Sports · Motorsport · 2 hrs ago
Acosta wins Sepang Sprint as Márquez extends championship lead
Pedro Acosta won the MotoGP Sprint at Sepang in Malaysia, with Marc Márquez second and Marco Bezzecchi third.
Márquez now has a 19-point lead over Jorge Martín in the championship standings.
Martín withdrew after trying to ride in practice, leaving him unable to score in the Sprint.
The result gives Márquez a chance to move closer to the title before the season ends.
To reach a first title match point at next weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix, he needs to lead Martín by at least 37 points.
Márquez can reach that margin by finishing first or second in Sunday’s long race at Sepang, scheduled for 8 a.m.
local time.
Pedro Acosta won the MotoGP sprint at Sepang for KTM.
Marc Marquez finished second, 0.578 seconds behind Acosta, and extended his championship lead over Jorge Martin to 19 points.
Martin was absent after withdrawing from the event earlier in the day.
Alex Marquez crashed out while leading, handing the lead to Ai Ogura.
Marco Bezzecchi finished third, with Ogura fourth in a race threatened by rain.
- Who
- Pedro Acosta won, ahead of Marc Marquez and Marco Bezzecchi.
- What
- Acosta won the Sepang MotoGP sprint; Marquez’s second place extended his championship lead over Jorge Martin to 19 points.
- When
- Saturday, 31 October 2026.
- Where
- Sepang, at the Malaysian Grand Prix.
- Why
- Acosta took the lead after Alex Marquez crashed out, then passed Ai Ogura; Martin’s absence allowed Marquez to extend his lead.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Jorge Martin withdrew from the event earlier in the day.
Alex Marquez started from pole and led before crashing out.
Rain spots prompted the white flag, allowing riders to change bikes.
Acosta attacked Ogura for the lead.
Acosta won, Marquez finished second and Bezzecchi took third.
- Winner
- Pedro Acosta (KTM)
- Winning margin
- 0.578 seconds over Marc Marquez
- Marquez’s championship lead
- 19 points over Jorge Martin
- Third place
- Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia), 1.310 seconds behind
- Fourth place
- Ai Ogura (Trackhouse Aprilia), 1.793 seconds behind
5 sources
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