MotoGP Grand Prix United States Sprint – Jorge Martin makes last-lap pass to claim dramatic Sprint victory

Former MotoGP world champion Jorge Martin completed a remarkable comeback as he returned to the top of the MotoGP standings with a thrilling last-lap Sprint victory at Grand Prix United States in Austin, Texas.

Martin opted to run a medium-compound rear tyre on his Aprilia, a move that contrasted with the rest of the front-runners, who all opted for softer rubber. But, despite finding himself second, and almost 1.7 seconds adrift of leader Francesco Bagnaia with only a couple of laps to go, Martin managed to find pace as Bagnaia started to lose his as he closed the gap swiftly to set up a last-lap finale.

Martin out-braked Bagnaia and, with the pair almost swapping paint, performed a textbook block pass to take the lead with just a handful of corners to go, before roaring on to win the race.

Martin's win was the crowning moment of a spectacular and dramatic Sprint race at the Circuit of the Americas, which ignited on the very first lap, when defending MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez's ill-advised move on polesitter Fabio Di Giannantonio ended with both men crashing in the gravel trap.

Later in the race, Martin's Aprilia team-mate Marco Bezzecchi lost the front end of his machine as he attempted to hunt down Bagnaia out front, and crashed out of the race.

It left Bagnaia seemingly away and clear, but Martin's remarkable late race pace saw him catch, then pass the Ducati man to capture the win and return to the top of the MotoGP championship standings for the first time since his injuries ruled him out of action.

Incredibly, it was not the end of the drama, as Martin managed to crash his Aprilia on the warm-down lap, when a wheelie celebration went badly wrong, sending him to the tarmac at around 125 miles per hour.

Thankfully, despite that somewhat embarrassing faux-pas, Martin was all smiles when he returned to parc ferme, where he was greeted by his elated team.

It means that, as we head into Sunday's Grand Prix race in Texas, Aprilia racers sit first and second in the MotoGP championship standings, with Martin one point ahead of team-mate Bezzecchi.

Jorge Martin's victory was a comeback win in two different senses of the word.

For starters, there was the way he clawed back a huge gap to pass Bagnaia on the final lap to claim the victory. But there was also the fact that he had to rebuild himself after a potentially career-ending accident threatened to end his racing days for good.

After the race, TNT Sports pundits Michael Laverty and Sylvain Guintoli both paid tribute to Martin's performance.

"That's what [the Sprint] was designed for," said Laverty after Martin's thrilling win.

"The way Jorge used strategy today, making a call for a medium tyre at a Sprint race, and then delivering.

"When he got passed by Bezzecchi, you thought, 'Ah, it's not going to happen for him today.' But the tyre just came into its own.

"Those last two laps, he took out so much ground around the triple right-hander starting the final lap, and then he just wasted no time. A clean block pass, and then he just absolutely nailed it to the line. Fantastic win."

Guintoli was equally effusive in his praise for Martin's performance, and his bravery in selecting a different tyre to the rest of the front-runners.

"That tyre choice paying off like that, just in the last few laps, and Jorge Martin making it count – he had one opportunity to do it and, and he did it through that turn, Turn 12," he said.

"It was a risky move. He went for the inside, released his brake and did that fantastic move."

Guintoli also took the time to highlight the former world champion's remarkable return to the top of the MotoGP standings after bouncing back from a host of different injuries that could easily have ended his career.

"Jorge Martin, you know, after over a year of an absolute nightmare, he's had injury after injury. I mean, at one point he said it himself. He had to be fed by his girlfriend. He was in such deep trouble with his body, managed to rebuild himself, rebuild the confidence, learn that Aprilia again. And, yeah. This is the result. I've gotta say, that man, he's looking so good on the Aprilia right now."

Jorge Martin was all smiles after his dramatic last-lap pass gave him victory in the Sprint in Austin as he climbed to the top of the MotoGP standings.

"Rodeo time, baby," he grinned.

"Yeah. So happy. Thanks to all the people, first time winning here in MotoGP, so it's fantastic. And it's been a while, two years, without racing here. I really missed it."

Martin's success hinged on his decision to go against the grain by selecting a harder, medium-compound rear tyre for the race, while his rivals all selected the soft. It proved to be an inspired choice, as he came surging into contention in the final lap to pass Francesco Bagnaia with just a couple of corners to go to claim a remarkable win.

"Yeah, I took maybe a risky decision going with the medium [prear tyre], but I knew inside of myself that it was the right choice, and it paid off," he said.

"I had to wait to the last lap, I never won in MotoGP a race like this one, even a Sprint, but again, back to winning a Sprint means a lot to me.

"Thanks to Aprilia, they are an amazing team. They are helping me a lot to find my level, and we are getting there."

With a couple of laps remaining of the Sprint in Austin, it looked like Francesco Bagnaia had victory in the bag. But a combination of his soft rear tyre starting to lose its performance and the surging pace of Jorge Martin – notably on a medium rear – the Ducati man's hopes of a win were dashed with just a few corners to go as he had to content himself with second place.

"F***** b******, Jorge," joked Bagnaia as he made a grinning x-rated start to his post-race interview.

"I was trying to be smooth. After the first lap that I pushed quite hard, I just started to try to arrive to the last part [of the race] with a bit of tyre, but I started to struggle a bit with the soft rear."

