Jorge Martin claimed victory in the MotoGP Sprint at the Austrian Grand Prix, taking advantage of Pedro Acosta’s late crash to win at the Red Bull Ring ahead of Marc Marquez and Marco Bezzecchi.
The Aprilia rider converted his pole position into a crucial 12-point victory, although the Sprint was far from straightforward. Martin initially led the race before running wide at the opening corner following an intense battle with Marc Marquez, which dropped him down the order.
Acosta immediately took advantage of the situation and moved into the lead, while Martin began an impressive comeback through the field. The Aprilia rider quickly recovered positions, overtaking Francesco Bagnaia, Ai Ogura, Alex Marquez, Marco Bezzecchi and eventually Marc Marquez to return to the front.
Martin’s pace was particularly strong through the opening corners, allowing him to close the gap to the leading KTM. By lap eight, the Aprilia rider had already moved back ahead of his main championship rival and set his sights on Acosta.
The KTM rider appeared on course for a major home victory, controlling the Sprint with three laps remaining. However, Acosta crashed at Turn 12, bringing his challenge to an abrupt end and handing Martin the lead.
Martin made no mistakes in the closing stages and crossed the finish line first, securing another important victory in the championship battle.
Marc Marquez finished second for Ducati, 1.026 seconds behind Martin, while Marco Bezzecchi completed the podium for Aprilia. Ai Ogura took fourth place ahead of Alex Marquez, with Francesco Bagnaia finishing sixth.
Johann Zarco secured seventh for Honda, followed by Fermin Aldeguer and Brad Binder, who took the final championship point in ninth position. Fabio Di Giannantonio completed the top ten.
The result is particularly significant for the championship. Martin now moves three points clear of Marc Marquez in the standings, while Bezzecchi remains third, 38 points behind the reigning champion.
After a dramatic Sprint, attention now turns to Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix, where Martin and Marquez will once again fight for victory at the Red Bull Ring.