Jorge Martin, dramatic victory in the Austin sprint! The move that made the difference in the end
Article by Cosmin Nistor – Published on Saturday, 28 March 2026, 23:28 / Updated on Saturday, 28 March 2026 23:28
2024 MotoGP World Champion Jorge Martin took his first victory as an Aprilia rider in the premier class after a spectacular finish in the sprint race at the 'Circuit of the Americas' near Austin.
The Spaniard struck in the final corners after a different strategy to his rivals and a decisive attack on Francesco Bagnaia.
The decision that gave Martin the win
The success of the 'Martinator' was built on the choice of the medium hard rear tyre, while the rest of the grid went with the soft option. The difference was clear at the end, when Martin had superior grip and recovered over a second from the leader.
He reached Bagnaia halfway through the last lap and launched the decisive attack at the end of the straight. The maneuver was on the limit, but without incident, and Martin crossed the finish line first, with a lead of 0.755 seconds.
Bagnaia led almost the entire race, 9 out of 10 laps, after an excellent start from fourth place. The Italian quickly moved into the lead, overtaking Pedro Acosta and Marc Marquez.
But the race got complicated quickly. Marc Marquez tried an aggressive attack on Fabio Di Giannantonio but braked too late and lost control of the bike. The two fell, and the incident completely changed the hierarchy.
Joan Mir temporarily took the podium, but Aprilia riders Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi came back strongly and quickly moved to the front.
Race standings and overall leader
Marco Bezzecchi moved up to second after passing Martin, but lost everything on lap 8 when he crashed under braking for turn 11. The Italian's mistake opened the way for Martin, who hunted down Bagnaia and hit the final shot.
Pedro Acosta completed the podium, while Enea Bastianini and Alex Marquez finished fourth and fifth. Luca Marini, Ai Ogura, Raul Fernandez and Johann Zarco also scored points.
After this win, Martin climbed to the top of the overall standings with 57 points, one point ahead of Bezzecchi. Acosta is third, eight points away.
Incredible finish: Martin fell after the win
The show didn't end at the finish line. While celebrating his victory on one wheel, Martin lost control and fell on the straight.
The Spaniard got up without problems, but could no longer reach the closed park on his motorcycle and was transported by the medical car.