Despite losing out at the very end of the race, Bagnaia cut an optimistic figure as he paid tribute to his team following an encouraging start to the weekend in Texas.

"In any case, super happy for the hard work we are doing," he said.

"And we were deserving a lot this kind of race, this kind of result. So thanks to the team that is always working super hard, and we'll try to make another step tomorrow."

"Well, it is what it is at the end," said Acosta, who is under investigation for a possible tyre pressure infraction.

"I knew from qualifying that it was going to be tough to beat the Aprilias and the Ducatis, but I think we made a good job. The KTM is working quite well for this. We have to be happy, anyway."

1. Jorge Martin - Aprilia Racing

2. Francesco Bagnaia - Ducati Lenovo Team

3. Pedro Acosta - Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

4. Enea Bastianini - Red Bull KTM Tech3

5. Alex Marquez - BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP

6. Luca Marini - Honda HRC Castrol

7. Ai Ogura - Trackhouse MotoGP Team

8. Raul Fernandez - Trackhouse MotoGP Team

9. Johan Zarco - Castrol Honda LCR

10. Fermin Aldeguer - BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP

As if we have not had enough drama, race winner Jorge Martin has had a BIG crash on the warm-down lap.

Martin pulled a big wheelie down the straight as he celebrated his incredible race win, but when he brought the front wheel back down to the canvas, his bike folded under him as he came off at high-speed.

It was a scary crash, but thankfully for Martin, it looks like the only damage done was to his ego, rather than his body.

There are hearts in mouths up and down pit lane as Martin forces his way past Bagnaia, as the pair swap paint, but stay upright, in a dramatic overtaking move.

Martin then blasts clear for the final few corners and crosses the line for one of the most dramatic Sprint wins you'll see all season.

What a race!

Incredibly, Jorge Martin has taken almost three quarters of a second out of race leader Bagnaia, and he's right on the tail of the Ducati.

We're heading into the last lap, and the Aprilia man is looking to steal it at the death.

We've got a grandstand finish at COTA!

More drama in Austin, as Marco Bezzecchi pushes too hard in Sector 2, loses the front end, and crashes out of the Sprint!

The championship leader has thrown away more crucial points in a Sprint race, and it's all but gifted the race win to Bagnaia, who is on his own out front.

Martin is back up to second, with Acosta back up to third.

Marco Bezzecchi has wasted no time in putting a pass on his teammate Jorge Martin, and is now off in pursuit of race leader Pecco Bagnaia.

The gap currently sits at 1.4 seconds. With just four laps to go, it's a lot to make up.

Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi is through into third, and he's starting to reel in the two men ahead of him, with the Aprilia man faster than both his teammate Jorge Martin AND race leader Pecco Bagnaia.

He's got a sizeable gap to close up if he's going to give himself any chance of victory, but he's got his head down and putting in some hot laps in a bid to do just that.

Just as we were typing it, Jorge Martin pulls the pin and makes the pass on Acosta to take second

Now it's a case of watching the Aprilia man over the next couple of laps. He's already pulled away from Acosta, but can he reel in Bagnaia out front? We're just about to hit the halfway point in the race, and Martin looks up for the fight.

The riders are beginning to gather on the shoulder of Pedro Acosta's KTM in second place, and it's given Bagnaia the chance to build a little gap out front.

Jorge Martin looks like the man best equipped to chase down the race leader, but to do that, he's got to get past Acosta, and that's never an easy task.

His Honda isn't generally considered to be as good a machine as the Ducatis and the Aprilias, but Joan Mir is riding the wheels off his HRC machine in the early laps here.

He's in third, and trying to close in on Pedro Acosta in second.

Behind Mir, the Aprilia duo of Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi are steadying themselves for a charge to the front. Martin is running different tyres to the rest of the front group, and he's looking very racy early here.

Unbelievable scenes on Lap 1 as Marc Marquez pushes his luck too hard, too soon as he looks to stuff his Ducati up the inside of Di Giannantonio and ends up taking both of them off.

It's a massive error by the world champion, and it wouldn't be at all surprising if Marquez finds himself with a penalty for that.

Wild scenes early on in Austin!

It's lights out at COTA, and we're off and running!

Pedro Acosta goes into Turn 1 in front, but as they come through the first few turns, it's Francesco Bagniaia who is leading the way.

Di Giannantonio puts in a HARD move on Marc Marquez early.

The gloves are off already in Texas!

The final countdown is ticking as the riders make their final checks on the grid before heading off on their warm-up lap for the 10-lap Tissot Sprint. 

Then it’ll be lights out and GO at COTA!

The stars of MotoGP are on the grid as the riders and teams make their final preparations ahead of today's Tissot Sprint in Austin, Texas. At the front, the brightly-coloured VR46 Ducati of the polesitter, Fabio Di Giannantonio.

The race will be fast and furious, with the action set to be packed into just 10 laps of high-octane racing at the Circuit of the Americas. Di Giannantonio has the best view into Turn 1, but Marc Marquez's reputation as "The King of COTA" is well deserved, and you can bet he'll be right in the mix, despite a below-par qualifying session earlier today.

The Sprint is just 10 minutes away...