Italian Marco Bezzecchi triumphed on Sunday at the Brazilian MotoGP Grand Prix, where his Aprilia team achieved a double with second place for Spaniard Jorge Martin.
The Transalpine, already winner of the first round of the season in Thailand three weeks ago, struck a major blow by flying over the race contested in very high heat which pushed the organizers to shorten the race from 31 to 23 laps.
Bezzecchi also achieved his fourth consecutive Grand Prix success, becoming the fifth rider to achieve this performance in the MotoGP era.
Starting in second position, he quickly took the lead and then widened the gap. Third in the Championship last year, he is now positioned as a credible candidate for the world title to break the hegemony of Ducati which has lasted since 2022.
“It was an incredible race. We had a difficult start to the weekend and the team has done a great job since then. I pushed beyond the limits to achieve this victory. This bike is truly perfect”savored Bezzecchi.
His teammate Jorge Martin also had a successful weekend in Brazil. After a nightmarish 2025 season due to numerous injuries, the 2024 world champion, who finally remained in the ranks of the Italian manufacturer after several weeks of imbroglio, won his first two podiums with Aprilia.
“I was missing a little something today but Marco (Bezzecchi) was really fast. I was able to overtake Marc (Marquez) and then I handled it correctly so I’m really happy. It was a very solid weekend. We are capable of doing great things with this team”estimated Martin.
Marquez limits the damage
Still handicapped by the after-effects of his right shoulder injury which deprived him of the end of the 2025 season, reigning world champion Marc Marquez (Ducati) limited the damage in Brazil.
After his victory in the sprint on Saturday, the Catalan had to settle for fourth place on Sunday after losing a good battle with the Italian Fabio Di Giannantonio (Ducati-VR46).
Marc Marquez (Ducati), in red, during the Brazilian MotoGP Grand Prix, March 22, 2026, in Goiania
EVARISTO SA / AFP
“It was a good fight, but today (Sunday) I was not in the condition to win it. I was having trouble driving so I couldn’t respond. The conditions were critical, it was very hot, the track was slippery and I suffered when braking. We have to continue to work on my riding and on the bike to get back on Aprilia”underlined the Spaniard.
In the championship, Marquez is 22 lengths behind Bezzecchi, who took the leadership position ahead of Martin, while the Spaniard Pedro Acosta (KTM), who was in the lead when he arrived in Brazil, fell to third place after his seventh place on Sunday.
The French had a mixed day at the Autodromo Ayrton-Senna in Goiânia. Johann Zarco (Honda-LCR), veteran of the grid, recorded an encouraging ninth place while Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) had a disastrous Sunday and finished in 16th place, just outside the points.
“We had no grip on the rear tire, I had no feeling at all so it’s strange because yesterday (Saturday) during the sprint it went well. From the first turns, I realized that I wouldn’t be able to push”lamented the Niçois at the microphone of Canal+.
The paddock will continue a second consecutive weekend of racing next week in the United States, before a four-week break after the postponement of the Qatar Grand Prix due to the conflict in the Middle East.
