The #89 reels in and passes his teammate and title rival as Ogura clinches a debut MotoGP podium to hand Aprilia a podium lockout at Le Mans
All the blood, sweat, and tears. The injury woes of 2025. The not knowing if he’d ever return to the top step again. Now though, he’s done exactly that. Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing), for the first time since the 2024 Indonesian Grand Prix, emerged victorious on Sunday in Le Mans with a ridiculously impressive ride that saw the #89 reel in and overtake teammate Marco Bezzecchi in the closing stages. It was a day to remember for Aprilia because not only did they lock out the top two spots on the podium thanks to the top two in the championship, but Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) produced some more late Grand Prix magic to make his way onto the MotoGP podium for the first time. That’s a first-ever MotoGP podium lockout for the Noale factory, and the first podium for a Japanese rider since 2012.
THE START
Bezzecchi got the best launch of the riders from the front row and heading up to Turn 3, the lead was the Italian’s. Much to the delight of the home faithful, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was up to an early P2 as he and Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) swapped paint coming out of Turn 4. Bagnaia lost ground from pole position, the Italian was P4, with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) getting a much better launch than he did just under 24 hours ago – the Italian was P5 from the front row.
Lap 2 saw Spanish GP winner Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) crash out of the top 10, as Acosta attacked Quartararo. It was a move that stuck at Turn 11, as Acosta then locked his radar onto Bezzecchi. Lap 5 saw Pecco then pounce to demote the home hero to P4, and on that lap, the Italian set the fastest lap of the race – 0.2s quicker than leader Bezzecchi.
BUBBLING UP NICELY AT THE FRONT AS MARTIN BEGINS VICTORY PUSH
The chasers lost ground on the next lap, and it was clear Pecco had some pace in hand over Acosta. And sure enough, the #63 carved his way past the KTM star into P2. The gap to Bezzecchi? 0.9s. Meanwhile, a train of fire-breathing thoroughbreds had formed, with Di Giannantonio and Tissot Sprint winner Martin now ahead of Quartararo. Ogura and Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) were next in line, but it was Martin vs Di Giannantonio on Lap 9. Eventually, after a couple of attempts at Turn 3 and then Turn 6, Martin got the attack done at Turn 7. But that battle saw the second group sit over a second and a half away from the top three.
The Grand Prix simmered a tad approaching the halfway point, but intriguing was the word to describe what was going on at the front. Bezzecchi’s advantage was 0.6s over Pecco, with Acosta still lingering in P3. Martin’s pace was on par with the leaders, but the 2024 World Champion was 1.6s back – but the good news for the #89 was he had pulled 1.1s on Di Giannantonio.
BAGNAIA CRASHES
Then, a dose of drama was thrown into the mix. Bagnaia, seemingly comfortable in P2, then lost the front coming into Turn 3 on Lap 16 of 27. A disastrous end to a very promising weekend for Pecco. Thankfully, the Italian was OK physically, and looking more than OK too was Martin. Now in P3 after Pecco’s error, Martin was right in the victory hunt and on Lap 18, the Aprilia star dispatched Acosta.
MARTIN REELS IN BEZZECCHI, OGURA LAUNCHES ROSTRUM ATTACK
Now, it was Aprilia vs Aprilia. P1 vs P2 in the title race. Martin was 1.5s behind Bezzecchi but while we locked eyes on Mir lunging underneath Quartararo at Turn 3, the gap came down by half a second. On Lap 20, Bezzecchi led Martin by one second, with Acosta 0.7s back in P3.
At the beginning of Lap 2, the gap was 0.8s. Martin was reeling in his teammate, and another Aprilia rider was on the charge. Ogura. Di Giannantonio was shuffled down to P5 on Lap 21, and just before that, having moved into P6, Mir crashed out at Turn 11.
Back at the front, and back to Ogura. The Japanese rider was 0.5s faster than Bezzecchi on Lap 21, and Acosta’s podium was under serious threat. Lap 23, Turn 3, Ogura made it an Aprilia 1-2-3.
