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MotoGP: More From Teams At Jerez

The MotoGP Sprint race at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto was exciting and full of action, with changing conditions turning it into a flag-to-flag race. Marc Márquez still managed to win despite crashing earlier in the race, quickly getting back up and diving into pit lane to swap bikes at the perfect moment. His teammate Francesco Bagnaia finished second after a strong and controlled ride, while Franco Morbidelli took third place, completing the podium in a race full of surprises and bold decisions.

You can find more details and reactions in the teams’ official press releases below.

 

More from a press release issued by Ducati Lenovo Team:

A Ducati Lenovo Team one-two in an unpredictable Jerez Sprint: Marc Márquez takes the win ahead of Pecco Bagnaia.

  • Franco Morbidelli, third, completes an all-Ducati podium with the Desmosedici GP of the VR46 Racing Team

 

The Ducati Lenovo Team can celebrate a one-two finish in a dramatic and at times unpredictable fourth Sprint of the season at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto. Under heavy rain, Marc Márquez edged Francesco Bagnaia to take victory.

Starting from pole position, Márquez led the first half of the race before being caught first by his brother Alex and then by Fabio Di Giannantonio. As the rain intensified, Marc crashed at the final corner at the end of lap eight. He quickly jumped back on his Desmosedici GP and returned to the pits to switch bikes. After rejoining the race, the reigning World Champion made his way back to the front, eventually reclaiming the lead ahead of his teammate. Bagnaia, after a complicated first phase of the race, was among the first riders to return to the pits for a bike swap. This decision allowed him to gain sixteen positions in around one lap to eventually finish second.

The Ducati Lenovo Team will be back in action tomorrow at 10:40 local time (GMT +2) for the warm-up session, followed by the Estrella Galicia 0,0 Grand Prix of Spain, which will be contested over a 25-lap distance starting at 14:00.

 

Marc Marquez crashed his Ducati Lenovo during the Sprint race. Photo courtesy Ducati.

Marc Márquez (#93 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1st: “I can say, in a way, that I crashed at the right place and at the right time! Obviously, nobody ever wants to crash and it was my mistake to stay out on track, but it’s never easy to decide whether to pit or stay out. It wasn’t the right choice, but luckily I crashed at the last corner: I waited in the gravel trap until all the riders had passed, and then I returned to the pits for the bike swap. When I rejoined the track I realised I was third, and then I worked my way up to first position. We still have work to do ahead of the race in order to make a step forward also in dry conditions.”

 

Francesco Bagnaia on the Sprint race podium after finishing second. Photo courtesy Ducati.

 

Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 2nd: “I didn’t get a good start but still tried to follow the riders ahead of me. Then some light rain started and I found myself unable to push, as I was struggling with grip. At some point I hoped that the rain would intensify and kept myself ready for this. I maybe should have pitted one lap earlier to get the tyre up to temperature, but it still went well anyway. I tried to stay with Marc after he overtook me, but when I saw he had another level of confidence in the rain, I chose to bring second place home. I noticed a few things in this Sprint that we can work on ahead of tomorrow’s race.”

 

 


More from a press release issued by Pertamina Enduro VR46 Team:

Morbidelli claims his first Sprint podium of the season at Jerez. The Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team secures the Sprint podium of the Spanish GP with Franco Morbidelli, who claims his first podium of the seasion. Fabio Di Giannantonio is fifth in a race with mixed conditions.

Rain stole the spotlight on Saturday at the Spanish GP, with a Sprint race that was held in mixed conditions. The balance for the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team is more than positive, having secured a podium with Franco Morbidelli, who delivered a great comeback from eighteenth position. Fabio Di Giannantonio, who started from the front row and fought for the podium, ended the Sprint in Top5.

A difficult qualifying session made Saturday morning more complicated for Morbidelli, who couldn’t get through Q1, finishing with the eighteenth fastest time (1’50”219). Starting from the sixth row, Franco delivered an incredible comeback in the Sprint, also taking advantage of the rain that began to fall in the second half of the race. At the time of the bike change, the Italian-Brazilian rider gained positions with great overtakes, crossing the line in third place. With today’s result, Morbidelli claims his first Sprint podium of the season, his third with the Tavullia-based team, and is now thirteenth in the World Standing with 21 points.

It was also a positive Saturday for Di Giannantonio, who secured a front-row start in qualifying for the third consecutive time this season (1’49”097). Starting from third on the grid, Fabio entered the fight for the podium from the early stages of the race, proving to be competitive even when the rain made conditions more tricky. Leading the race even in wet conditions, the rider from Rome then carried out the bike change and rejoined in fifth place. Di Giannantonio held on to a Top5 finish until the chequered flag and, with this result, is fifth in the World Standing with 55 points.

The Spanish GP will conclude tomorrow with the main race, scheduled to start at 14:00 (local time).

 

Franco Morbidelli (21) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (49) during the MotoGP Sprint Race at Jerez. Photo courtesy VR46 Team.

 

FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO: “We have to be optimistic: we did a good job finishing in fifth place in a race where it would have been easy to score zero points. It’s also good for the championship, we recovered a few points from the top. Of course, I wanted something more. In the opening laps on the dry we were fast and I tried to play my cards to win, but with the rain I was a bit cautious because I had the used rear tyre from this morning. We didn’t expect wet conditions in the afternoon, but that’s also part of racing. Now we focus on tomorrow, where we’ll have another opportunity to try to win given the expected dry conditions. We only need to improve the start, but we proved we are fast.”

 

FRANCO MORBIDELLI: “It was a crazy race, the conditions were very unusual. I started from eighteenth position, it was raining, then it wasn’t, the track was wet… At a certain point I decided it was the right moment to come into the pits, and I managed to do it at the perfect time. When I got back on track, in the wet, my only goal was to overtake, and I completed several moves. Then I saw I was third at the end: it’s a fantastic result, something we really needed in this difficult moment. I want to dedicate this result to all those people who feel they are not enough, that they don’t deserve it. The truth is they have to keep pushing and working because something will come anyway. When I crossed the finish line, I thought of all the people who are suffering for some reason. For tomorrow, we’ll start from the sixth row; if conditions return to normal, we’ll do our best to recover as many positions as possible and enjoy the race.”

 

 


More from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:

Quartararo & Rins Take P7 and P10 in First Ever Flag-To-Flag Sprint. An overcast Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto set the scene for the Grand Prix of Spain Saturday. With rain hammering down midway through the race, it became the first ever flag-to-flag Sprint. Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo rode from P17 on the grid to P7 at the chequered flag. Álex Rins turned a P21 start into a P10 result.

 

 

Today Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins showed experience and clever riding in a spectacular flag-to-flag Grand Prix of Spain MotoGP Sprint. They wrapped it up in P7 and P10 respectively.

Quartararo launched from P17 and gradually moved up the order. He had climbed as high as 13th place, when the first drops started to fall. El Diablo came into the pits on lap 9 to switch to his wet bike and then settled in P8. Gaining another position in the final stages as the rain intensified, he finished in seventh place, 13.525s from first.

Rins commenced the Sprint from P21 and spent the majority of the 12-lap dash battling with the Prima Pramac Yamaha Moto2 teammates. He was riding in P21 when sudden rain turned his fortunes around. Coming in on lap 8, he moved up the rankings and, after some battles in the final laps, salvaged a P10 finish, 15.821s from the winner.

Today‘s Sprint results put Quartaro in 16th place in the championship standings with 9 points. Rins is in 18th with 3 points. Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP are in 10th position in the team classifications with 12 points, and Yamaha is fifth in the contructor rankings with 12 points.

The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team will be back in action on Sunday for Warm Up, held from 09:40-09:50 (GMT+2), and the 25-lap Race, which starts at 14:00.

 

Fabio Quartararo (20) during the Sprint race at Jerez. Photo courtesy Yamaha.

 

Fabio Quartararo: “I would say that for me this flag-to-flag was positive. Unfortunately, I came in one lap too late, but we still took three points. I didn’t expect to be fast in the wet today as this this was one of the first times riding in these conditions with this bike. But tomorrow will be a different story if it’s dry. We will have to work hard and find something.”

 

Alex Rins (42) during the Sprint race at Jerez. Photo courtesy Yamaha.

 

Alex Rins: “More than ‘survival’ this was a race where you really had to use your head. It was quite easy to make a mistake. I’m happy about how I managed the Sprint: I entered the pits at the perfect time, and I made the flag-to-flag in a good way. I had hoped for more than P10 because of this. Overall, we are struggling, in the wet and the dry. But I will take away from today that I can be happy with how I handled the race and adapted to the situation, and let’s see what tomorrow brings us.”

 

Massimo Meregalli – Team Director: “Today the weather conditions played a big role in the on-track action and the results. The riders already did some laps in damp conditions this morning in FP2, but it was nothing compared to the rain the riders faced midway through the Sprint. It was the first flag-to-flag of the season. When this happens, the riders have to assess the situation and decide for themselves what is the best time to come in. Both Fabio and Álex handled it well, though Fabio could have come in one lap earlier. Considering our grid positions, we can take comfort from the fact that we made the most of this afternoon’s sudden opportunity. However, with the weather forecast predicting dry weather tomorrow, we have to now switch gears again and prepare for a very different sort of race on Sunday.”

 

 


More from a press release issued by Honda HRC Castrol:

Marini clinches ninth in volatile Jerez Sprint. A wet morning and a flag-to-flag Sprint race made for an unforgettable Saturday at the Spanish GP, Luca Marini keeping his cool to come through the field for ninth while Joan Mir fell.

Unpredictability was the order of the day at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto as rain, sun and more rain punctuated sessions which riders and fans will remember as a classic Sprint Saturday. The weather, and a fall for each Honda HRC Castrol rider, complicated the morning performance of Luca Marini and Joan Mir and saw them unable to pass through Q1. With Mir starting in 14th and Marini a place behind in 15th, they were presented with an uphill battle in a Sprint which initially started dry.

Rocketing off the line, Marini quickly passed his teammate and set about chasing the points scoring positions as dark clouds loomed overhead. Swapping bikes in the second group, the #10 rejoined in the battle for the points and fought Zarco until the very last corner for top Honda honours. Ninth at the flag, Marini took the final point in the dramatic Spanish GP Sprint and collected valuable data and insight should Sunday’s Grand Prix follow a similarly chaotic rhythm.

Racing nose to tail with his teammate for most of the race, Mir remained in the mix as the field dove into the pits with the rain. A quick bike change saw him gain time and track position in the closing laps as the intensity of the race increased. Unfortunately, a fall at Turn 10 would end any chance of points, Mir walking away unharmed. The #36 will serve a double long lap penalty in Sunday’s race for an earlier infringement.

Both Marini and Mir will no doubt be stronger in Sunday’s 25-lap Spanish Grand Prix for the lessons learned today. The unpredictable 2026 MotoGP World Championship season continues to excite fans around the world.

 

Luca Marini (10) and Joan Mir (36) at Jerez. Photo courtesy Honda HRC

 

Luca Marini: “I think everyone enjoyed that race, you need some spice in your life sometimes! I did a great start and feeling comfortable in the dry, when I saw some rain on the screen of the bike, I waited to see a little bit the overall situation and what was happening. It’s hard to know when the best moment to pit is, I thought the first group had gone too early but finally that proved to be the correct moment. The rain arrived quite fast in the end and we battled hard until the end in these conditions. Nice to get a little reward, we will need another good start tomorrow.”

