Grand Prix Czechia Sprint LIVE - Marc Marquez wins in dramatic Brno sprint, but is being investigated for front tyre pressure in post-race checks

The championship leader, Marc Marquez, has extended his lead at the top of the riders' standings after claiming his 11th sprint victory of the season.

Marquez overtook the polesitter, Francesco Bagnaia, on the opening laps and led the pack to the finish line despite some brief tyre pressure drama.

Pedro Acosta came home in second place despite his blisteringly quick pace in Czechia, standing on the podium for the first time in over 300 days.

Rounding off the podium was Enea Bastianini, who finished in third place after recovering from appendicitis last week, earning his first podium for KTM.

Bagnaia dropped from pole to seventh place by the end of the sprint, finishing ahead of returning rider Jorge Martin who claimed an 11th-place finish on his comeback from a punctured lung and fractured ribcage.

Marc Marquez extended his lead atop the leader board once again after usurping Francesco Bagnaia's victory in a dramatic Brno sprint race. Marquez and Bagnaia were cleared from the front tyre pressure investigation, so Marquez keeps the win of the Czech sprint race.

Marquez said: "Yeah, we did it for that reason.

"I'm smiling. So it's true, that was super on the limit.

"And yeah, we were riding off the table.

"Then I saw that the pressure was not enough.

"I tried to push some laps on the brakes, but I saw that it was best to get on that correct pressure.

"And then I decided to wait, just super close to Acosta to increase the temperature.

"When I saw that the temperature was already inside the limit, then I pushed on the last laps."

Sadly, Pedro Acosta had to settle for a second-place finish in the Brno sprint today as Marc Marquez was cleared for his front tyre pressure. The young rider scored his first podium since the Aragon Grand Prix last summer.

Acosta said: "Well, at the end, this was a season that we were excited for.

"And I had to see all these other people celebrating, you know, it was super, super tough.

"Was the darkest beginning of the season of my life, you know, and I don't know, being on the podium again is super nice.

"Thanks to all KTM, all the guys that are just always supporting me, Miguel from Fortuna motorsport, Adri, who is my coach, Morales, who is over there, and also Remy, who is helping me now a lot to calm down a bit when these difficult moments are coming.

"Thank you to everyone also."

Enea Bastianini just made his return to the premier class after recovering from appendicitis which saw him sit out of the German Grand Prix. In a glorious race around Brno, Bastianini scored his first sprint podium for KTM.

Bastianini said: "Yeah, it's incredible, incredible to be here after what's happened in the last week.

"Now we are here to enjoy the podium which is my first one with the KTM.

"We have struggled a lot during the whole day, all season at the moment, but now we have improved.

"During this weekend, we have done a good job.

"And it's fantastic to be here again."

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As part of TNT Sports’ comprehensive coverage of MotoGP, it will continue to offer best-in-class analysis and reporting via its digital platform TNTSports.co.uk and content via its social platforms right throughout the season.

Starting from the 2025 season, there will be a new show on Friday evenings called The Inside Line, which will be a half-hour round-up of all the news, action and analysis from the first day of the MotoGP weekend.

The championship leader, Marc Marquez, crossed the finish line first ahead of Pedro Acosta, winning the Czechia sprint race. But, Marquez and his teammate Francesco Bagnaia were put under investigation for their front tyre pressure.

If Marquez is penalised, the eight-second time penalty will drop him out of the points and give the win to Acosta. This would be Acosta's first sprint win in the premier class.

Marc Marquez reclaimed the lead of the sprint race around Brno on the penultimate lap with a swift overtake around the inside of Pedro Acosta. He then powered to victory, picking up another handful of points to add to his championship-winning tally.

However, Marquez was put under investigation for his front tyre pressure. This could change the order if Marquez receives a penalty.

In a shocking move, Marc Marquez lost the lead to Pedro Acosta after checking his tyre pressure to find out that it was low. Acosta sped ahead of the Ducati duo and claimed the lead of the race after the six-time world champion lost his three-second lead in an instant.