Could the #79 now claw his way into the victory fight? Well, if Martin engaged in battle with Bezzecchi, it would give him a chance. And with four laps to go, Martin was right on the rear wheel of his teammate after landing a 1:31.2, compared to Bezzecchi’s 1:31.4.
Bezzecchi was in trouble here, and so it proved. Martin, with three to go, made his move. What a class pass it was too. Turn 3, late on the brakes, job done. Martin led for the first time and it looked like Bezzecchi didn’t have anything in response. No counterattack was coming, as Martin pulled 0.7s clear.
Instead of the win, Bezzecchi now had a real task to keep P3. Ogura was now just 0.7s away from the factory RS-GP, then 0.5s, as we entered the final lap of the Grand Prix.
0.6s was the gap splitting Martin and Bezzecchi, so a mistake-free closing lap would see Martin return to the top step. And guess what: that’s exactly what it was. For the first time since the 2024 Indonesian Grand Prix, Jorge Martin would spray the bubbly from the top step of the podium.
Bezzecchi held off Ogura’s late pressure to earn 20 healthy points, but the Italian sees his championship lead come down to a single point after a mini sucker punch was handed to him by his teammate. And sure enough, in P3, Ogura secured a first MotoGP podium to become the first Japanese podium finisher since 2012. It’s been coming, now it’s arrived. What a day for Aprilia.
YOUR POINTS SCORERS IN FRANCE
A penultimate corner pass on the final lap saw Di Giannantonio overtake Acosta for P4 honours, which means the KTM rider had to settle for P5. Quartararo’s top weekend ended with a very solid P6 on home soil, and although P6s aren’t the results the Frenchman comes racing for, but given the circumstances, El Diablo will be pleased with that.
P7 went the way of Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3), with Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team), Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) closing out the top 10 in Le Mans.
Johann Zarco’s (Castrol Honda LCR) home Grand Prix Sunday didn’t go as planned after Fernandez forced the Frenchman wide on Lap 1, leaving last year’s winner just inside the top 15. P11 was Zarco’s result in the end, as Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Toprak Razgatlioglu (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP), Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), and Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) picked up the final points on offer in France.
NEXT STOP: BARCELONA
Check out FULL RESULTS HEREand tune in for more MotoGP next weekend as we head straight to Barcelona!
Guevara takes Le Mans honours in red-flagged Moto2 dash
Pole position to victory. Not a bad weekend at the Le Mans office then for Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) as the Spaniard fended off second place Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) to climb into P2 in the title chase – one place behind the latter. In what was a red-flagged, shortened Moto2 encounter, third place went the way of Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – El Motorista – MSI) after the sophomore unravelled a phenomenal comeback from P14 on the grid.
With the rain disappearing for the time being and the track drying out, every rider opted to start on slicks. From a debut pole position, Guevara got a perfect getaway to collect the holeshot, with championship leader Gonzalez earning an early P2 from the middle of the second row. Drama unfolded for Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) on the opening lap after the Spaniard – who started from P2 – suffered a highside on the exit of Turn 7 to see his race end early.
So at the end of Lap 1, it was Guevara leading Gonzalez, Filip Salač (OnlyFans American Racing Team) kept hold of P3, with Barry Baltus (REDS Fantic Racing) also holding position in P4. It was then P2 for Salač before the red flags were waved due to Jorge Navarro’s (KLINT Racing Team) crash at the final corner. The Spaniard was up on his feet, but the race was stopped because of safety conditions.
So, with the additional stoppage, the restart would be a nine-lap race, with original grid positions set. And there was good news in the Aspar camp, because they were able to fix Holgado’s bike and get him out of pit lane with 15 seconds remaining.
Right, it was time to launch off the line again. And from the get-go, there was drama as Salač and Alex Escrig (KLINT Racing Team) got out of shape into the opening chicane, while at Turn 6, Baltus’ race ended – and the Belgian wasn’t happy with someone.
Guevera, meanwhile, stayed out of trouble again and raced to a 0.9s lead as Holgado and David Alonso, the Aspar teammates, battled hard on the opening lap as Holgado went from P2 on the grid to P9.