 

Joan Mir:“We had one of those days! A difficult weekend, missing Q2 for nothing on Friday which compromised our day today, it was complicated in the wet to push for a fast lap in time. In the race I made a great start and could overtake a lot of riders, then the rain started and I made a good bike change. On the out lap I lost the front behind Quartararo, I went to pick up the bike because in races like this you always have a chance, but the damage was too much. Like always we head into Sunday to give our 100% even if the penalty makes it really difficult.”

 

 


More from a press release issued by Red Bull KTM Tech3:

Rain denies Bastianini points in chaotic Jerez Sprint. A heavy and unexpected downpour denied Enea Bastianini a strong points haul in today’s 12-lap MotoGP™ World Championship Sprint at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, despite the Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider having delivered his best qualifying performance of the 2026 season to-date.

 

Qualifying

After completing 12 laps in mixed conditions during FP2, Bastianini carried that momentum into Q2, keeping his composure on a damp-but-drying track surface to go eighth-quickest aboard his #23 KTM RC16, despite suffering a fall on his final lap as conditions worsened. That grid position will improve to seventh for Sunday’s Grand Prix of Spain following a penalty applied to a rival ahead.

 

Sprint Race

A strong launch put Bastianini immediately in contention, and the Italian swiftly settled into a multi-bike battle just shy of the podium positions. After trading places with fellow KTM rider Brad Binder, ‘La Bestia’ gained a spot to seventh when Jorge Martín suddenly slowed, before joining a five-way fight for third. A close battle with Pedro Acosta followed, but all the while, the skies were darkening.

Rain began to fall and several front-runners came unstuck. The heavens then opened fully just as Bastianini passed pit entry, leaving him no option but to complete another lap on slicks in treacherous conditions. He kept the bike upright, but the time loss was decisive. He rejoined well down the order and crossed the finish line 11th.

The action concludes tomorrow with the weekend’s main event, the 25-lap Grand Prix, representing round four of the season and scheduled to get underway at 14:00 local time (UTC+2).

 

Enea Bastianini (23) and Pedro Acosta (37) during the Sprint race at Jerez. Photo courtesy Tech3.

 

Enea Bastianini: “When the track was dry during the Sprint, we were competitive and I was able to gain some positions – I was up to sixth, and we were fighting to move even further forward – but midway through, it began to rain more, which made things difficult. In conditions like that, it’s always a bit of a game of roulette. When I switched bikes, I went onto the one I had crashed at the end of qualifying; the Tech3 guys put in a lot of energy to re-assemble it for which I’m super grateful, but with the lack of time available, it probably wasn’t 100 per cent. Our final position was obviously disappointing because we had been fighting for something more, but the big race is tomorrow and we’ll target the top five again.”

 
 
Nicolas Goyon, Team Manager: “We have a bitter taste in our mouths today. Enea did a great job. He qualified eighth, which is his best of the season so far, and we all expected a good Sprint race. He made a bright start, showed excellent pace again and was inside the top six when the rain began to intensify. Unfortunately, the big shower came as he was in the last corner, so it was too late to pit and then he had to survive another lap on slicks on a fully wet track. When he finally swapped bikes, it was already too late. We have to focus on the positives for tomorrow, when he will start the Grand Prix from seventh. All the ingredients are in place for a strong end to the weekend.”

 

 


More from a press release issued by Yamaha Factory Racing:

Fernández Rides to P13 in Unexpected Flag-To-Flag Spanish Sprint. 

The Yamaha Factory Racing Team continued their testing programme at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto. In mixed conditions throughout the second day of the Grand Prix of Spain, wild-card entry Augusto Fernández had his work cut out for him to collect comparable data. In the 12-lap Sprint, he took the chequered flag in P13.

The Yamaha Factory Racing Team had planned to use the Grand Prix of Spain Saturday to collect further race-weekend setting data. However, the damp conditions in FP2, dry conditions in qualifying, and mixed conditions in the Sprint meant the team had to contend with a lot of variety per session. Augusto Fernández was still riding competitively in the first ever flag-to-flag Sprint and ended the 12-lap dash in P13.

Fernández had qualified in P16 as the top Yamaha, but lost ground in the opening stages of the race, falling back to 22nd place. When the rain started to fall, the Yamaha test rider made the most of the situation. The test team was ready to let him switch to his wet bike in this unprecedented flag-to-flag Sprint situation. The number-47 rider climbed as high as P12 but lost a position on the final lap and took the chequered flag in P13, 19.777s from the winner.

The Yamaha Factory Racing Team will be back in action tomorrow for Warm Up, held from 09:40-09:50 (GMT+2), and the 25-lap Race, which starts at 14:00.

 

Augusto Fernández (47) during the Sprint race at Jerez. Photo courtesy Yamaha.

 

Augusto Fernández: “I had fun today. We had a bit of everything. It was not easy to manage, but I’m happy with my performance. In the quali, I managed to be the first Yamaha in the wet, so that was not bad. In the dry, I was able to improve the feeling a bit personally, but we still have to work on the bike. That said, I was a bit closer to the other Yamaha guys, which is my main goal as a rider. There’s not much data to analyse today because of the wet sessions, but we were able to compare the feeling in the wet and the dry. In the Sprint, we focused on bringing the bike back to the box in one piece, having completed a full race-distance. This is also important for tomorrow so we have more data.”

 

 


More from a press release issued by Prima Pramac Yamaha: 

Mixed Conditions and Setbacks for Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP in Jerez Sprint. 
 
A rain-affected and chaotic Sprint race in Jerez saw both Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP riders caught out by changing conditions, with crashes and penalties shaping the final outcome.
 
 
 
 

The Sprint race at Jerez turned into a highly unpredictable and disrupted contest, as changing weather conditions played a decisive role. What began as a dry race quickly evolved into a mixed-conditions challenge, with light rain intensifying into a heavy downpour in the closing stages, forcing riders to return to the pits to switch bikes. In the final corners before pit entry, several riders were caught out by the worsening grip, leading to multiple crashes and a total of six retirements by the end of the race. Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP endured a particularly difficult race in these circumstances. Toprak Razgatlıoğlu was unable to avoid a crash as the rain intensified and was forced to retire, bringing his race to an early end at a moment when track conditions were rapidly deteriorating.

Jack Miller also crashed in the same phase of the race but managed to recover, return to the pits, and rejoin on his second bike. However, a double long lap penalty for speeding in the pit lane further compromised his race, and he eventually crossed the line in 16th position after a challenging and eventful Sprint.

Beyond the final results, the constantly changing conditions also limited the team‘s ability to carry out consistent development work and refine the set-up of the Yamaha YZR-M1 — a key priority at this stage of the project that relies heavily on stable track conditions.

Looking ahead, the team will aim to regroup and make the most of Sunday‘s race, with the hope of more consistent conditions to continue progressing the development programme.

 
 
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu (07) during the Sprint race at Jerez. Photo courtesy Prima Pramac Yamaha.

 

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu: “I was struggling from the beginning of the race, especially with braking, because the bike wasn‘t stopping the way I expected and I was making mistakes in several corners. Even with that, I had to keep pushing, because the corners are where we have the best chance to make up ground or try to pass.

When the rain started, I saw an opportunity as the pace dropped, so I tried to push harder. At Turn 5 I attempted to pass both Salvadori and Morbidelli, but I went onto a dirty line and, with the track becoming very slippery, I lost the front.

I‘m very sorry for involving Salvadori in the crash. That was not my intention. As soon as I fell, I went to check on him, and I was very relieved to see that he was OK.” 

 

Jack Miller (43) during the Sprint race at Jerez. Photo courtesy Prima Pramac Yamaha.

 

Jack Miller: “Not an ideal day for us, but in these kinds of conditions you have to take risks and try to make the right calls. We were making good progress during the race, and the pace wasn‘t too bad, but when the rain started to come down it became a bit of a gamble.

On that lap we were debating whether to come into the pits or try to stay out, especially with only a few laps remaining. You‘re trying to make that decision in real time, doing the calculation in your head, and unfortunately we didn‘t get the timing quite right.

We still managed to finish the race in 16th, but I think we definitely had more potential today. It‘s a shame not to have made the most of it, but we‘ll take the positives and look ahead to tomorrow.” 

 
 

Gino Borsoi – Team Director: “It was certainly an entertaining race for the fans, with a lot happening from start to finish. For us, it was also a race that could have offered an interesting result if we had managed things a bit better, especially considering that we tend to be quite competitive in wet conditions.

Unfortunately, these are the kind of races where small mistakes can make a big difference. Perhaps we needed a bit more patience to fully take advantage of the changing conditions when the rain arrived. In the end, it didn‘t go our way, but we take it as part of the process and aim to do better next time.”

 

 


More from a press release issued by BK8 Gresini Team:

The first European sprint doesn’t smile on Team Gresini.

 

  • SPRINT RACE

FERMIN ALDEGUER 17º

ALEX MARQUEZ NC.

 

  • QUALIFYING

ALEX MARQUEZ 5° – 1’49.146s

FERMIN ALDEGUER 12° – 1’51.444

 

Fermin Aldeguer on the grid of the Motogp Sprint Race at Jerez. Photo courtesy Gresini.

 

FERMIN ALDEGUER #54: “It was important to keep putting in laps and working. In the race, at the start of a season where honestly we’re not fighting for anything yet, between going back to the pits and racing for fourth or fifth place, or going for the win, I chose to go for it. It didn’t work out, but with four laps to go, anything could have happened. In the first part of the race I felt very good physically, I was able to battle with the KTMs, and these are definitely important sensations that I’ll carry with me starting tomorrow.”

 

Alex Marquez (73) during the Motogp Sprint Race at Jerez. Photo courtesy Gresini.

 

ALEX MARQUEZ #73: “I felt good during the race. Maybe taking the lead wasn’t the best choice, but even this morning in the wet I felt good. I could have come in a lap earlier, but part of the track was still very dry, and on the lap when I was about to come in to change bikes, I crashed. We definitely weren’t lucky, but I’m convinced that tomorrow we have a great opportunity to be competitive again, especially if the conditions are dry.”

 

 


More from a press release issued by Aprilia:

Complicated sprint race for Aprilia Racing in Jerez.

The sprint race on the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto ended with a negative result for Aprilia Racing.

Marco Bezzecchi, after starting from the fourth spot on the grid, had a less than perfect start, compromised by Álex Márquez’s tear-off getting stuck beneath his rear tyre. Three laps from the end, with the arrival of heavy rainfall, the Italian rider opted to swap out his bike for the one set up for the rain, only to crash a few turns later.

It was an unlucky race for Jorge Martín as well who, despite a good start from the seventh spot on the grid, was forced to retire during the second lap due to a problem with the bike as he was in fourth place.

Lorenzo Savadori, riding in a wild-card slot, was involved in a crash caused by Toprak Razgatlioglu, forcing him to retire.

 

Marco Bezzecchi (72) at Jerez. Photo courtesy Aprilia.

 

Marco Bezzecchi: “Unfortunately, the tear-off got stuck in the fairing and it stayed there when I stopped. A bit before the start, it came loose and ended up beneath the bike, just ahead of the rear tyre, so I ran over it and started to burn out. When I got back out on the track with the rain tyres, I crashed almost straight away.”

 

Jorge Martin (89) at Jerez. Photo courtesy Aprilia.

