MotoGP Austin Race: Bezzecchi on Fire Makes It Three in a Row, Aprilia Wins It All

Marco Bezzecchi has done it again, and now it’s three wins in a row across the first three GPs of this World Championship, all under Aprilia’s banner. The rider from Rimini, including the end of ’25, is on a five-race winning streak, always led from the front. Welcome the new phenomenon of the top class.

The RS-GP is now the MotoGP bike to beat, and in Austin it took everything, including the Sprint that Jorge Martin had christened after Bez’s tumble. A costly mistake, which Marco immediately made up for. This track used to be Marc Marquez’s hunting ground—no longer. The reigning champion finished fifth, sunk by a long lap penalty handed down for a risky overtake and for causing Fabio Di Giannantonio’s crash in the Sprint. The number one’s season isn’t taking off, and Ducati will have to understand why their technical supremacy has slipped away.

Aprilia and Marco Bezzecchi made the difference in Thailand and Brazil by brilliantly exploiting the Michelin rear tire with reinforced carcass, considered tricky for Ducati. In Austin the tires were standard, identical to those with which Ducati and Marquez were thumping their chests last year. But nothing changed: Bez and the Aprilias in front, Ducati and its reference rider behind.

Lap 1 - Marco Bezzecchi started from the second row (fourth spot) due to a two-place penalty for impeding Marc Marquez in qualifying. But Bez makes up for it with a lightning launch: second into Turn 1 behind Acosta. On the longest straight he takes the lead, with a touch! At the first pass on the line: Bezzecchi–Acosta–Martin, and Diggia who on lap one snatched the position from Marquez.

Lap 2 - Zarco crashes, rider OK: he was thirteenth. Bez’s Aprilia is missing the left tail fin, blown off in the contact with Bez. Mir runs wide, but doesn’t lose positions: sixth. Bez–Acosta and Martin pull a one-second gap.

Lap 3 - Meanwhile Bez sets the record for consecutive laps led: 104, beating Jorge Lorenzo’s mark of 103 laps at the front.

Lap 4 - Marc Marquez serves the long lap penalty imposed for taking Diggia down in the Sprint. He enters the lap seventh and rejoins 11th.

Lap 5 - Martin tries to pass Acosta but runs straight on, and the KTM retakes second place. Bez gains three tenths.

Lap 6 - A long lap penalty is also handed to Mir for cutting the track on the straight on lap 2. But before serving the penalty the former world champion crashes: rider OK.

Lap 7 - Bez in the lead, blistering lap and the gap climbs to one second. Behind, it’s a brawl between Acosta, Martin and Diggia, who’s targeting the Spaniard’s Aprilia.

Lap 8 - The four Yamahas are desolately at the back of the pack: Iwata’s crisis is getting worse and worse.

Lap 9 - Marc Marquez has gained two positions, now he’s ninth but the Aprilias are miles away. Austin is no longer the hunting ground of Ducati’s superstar.

Lap 10 - At halfway Bez is ahead chased by Acosta less than a second back, then Martin, Diggia, Bagnaia and a rampant Ogura who sets the fastest lap.

Lap 11 - Bez flirts with Ogura’s record and goes back over a one-second lead. Diggia in fourth remains in the fight for the podium.

Lap 12 - Ogura passes Bagnaia: fifth. The Trackhouse Aprilia, in stars-and-stripes livery, is flying too.

Lap 13 - Bez, in front since midway through lap one, looks in control of the situation. The race remains very tense, everything still to play for: Ogura dives onto Diggia’s tail.

Lap 14 - Superb overtake by Ogura on Diggia: now Japan is fourth, while Martin passes Acosta thanks to a small mistake by the KTM rider at Turn 1. Is Bez’s lead in danger?

Lap 15 - The final quarter of the GP begins: in the chasing group Bagnaia in sixth has to defend from Bastianini and the Marquez brothers, scrapping among themselves.

Lap 16 - Twist: Ogura slows dramatically, a technical problem on the Trackhouse Aprilia. The Japanese rider was fourth, with the podium in sight.

Lap 17 - Bez sails on, there’s an in-house Ducati fight: Marquez is trying to pass Bagnaia for fifth. But Bastianini is also needling the Ducatis: what a show!

Lap 18 - Two laps to go, Bez can still manage a one-second gap over Martin, who seems to have tamed Acosta. Diggia fourth.

Lap 19 (FINAL) - Superb victory for Bez, who wins with arms aloft: a performance to frame, with Aprilia celebrating the one-two. Third step of the podium for Acosta.