Both Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia need to lift and coast in order to recover their tyre pressure, with Bagnaia also receiving a track limits warning on Lap 7.

Bagnaia lost another place to Marco Bezzecchi, falling to sixth place in this absolutely shambolic strategy for Ducati Lenovo. Despite their pace, there is something wrong with the factory bikes.

Marquez was beginning to fall under pressure from Enea Bastianini, who was tailing him by just 0.5s. As well as Bastianini, Bezzecchi was by far the fastest man on track.

On Lap 4, Marc Marquez was running around two-tenths quicker than his teammate Francesco Bagnaia. The Ducati bikes are far quicker and grippier than the rest of the pack, with Ducati bikes managing very well with the medium tyres.

Marquez had created a gap of 1.003s to Bagnaia by the end of Lap 4, putting in the fastest lap of the sprint so far. Enea Bastianini was putting in excellent moves behind on his return to the premier class, snatching fourth place from Fabio Quartararo as the Yamaha rider fell under pressure from Raul Fernandez.

Meanwhile, Pedro Acosta jumped up into second place after Bagnaia slowed down on track briefly, losing the position to both Quartararo and Fernandez. The Ducati rider may have a problem with his front tyre pressure.

Pedro Acosta managed to climb up to third place, gaining four positions so far in the sprint. The KTM rider snatched third place from Fabio Quartararo, as the Yamaha rider seemed to struggle with matching the pace of the Ducati riders.

At the front of the pack, Marc Marquez was beginning to build a gap to Francesco Bagnaia running in second place. behind, Enea Bastianini had climbed to fifth place after taking the position from Raul Fernandez. Bastianini is replacing Franco Morbidelli this weekend after recovering from appendicitis.

Augusto Fernandez and Nakagami crashed heading into Turn 3 and tumbled out of the order, the two test riders leaving the pack.

The polesitter Francesco Bagnaia got off to an unbelievable start, launching his Ducati Lenovo bike onto the starting straight through the tight first corner. However, he was put under pressure from his teammate, Marc Marquez, who snatched the position around Turn 5 as they swept through the stadium.

Reigning world champion, Jorge Martin, gained five places on the opening lap as he fought Raul Fernandez for sixth place. The Aprilia rider looked eager for a way into the top five.

There are just five minutes to go until we get to see the very first sprint race at Brno!

The hotshot rider, Pedro Acosta, has been on the radar for several teams since his fantastic rookie season last year. VR46 team boss, Uccio Salucci, has admitted that Valentino Rossi’s team has expressed interest in Acosta for 2027.

Salucci himself confirmed rumours that discussions have been held between Acosta’s team and VR46. The young rider has been growing frustrated with the lack of performance from the KTM and may want to switch to a Ducati bike sooner rather than later.

As it stands, Acosta holds a contract with KTM for the remainder of the year as well as 2026. However, Salucci revealed that Acosta met with the team last month to hear about their 2026 plans.

So, I’d stay tuned if I were you because we may see another Martin-esque or Piastri-esque contract situation in the following months.

Enea Bastianini will be replacing Franco Morbidelli for the Grand Prix Czechia, as Morbidelli is undergoing recovery treatments for his injured collarbone. Morbidelli sustained a gnarly collarbone injury during the sprint race at the Sachsenring, crashing on the gravel trap in the rain.

Bastianini is set to replace the VR46 rider this weekend, securing an 11th-place slot on the starting grid. The Italian will pair Pol Espargaro, who rides as a stand-in for Maverick Vinales. Vinales also suffered a fracture in his shoulder after crashing during qualifying in Germany.

Espargaro said: "Obviously, it’s never a good thing to take part in a GP because you have to replace an injured rider.

"So, first of all, I want to wish a speedy recovery to Maverick. I will try to do my best this weekend, also trying to help as much as possible my team-mates and the technicians.