 

Jorge Martin: “I realised straight away from the start that something wasn’t right. I had a strange feeling with the brake. We still don’t know what happened – the techs are analysing all the data. The team is still united though, and that is the most important aspect. These situations are all part of racing, and over the years I’ve learned to face them more calmly.

 

Lorenzo Savadori (32) at Jerez. Photo courtesy Aprilia.

 

Lorenzo Savadori:Today was an unlucky race for me, the rhythm and the pace was good because I was in the top ten, so it was a good race. Then another rider did a mistake, and I did a very big crash. So fortunately, I’m not injured, nothing broken in my body but I’m not at 100%. I hope to be in a better shape for the race”

 

Fabiano Sterlacchini – Technical Director:The morning started off well enough, despite some difficulties, with four bikes still going through to Q2. It’s a shame because the sprint race was compromised by a series of unfortunate events beyond our control, like the tear-off under Marco’s tyre – a situation that has already happened to other riders but shouldn’t, because of a whole series of precautions that are supposed to be taken. As for Jorge, we had a problem for which we are still trying to figure out the cause, but it is quite clear that it was not a technical problem, but rather a procedural one. We’ll try to make up for it on Sunday, because we are competitive overall, once everything falls into place.”

 

 


More from a press release issued by Castrol Honda LCR:

Castrol Honda LCR rider Johann Zarco secured an 8th-place finish in Saturday’s Sprint at the Circuito de Jerez Ángel Nieto.
 
  • After progressing through Q1 with the fastest lap time to reach Q2, the Frenchman delivered an outstanding performance, narrowly missing out on pole position and securing a front-row start in second.
  • At Sprint time, Zarco made a strong start and fought for the podium during the opening laps, defending his position and producing impressive overtakes against his rivals.
  • They declared wet race, and with four laps remaining, riders started to enter the pits. Zarco reacted immediately, switching bikes and continuing to push to the very end, ultimately crossing the line in 8th and collecting valuable points.

 

Johann Zarco (5) at Jerez. Photo courtesy Honda LCR.

 

Johann Zarco 8th: “It was cool! I’m happy with the start. The first lap behind Marc was good, but then I was losing time in the fast corners. It was tough to try to catch them in other places, and I couldn’t go any faster. It was good to fight. Then, when the rain came, I hesitated about going in, but with seven riders on track, I stayed, and I should have come in. I believe I missed an opportunity there, but at the same time, it was difficult. In any case, taking a front row start in the morning and finishing in the points considering the whole situation, it’s a good result. Let’s see tomorrow!”

 

 


More from a press release issued by Pro Honda LCR:

Pro Honda LCR rider Diogo Moreira finished 14th in Saturday’s Sprint.
 
  • After a challenging qualifying session in the morning, disrupted by a crash without consequences, Moreira was forced to start from 23rd on the grid and deliver a comeback ride.
  • The Brazilian made an excellent start, quickly moving up into the top 14 as he pushed towards the points.
  • They declared wet race, and with four laps remaining, riders started to enter the pits. Moreira changed bikes and continued to fight until the chequered flag, crossing the line in 14th while gathering valuable data ahead of Sunday’s race.
 
Diogo Moreira (11) at Jerez. Photo courtesy Honda LCR.
 
 
Diogo Moreira 14th: “It was fun! It was nice to ride like this, to do my first flag-to-flag race and understand the situation. It was important to finish the race and learn a lot. Looking ahead to tomorrow, in the dry I was there, I felt fast and was following the factory Hondas. I’m excited for tomorrow; let’s see how the race goes.”

MotoGP: Sprint Race Results From Jerez

Marc Marquez mastered tricky conditions to win the MotoGP Tissot Sprint race Saturday afternoon at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP26 on Michelin control tires, the seven-time and defending World Champion won the 12-lap race by 3.050 seconds.

His teammate, Francesco Bagnaia was the runner-up.

Franco Morbidelli finished third on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP25.

Brad Binder crossed the finish line fourth on his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RC16. 

Morbidelli’s teammate, Fabio Di Giannantonio, got fifth.

Marco Bezzecchi, the World Championship point leader coming into the weekend, crashed his Aprilia Racing RS-GP26.

Marco Bezzecchi leads the championship with 81 points, 4 ahead of Jorge Martin who has 77 points. Pedro Acosta is third with 60 points.

 

sprint motogp

 

worldstanding motogp

 

 

More from a press release issued by MotoGP:

Crash, switch, win: Marc Marquez back on top in dramatic flag-to-flag Sprint. The weather plays havoc in Jerez but the home crowd get the result they came for.

We’ve checked the databases and every now and then, the wildest of history does indeed repeat itself – rarely does a rider crash and still come away with victory. Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team), just when you think he’s won in every kind of scenario, did just that to take Sprint honours at home in Jerez, with teammate Francesco Bagnaia in second – from P10 on the grid – and Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) – from P18 on the grid – joining the #93 on the podium. Instead of some poetry about how great it is, this is how it happened.

 

LIGHTS OUT IN THE SPRINT

Marc Marquez got a great start from pole, with Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) remaining second as the shuffle began behind. Alex Marquez shot up into second place, with Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) in fourth and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) in fifth.

Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) got a shocker, seemingly with a tear off under the rear off the line, and plummeted down the order, facing a fight back from P16 as the battle at the front started to heat up. Marc Marquez was starting to build a gap but the chase was on. First, Martin attacked Alex Marquez but the #73 answered back at Turn 1, forcing Martin wide. The #89 sat up and looked down at a red-hot front disc too – having struggled to drop anchor.

 

THE HEAVENS OPEN

Next, Alex Marquez was past Zarco. And with 10 to go, the grey overcast skies became drops of rain – with the white flag out, denoting riders can change bikes. We’ve seen it before in a Sprint but never so early in the lap count. This time, there was time to make it count – if it rained enough.

At that point however, it clearly wasn’t too damp – with Zarco and Diggia throwing down in an awesome duel for third. As the drops continued though, Diggia was able to get a grip on P3, with Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) stalking his way up into fourth.
That left Zarco with his hands full of KTMs. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was first on the chase, with Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) for close company. After Acosta was denied by Zarco, Bastianini was able to profit and slip through – the Beast then on the tail of the Frenchman.

 

THE FRONT GROUP

Meanwhile at the front, what had been a reasonable gap had been cut and cut until Alex Marquez’s Gresini was absolutely glued to Marc Marquez’s Ducati Lenovo machine in the lead. He shadowed him and looked tempted to make a move, dropped back a little, and then by 6 to go the attack came – the #73 was alongside and through at Turn 9, as Diggia homed in on both.

Drama hit quickly after that. First Marc Marquez slid out at the final corner, just getting it wrong as the rain started to increase. But that would prove absolutely pivotal – with the #93 choosing to then pick it up and dive straight into the pitlane to switch bikes. The rest of the frontrunners continued – with Binder leading the group of those who dived into pitlane too.
That left Alex Marquez at the front leading Diggia, and Binder leading the chase of those who had switched – with only 4 laps to go. Was there enough time?

 

 

 

THE SECOND MARQUEZ CRASH

Suddenly, even more drama – this time for Alex Marquez. The #73 was down at the same corner his brother fell at in last year’s Grand Prix, the rain intensifying from a drizzle to a deluge, and it was suddenly absolutely sure – wets were needed. The rest headed for pitlane and Binder was net leader – until the South African suffered his own off too. As the shuffles continued, it was a red duo of Bagnaia and Marc Marquez thundering towards the race lead, passing a defenceless Fermin Aldeguer as the Gresini rider gambled to stay out on slicks.

 

THE IMPOSSIBLE… MADE POSSIBLE

Bagnaia led Marc Marquez as the rain came down, but the #93 struck for the lead not long after – from the front to the floor and back to the front. As high as P1 and as low as P17 before somehow finding his way back to the lead, it was a Sprint to remember for the #93 who was back on top ahead of his teammate Bagnaia, who in-turn makes it back-to-back Sprint rostrums whilst unbelievably, having pitted in the first group, Morbidelli came home in third. Binder, despite his crash, still took fourth which on any other day would’ve been thestory. ‘Diggia’ was fifth ahead of Raul Fernandez whilst Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) took Sprint points in seventh. Fellow countryman Zarco and Honda’s Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) were the last of the points finishers.

Check out the full results from the MotoGP Sprint at Jerez!

Breath back, time to go again tomorrow in front of a massive crowd – we’re ready, they’re ready, make sure you’re ready!

Moto2: Veijer Takes Pole Position At Jerez

Collin Veijer earned pole position during Moto2 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex on Pirelli control tires, Veijer turned a 1:39.101 to top the field of 28 riders.

Alex Escrig was second-best with a 1:39.158 on his KLINT Racing Team Forward.

Manuel Gonzalez claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:39.196 on his Liqui Moly Dynavolt IntactGP Kalex.

His teammate, Senna Agius got fourth with a lap time of 1:39.255 and Alonso Lopez was fifth on his ITALJET Gresini Kalex with a time of 1:39.256.  

American Joe Roberts qualified 20th on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex with a lap time of 1:40.119. 

 

qp moto2

 

 

More from a press release issued by MotoGP:

Veijer clinches historic debut Moto2 pole. The Dutchman is the first polesitter in the class since 1991 as Escrig and Gonzalez complete the front row.

For the first time since the 1991 Japanese GP, a Dutchman will line up on pole position in the Moto2 class after Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) stuck his Kalex-Triumph next to the P1 board in Saturday’s parc ferme in Jerez. Veijer set a 1:39.101 in an incredibly competitive pole shootout which saw Alex Escrig (KLINT Racing Team) and championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) complete a front row split by just 0.095s.

 

From left to right with Alex Escrig, Collin Veijer and Manuel Gonzalez. Photo courtesy Pirelli.

 

Austin winner and Friday’s pacesetter Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) spearheads the second row in P4 having led for some of Q2, and joining the in-form Australian behind the front row are Alonso Lopez (ITALJET Gresini Moto2) and David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team), with the Colombian’s teammate Daniel Holgado lining up a place behind him in P7. Can the Aspar duo challenge for the victory from there?

Barry Baltus (REDS Fantic Racing) went into Q2 as one of the favourites for pole, but the Belgian couldn’t repeat his feat from Austin last time out – the #7 launches from P8. Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2), the rider second in the championship, qualified in P9 but with the three-place grid penalty added, the Spaniard has a tough task on Sunday from P12 on the grid.

A compelling grid then for the Moto2 Spanish Grand Prix. Tune in at 12:15 local time (UTC +2) to see how the latest battle unfolds! 

Moto2 Spanish GP qualifying results

Moto3: Quiles Claims Pole Position In Spain

Maximo Quiles earned pole position during Moto3 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team KTM on Pirelli control tires, Quiles topped the 26-rider field with a lap time of 1:44.070.

David Muñoz was the best of the rest with a 1:44.445 on his Liqui Moly Dynavolt IntactGP KTM, and Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Alvaro Carpe claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:44.655.

Row-two qualifiers LEVEL UP – MTA’s Joel Esteban (1:44.836), Carpe’s teammate, Brian Uriarte (1:45.049) and Leopard Racing’s Adrian Fernandez  (1:45.049).

 

QP MOTO3

 

 

More from a press release issued by MotoGP:

Quiles storms to home turf pole in Jerez. The #28 pulls clear of Muñoz and Carpe as home heroes lock out the front row.

Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) slammed in a 1:44.070 to pull an impressive 0.375 clear for pole position in Jerez, with conditions drying out by qualifying for Moto3 and the #28 proving unstoppable.

