Marco Bezzecchi storms Phillip Island

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

Pos
Rider
Team
Bike
Behind
Laps
1
Marco Bezzecchi
Aprilia Racing
RS-GP25
+0.000s
13
2
Raul Fernandez
Trackhouse MotoGP Team
RS-GP25
+3.149s
13
3
Pedro Acosta
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
RC16
+3.490s
13
4
Jack Miller
Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP
YZR-M1
+3.591s
13
5
Fabio Di Giannantonio
Ducati Lenovo Team
GP25
+3.600s
13
6
Alex Marquez
BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP
GP24
+4.761s
13
7
Fabio Quartararo
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP
YZR-M1
+5.872s
13
8
Luca Marini
Honda HRC Castrol
RC213V
+7.994s
13
9
Pol Espargaro
Red Bull KTM Tech 3
RC16
+9.105s
13
10
Enea Bastianini
Ducati Lenovo Team
GP25
+10.261s
13
11
Joan Mir
Repsol Honda
RC213V
+11.432s
13
12
Johann Zarco
Castrol Honda LCR
RC213V
+12.598s
13
13
Alex Rins
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP
YZR-M1
+13.769s
13
14
Miguel Oliveira
Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP
YZR-M1
+14.935s
13
15
Franco Morbidelli
Pertamina Enduro VR46 Ducati
GP24
+16.102s
13
16
Ai Ogura
Trackhouse MotoGP Team
RS-GP25
+17.268s*
13
17
Lorenzo Savadori
Aprilia Racing
RS-GP25
+18.434s
13
18
Somkiat Chantra
Idemitsu Honda LCR
RC213V
+19.600s
13
19
Francesco Bagnaia
Ducati Lenovo Team
GP25
+32.456s
13
20
Michele Pirro
Ducati Lenovo Team
GP25
+35.678s
13

DNFs:

  • Fermín Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP, Ducati GP24) – Crash, Lap 11, Turn 6
  • Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, RC16) – Crash, Lap 1, Turn 2

*Ai Ogura received a post-race time penalty, dropping from potential higher finish.