
MotoGP: Jorge Martin Returns to Sprint Victory in COTA After Last Lap Pass on Pecco Bagnaia
By Jack Hammersley
After a tough 2025 Jorge Martin returns to the top step of the Tissot Sprint as Bezzecchi, Marc Marquez and Di Giannantonio crash out
It was cloudy skies over Austin Texas for the Tissot Sprint at the Circuit of the Americas. Fabio Di Giannantonio took back-to-back pole positions for the first time in his MotoGP career, championship leader Marco Bezzecchi started in second wit Pedro Acosta rounding out the front row. Francesco Bagnaia had his best qualifying of the season in fourth and alongside him was Joan Mir and the King of COTA Marc Marquez.
The lights went out and Pecco Bagnaia lead the way out of turn one ahead of Acosta and Marc Marquez, Di Giannantonio made an aggressive move on Marc at turn seven to move into the podium spots.
Marquez tried to repass Diggia into turn 12 but out-braked himself and lost the front and took the Italian with him, they both remounted in last.
Jorge Martin was in-front of his teammate Bezzecchi in fourth and after sitting behind the Honda of Mir for three laps made his move into turn one to take third place. Martin then slipstreamed Acosta down the back straight and moved into second, Bagnaia was leading by 1.4 seconds with six laps remaining.
Bezzecchi followed his teammate and overtook Mir into the penultimate corner and set his sights on Acosta and made the pass at turn 13.
Toprak Razgatlioglu was running as the top Yamaha until he suffered a problem with his M1 and had to retire.
On lap 7 Bezzecchi made a move on Martin into turn 11 and took second place and had 1.4 seconds to his good mate Pecco.
Bezzecchi had closed in two tenths on Bagnaia in the final and first sector but made a mistake into turn 11 and lost the front and was out of the race.
Enea Bastianini was having his best ride of the season by a long way and was battling with Alex Marquez for fifth place.
Mir on the final lap lost the front at turn one out of fourth place. Martin was closing in on Bagnaia to 0.4 seconds.
Martin sat up Bagnaia at turn 12 to take the lead of the race and win the Sprint in America. Bagnaia brought home his Ducati in second for his first podium of the season and Acosta finished in third. Bastianini beat Alex Marquez to fourth with Luca Marini in sixth, Ai Ogura was seventh, Raul Fernandez eighth and Johann Zarco brought home the final point.
Jorge Martin crashed on the cooldown lap while doing a wheelie down the back straight, Acosta was also under investigation for tyre pressures.
Martin now leads the championship standings ahead of his teammate Bezzecchi by one point and Acosta by eight points.
Featured Image: Jorge Martin

Looking to update your website?
Recent posts

BSB: The 2026 ZYN British Superbike Championship Season Finale is Upon Us

WSBK: Nicolo Bulega Takes a Record Breaking 28th Victory in 2026

Moto3: Max Quiles is Crowned the 2026 Champion

MOTOGP: Marco Bezzecchi Back to Winning Ways in Indonesia

Moto2: Three on the bounce as Izan Guevara claims Indonesian GP victory

WSBK: Nicolo Bulega Wins Race One in Estoril

Moto2: Izan Guevara makes it back-to-back wins with victory in Japanese GP