David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) takes second as he returns from injury an immediately makes a mark, with Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completing the top three and front row.

 

From left to right with David Muñoz, Maximo Quiles and Alvaro Carpe. Photo courtesy Pirelli.

 

After wet conditions on Saturday morning, the lightweight class were able to enjoy a fully dry Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto, although the laptimes are split by some bigger gaps than usually seen in Moto3 as the field adapted. Quiles’ 1:44.070 is closer to the lap record – a 1:43.710 – than Muñoz is to the polesitter, and Carpe takes the front row by just over half a second off pole.

Row 2 is more home crowd heroes as Joel Esteban (LEVELUP- MTA) takes P4 ahead of rookie Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo), with Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) sixth – on exactly the same best laptime as Uriarte. Despite racing two different machines, both set a 1:45.049. Fernandez also crashed in Q2, losing the chance to improve further.

Joal Kelso (GRYD – MLav Racing), David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) and Matteo Bertelle (LEVELUP – MTA) are on Row 3, with Malaysian Hakim Danish completing the top ten for AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI.

Check out full results from Moto3 qualifying at Jerez and tune in on Sunday for the race from 11:00 (GMT +2).

MotoGP: M.Marquez On pole Position At Jerez

Marc Marquez mastered tricky conditions to claim pole position during MotoGP qualifying Saturday at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP26 on the 2.75-mile (4.42 km) track, Marquez turned a 1:48.087 to top the 23-rider field.

Johann Zarco was the best of the rest with a 1:48.227 on his Castrol Honda LCR RC213V, and Fabio Di Giananntonio claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:49.097 on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP26.

Row-two qualifiers included Aprilia Racing’s Marco Bezzecchi (1:49.115), BK8 Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez (1:49.146) and Red Bull KTM Factory’s Pedro Acosta (1:49.230).

 

QP MOTOGP

 

 

More from a press release issued by MotoGP:

Marc Marquez denies Zarco in damp pole shootout. The Spanish GP’s qualifying session was a tasty affair but it gave the home crowd what they wanted as the #93 took a first pole of the year.

Making his mark on home turf, Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) was able to bag a first pole of the 2026 season in what was a classic head-to-head battle for qualifying supremacy. Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) will line up in the middle of the front row despite a heroic effort whilst top Ducati in the standings Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) completes the front row.

 

From left to right with Johann Zarco, Marc Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio. Photo courtesy MotoGP.

 

It was damp conditions as Q1 got underway at Jerez and instantly, it caught out big names. Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) was an early crasher before he was joined by Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) who wasn’t able to set a lap time and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), the latter just missing the cut. With a good feel for the conditions, Zarco and Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) graduated to join the Q2 pole battle and had the experience – and perhaps the advantage – of understanding the latest of the tricky conditions.

After a small delay to the session due to track conditions following Morbidelli’s smoking Ducati at the end of Q1, the riders hit the track, all out on wet tyres but a dry line was appearing. Halfway into the session and it was Marc Marquez who was leading the way but the same joy wasn’t reached for his brother Alex, who crashed at Turn 9 with seven minutes on the clock. Provisionally joining the #93 on the front row, whilst Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) was third but crashed at Turn 1 and was soon bumped down the order by a flying Zarco who went into P1.

Looking to take Honda’s first pole since 2023, Zarco’s hopes of a first pole in 4 years were dashed when Marc Marquez pulled out a mighty lap time to take a first pole position since the Hungarian GP last year. Zarco was pushing hard on the final lap but had to settle for P2 after a mistake in the final corner saw the Frenchman nearly lose the front. Rounding out the front row, Di Giannantonio, who despite being more than a second off, managed to sneak ahead of Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) who heads up the second row, ahead of Alex Marquez and Acosta.

A crash left Martin in the gravel and unable to improve on his lap time, rooting him to seventh and the third row, joined by Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) who also fell, this time at Turn 8, and Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team), the third of the Aprilias. More qualifying struggles left double World Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) on the fourth row in P10, ahead of Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) and Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) who suffered a second crash of the day – this time at Turn 8, having fallen at Turn 13 in FP2.

With the grid set, attention turns to the Tissot Sprint! Lights out at 15:00 Local Time (UTC +2), don’t miss it!

 

MGP_QualiStats_SpanishGP_2026

MotoGP: Acosta Is Best In Saturday Practice In Spain

Pedro Acosta led MotoGP World Championship wet Free Practice Two (FP2) Saturday morning at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RC16 on spec Michelin tires, the Spaniard turned a lap time of 1:48.862 to lead the 23-rider field.

Marc Marquez was the best of the rest with a 1:49.373 on his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici GP26.

Johann Zarco was third at 1:49.580 on his Castrol Honda LCR RC213V.

Marco Bezzecchi finished the session fourth with a 1:49.640 on his Aprilia Racing RS-GP26 ans his teammate, Jorge Martin got fifth with a lap time of 1:49.757.

 

fp2 motogp

Moto2: Arbolino Tops Final Practice At Jerez

Tony Arbolino was quickest during Moto2 World Championship Free Practice Two (FP2) Saturday morning at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his Pirelli-shod REDS Fantic Racing Kalex on the 2.75-mile (4.42 km) track, the Italian recorded a 1:53.516 to lead the field of 28 riders.

Mario Aji was the best of the rest with a 1:54.090 on his Idemitsu Honda Team Asia Kalex.

Arbolino’s teammate, Barry Baltus was third-fastest with a 1:54.149.

American Joe Roberts finished Saturday morning’s practice session 16th with a best time of 1:56.701 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.

 

fp2 moto2

Moto3: Quiles Heads Saturday Practice At Jerez

Maximo Quiles led Moto3 World Championship Free Practice Two (FP2) Saturday morning, at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, in Spain. Quiles used his Pirelli-shod CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team KTM to lap the 2.75-mile (4.42 km) track in 1:56.098 to lead the field of 26 riders.

Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Brian Uriarte was second-best with a time of 1:56.517.

Joel Esteban, piloting his LEVEL UP – MTA KTM, claimed the third and final spot on the front with a lap time of 1:56.731.

 

fp2 moto3

BSB: Ryde Tops Oulton Park Test Ahead of Season Opener

Defending champion Kyle Ryde topped the times in the final pre-season action ahead of the 2026 British Superbike Championship opener at Oulton Park (May 2/3/4).

The Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing Ducati rider saved his best until last with his final lap of the R&G Official Test displacing Scott Redding and the Hager PBM Racing Team from the leading position by 0.259s.

There was a trading of blows throughout the final session at the top of the times, with the three champions, Ryde, Redding and Ray, trading places with Storm Stacey also in the mix on the Bathams AJN Racing Ducati after setting the pace on the opening day.

Glenn Irwin completed the top five on the second of the Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing Ducatis ahead of another previous champion, Leon Haslam as he edged out the AJN Steelstock bimota of Max Cook for sixth place.

Rory Skinner was the fastest of the Cheshire Mouldings Yamahas in eighth place ahead of Honda Racing UK’s Ryan Vickers and Charlie Nesbitt completed the top ten for TAG Honda.

Joe Talbot crashed in the penultimate session of the test at Old Hall; he was conscious and taken to the medical centre for an initial assessment. The AJN Steelstock bimota rider was transferred to Stoke Hospital, where latest scans and further assessments reveal no fractures and it is likely he will remain in hospital overnight for observation.

British Superbike Championship, R&G Official Test, Oulton Park, combined result:

  1. Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing) 1m:32.913s
  2. Scott Redding (Hager PBM Racing Team) +0.259s
  3. Bradley Ray (McAMS Yamaha) +0.705s
  4. Storm Stacey (Bathams AJN Racing Ducati) +0.807s
  5. Glenn Irwin (Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing) +1.041s
  6. Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Racing) +1.158s
  7. Max Cook (AJN Steelstock bimota) +1.280s
  8. Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha) +1.536s
  9. Ryan Vickers (Honda Racing UK) +1.578s
  10. Charlie Nesbitt (TAG Honda) +1.684s

For more information visit www.britishsuperbike.com

MotoAmerica: Olmedo’s Miracle Recovery Leads To Twins Podium

Editorial Note: Four years ago, Kevin Olmedo was partially paralyzed and diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a rare and sometimes fatal disorder in which the immune system attacks the body’s nerves. A day after being hospitalized, Olmedo couldn’t eat or blink or even close his eyelids, which were taped closed so he could fall asleep. It took him nine months before he could walk again. He’s still not 100%, but his long and difficult recovery culminated in a podium finish in a MotoAmerica Twins Cup race at Road Atlanta last weekend...

 

Karns Performance Racing Scores Podium, Pair of Top Fives, and Rookie Breakthrough at Road Atlanta

Round 2 of the MotoAmerica season at Road Atlanta delivered another strong weekend for Karns Performance Racing, highlighted by a podium finish from Kevin Olmedo, consistent front-running pace from Isaac Woodworth, and a breakthrough top-10 result for Twins Cup rookie Solly Mervis.

Road Atlanta proved to be a demanding battleground, but the team showed speed, resilience, and continued progress as momentum builds early in the 2026 campaign.

Olmedo overcame adversity all weekend to earn a hard-fought podium finish. Confident from the outset at a circuit where he had prior experience, he quickly adapted to the Karns Suzuki GSX-8R and felt comfortable with the setup. However, a qualifying crash left him managing pain in his right ankle and caused significant damage to the motorcycle.

The Karns Performance Racing crew responded immediately, working tirelessly to repair the bike and return it to race-ready condition.

Starting eighth on the grid in Race 1, Olmedo surged to third on the opening lap before suffering a rear tire issue that forced him off track and out of contention. Sunday’s changing weather conditions created new challenges, but the team continued working through setup adjustments.

In Race 2, Olmedo again started from eighth. After an initial poor launch, he regrouped and stayed with the lead pack. A red flag restart created another opportunity, and he capitalized with a stronger second start. In an intense closing battle, Olmedo made a last-corner pass to secure third place and bring home another podium for the team.

“It was a fun race battling and passing each other,” said Olmedo. “I really appreciate all the support, and I want to continue improving and bring home more podiums this season.”

Kevin Olmedo and his wife Luisa pose with Olmedo’s dad Angel Omedo (foreground) and the Karns crew, including (from left) sponsor Brandon Meck, crew chief Jose Archeval (blue shirt), Dennis King, Jason Karns and his daughter Tori, teammate Solly Mervis, and electronics engineer Emerson Amaya.

Woodworth continued his impressive form with two fifth-place finishes, once again showing race pace and determination throughout the weekend. In Race 1, he lost positions off the start but charged back through the field with a series of decisive passes to secure P5. In Race 2, Woodworth immediately placed himself in contention, running third before a red flag reset the race. Following the restart, he launched well and remained in the fight for the podium before crossing the line fifth once again.

Isaac Woodworth (27) in action on his Karns Suzuki GSX-8R at Road Atlanta. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.

“Overall, the speed is there, and we’re continuing to build,” said Woodworth. “We’re focused on putting everything together in qualifying and bringing more aggression into the races as we head into the next round.”

Mervis also delivered a milestone weekend, earning his first MotoAmerica Twins Cup top-10 finish and continuing his rapid progression as a rookie in one of the most competitive classes in the paddock.

