The #89 storms to victory on Sunday as Acosta returns to the podium, Bagnaia clinches third, Bastianini crashes out and Marquez suffers a technical issue in Indonesia
Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) stormed to glory at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia, with the #89 taking his first Sunday win since the French GP. ‘The Martinator’ looked unstoppable, claiming his first victory at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit after crashing out of the GP in both 2022 and 2023, as well as in the Tissot Sprint this season. Martin took a valuable 25 points in his Championship charge, extending his advantage from 12 to 21 as key rival Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) came home third after a late charge.
Between the two, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) pushed Martin hard in the early stages before being forced to settle for second, nevertheless moving up to fifth overall.
At the start, Martin made the dream launch, earning himself clear track ahead with Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) in chase. Meanwhile, Bagnaia struggled on the opening lap, dropping to fourth before Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) found their way through - dropping the Italian to sixth.
Meanwhile, it was a dramatic first lap, with Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) and Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team) crashing at Turn 3. The FIM MotoGP™ Stewards investigated the incident, with no further action taken.
Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) was unable to repeat his magical Sprint launch, but the #93 still made ground in the opening stages. Marc Marquez started in 12th and was soon in seventh – setting sights on Bagnaia.
At the front, Martin set a red-hot pace, setting the fastest lap of the Grand Prix and extending his gap to 1.333s. Meanwhile, Acosta was on the attack, leaping into second position ahead of a charging Morbidelli in an impressive move for the rookie.
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) had an intense fight with Marc Marquez in the first nine laps. However, everything unfolded for the Italian, losing the front at the technical Turn 10 – dropping Di Giannantonio to 17th. Meanwhile, Marc Marquez' Championship chances then suffered a huge blow, with technical issues dropping the #93 out of contention on Lap 12 as he pulled off, bike on fire.
Behind Martin and Acosta, the battle for the podium then really began with Morbidelli, Bastianini, Bezzecchi and Bagnaia locked together on the circuit. Bastianini tried to overtake on Lap 16 before the key move came on Lap 17 – promoting ‘The Beast’ to third. It was then some incredible pace unleashed from Bastianini, edging closer at every sector to the leaders.
Bastianini’s rhythm was sensational, but then it all came apart with a crash on the entry to Turn 1 on Lap 21 – rider OK. It was a massive blow for the #23, dropping over 70 points behind Martin in the Championship as just 12 riders remained in the Indonesian Grand Prix, only two of whom were top title contenders.
Bagnaia’s momentum built from there on out, picking off Bezzecchi on Lap 22 before the move came for third place on Lap 23 – demoting Morbidelli to fourth. Acosta was a further three seconds up the road, a tough task for even a two-time MotoGP™ World Champion.
In the closing stages, Martin had a two-second advantage, controlling the pace and the race at the front. The #89 was unstoppable on the final lap, leading the charge and storming to victory by 1.404s over rookie Acosta. Meanwhile, Bagnaia took a valuable third, bagging some points which could prove to be crucial.
Fourth place was taken by Morbidelli, with the Italian showing a continuing to his impressive form. The #21 claimed the bragging rights over Bezzecchi, who rounded out the top five spots as Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) crossed the line a further 4.558s behind in sixth and ended the day as the top Aprilia rider. Meanwhile, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) pulled off another stunning ride, finishing in seventh for the third GP in a row, beating Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) to the line.
Johann Zarco landed a ninth-place finish on an incredible day for the CASTROL Honda LCR squad, Honda's best of the season so far. The Frenchman finished ahead of Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing), who took the final spot inside the top 10. Further back, Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) took 11th after an attritional day which saw Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) demoted to 12th after a 16 second penalty due to tyre pressure.
After an unbelievable weekend in Indonesia, we head to the iconic Mobility Resort Motegi for the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, and with the Championship battle in full flow. Is it now a two-horse chase or are there more twists and turns just around the corner? Make sure you join us as the world’s most exciting sport returns in just one week!
A class above: Canet claims commanding win as Ogura strengthens title lead
Victories don't get much more dominant than the one Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) rolled out at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit as the Spaniard pulls clear to win by over six seconds. Thanks to a P2 finish, Ai Ogura's (MT Helmets - MSI) advantage in the Championship was extended to 42 points, while third place went the way of Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp) after a fascinating fight for the final podium spot played out.
Ogura earned the holeshot into Turn 1 but Canet didn't take long to retake the lead on Lap 1. There was drama into Turn 10 on Lap 1 as Somkiat Chantra's (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) race ended early after his right leg was clipped by Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp), with Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) having a separate incident at the same corner as the Australian's race came to a halt too.
On Lap 4, Canet was racing off into the distance in P1 as Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team), battling with Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™), crashed at Turn 10 from P6.
The race then settled with Canet boasting a three-second lead ahead of a trio of Boscoscuros. Lopez led Aldeguer and Ogura, with Gonzalez not too far adrift in P5. Then, Turn 10 saw Aldeguer run wide as the Spaniard slipped from P3 to P9 on Lap 8 - a podium place now a long way up the road.
On Lap 11 of 22, Canet's advantage was hovering around the five-second mark. It was a commanding display from the polesitter, but the fight for the rostrum was raging and joining in the fun was South Africa's Darryn Binder (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP).
With seven laps left, Canet was 6.5s clear of the chasing pack, one which was led by Ogura. And speaking of, the Japanese rider's teammate, Sergio Garcia, suffered another DNF. The #3 was slightly wide on the exit of Turn 5 and that saw the Spaniard crash out of the top 10 at a crucial stage in the title race.
