Bezzecchi Leads Aprilia Sweep as Martin Retakes MotoGP Lead

Aprilia dominated the Indonesian Grand Prix at Mandalika as Marco Bezzecchi secured his first MotoGP victory since May and Jorge Martin returned to the top of the championship standings on Sunday, October 11, 2026. Raul Fernandez finished second, while Martin took third to give Aprilia two riders on the podium and restore his advantage over reigning champion Marc Marquez.

According to Motorsport.com, Bezzecchi overtook Fernandez on lap 19 of the 27-lap race and established a decisive lead. Marquez finished sixth on his Ducati, allowing Martin to move two points ahead in the title fight before the Australian Grand Prix in two weeks.

The result marked a major recovery for Aprilia following Saturday's sprint, when Bezzecchi and Fernandez crashed during an incident at Turn 1. Fernandez sustained finger injuries but returned to compete in Sunday's main race.

Fernandez initially controlled the grand prix after reclaiming the lead from Bezzecchi in the opening corner. The Trackhouse rider built a gap approaching one second before Bezzecchi steadily reduced the deficit from lap nine.

Bezzecchi eventually made his decisive move into Turn 1 on lap 19. Fernandez ran wide shortly afterward, allowing the Italian to extend his advantage and secure the victory by approximately four seconds, according to Motorsport.com.

The win was Bezzecchi's first since the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello in May and Aprilia's first premier-class victory since the British Grand Prix in early August. Fernandez completed the race despite uncertainty about his fitness following the previous day's crash.

Ai Ogura completed Aprilia's strong overall showing, giving the manufacturer all four leading positions alongside Bezzecchi, Fernandez and Martin. Motorsport.com reported that Ogura passed Pedro Acosta on the penultimate lap to secure fourth place, while Acosta finished ahead of Marquez in fifth.

Crash.net reported that Fernandez revealed the extent of his injury after the race, saying, "I don't have one finger broken, I have two! I didn't let anyone know!" The Spanish rider had returned to the pits after the sprint crash without his glove.

Martin's recovery from a difficult start proved crucial to the championship outcome. Starting fifth, he dropped to sixth before passing Fabio Di Giannantonio and benefiting from Fermin Aldeguer's crash at the end of lap two to advance to fourth.

Martin then overtook Marquez on lap three, moving into a podium position. The Spaniard maintained third place while the two leading Aprilia riders battled for victory, finishing ahead of his championship rival and reclaiming the standings lead by two points.

Marquez's sixth-place finish followed his sprint victory on Saturday. During that event's post-race commitments, he also criticized the demands placed on riders in the intense Lombok heat, raising concerns about recovery time and preparation for the main race.

Speaking to DAZN after the sprint, Marquez said, "It's inhumane having to stand there on the podium in my racing suit," explaining that the conditions and promotional obligations could affect his performance the following day.

He also explained that he had skipped the usual golf cart ride to cool off. "I skipped the golf trolley and went to have a quick dip. We're elite athletes; we all look after our own interests."

During a subsequent media briefing, Marquez confirmed that another promotional obligation awaited riders on Sunday. "Yes, mandatory 10 minutes in the hero walk," he said. "[The information] arrived today."

Marquez described the growing demands on riders while acknowledging their obligations. "[It's] always a little bit more, you know? But it's like it is and we must do that."

Behind the leading group, Alex Marquez finished seventh, followed by Di Giannantonio in eighth and Fabio Quartararo in ninth. Luca Marini placed tenth, while Brad Binder and Johann Zarco finished 12th and 13th, respectively, according to Crash.net's final classification.

Several riders failed to finish, including Aldeguer, Jack Miller and Francesco Bagnaia after early crashes. Toprak Razgatlioglu later retired, adding to the list of riders unable to complete the race.

Martin now holds a two-point championship advantage over Marquez heading into the Australian Grand Prix, scheduled for two weeks after the Indonesian round.