“I had a solid weekend and learned more and more about my Karns Performance / Ice Barn Racing Suzuki GSX-8R,” said Mervis. “I want to thank Jason and the entire Karns team for putting in the work to make my bike the best it can be. I especially want to thank Danny Walker, Nick Daniels, and Thor Thomas on the Ice Barn Racing crew for their exceptional effort all weekend. I’m looking forward to getting back on the GSX-8R at Barber Motorsports Park when MotoAmerica resumes in May.”

Solly Mervis (25) in Twins Cup at Road Atlanta. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.

Team principle Jason Karns said “With a podium finish, multiple top-five finishes, another key rookie milestone achieved, and overcoming significate adversity early in the weekend, Karns Performance Racing leaves Road Atlanta with confidence and momentum heading into the next round of the MotoAmerica championship.”

Karns Performance Racing thanks all sponsors, partners, crew members, and supporters for their continued commitment throughout the 2026 season.

 

MotoGP: More From Teams At Jerez

Marc Márquez won the flag-to-flag MotoGP Sprint Race at the Circuito de Jerez despite suffering a crash. Photo courtesy MotoGP.

The MotoGP Sprint race at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto was exciting and full of action, with changing conditions turning it into a flag-to-flag race. Marc Márquez still managed to win despite crashing earlier in the race, quickly getting back up and diving into pit lane to swap bikes at the perfect moment. His teammate Francesco Bagnaia finished second after a strong and controlled ride, while Franco Morbidelli took third place, completing the podium in a race full of surprises and bold decisions.

You can find more details and reactions in the teams’ official press releases below.

 

More from a press release issued by Ducati Lenovo Team:

A Ducati Lenovo Team one-two in an unpredictable Jerez Sprint: Marc Márquez takes the win ahead of Pecco Bagnaia.

  • Franco Morbidelli, third, completes an all-Ducati podium with the Desmosedici GP of the VR46 Racing Team

 

The Ducati Lenovo Team can celebrate a one-two finish in a dramatic and at times unpredictable fourth Sprint of the season at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto. Under heavy rain, Marc Márquez edged Francesco Bagnaia to take victory.

Starting from pole position, Márquez led the first half of the race before being caught first by his brother Alex and then by Fabio Di Giannantonio. As the rain intensified, Marc crashed at the final corner at the end of lap eight. He quickly jumped back on his Desmosedici GP and returned to the pits to switch bikes. After rejoining the race, the reigning World Champion made his way back to the front, eventually reclaiming the lead ahead of his teammate. Bagnaia, after a complicated first phase of the race, was among the first riders to return to the pits for a bike swap. This decision allowed him to gain sixteen positions in around one lap to eventually finish second.

The Ducati Lenovo Team will be back in action tomorrow at 10:40 local time (GMT +2) for the warm-up session, followed by the Estrella Galicia 0,0 Grand Prix of Spain, which will be contested over a 25-lap distance starting at 14:00.

 

Marc Marquez crashed his Ducati Lenovo during the Sprint race. Photo courtesy Ducati.

Marc Márquez (#93 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1st: “I can say, in a way, that I crashed at the right place and at the right time! Obviously, nobody ever wants to crash and it was my mistake to stay out on track, but it’s never easy to decide whether to pit or stay out. It wasn’t the right choice, but luckily I crashed at the last corner: I waited in the gravel trap until all the riders had passed, and then I returned to the pits for the bike swap. When I rejoined the track I realised I was third, and then I worked my way up to first position. We still have work to do ahead of the race in order to make a step forward also in dry conditions.”

 

Francesco Bagnaia on the Sprint race podium after finishing second. Photo courtesy Ducati.

 

Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 2nd: “I didn’t get a good start but still tried to follow the riders ahead of me. Then some light rain started and I found myself unable to push, as I was struggling with grip. At some point I hoped that the rain would intensify and kept myself ready for this. I maybe should have pitted one lap earlier to get the tyre up to temperature, but it still went well anyway. I tried to stay with Marc after he overtook me, but when I saw he had another level of confidence in the rain, I chose to bring second place home. I noticed a few things in this Sprint that we can work on ahead of tomorrow’s race.”

 

 


More from a press release issued by Pertamina Enduro VR46 Team:

Morbidelli claims his first Sprint podium of the season at Jerez. The Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team secures the Sprint podium of the Spanish GP with Franco Morbidelli, who claims his first podium of the seasion. Fabio Di Giannantonio is fifth in a race with mixed conditions.

Rain stole the spotlight on Saturday at the Spanish GP, with a Sprint race that was held in mixed conditions. The balance for the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team is more than positive, having secured a podium with Franco Morbidelli, who delivered a great comeback from eighteenth position. Fabio Di Giannantonio, who started from the front row and fought for the podium, ended the Sprint in Top5.

A difficult qualifying session made Saturday morning more complicated for Morbidelli, who couldn’t get through Q1, finishing with the eighteenth fastest time (1’50”219). Starting from the sixth row, Franco delivered an incredible comeback in the Sprint, also taking advantage of the rain that began to fall in the second half of the race. At the time of the bike change, the Italian-Brazilian rider gained positions with great overtakes, crossing the line in third place. With today’s result, Morbidelli claims his first Sprint podium of the season, his third with the Tavullia-based team, and is now thirteenth in the World Standing with 21 points.

It was also a positive Saturday for Di Giannantonio, who secured a front-row start in qualifying for the third consecutive time this season (1’49”097). Starting from third on the grid, Fabio entered the fight for the podium from the early stages of the race, proving to be competitive even when the rain made conditions more tricky. Leading the race even in wet conditions, the rider from Rome then carried out the bike change and rejoined in fifth place. Di Giannantonio held on to a Top5 finish until the chequered flag and, with this result, is fifth in the World Standing with 55 points.

The Spanish GP will conclude tomorrow with the main race, scheduled to start at 14:00 (local time).

 

Franco Morbidelli (21) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (49) during the MotoGP Sprint Race at Jerez. Photo courtesy VR46 Team.

 

FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO: “We have to be optimistic: we did a good job finishing in fifth place in a race where it would have been easy to score zero points. It’s also good for the championship, we recovered a few points from the top. Of course, I wanted something more. In the opening laps on the dry we were fast and I tried to play my cards to win, but with the rain I was a bit cautious because I had the used rear tyre from this morning. We didn’t expect wet conditions in the afternoon, but that’s also part of racing. Now we focus on tomorrow, where we’ll have another opportunity to try to win given the expected dry conditions. We only need to improve the start, but we proved we are fast.”

 

FRANCO MORBIDELLI: “It was a crazy race, the conditions were very unusual. I started from eighteenth position, it was raining, then it wasn’t, the track was wet… At a certain point I decided it was the right moment to come into the pits, and I managed to do it at the perfect time. When I got back on track, in the wet, my only goal was to overtake, and I completed several moves. Then I saw I was third at the end: it’s a fantastic result, something we really needed in this difficult moment. I want to dedicate this result to all those people who feel they are not enough, that they don’t deserve it. The truth is they have to keep pushing and working because something will come anyway. When I crossed the finish line, I thought of all the people who are suffering for some reason. For tomorrow, we’ll start from the sixth row; if conditions return to normal, we’ll do our best to recover as many positions as possible and enjoy the race.”

 

 


More from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:

Quartararo & Rins Take P7 and P10 in First Ever Flag-To-Flag Sprint. An overcast Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto set the scene for the Grand Prix of Spain Saturday. With rain hammering down midway through the race, it became the first ever flag-to-flag Sprint. Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo rode from P17 on the grid to P7 at the chequered flag. Álex Rins turned a P21 start into a P10 result.

 

 

Today Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins showed experience and clever riding in a spectacular flag-to-flag Grand Prix of Spain MotoGP Sprint. They wrapped it up in P7 and P10 respectively.

Quartararo launched from P17 and gradually moved up the order. He had climbed as high as 13th place, when the first drops started to fall. El Diablo came into the pits on lap 9 to switch to his wet bike and then settled in P8. Gaining another position in the final stages as the rain intensified, he finished in seventh place, 13.525s from first.

Rins commenced the Sprint from P21 and spent the majority of the 12-lap dash battling with the Prima Pramac Yamaha Moto2 teammates. He was riding in P21 when sudden rain turned his fortunes around. Coming in on lap 8, he moved up the rankings and, after some battles in the final laps, salvaged a P10 finish, 15.821s from the winner.

Today‘s Sprint results put Quartaro in 16th place in the championship standings with 9 points. Rins is in 18th with 3 points. Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP are in 10th position in the team classifications with 12 points, and Yamaha is fifth in the contructor rankings with 12 points.

The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team will be back in action on Sunday for Warm Up, held from 09:40-09:50 (GMT+2), and the 25-lap Race, which starts at 14:00.

 

Fabio Quartararo (20) during the Sprint race at Jerez. Photo courtesy Yamaha.

 

Fabio Quartararo: “I would say that for me this flag-to-flag was positive. Unfortunately, I came in one lap too late, but we still took three points. I didn’t expect to be fast in the wet today as this this was one of the first times riding in these conditions with this bike. But tomorrow will be a different story if it’s dry. We will have to work hard and find something.”

 

Alex Rins (42) during the Sprint race at Jerez. Photo courtesy Yamaha.

 

Alex Rins: “More than ‘survival’ this was a race where you really had to use your head. It was quite easy to make a mistake. I’m happy about how I managed the Sprint: I entered the pits at the perfect time, and I made the flag-to-flag in a good way. I had hoped for more than P10 because of this. Overall, we are struggling, in the wet and the dry. But I will take away from today that I can be happy with how I handled the race and adapted to the situation, and let’s see what tomorrow brings us.”

 

Massimo Meregalli – Team Director: “Today the weather conditions played a big role in the on-track action and the results. The riders already did some laps in damp conditions this morning in FP2, but it was nothing compared to the rain the riders faced midway through the Sprint. It was the first flag-to-flag of the season. When this happens, the riders have to assess the situation and decide for themselves what is the best time to come in. Both Fabio and Álex handled it well, though Fabio could have come in one lap earlier. Considering our grid positions, we can take comfort from the fact that we made the most of this afternoon’s sudden opportunity. However, with the weather forecast predicting dry weather tomorrow, we have to now switch gears again and prepare for a very different sort of race on Sunday.”

 

 


More from a press release issued by Honda HRC Castrol:

Marini clinches ninth in volatile Jerez Sprint. A wet morning and a flag-to-flag Sprint race made for an unforgettable Saturday at the Spanish GP, Luca Marini keeping his cool to come through the field for ninth while Joan Mir fell.

Unpredictability was the order of the day at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto as rain, sun and more rain punctuated sessions which riders and fans will remember as a classic Sprint Saturday. The weather, and a fall for each Honda HRC Castrol rider, complicated the morning performance of Luca Marini and Joan Mir and saw them unable to pass through Q1. With Mir starting in 14th and Marini a place behind in 15th, they were presented with an uphill battle in a Sprint which initially started dry.

Rocketing off the line, Marini quickly passed his teammate and set about chasing the points scoring positions as dark clouds loomed overhead. Swapping bikes in the second group, the #10 rejoined in the battle for the points and fought Zarco until the very last corner for top Honda honours. Ninth at the flag, Marini took the final point in the dramatic Spanish GP Sprint and collected valuable data and insight should Sunday’s Grand Prix follow a similarly chaotic rhythm.

Racing nose to tail with his teammate for most of the race, Mir remained in the mix as the field dove into the pits with the rain. A quick bike change saw him gain time and track position in the closing laps as the intensity of the race increased. Unfortunately, a fall at Turn 10 would end any chance of points, Mir walking away unharmed. The #36 will serve a double long lap penalty in Sunday’s race for an earlier infringement.

