marquez with a bold move at Turn 10.

At the front, Fernandez continued to lead from Bezzecchi, but the Italian gradually increased the pressure. Bezzecchi repeatedly posted the fastest laps of the race to close the gap, as Martin settled into a lonely third, a few seconds adrift of the leading duo.

The battle behind also intensified. Marc Marquez briefly regained fourth from Acosta before the positions changed again as tyre pressure concerns appeared to affect multiple riders. Those fluctuations allowed Ai Ogura (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team #79) to enter the fight and bring another Aprilia into contention.

The decisive moment arrived on Lap 19 when Bezzecchi finally found a way past Fernandez to take the lead. Once in front, the Italian immediately stretched his advantage, setting another fastest lap and opening a comfortable gap as Fernandez focused on fending off Martin.

Further back, Ogura joined the battle with Acosta and Marc Marquez. The Japanese rider overtook Marc Marquez for fifth before engaging in a thrilling duel with Acosta. Although the KTM rider fought back, Ogura ultimately secured fourth position, ensuring Aprilia locked out the top four places.

Out front, Bezzecchi was untouchable in the closing laps, cruising to his first victory since Mugello and keeping his title hopes alive. Fernandez produced one of the rides of the season to defend second despite carrying injuries sustained in the Sprint crash, while Martin’s measured ride to third proved hugely significant as it moved him back to the top of the championship standings.

Ogura completed Aprilia’s historic 1-2-3-4 result in fourth, with Acosta finishing fifth after a hard fought battle. Marc Marquez had to settle for sixth, leaving Indonesia having surrendered the championship lead back to Martin by two points.“The first thought when I was in the hospital was ‘when will I be back winning?’ Everything was going quite well at the beginning, but then I had a very hard time. The comeback was not bad, but it was tough to fight for the top,” Bezzecchi stated.

“Today the pace was good and all the weekend we worked well, and I managed the race well. I knew if I was able to stay close to Raul, near the end I could have something more. I’m happy to be back on that place on the podium.”

MotoGP Race Results

  1. Marco Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing
  2. Raul Fernandez Trackhouse Aprilia (+4.260s)
  3. Jorge Martin Aprilia Racing (+6.890s)
  4. Ai Ogura Trackhouse Aprilia (+9.378s)
  5. Pedro Acosta Red Bull KTM (+9.492s)

Check out the full MotoGP race results here…

MotoGP Championship Points

  1. Jorge Martin Aprilia Racing – 355
  2. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo – 353
  3. Marco Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing – 309
  4. Ai Ogura Trackhouse Aprilia – 259
  5. Pedro Acosta Red Bull KTM – 258

Moto2

Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) claimed a third consecutive victory at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia, fending off title rival Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP #18), who recovered impressively to finish second, while Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team #96) rounded out the podium after overcoming an early crash and red flag drama.

The race was immediately halted following a major Turn 1 incident involving four riders. Holgado clipped the back of teammate David Alonso, sending both CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team riders crashing heavily. Alonso was launched into the air, while Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team #16) and Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo #95) were also caught up in the aftermath. Thankfully, all four riders escaped serious injury, although Alonso’s damaged machine prevented him from taking part in the restart. Roberts initially returned to the grid but was subsequently forced to withdraw due to a rear brake issue.

At the restart, Alex Escrig (KLINT Racing Team) made the perfect launch to take the holeshot ahead of Guevara.

Gonzalez, meanwhile, quickly began moving forward from outside the leading group, climbing from sixth to fifth before surging into podium contention.

By Lap 6, a clear leading group had emerged. Escrig held an advantage of around eight tenths over Guevara, with Holgado running third. Gonzalez continued his charge and soon displaced Holgado to move into third place, placing himself in a strong position to minimise any championship damage against the in-form Guevara. While Gonzalez secured a comfortable podium position, attention soon shifted to the battle for victory. Escrig looked in complete control for much of the race, maintaining a healthy advantage over Guevara and appearing on course for a memorable win. However, disaster struck with just two laps remaining when a technical issue abruptly ended his challenge.

The cruel setback handed the lead to Guevara, who showed no signs of nerves as he powered to a third straight victory. Gonzalez’s recovery ride to second ensured the championship damage remained limited, with the Spaniard collecting 20 valuable points to keep the title fight extremely close.

Third place went to Holgado, capping an extraordinary turnaround after his involvement in the opening lap crash and red flag stoppage. The Spaniard’s podium marked a welcome return to the rostrum following an eventful afternoon.

Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP #81) also delivered one of the rides of the race, charging from 13th on the grid to finish fourth, narrowly missing out on a podium finish. Daniel Muñoz (Italtrans Racing Team #17) rounded out the top five, with Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – JP Financial – MSI #4) completing the top six.