"It’s been a long time since our last visit to Brno, which is a fantastic track.

"The last time we raced here I felt super good in my best period with KTM so let’s see how it is with the new surface.

"I don’t have any expectations apart from enjoying the weekend and having some useful days for our project."

It has certainly been a great year so far for Marc Marquez. He joined his new team, Ducati Lenovo, for the 2025 season, and it has been harmonious. The six-time world champion has picked up seven wins and nine podiums in the last 12 races, only finishing out of the points once this year.

Marquez retired from the Grand Prix Americas in Round 3, and that’s it. It has gone swimmingly since. The Ducati Lenovo rider has been in the form of his life, dominating the season with the chance of winning another title still alive.

His brother Alex Marquez has done a pretty decent job at taking the fight to Marc, but the world champion is truly unstoppable. Today, Francesco Bagnaia starts on pole. His form has been much better in the last few rounds, with the Italian showing some promise of fighting for the title.

With an 83-point lead over Alex in the Riders’ Standings, can Marc be stopped by anyone?

Jorge Martin has made his second return to MotoGP this season after shattering his ribs in Qatar. He returns to the sport having resolved his contract drama, agreeing to stay with Aprilia until the end of 2026.

The reigning world champion managed to score a P5 finish in the wet practice session on Friday and qualified in 12th place ahead of the sprint race. Martin was lucky enough to receive private testing time at Misano, after the FIM altered the rules for injured drivers returning to the sport.

"Absolutely, we are back. I am happy to be able to say that," Martin told TNT Sport.

"The important thing is that we are competing at our best, we are giving 100%. Today was tough because it was mixed conditions. I needed to concentrate.

"I missed laps because I was not consistent with my lines compared to last season. But it’s a matter of time to get to that point. They took me out after four or five laps because I was always out!"

The Automotodrom Brno, usually referred to as Brno, is one of the most cherished tracks in all of motorsport. It is severely underrated in the world of four-wheeled motorsports, but a staple for bike racing.

Brno has roots in the 1930s, when it was used as an 18-mile public road course. The circuit slowly changed over time as it incorporated paved features and more safety updates. Many fans believe that Brno is not the same track that was widely regarded as one of the coolest in motorsport, as the track that once swept through valleys and villages was updated to suit modern racing.

After a five-year gap, Brno is back on the MotoGP calendar because it was entirely resurfaced to the FIM’s standards. The circuit has 14 turns across its 5.403km length. It is known for its extreme elevation changes and high-speed corners that provide a challenge for riders.

Francesco Bagnaia secured his first pole position of the season in a shocking qualifying session that saw his teammate, Marc Marquez, crash in the hunt for his eighth pole this year. Marquez does, however, join his Ducati Lenovo teammate on the front row.

The starting grid is as follows:

1. Francesco Bagnaia

2. Marc Marquez

3. Fabio Quartararo

4. Marco Bezzecchi

5. Joan Mir

6. Raul Fernandez

7. Pedro Acosta

8. Alex Marquez

9. Johann Zarco

10. Jack Miller

TNT Sports and discovery+ will show every practice session, every qualifying session and every Sprint Race and main Race of the MotoGP season.

The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination.

As part of TNT Sports’ comprehensive coverage of MotoGP, it will continue to offer best-in-class analysis and reporting via its digital platform TNTSports.co.uk and content via its social platforms right throughout the season.

Starting from the 2025 season, there will be a new show on Friday evenings called The Inside Line, which will be a half-hour round-up of all the news, action and analysis from the first day of the MotoGP weekend. 

Good afternoon and welcome to our LIVE text coverage of the Tissot Grand Prix of Czechia. Francesco Bagnaia is set to start on pole position ahead of his Ducati Lenovo teammate Marc Marquez, who has been dominating all season.

Can Bagnaia close the gap to Marquez in Czechia?