Both Marini and Mir will no doubt be stronger in Sunday’s 25-lap Spanish Grand Prix for the lessons learned today. The unpredictable 2026 MotoGP World Championship season continues to excite fans around the world.

 

Luca Marini (10) and Joan Mir (36) at Jerez. Photo courtesy Honda HRC

 

Luca Marini: “I think everyone enjoyed that race, you need some spice in your life sometimes! I did a great start and feeling comfortable in the dry, when I saw some rain on the screen of the bike, I waited to see a little bit the overall situation and what was happening. It’s hard to know when the best moment to pit is, I thought the first group had gone too early but finally that proved to be the correct moment. The rain arrived quite fast in the end and we battled hard until the end in these conditions. Nice to get a little reward, we will need another good start tomorrow.”

 

Joan Mir:“We had one of those days! A difficult weekend, missing Q2 for nothing on Friday which compromised our day today, it was complicated in the wet to push for a fast lap in time. In the race I made a great start and could overtake a lot of riders, then the rain started and I made a good bike change. On the out lap I lost the front behind Quartararo, I went to pick up the bike because in races like this you always have a chance, but the damage was too much. Like always we head into Sunday to give our 100% even if the penalty makes it really difficult.”

 

 


More from a press release issued by Red Bull KTM Tech3:

Rain denies Bastianini points in chaotic Jerez Sprint. A heavy and unexpected downpour denied Enea Bastianini a strong points haul in today’s 12-lap MotoGP™ World Championship Sprint at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, despite the Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider having delivered his best qualifying performance of the 2026 season to-date.

 

Qualifying

After completing 12 laps in mixed conditions during FP2, Bastianini carried that momentum into Q2, keeping his composure on a damp-but-drying track surface to go eighth-quickest aboard his #23 KTM RC16, despite suffering a fall on his final lap as conditions worsened. That grid position will improve to seventh for Sunday’s Grand Prix of Spain following a penalty applied to a rival ahead.

 

Sprint Race

A strong launch put Bastianini immediately in contention, and the Italian swiftly settled into a multi-bike battle just shy of the podium positions. After trading places with fellow KTM rider Brad Binder, ‘La Bestia’ gained a spot to seventh when Jorge Martín suddenly slowed, before joining a five-way fight for third. A close battle with Pedro Acosta followed, but all the while, the skies were darkening.

Rain began to fall and several front-runners came unstuck. The heavens then opened fully just as Bastianini passed pit entry, leaving him no option but to complete another lap on slicks in treacherous conditions. He kept the bike upright, but the time loss was decisive. He rejoined well down the order and crossed the finish line 11th.

The action concludes tomorrow with the weekend’s main event, the 25-lap Grand Prix, representing round four of the season and scheduled to get underway at 14:00 local time (UTC+2).

 

Enea Bastianini (23) and Pedro Acosta (37) during the Sprint race at Jerez. Photo courtesy Tech3.

 

Enea Bastianini: “When the track was dry during the Sprint, we were competitive and I was able to gain some positions – I was up to sixth, and we were fighting to move even further forward – but midway through, it began to rain more, which made things difficult. In conditions like that, it’s always a bit of a game of roulette. When I switched bikes, I went onto the one I had crashed at the end of qualifying; the Tech3 guys put in a lot of energy to re-assemble it for which I’m super grateful, but with the lack of time available, it probably wasn’t 100 per cent. Our final position was obviously disappointing because we had been fighting for something more, but the big race is tomorrow and we’ll target the top five again.”

 
 
Nicolas Goyon, Team Manager: “We have a bitter taste in our mouths today. Enea did a great job. He qualified eighth, which is his best of the season so far, and we all expected a good Sprint race. He made a bright start, showed excellent pace again and was inside the top six when the rain began to intensify. Unfortunately, the big shower came as he was in the last corner, so it was too late to pit and then he had to survive another lap on slicks on a fully wet track. When he finally swapped bikes, it was already too late. We have to focus on the positives for tomorrow, when he will start the Grand Prix from seventh. All the ingredients are in place for a strong end to the weekend.”

 

 


More from a press release issued by Yamaha Factory Racing:

Fernández Rides to P13 in Unexpected Flag-To-Flag Spanish Sprint. 

The Yamaha Factory Racing Team continued their testing programme at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto. In mixed conditions throughout the second day of the Grand Prix of Spain, wild-card entry Augusto Fernández had his work cut out for him to collect comparable data. In the 12-lap Sprint, he took the chequered flag in P13.

The Yamaha Factory Racing Team had planned to use the Grand Prix of Spain Saturday to collect further race-weekend setting data. However, the damp conditions in FP2, dry conditions in qualifying, and mixed conditions in the Sprint meant the team had to contend with a lot of variety per session. Augusto Fernández was still riding competitively in the first ever flag-to-flag Sprint and ended the 12-lap dash in P13.

Fernández had qualified in P16 as the top Yamaha, but lost ground in the opening stages of the race, falling back to 22nd place. When the rain started to fall, the Yamaha test rider made the most of the situation. The test team was ready to let him switch to his wet bike in this unprecedented flag-to-flag Sprint situation. The number-47 rider climbed as high as P12 but lost a position on the final lap and took the chequered flag in P13, 19.777s from the winner.

The Yamaha Factory Racing Team will be back in action tomorrow for Warm Up, held from 09:40-09:50 (GMT+2), and the 25-lap Race, which starts at 14:00.

 

Augusto Fernández (47) during the Sprint race at Jerez. Photo courtesy Yamaha.

 

Augusto Fernández: “I had fun today. We had a bit of everything. It was not easy to manage, but I’m happy with my performance. In the quali, I managed to be the first Yamaha in the wet, so that was not bad. In the dry, I was able to improve the feeling a bit personally, but we still have to work on the bike. That said, I was a bit closer to the other Yamaha guys, which is my main goal as a rider. There’s not much data to analyse today because of the wet sessions, but we were able to compare the feeling in the wet and the dry. In the Sprint, we focused on bringing the bike back to the box in one piece, having completed a full race-distance. This is also important for tomorrow so we have more data.”

 

 


More from a press release issued by Prima Pramac Yamaha: 

Mixed Conditions and Setbacks for Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP in Jerez Sprint. 
 
A rain-affected and chaotic Sprint race in Jerez saw both Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP riders caught out by changing conditions, with crashes and penalties shaping the final outcome.
 
 
 
 

The Sprint race at Jerez turned into a highly unpredictable and disrupted contest, as changing weather conditions played a decisive role. What began as a dry race quickly evolved into a mixed-conditions challenge, with light rain intensifying into a heavy downpour in the closing stages, forcing riders to return to the pits to switch bikes. In the final corners before pit entry, several riders were caught out by the worsening grip, leading to multiple crashes and a total of six retirements by the end of the race. Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP endured a particularly difficult race in these circumstances. Toprak Razgatlıoğlu was unable to avoid a crash as the rain intensified and was forced to retire, bringing his race to an early end at a moment when track conditions were rapidly deteriorating.

Jack Miller also crashed in the same phase of the race but managed to recover, return to the pits, and rejoin on his second bike. However, a double long lap penalty for speeding in the pit lane further compromised his race, and he eventually crossed the line in 16th position after a challenging and eventful Sprint.

Beyond the final results, the constantly changing conditions also limited the team‘s ability to carry out consistent development work and refine the set-up of the Yamaha YZR-M1 — a key priority at this stage of the project that relies heavily on stable track conditions.

Looking ahead, the team will aim to regroup and make the most of Sunday‘s race, with the hope of more consistent conditions to continue progressing the development programme.

 
 
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu (07) during the Sprint race at Jerez. Photo courtesy Prima Pramac Yamaha.

 

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu: “I was struggling from the beginning of the race, especially with braking, because the bike wasn‘t stopping the way I expected and I was making mistakes in several corners. Even with that, I had to keep pushing, because the corners are where we have the best chance to make up ground or try to pass.

When the rain started, I saw an opportunity as the pace dropped, so I tried to push harder. At Turn 5 I attempted to pass both Salvadori and Morbidelli, but I went onto a dirty line and, with the track becoming very slippery, I lost the front.

I‘m very sorry for involving Salvadori in the crash. That was not my intention. As soon as I fell, I went to check on him, and I was very relieved to see that he was OK.” 

 

Jack Miller (43) during the Sprint race at Jerez. Photo courtesy Prima Pramac Yamaha.

 

Jack Miller: “Not an ideal day for us, but in these kinds of conditions you have to take risks and try to make the right calls. We were making good progress during the race, and the pace wasn‘t too bad, but when the rain started to come down it became a bit of a gamble.

On that lap we were debating whether to come into the pits or try to stay out, especially with only a few laps remaining. You‘re trying to make that decision in real time, doing the calculation in your head, and unfortunately we didn‘t get the timing quite right.

We still managed to finish the race in 16th, but I think we definitely had more potential today. It‘s a shame not to have made the most of it, but we‘ll take the positives and look ahead to tomorrow.” 

 
 

Gino Borsoi – Team Director: “It was certainly an entertaining race for the fans, with a lot happening from start to finish. For us, it was also a race that could have offered an interesting result if we had managed things a bit better, especially considering that we tend to be quite competitive in wet conditions.

Unfortunately, these are the kind of races where small mistakes can make a big difference. Perhaps we needed a bit more patience to fully take advantage of the changing conditions when the rain arrived. In the end, it didn‘t go our way, but we take it as part of the process and aim to do better next time.”

 

 


More from a press release issued by BK8 Gresini Team:

The first European sprint doesn’t smile on Team Gresini.

 

  • SPRINT RACE

FERMIN ALDEGUER 17º

ALEX MARQUEZ NC.

 

  • QUALIFYING

ALEX MARQUEZ 5° – 1’49.146s

FERMIN ALDEGUER 12° – 1’51.444

 

Fermin Aldeguer on the grid of the Motogp Sprint Race at Jerez. Photo courtesy Gresini.

 

FERMIN ALDEGUER #54: “It was important to keep putting in laps and working. In the race, at the start of a season where honestly we’re not fighting for anything yet, between going back to the pits and racing for fourth or fifth place, or going for the win, I chose to go for it. It didn’t work out, but with four laps to go, anything could have happened. In the first part of the race I felt very good physically, I was able to battle with the KTMs, and these are definitely important sensations that I’ll carry with me starting tomorrow.”

 

Alex Marquez (73) during the Motogp Sprint Race at Jerez. Photo courtesy Gresini.

 

ALEX MARQUEZ #73: “I felt good during the race. Maybe taking the lead wasn’t the best choice, but even this morning in the wet I felt good. I could have come in a lap earlier, but part of the track was still very dry, and on the lap when I was about to come in to change bikes, I crashed. We definitely weren’t lucky, but I’m convinced that tomorrow we have a great opportunity to be competitive again, especially if the conditions are dry.”

 

 


More from a press release issued by Aprilia:

Complicated sprint race for Aprilia Racing in Jerez.

The sprint race on the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto ended with a negative result for Aprilia Racing.

Marco Bezzecchi, after starting from the fourth spot on the grid, had a less than perfect start, compromised by Álex Márquez’s tear-off getting stuck beneath his rear tyre. Three laps from the end, with the arrival of heavy rainfall, the Italian rider opted to swap out his bike for the one set up for the rain, only to crash a few turns later.

