MotoGP Mandalika: Márquez wins sprint and takes the lead

Marc Márquez (Ducati) won the Indonesian Grand Prix sprint at Mandalika, ahead of Ai Ogura and Fabio Di Giannantonio. The win gives him the MotoGP championship lead for the first time this season, in a race marked by a first-corner crash and a difficult finish for Jorge Martin.

The sprint podium

Over 13 laps, Márquez took the win and the 12 points. The top of the order:

1. Marc Márquez (Ducati): 12 points
2. Ai Ogura (Trackhouse Aprilia), 0.509 behind: 9 points
3. Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46 Ducati), 0.835 behind: 7 points
4. Jorge Martin (Aprilia), 1.947 behind: 6 points
5. Alex Márquez (Gresini Ducati), 3.410 behind: 5 points
6. Pedro Acosta (KTM), 5.478 behind: 4 points

Acosta received a long-lap penalty for exceeding track limits. Fermín Aldeguer, Francesco Bagnaia and Fabio Quartararo also scored points.

A first corner that hurt Aprilia

Raúl Fernández, the pole-sitter, and Marco Bezzecchi crashed at the first corner. No investigation was opened: the reports call it a racing incident. For Aprilia, losing two riders right at the start is a heavy blow.

Martin leads, then loses ground

Jorge Martin dominated much of the race and set the fastest lap on lap four, with a 1.4 s lead. On lap nine, however, he gave up the lead to Márquez, probably because of a tyre-pressure warning according to the reports. A mistake on the penultimate lap then cost him two places, to Ogura and Di Giannantonio.

Márquez, for his part, admitted a mistake on lap three or four, after which Martin pulled away. He then managed his lead over Ogura to the flag.

What it changes in the championship

With 12 points against 6 for Martin in this sprint, Márquez becomes leader of the world standings ahead of his rival. The Indonesian Grand Prix continues with the main race, where the two will meet again with the title in sight.

Key points

• Márquez wins the Mandalika sprint and takes the championship lead.
• Ogura is second and Di Giannantonio third.
• Fernández and Bezzecchi crash at the first corner, with no investigation.
• Martin, long in front, finishes fourth.