Guevara’s victory further reduced the gap to Gonzalez in the championship standings, ensuring the Moto2 title battle remains finely poised heading into the next round.

Moto2 Race Results

  1. Izan Guevara BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2
  2. Manuel Gonzalez LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP (+3.570s)
  3. Daniel Holgado CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team (+4.497s)
  4. Senna Agius LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP (+4.809s)
  5. Daniel Munoz Italtrans Racing Team (+6.461s)

Moto2 Championship Points

  1. Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 265.5
  2. Izan Guevara BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 – 260
  3. Ivan Ortola QJMOTOR – Biolec – MSI – 191.5
  4. Daniel Holgado CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team – 170
  5. David Alonso CFMOTO Inde Team – 166

Moto3

The Championship race is over as victory for Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) secured the Moto3 World Championship for the Spaniard. A glittering campaign of 10 wins so far, he led from Lap 2 onwards, pulled out an advantage and never looked back for one of his most dominant wins of the season ahead of nearest challenger David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) and Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo).

From P2 on the grid it was a perfect launch to grab the holeshot for Almansa whilst Quiles was already into P2 on Lap 1. However, it was a barnstorming second lap that saw the gloves really come off, with Quiles in the lead as Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing #31) battled his way into the podium places. The rough and tumble was starting to fragment the group and Almansa was the rider who was paying the price, with title rival Quiles leading, Almansa was down to P8.

On Lap 3, it was Grand Prix done for Casey O’Gorman (SIC58 Squadra Corse #67), who crashed at Turn 5, whilst teammate Leo Rammerstorfer (#5) joined him in a separate incident. Further round the lap, Ryota Ogiwara (CODE Motorsports #79) came to grief whilst back in the lead pack, Almansa was back into P2 by Lap 5. A mistake by Quiles at Turn 16 gave the chasing pack hope, as the gap to chief title rival Almansa went down to 1.6s.

Half GP distance completed and things had started to spread out, with Quiles 1.5s clear of Almansa, Fernandez and Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo), who in turn, were 1.6s clear of Rico Salmela (Red Bull KTM Tech3 #27).

On Lap 11, disaster for Carpe who tagged the back of Fernandez and crashed at Turn 10, and although the #31 could continue, he was back in the group behind and then made a mistake at Turn 2 a lap later. More drama at the end of the lap, this time for Adrian Cruces (CIP GreenPower #11), who crashed at Turn 16 but was able to rejoin.

Lap 14 and two seconds out front, Champion-designate Quiles picked up a track limits warning, the #28 had no room for error. With a 2.8s advantage with two laps to go though, he had the margin to relax and keep it wheels in line, despite Almansa’s efforts.

Across the line and doing it in the most Quiles style possible, the Championship leader became the World Champion with a 10th victory of the season and with five rounds remaining. A magnificent campaign going to a deserving World Champion whilst Almansa was a solid second and strengthens his grasp on P2 overall. Third went the way of Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) after the Spaniard pounced to pass Matteo Bertelle (LEVELUP-MTA #18) on the final lap. Salmela matched his career-best result in fifth ahead of home-hero Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia #9).

Moto3 Race Results

  1. Maximo Quiles CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team
  2. David Almansa Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (+2.994s)
  3. Brian Uriarte Red Bull KTM Ajo (+5.156s)
  4. Matteo Bertelle LEVEL UP – MTA (+5.250s)
  5. Rico Salmela Red Bull KTM Tech3 (10.967s)

Moto3 Championship Points

  1. Maximo Quiles CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team – 351
  2. David Almansa Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 219
  3. Brian Uriarte Red Bull KTM Ajo – 203
  4. Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo – 191
  5. Marco Morelli CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team – 146

How Did the Aussies Do?

While 13th was still short of his and the team’s targets, Jack Miller’s (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP #43) consistent Sprint performance provided another positive step forward after Friday’s solid showing. Sadly, his race didn’t go to plan, for his bout ended prematurely on lap five after a crash, dashing the Australian’s hopes of converting the encouraging pace he had shown throughout the weekend.

Senna Agius headed into Sunday’s race from 13th on the grid after a challenging qualifying session prevented him from building on an otherwise promising opening to his GP. The Aussie then produced a classy ride to claim fourth, as he charged through the field to come within just 0.4 seconds of a podium after applying heavy pressure on Holgado in the closing laps.

Joel Kelso’s (GRYD Racing #66) Indonesian Grand Prix ended in disappointment after a remarkable recovery ride from 19th to ninth was cut short when a rider crashed in front of him on the final lap, leaving the Australian unable to avoid the incident.

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