It was an unlucky race for Jorge Martín as well who, despite a good start from the seventh spot on the grid, was forced to retire during the second lap due to a problem with the bike as he was in fourth place.

Lorenzo Savadori, riding in a wild-card slot, was involved in a crash caused by Toprak Razgatlioglu, forcing him to retire.

 

Marco Bezzecchi (72) at Jerez. Photo courtesy Aprilia.

 

Marco Bezzecchi: “Unfortunately, the tear-off got stuck in the fairing and it stayed there when I stopped. A bit before the start, it came loose and ended up beneath the bike, just ahead of the rear tyre, so I ran over it and started to burn out. When I got back out on the track with the rain tyres, I crashed almost straight away.”

 

Jorge Martin (89) at Jerez. Photo courtesy Aprilia.

 

Jorge Martin: “I realised straight away from the start that something wasn’t right. I had a strange feeling with the brake. We still don’t know what happened – the techs are analysing all the data. The team is still united though, and that is the most important aspect. These situations are all part of racing, and over the years I’ve learned to face them more calmly.

 

Lorenzo Savadori (32) at Jerez. Photo courtesy Aprilia.

 

Lorenzo Savadori:Today was an unlucky race for me, the rhythm and the pace was good because I was in the top ten, so it was a good race. Then another rider did a mistake, and I did a very big crash. So fortunately, I’m not injured, nothing broken in my body but I’m not at 100%. I hope to be in a better shape for the race”

 

Fabiano Sterlacchini – Technical Director:The morning started off well enough, despite some difficulties, with four bikes still going through to Q2. It’s a shame because the sprint race was compromised by a series of unfortunate events beyond our control, like the tear-off under Marco’s tyre – a situation that has already happened to other riders but shouldn’t, because of a whole series of precautions that are supposed to be taken. As for Jorge, we had a problem for which we are still trying to figure out the cause, but it is quite clear that it was not a technical problem, but rather a procedural one. We’ll try to make up for it on Sunday, because we are competitive overall, once everything falls into place.”

 

 


More from a press release issued by Castrol Honda LCR:

Castrol Honda LCR rider Johann Zarco secured an 8th-place finish in Saturday’s Sprint at the Circuito de Jerez Ángel Nieto.
 
  • After progressing through Q1 with the fastest lap time to reach Q2, the Frenchman delivered an outstanding performance, narrowly missing out on pole position and securing a front-row start in second.
  • At Sprint time, Zarco made a strong start and fought for the podium during the opening laps, defending his position and producing impressive overtakes against his rivals.
  • They declared wet race, and with four laps remaining, riders started to enter the pits. Zarco reacted immediately, switching bikes and continuing to push to the very end, ultimately crossing the line in 8th and collecting valuable points.

 

Johann Zarco (5) at Jerez. Photo courtesy Honda LCR.

 

Johann Zarco 8th: “It was cool! I’m happy with the start. The first lap behind Marc was good, but then I was losing time in the fast corners. It was tough to try to catch them in other places, and I couldn’t go any faster. It was good to fight. Then, when the rain came, I hesitated about going in, but with seven riders on track, I stayed, and I should have come in. I believe I missed an opportunity there, but at the same time, it was difficult. In any case, taking a front row start in the morning and finishing in the points considering the whole situation, it’s a good result. Let’s see tomorrow!”

 

 


More from a press release issued by Pro Honda LCR:

Pro Honda LCR rider Diogo Moreira finished 14th in Saturday’s Sprint.
 
  • After a challenging qualifying session in the morning, disrupted by a crash without consequences, Moreira was forced to start from 23rd on the grid and deliver a comeback ride.
  • The Brazilian made an excellent start, quickly moving up into the top 14 as he pushed towards the points.
  • They declared wet race, and with four laps remaining, riders started to enter the pits. Moreira changed bikes and continued to fight until the chequered flag, crossing the line in 14th while gathering valuable data ahead of Sunday’s race.
 
Diogo Moreira (11) at Jerez. Photo courtesy Honda LCR.
 
 
Diogo Moreira 14th: “It was fun! It was nice to ride like this, to do my first flag-to-flag race and understand the situation. It was important to finish the race and learn a lot. Looking ahead to tomorrow, in the dry I was there, I felt fast and was following the factory Hondas. I’m excited for tomorrow; let’s see how the race goes.”

MotoGP: Sprint Race Results From Jerez

Motogp Sprint Race start at Jerez. Photo courtesy MotoGP.

Marc Marquez mastered tricky conditions to win the MotoGP Tissot Sprint race Saturday afternoon at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP26 on Michelin control tires, the seven-time and defending World Champion won the 12-lap race by 3.050 seconds.

His teammate, Francesco Bagnaia was the runner-up.

Franco Morbidelli finished third on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP25.

Brad Binder crossed the finish line fourth on his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RC16. 

Morbidelli’s teammate, Fabio Di Giannantonio, got fifth.

Marco Bezzecchi, the World Championship point leader coming into the weekend, crashed his Aprilia Racing RS-GP26.

Marco Bezzecchi leads the championship with 81 points, 4 ahead of Jorge Martin who has 77 points. Pedro Acosta is third with 60 points.

 

sprint motogp

 

worldstanding motogp

 

 

More from a press release issued by MotoGP:

Crash, switch, win: Marc Marquez back on top in dramatic flag-to-flag Sprint. The weather plays havoc in Jerez but the home crowd get the result they came for.

We’ve checked the databases and every now and then, the wildest of history does indeed repeat itself – rarely does a rider crash and still come away with victory. Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team), just when you think he’s won in every kind of scenario, did just that to take Sprint honours at home in Jerez, with teammate Francesco Bagnaia in second – from P10 on the grid – and Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) – from P18 on the grid – joining the #93 on the podium. Instead of some poetry about how great it is, this is how it happened.

 

LIGHTS OUT IN THE SPRINT

Marc Marquez got a great start from pole, with Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) remaining second as the shuffle began behind. Alex Marquez shot up into second place, with Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) in fourth and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) in fifth.

Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) got a shocker, seemingly with a tear off under the rear off the line, and plummeted down the order, facing a fight back from P16 as the battle at the front started to heat up. Marc Marquez was starting to build a gap but the chase was on. First, Martin attacked Alex Marquez but the #73 answered back at Turn 1, forcing Martin wide. The #89 sat up and looked down at a red-hot front disc too – having struggled to drop anchor.

 

THE HEAVENS OPEN

Next, Alex Marquez was past Zarco. And with 10 to go, the grey overcast skies became drops of rain – with the white flag out, denoting riders can change bikes. We’ve seen it before in a Sprint but never so early in the lap count. This time, there was time to make it count – if it rained enough.

At that point however, it clearly wasn’t too damp – with Zarco and Diggia throwing down in an awesome duel for third. As the drops continued though, Diggia was able to get a grip on P3, with Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) stalking his way up into fourth.
That left Zarco with his hands full of KTMs. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was first on the chase, with Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) for close company. After Acosta was denied by Zarco, Bastianini was able to profit and slip through – the Beast then on the tail of the Frenchman.

 

THE FRONT GROUP

Meanwhile at the front, what had been a reasonable gap had been cut and cut until Alex Marquez’s Gresini was absolutely glued to Marc Marquez’s Ducati Lenovo machine in the lead. He shadowed him and looked tempted to make a move, dropped back a little, and then by 6 to go the attack came – the #73 was alongside and through at Turn 9, as Diggia homed in on both.

Drama hit quickly after that. First Marc Marquez slid out at the final corner, just getting it wrong as the rain started to increase. But that would prove absolutely pivotal – with the #93 choosing to then pick it up and dive straight into the pitlane to switch bikes. The rest of the frontrunners continued – with Binder leading the group of those who dived into pitlane too.
That left Alex Marquez at the front leading Diggia, and Binder leading the chase of those who had switched – with only 4 laps to go. Was there enough time?

 

 

 

THE SECOND MARQUEZ CRASH

Suddenly, even more drama – this time for Alex Marquez. The #73 was down at the same corner his brother fell at in last year’s Grand Prix, the rain intensifying from a drizzle to a deluge, and it was suddenly absolutely sure – wets were needed. The rest headed for pitlane and Binder was net leader – until the South African suffered his own off too. As the shuffles continued, it was a red duo of Bagnaia and Marc Marquez thundering towards the race lead, passing a defenceless Fermin Aldeguer as the Gresini rider gambled to stay out on slicks.

 

THE IMPOSSIBLE… MADE POSSIBLE

Bagnaia led Marc Marquez as the rain came down, but the #93 struck for the lead not long after – from the front to the floor and back to the front. As high as P1 and as low as P17 before somehow finding his way back to the lead, it was a Sprint to remember for the #93 who was back on top ahead of his teammate Bagnaia, who in-turn makes it back-to-back Sprint rostrums whilst unbelievably, having pitted in the first group, Morbidelli came home in third. Binder, despite his crash, still took fourth which on any other day would’ve been thestory. ‘Diggia’ was fifth ahead of Raul Fernandez whilst Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) took Sprint points in seventh. Fellow countryman Zarco and Honda’s Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) were the last of the points finishers.

Check out the full results from the MotoGP Sprint at Jerez!

Breath back, time to go again tomorrow in front of a massive crowd – we’re ready, they’re ready, make sure you’re ready!

Moto2: Veijer Takes Pole Position At Jerez

Collin Veijer (95) at Jerez. Photo courtesy Pirelli.

Collin Veijer earned pole position during Moto2 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex on Pirelli control tires, Veijer turned a 1:39.101 to top the field of 28 riders.

Alex Escrig was second-best with a 1:39.158 on his KLINT Racing Team Forward.

Manuel Gonzalez claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:39.196 on his Liqui Moly Dynavolt IntactGP Kalex.

His teammate, Senna Agius got fourth with a lap time of 1:39.255 and Alonso Lopez was fifth on his ITALJET Gresini Kalex with a time of 1:39.256.  

American Joe Roberts qualified 20th on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex with a lap time of 1:40.119. 

 

qp moto2

 

 

More from a press release issued by MotoGP:

Veijer clinches historic debut Moto2 pole. The Dutchman is the first polesitter in the class since 1991 as Escrig and Gonzalez complete the front row.

For the first time since the 1991 Japanese GP, a Dutchman will line up on pole position in the Moto2 class after Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) stuck his Kalex-Triumph next to the P1 board in Saturday’s parc ferme in Jerez. Veijer set a 1:39.101 in an incredibly competitive pole shootout which saw Alex Escrig (KLINT Racing Team) and championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) complete a front row split by just 0.095s.

 

From left to right with Alex Escrig, Collin Veijer and Manuel Gonzalez. Photo courtesy Pirelli.

 

Austin winner and Friday’s pacesetter Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) spearheads the second row in P4 having led for some of Q2, and joining the in-form Australian behind the front row are Alonso Lopez (ITALJET Gresini Moto2) and David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team), with the Colombian’s teammate Daniel Holgado lining up a place behind him in P7. Can the Aspar duo challenge for the victory from there?

Barry Baltus (REDS Fantic Racing) went into Q2 as one of the favourites for pole, but the Belgian couldn’t repeat his feat from Austin last time out – the #7 launches from P8. Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2), the rider second in the championship, qualified in P9 but with the three-place grid penalty added, the Spaniard has a tough task on Sunday from P12 on the grid.

