MotoGP Grand Prix Catalunya - Alex Marquez fends off last lap Pedro Acosta challenge to win closest Sprint race in history, Jorge Martin crashes out

MotoGP | Grand Prix Catalunya

Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya | 16.05.2026

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Sprint Race

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15:06

MARQUEZ WINS CLOSEST SPRINT RACE IN HISTORY

Alex Marquez won the closest Sprint race in MotoGP history at the Grand Prix Catalunya, as he held off the late charge of Pedro Acosta.

The Spanish rider also won the Grand Prix of Spain last month, and was again successful on his home turf after battling through from third on the grid.

The BK8 Gresini Racing rider fought his way to the front by the mid-race point, before pole setter Acosta fought back on the final laps.

Marquez had to manage the wear on his front tyre on the final lap and defended the challenge of Acosta to win by four-thousandths of a second.

Fabio Di Giannantonio had to battle his way through from the second row into podium contention, following a disappointing qualifying session.

After also struggling in qualifying, championship leader Marco Bezzecchi picked up just a single point from the Sprint race with a ninth-place finish.

Meanwhile, his Aprilia team-mate and championship challenger Jorge Martin crashed out.

'Crash No. 4 of the weekend!' - Martin crashes out at Grand Prix Catalunya Sprint

Video credit: TNT Sports

14:52

DI GIANNANTOIO LEFT FRUSTRATED BY QUALIFYING RESULT

Fabio Di Giannantonio was left frustrated by his qualifying result after having to move from the second row to finish third in the Sprint race at the Grand Prix Catalunya.

He said: ”I'm super happy about my race, about my comeback.

”I think we've done the job that we had to do.

”I'm a bit p****d because I did a mistake in qualifying, and I was starting from the second row.

”It makes everything a little more difficult. And then I had the pace.

”At the end I was really fast and I was trying to catch the front group without making any mistakes.

”But we missed some more laps. I'm happy, but tomorrow we have another chance.”

Image credit: Getty Images

14:46

ACOSTA: ‘WE’RE NOT AT THE LEVEL OF DUCATI’

Pedro Acosta was happy to be able to push Alex Marquez all the way for victory at the Grand Prix Catalunya.

He said: ”We have to be happy.

”We know that, at the moment, we are not at the same level of Ducati.

”We were at the end of the races, finally battling with them. We have to be happy, more information for tomorrow.

”It was quite important to finish this Sprint race.”

Image credit: Getty Images

14:40

MARQUEZ: ‘STRUGGLED WITH FRONT TYRE’

Sprint race winner Alex Marquez said that he had to manage his front tyre towards the end of the Grand Prix Catalunya as Pedro Acosta put him under pressure.

He said: ”I was trying to be concentrate on myself, trying to be really on the pace.

”I struggled a little bit with the front tyre in the end, maybe I pushed a little bit too much in the beginning. I had to manage the thing.

”I need to improve tomorrow, for sure, in that management of the front tyre.

”In the end the victory today is so important. I was able to fly and catch again, I’m really, really happy.”

Image credit: Getty Images

14:35

TOP TEN PLACINGS

Here are the top 10 positions from the Sprint race at the Grand Prix Catalunya:

1 Alex Marquez
2 Pedro Acosta
3 Fabio Di Giannantonio
4 Raul Fernandez
5 Johann Zarco
6 FrancescoBagnaia
7 Franco Morbidelli
8 Ai Ogura
9 Marco Bezzecchi
10 Enea Bastianini

14:28

SINGLE POINT FOR BEZZECCHI

A poor sprint race resulted in an ninth-place finish for Marco Bezzecchi and just a single point in the championship battle.

After Aprilia team-mate Martin crashed out it was an opportunity missed for Bezzecchi.

Image credit: Getty Images

12/12

MARQUEZ WINS

Marquez had to defend his lead on the final lap against Acosta to take victory!

Coming into the final corner Maquez closed the door on the KTM rider and held on to win.

Di Giannantonio was left watching the battle for victory as he finished third, well ahead of Fernandez in fourth.

11/12

DIGI MOVES INTO PODIUM POSITIONS

Di Giannantonio waited for his moment to pass Fernandez and move into third position. Acosta has found some pace and closed the gap on leader Marquez.

10/12

WILL BEZ SLIP OUT OF POINTS?

Bezzecchi moved up from 12th into the points during the sprint race. However, he has suffered in the middle of this race and is now battling down in eighth.

9/12

ACOSTA ON THE MOVE

Pedro Acosta hasn’t given up on this victory. He spots a gap under Fernandez and re-gains second position. He is 0.6 of a second behind leader Marquez.

7/12

BEZZECCHI CONTINUES TO PROGRESS

The Aprilia rider has moved up to sixth in the sprint race but will miss out of the podium battle. Marquez has edged out a lead of 0.5 of a second at the front.

Fernandez is locked in a battle with Acosta and Di Giannantonio for the remaining podium positions.

6/12

MARQUEZ TAKES LEAD

The pace of the BK8 Gresini Racing rider is too much for his rival and he takes the lead. Raul Fernandez also has good pace and dives under Acosta who is shuffled back to third.

3/12

MARTIN CRASHES OUT

The Aprilia rider has suffered his fourth crash of the weekend and seen his sprint podium hopes blown. It has been a weekend to forget as he washes out on turn 10.

'Crash No. 4 of the weekend!' - Martin crashes out at Grand Prix Catalunya Sprint

Video credit: TNT Sports

3/12

BATTLE FOR LEAD

Alex Marquez wants victory in the sprint race and has got the pace to do so. He is trading blows with Acosta which has allowed the chasing pack to pull them back.

3/12

MARTIN LAUNCHES UP GRID

From ninth in qualifying Martin has moved up to fifth on the first lap.

Acosta still leaders but is being tracked by Marquez and Zarco in third. There is a mad battle for forth and some aggressive riding by Fabio Di Giannantonio

1/12

LIGHTS OUT

We are underway in Barcelona. The low grip tack is set to provide some exciting racing and drama is never too far away here.

Acosta gets a perfect start and blocks the charge of Marquez. There is a crash on the first corner between Mir and Binder who are both out.

13:58

FOCUS ON THE GRID

With just moments until we get underway for the spring race the riders are focused and ready to go.

13:55

FIVE-MINUTE WARNING

We are five minutes until lights out in Barcelona. The temperature has risen significantly from the morning’s qualifying session so track conditions might be different.

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13:53

APRILIA PACE IS ‘CONSITENT’

Aprilia’s Racing Team Manager, Paolo Banora, believes his team’s race pace ‘is quite consistent’ ahead of the sprint race.

Both of his riders face a battle through the grid.

Image credit: Getty Images

13:49

WATCH: OGURA CRASHES IN PRACTICE

Trackhouse's Ai Ogura emerged unscathed from a crash during Practice at Grand Prix Catalunya on Friday.

After finishing on the podium in the last round Ogura has struggled in Barcelona and failed to make it through Q1.

'That gives Trackhouse a bit of work to do!' - Ogura crashes at Grand Prix Catalunya Practice

Video credit: TNT Sports