More drama. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Daniel Muñoz (Italtrans Racing Team) were in the gravel together on Lap 2 at Turn 6, as Celestino Vietti (Folladore SpeedRS Team) was handed a Long Lap penalty for causing a crash with Baltus. The Italian went from P5 to P9.
On Lap 5 of 9, Guevara’s lead was 1.1s, down from 1.3s as Gonzalez and Ortola began to turn the pace up a notch. But it wasn’t looking like enough. Gonzalez dropped Ortola and chased Guevara solo, but the latter responded and kept his title rival at bay.
0.9s was the gap heading onto the final lap, and for the first time this season, Guevara clinched a classy victory, with Boscoscuro defeating Kalex for the first time in 2026. Gonzalez ended the race 0.5s away from his compatriot to retain his championship lead, with Ortola coming from P14 to bag a first podium of the season.
Alonso Lopez (ITALJET Gresini Moto2) and an injured Alonso rounded out the top five in the shortened dash to the flag, with Vietti recovering to P6. Agius’ victory run ended, it was P7 for the Australian in Le Mans, as OnlyFans American Racing Team’s Joe Roberts and teammate Salač closed out the top nine. Aron Canet’s (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) P10 signalled his best result of the year, while Holgado had to settle for P11.
Heading to Catalonia next weekend, Gonzalez leads Guevara by 9.5 points, with Agius now 20.5 points away in P3. Find full results from Moto2 here and see you next week as we race back-to-back in Barcelona!
Quiles eases to Moto3 glory at Le Mans in the wet
A lights-to-flag victory saw Maximo Quiles (CIP GreenPower) dominate the Moto3 Grand Prix at Le Mans to extend his Championship lead to 46 points. P2 for polesitter Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) saw the Spaniard move into second overall in the Championship whilst it was a return to the rostrum for the first time in over a year.
A flying start from the middle of the front row, Championship leader Quiles got the holeshot on what would be an opening lap of attrition. The first faller came at Turn 2 with Brian Uriarte’s (Red Bull KTM Ajo) wide sweeping line not working out as he fell, whilst David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) tipped off at Turn 3. Cormac Buchanan (CODE Motorsports) highsided on the exit of Turn 7. The crashing didn’t stop there as on Lap 2, a brilliant start from Casey O’Gorman ended in the gravel at Turn 10, whilst Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) and Joel Kelso (GRYD MLav Racing) followed on Lap 2 and Lap 3 respectively.
With the #28 out front and in command, the stars continued falling behind. Second in the Championship, Alvaro Carpe’s (Red Bull KTM Ajo) charge ended with a fall at Turn 10, whilst just a few corners later, having just got into P2, Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) crashed at Turn 13, giving second back to polesitter Fernandez and promoting Matteo Bertelle (LEVELUP-MTA) into third – although he’d soon have a Long Lap Penalty for shortcutting at Turn 10. Further fallers behind were Scott Ogden (CIP GreenPower) at Turn 3 and Rico Salmela (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) at Turn 10.
Into the closing stages and it was all looking settled with Quiles sporting a 2.1s advantage over Fernandez, whilst Bertelle had third all wrapped up. A huge result for the #28 who took an enormous step forward in the title fight to extend his lead with victory at Le Mans and his first back-to-back wins in Moto3. It was back-to-back rostrums for the first time in over a year for Fernandez whilst Bertelle was on the podium for the first time since COTA 2025. Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia) clinched fourth place whilst from 20th on the grid, Joel Esteban (LEVELUP-MTA) rode a fantastic Grand Prix to fifth.
Elsewhere in the order it was Guido Pini (Leopard Racing) who came through from the fourth row to return to the points in P6 after a Jerez weekend to forget. Behind, Adrian Cruces (CIP GreenPower) put in a solid display for his team’s home Grand Prix with P7, ahead of David Almansa (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP), Eddie O’Shea (GRYD – MLav Racing) in a career-best ninth and Hakim Danish (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI) completing the top ten.
That’s a wrap on France, come back for more next weekend and check out full results here for all the scorers.