Ogura, meanwhile, was starting to break clear of Lopez, Gonzalez and Binder in the race for P2. With three laps to go, Ogura was 1.3s ahead of the trio, as Lopez continued to cling onto P3 despite the constant threat of Gonzalez swarming all of his rear wheel. That briefly changed at Turn 16 on Lap 20 of 22, but Alonso bit straight back.
Gonzalez tried another move that only stuck for one corner, this time the Spaniards interchanged at Turn 12 and 13, as Aldeguer entered the podium fight chat on the last lap with a final corner move on Binder on the penultimate lap.
Four riders, one place on the podium. Canet and Ogura were gone as we focused on the group, with Aldeguer shoving his way past Gonzalez at Turn 10. That saw Binder come through too, but Lopez managed to hold into P3 despite the late charge. However, the 25 points belonged to Canet. What a ride the #44 produced in Mandalika, and kudos too to second place Ogura as the #79 picks up 20 valuable points in the Championship.
Aldeguer's late race pace was superb but the #54 couldn't quite grab a podium place, it's P4 for the SpeedUp star, as Binder bagged a season-best result in P5. Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing) picked up 10 points in P6, the American finishing ahead of Izan Guevara (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) who also earned a season-best points haul in P7 before the Spaniard was DSQ'd post-race for being under the minimum weight. Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) had a quiet Sunday to end the race in P8 which turned into a P7, as a mistake at Turn 16 saw Gonzalez pick up P8 ahead of Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing) who pocketed top 10s.
Barry Baltus (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP), Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Jeremy Alcoba (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team), Albert Arenas (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) and Filip Salac (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) rounded out the points scorers in Lombok.
A classy performance from Canet sees him rise to P3 in the Championship standings heading to Japan, but next weekend's home hero is the one they're chasing. Ogura holds a 42-point lead ahead of a trip to Motegi, will he continue his momentum on familiar soil?
Cloud nine: Alonso victorious again as Fernandez and Muñoz complete podium
Another race, another win for the spectacular David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team). A ninth Sunday success story comes the way of the Colombian as he times his attack to perfection in Indonesia to take another giant leap towards the Moto3™ World Championship title, as we enjoy witnessing Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) claim a debut Grand Prix podium ahead of third place David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports).
From the outside of the front row, Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) earned the holeshot to shuffle Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets - MSI) down to P2, with Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) an early third. The Dutch rider soon led on the exit of Turn 10 after Fernandez went for the lead up the inside, as Ortola then took the first of his two Long Lap penalties on Lap 2 to see the polesitter drop outside the top 10.
A front-running group of 10 formed as Ortola dived into the Long Lap penalty loop for a second time, with the Spaniard now P17. The gap to the leader? Just over five seconds with 15 laps to go.
On Lap 8 of 20, Veijer was still holding the P1 baton from Fernandez, with Alonso, Furusato and Tatsuki Suzuki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) inside the constantly changing top five. Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) was fighting through the pain to be in amongst the top 10, and also jostling for positions in the lead group were Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Muñoz, his BOE Motorsports teammate Joel Kelso and Angel Piqueras (Leopard Racing).
Meanwhile, Ortola's attempted charge up to the leaders took a heavy dent. The title hopeful was handed another Long Lap penalty, this time for a shortcut at Turn 9, and now the gap was up to eight seconds.
More drama then unfolded - this time at the front. Veijer, the race leader, crashed out of contention at the fast Turn 8. The #95's front end washed out from underneath him and Veijer, having looked mighty all weekend, was out of the race. Now, Fernandez was at the group's summit, with Holgado picking his way through the pack to P2 with seven laps to go.
With five to go, Fernandez led from Muñoz and Holgado, with Furusato and Lunetta inside the top five. Alonso was beginning to get busy though. The Colombian went from P6 to P4 in half a lap as we strapped ourselves in for the final four laps.
Holgado led for the first time on Lap 17 of 20 as Fernandez went from P1 to P4 in a flash. Alonso then in P1 as Piqueras began knocking on the podium door, as Furusato then crashed out at Turn 1 with three laps left - rider OK.
Two to go! It was Fernandez leading from Muñoz and Alonso, with the top trio having a small gap back to Lunetta and the rest in P4. Last lap time. Alonso grabbed P2 from Muñoz at Turn 1 and then the #80 set his sights on Fernandez. Turn 10 saw Alonso grab the lead, Muñoz followed him through, but Fernandez bit back to retake P2. Could anyone stop Alonso as the final sector approached? The answer was no. Alonso defended well to beat Fernandez and Muñoz to the chequered flag and after crashing at the start of the weekend, Alonso lands in Japan with the Championship firmly in his sights.
Piqueras fought off fellow rookie Lunetta at the final corner to finish P4, with Lunetta settling for a P5 in Indonesia. Holgado's P6 keeps him second in the overall standings, but it's more crucial ground lost in the title race for the Spaniard. Suzuki's P7 was the Japanese rider's seventh top 10 of the year, with Kelso picking up P8 just 1.8s away from the win.
After three Long Laps, Ortola takes a P9 away from Mandalika on a Sunday that could have offered so much more, as Nicola Carraro (LEVELUP - MTA) scored his first top 10 since the Spanish GP. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Matteo Bertelle (Kopron Rivacold Snipers Team), Scott Ogden (Fleetsafe Honda - MLav Racing), Joel Esteban (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) and Stefano Nepa (LEVELUP - MTA) rounded out the points, the latter another rider to take three Long Laps on Sunday.
He does it again. Alonso continues his charge towards the 2024 title and in Japan, there's a very good chance we see the Colombian star crowned in seven days.