Pedro Acosta won sprint after Marco Bezzecchi crashed out
Bezzecchi led from start to finish in main race
Acosta leads overall standings by seven points
Marco Bezzecchi claimed a dominant victory for Aprilia at the Thailand Grand Prix in Buriram on Sunday (March 1), while Pedro Acosta finished second. The 2024 MotoGP world champion Jorge Martin resumed his comeback from injury with an encouraging fourth place, meanwhile.
Spaniard Acosta won a dramatic sprint race on Saturday after Bezzecchi crashed out, leaving him in a duel with 2025 MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez who was forced to drop out of the lead following an aggressive move on the Red Bull KTM Factory rider that saw FIM stewards dock him one place.
Sunday's race saw Bezzecchi speed clear from pole to ease away for a comfortable victory over the 26 laps with Acosta, Martin and Marquez battling it out behind to see who could grab a podium place. Acosta held his own alongside Marquez and Martin with Martin falling off the pace, Acosta reeling in Trackhouse Aprilia's Raul Fernandez on lap 23 after Marquez punctured two laps earlier.
The 1-2-3 of Bezzecchi, Acosta and Fernandez saw Ducati's 88-race podium streak finally end as Martin held on to fourth with Acosta leading the overall standings by seven from Bezzecchi heading into the Brazilian GP on March 22. Acosta, 21, said: "Super nice to start the season in that way. We have found something. Still a way to go. We have to keep calm."
South African Brad Binder came in seventh on his Red Bull KTM Factory bike and Frenchman Johann Zarco 11th for LCR Honda, leaving Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 duo Enea Bastianini and Maverick Vinales in 12th and 16th respectively as 2025 MotoGP overall runner-up Alex Marquez suffered a late crash.
Thai Grand Prix Result
1. Marco Bezzecchi (Italy, Aprilia Racing): 39m, 36.27s
2. Pedro Acosta (Spain, Red Bull KTM): +5.543s
3. Raul Fernandez (Spain, Trackhouse Aprilia): +9.259s
4. Jorge Martin (Spain, Aprilia Racing): +12.182s
5. Ai Ogura (Japan, Trackhouse Aprilia): +12.411s
MotoGP Championship 2026 Standings
1. Pedro Acosta: 32 points
2. Marco Bezzecchi: 25
3. Raul Fernandez: 23
4. Jorge Martin: 18
5. Ai Ogura: 17
(With inputs from Red Bull Content Pool)
Who won Thailand leg of MotoGP World Championship?
Italy's Aprilia Racing rider Marco Bezzecchi won the Thai Grand Prix in Buriram.
Who claimed victory in the Thai Grand Prix sprint?
Spain's Red Bull rider Pedro Acosta won a dramatic sprint race in Buriram.
Who leads the overall standings currently?
Pedro Acosta has a seven-point lead ahead of Marco Bezzecchi in the overall standings of the MotoGP championships.
