MotoGP News: Bezzecchi Seals Back-to-Back Sprint Triumphs at Phillip Island

Marco Bezzecchi (pictured) made it two Sprint wins in a row, but the Italian had to dig deep to overhaul Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) with just three laps remaining. The decisive overtake secured a commanding victory by 3.149 seconds, while Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) rounded out the podium in third. Remarkably, P3 through P5 finished within a blistering tenth of a second.

Holeshot Chaos and Early Shuffle

Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) nailed the launch for the holeshot, but Fernandez surged through at Turn 2 to claim the lead on Lap 1. Pre-Sprint favorite Bezzecchi slotted into second, his Aprilia sporting makeshift “wings” from an unlucky seagull collision during the warm-up lap. Polesitter Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) tumbled to sixth behind Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) and Acosta, while teammate Brad Binder’s day ended abruptly with a Lap 1 crash at Turn 2.

As Fernandez and Bezzecchi forged an Aprilia 1-2 and pulled clear, the scrap for third heated up. Marquez fended off mounting pressure from Miller, Acosta, and Quartararo, with Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) impressing in seventh. Lap 5 brought fireworks at the front of that pack, as Miller and Marquez traded positions twice—first at Turn 10, then Turn 1. Up ahead, Bezzecchi endured a heart-stopping tank-slapper into Turn 10, somehow staying clear of race leader Fernandez. By Lap 7, Acosta capitalized on the chaos, blasting past both Miller and Marquez at Turn 1 to snatch third.

The Chase: Bezzecchi Strikes Back

Momentum shifted on Lap 9 as “Bez” latched onto Fernandez’s rear wheel, his superior pace evident. He pounced decisively at Turn 2 on Lap 10 to take the lead. The drama continued when Indonesian GP winner Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) highsided out at Turn 6 on Lap 11—thankfully unscathed and walking away.

Into the final lap, with Bezzecchi and Fernandez glued to the top two spots, a three-way duel erupted for the final podium place between Acosta, Miller, and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Ducati Lenovo Team).

Checkered Flag: Historic Aprilia Lockout

True to form, Bezzecchi delivered for the second straight Saturday, crossing the line 3.149 seconds clear of Fernandez. The duo’s result marked MotoGP’s first-ever Aprilia 1-2 in a Tissot Sprint. Acosta held firm under late pressure from Miller and Di Giannantonio, clinging to third on the run to the flag—the first Sprint podium devoid of a Ducati in the top three.

Behind the leading quintet, Marquez salvaged sixth for Ducati after his electric start faded. Quartararo settled for seventh, eyeing redemption in Sunday’s Grand Prix, while Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) and Espargaro grabbed eighth and ninth. Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) clawed to tenth outside the points zone.

At the tail end, it was a forgettable Sprint for the factory Ducati squad: Francesco Bagnaia limped to 19th, over 32 seconds adrift, with stand-in Michele Pirro bringing up the rear. “Pecco’s” tough day, juxtaposed with Bezzecchi’s masterclass, narrows the gap for third in the Riders’ Championship to just eight points.

Sprint Race Results