A compelling grid then for the Moto2 Spanish Grand Prix. Tune in at 12:15 local time (UTC +2) to see how the latest battle unfolds! 

Moto2 Spanish GP qualifying results

Moto3: Quiles Claims Pole Position In Spain

Maximo Quiles (28) at Jerez. Photo courtesy Pirelli.

Maximo Quiles earned pole position during Moto3 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team KTM on Pirelli control tires, Quiles topped the 26-rider field with a lap time of 1:44.070.

David Muñoz was the best of the rest with a 1:44.445 on his Liqui Moly Dynavolt IntactGP KTM, and Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Alvaro Carpe claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:44.655.

Row-two qualifiers LEVEL UP – MTA’s Joel Esteban (1:44.836), Carpe’s teammate, Brian Uriarte (1:45.049) and Leopard Racing’s Adrian Fernandez  (1:45.049).

 

QP MOTO3

 

 

More from a press release issued by MotoGP:

Quiles storms to home turf pole in Jerez. The #28 pulls clear of Muñoz and Carpe as home heroes lock out the front row.

Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) slammed in a 1:44.070 to pull an impressive 0.375 clear for pole position in Jerez, with conditions drying out by qualifying for Moto3 and the #28 proving unstoppable.

David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) takes second as he returns from injury an immediately makes a mark, with Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completing the top three and front row.

 

From left to right with David Muñoz, Maximo Quiles and Alvaro Carpe. Photo courtesy Pirelli.

 

After wet conditions on Saturday morning, the lightweight class were able to enjoy a fully dry Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto, although the laptimes are split by some bigger gaps than usually seen in Moto3 as the field adapted. Quiles’ 1:44.070 is closer to the lap record – a 1:43.710 – than Muñoz is to the polesitter, and Carpe takes the front row by just over half a second off pole.

Row 2 is more home crowd heroes as Joel Esteban (LEVELUP- MTA) takes P4 ahead of rookie Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo), with Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) sixth – on exactly the same best laptime as Uriarte. Despite racing two different machines, both set a 1:45.049. Fernandez also crashed in Q2, losing the chance to improve further.

Joal Kelso (GRYD – MLav Racing), David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) and Matteo Bertelle (LEVELUP – MTA) are on Row 3, with Malaysian Hakim Danish completing the top ten for AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI.

Check out full results from Moto3 qualifying at Jerez and tune in on Sunday for the race from 11:00 (GMT +2).

MotoGP: M.Marquez On pole Position At Jerez

Marc Marquez (93) at Jerez. Photo courtesy Ducati Team.

Marc Marquez mastered tricky conditions to claim pole position during MotoGP qualifying Saturday at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP26 on the 2.75-mile (4.42 km) track, Marquez turned a 1:48.087 to top the 23-rider field.

Johann Zarco was the best of the rest with a 1:48.227 on his Castrol Honda LCR RC213V, and Fabio Di Giananntonio claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:49.097 on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP26.

Row-two qualifiers included Aprilia Racing’s Marco Bezzecchi (1:49.115), BK8 Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez (1:49.146) and Red Bull KTM Factory’s Pedro Acosta (1:49.230).

 

QP MOTOGP

 

 

More from a press release issued by MotoGP:

Marc Marquez denies Zarco in damp pole shootout. The Spanish GP’s qualifying session was a tasty affair but it gave the home crowd what they wanted as the #93 took a first pole of the year.

Making his mark on home turf, Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) was able to bag a first pole of the 2026 season in what was a classic head-to-head battle for qualifying supremacy. Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) will line up in the middle of the front row despite a heroic effort whilst top Ducati in the standings Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) completes the front row.

 

From left to right with Johann Zarco, Marc Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio. Photo courtesy MotoGP.

 

It was damp conditions as Q1 got underway at Jerez and instantly, it caught out big names. Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) was an early crasher before he was joined by Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) who wasn’t able to set a lap time and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), the latter just missing the cut. With a good feel for the conditions, Zarco and Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) graduated to join the Q2 pole battle and had the experience – and perhaps the advantage – of understanding the latest of the tricky conditions.

After a small delay to the session due to track conditions following Morbidelli’s smoking Ducati at the end of Q1, the riders hit the track, all out on wet tyres but a dry line was appearing. Halfway into the session and it was Marc Marquez who was leading the way but the same joy wasn’t reached for his brother Alex, who crashed at Turn 9 with seven minutes on the clock. Provisionally joining the #93 on the front row, whilst Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) was third but crashed at Turn 1 and was soon bumped down the order by a flying Zarco who went into P1.

Looking to take Honda’s first pole since 2023, Zarco’s hopes of a first pole in 4 years were dashed when Marc Marquez pulled out a mighty lap time to take a first pole position since the Hungarian GP last year. Zarco was pushing hard on the final lap but had to settle for P2 after a mistake in the final corner saw the Frenchman nearly lose the front. Rounding out the front row, Di Giannantonio, who despite being more than a second off, managed to sneak ahead of Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) who heads up the second row, ahead of Alex Marquez and Acosta.

A crash left Martin in the gravel and unable to improve on his lap time, rooting him to seventh and the third row, joined by Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) who also fell, this time at Turn 8, and Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team), the third of the Aprilias. More qualifying struggles left double World Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) on the fourth row in P10, ahead of Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) and Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) who suffered a second crash of the day – this time at Turn 8, having fallen at Turn 13 in FP2.

With the grid set, attention turns to the Tissot Sprint! Lights out at 15:00 Local Time (UTC +2), don’t miss it!

 

MGP_QualiStats_SpanishGP_2026

MotoGP: Acosta Is Best In Saturday Practice In Spain

Pedro Acosta (37) at Jerez. Photo courtesy KTM Factory.

Pedro Acosta led MotoGP World Championship wet Free Practice Two (FP2) Saturday morning at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RC16 on spec Michelin tires, the Spaniard turned a lap time of 1:48.862 to lead the 23-rider field.

Marc Marquez was the best of the rest with a 1:49.373 on his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici GP26.

Johann Zarco was third at 1:49.580 on his Castrol Honda LCR RC213V.

Marco Bezzecchi finished the session fourth with a 1:49.640 on his Aprilia Racing RS-GP26 ans his teammate, Jorge Martin got fifth with a lap time of 1:49.757.

 

fp2 motogp

Moto2: Arbolino Tops Final Practice At Jerez

Tony Arbolino (14) at Jerez. Photo courtesy Fantic.

Tony Arbolino was quickest during Moto2 World Championship Free Practice Two (FP2) Saturday morning at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his Pirelli-shod REDS Fantic Racing Kalex on the 2.75-mile (4.42 km) track, the Italian recorded a 1:53.516 to lead the field of 28 riders.

Mario Aji was the best of the rest with a 1:54.090 on his Idemitsu Honda Team Asia Kalex.

Arbolino’s teammate, Barry Baltus was third-fastest with a 1:54.149.

American Joe Roberts finished Saturday morning’s practice session 16th with a best time of 1:56.701 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.

 

fp2 moto2

Moto3: Quiles Heads Saturday Practice At Jerez

Maximo Quiles (28) at Jerez. Photo courtesy Aspar Team.

Maximo Quiles led Moto3 World Championship Free Practice Two (FP2) Saturday morning, at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, in Spain. Quiles used his Pirelli-shod CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team KTM to lap the 2.75-mile (4.42 km) track in 1:56.098 to lead the field of 26 riders.

Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Brian Uriarte was second-best with a time of 1:56.517.

Joel Esteban, piloting his LEVEL UP – MTA KTM, claimed the third and final spot on the front with a lap time of 1:56.731.

 

fp2 moto3

BSB: Ryde Tops Oulton Park Test Ahead of Season Opener

Kyle Ryde (1) at Oulton Park. Photo courtesy BSB.

Defending champion Kyle Ryde topped the times in the final pre-season action ahead of the 2026 British Superbike Championship opener at Oulton Park (May 2/3/4).

The Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing Ducati rider saved his best until last with his final lap of the R&G Official Test displacing Scott Redding and the Hager PBM Racing Team from the leading position by 0.259s.

There was a trading of blows throughout the final session at the top of the times, with the three champions, Ryde, Redding and Ray, trading places with Storm Stacey also in the mix on the Bathams AJN Racing Ducati after setting the pace on the opening day.

Glenn Irwin completed the top five on the second of the Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing Ducatis ahead of another previous champion, Leon Haslam as he edged out the AJN Steelstock bimota of Max Cook for sixth place.

Rory Skinner was the fastest of the Cheshire Mouldings Yamahas in eighth place ahead of Honda Racing UK’s Ryan Vickers and Charlie Nesbitt completed the top ten for TAG Honda.

Joe Talbot crashed in the penultimate session of the test at Old Hall; he was conscious and taken to the medical centre for an initial assessment. The AJN Steelstock bimota rider was transferred to Stoke Hospital, where latest scans and further assessments reveal no fractures and it is likely he will remain in hospital overnight for observation.

British Superbike Championship, R&G Official Test, Oulton Park, combined result:

  1. Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing) 1m:32.913s
  2. Scott Redding (Hager PBM Racing Team) +0.259s
  3. Bradley Ray (McAMS Yamaha) +0.705s
  4. Storm Stacey (Bathams AJN Racing Ducati) +0.807s
  5. Glenn Irwin (Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing) +1.041s
  6. Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Racing) +1.158s
  7. Max Cook (AJN Steelstock bimota) +1.280s
  8. Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha) +1.536s
  9. Ryan Vickers (Honda Racing UK) +1.578s
  10. Charlie Nesbitt (TAG Honda) +1.684s

For more information visit www.britishsuperbike.com

MotoAmerica: Olmedo’s Miracle Recovery Leads To Twins Podium

Kevin Olmedo (116) and teammate Isaac Woodworth (27) vs. Chris Parrish (128) at Road Atlanta. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.

Editorial Note: Four years ago, Kevin Olmedo was partially paralyzed and diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a rare and sometimes fatal disorder in which the immune system attacks the body’s nerves. A day after being hospitalized, Olmedo couldn’t eat or blink or even close his eyelids, which were taped closed so he could fall asleep. It took him nine months before he could walk again. He’s still not 100%, but his long and difficult recovery culminated in a podium finish in a MotoAmerica Twins Cup race at Road Atlanta last weekend...

 

Karns Performance Racing Scores Podium, Pair of Top Fives, and Rookie Breakthrough at Road Atlanta

Round 2 of the MotoAmerica season at Road Atlanta delivered another strong weekend for Karns Performance Racing, highlighted by a podium finish from Kevin Olmedo, consistent front-running pace from Isaac Woodworth, and a breakthrough top-10 result for Twins Cup rookie Solly Mervis.

Road Atlanta proved to be a demanding battleground, but the team showed speed, resilience, and continued progress as momentum builds early in the 2026 campaign.

Olmedo overcame adversity all weekend to earn a hard-fought podium finish. Confident from the outset at a circuit where he had prior experience, he quickly adapted to the Karns Suzuki GSX-8R and felt comfortable with the setup. However, a qualifying crash left him managing pain in his right ankle and caused significant damage to the motorcycle.

The Karns Performance Racing crew responded immediately, working tirelessly to repair the bike and return it to race-ready condition.

Starting eighth on the grid in Race 1, Olmedo surged to third on the opening lap before suffering a rear tire issue that forced him off track and out of contention. Sunday’s changing weather conditions created new challenges, but the team continued working through setup adjustments.

In Race 2, Olmedo again started from eighth. After an initial poor launch, he regrouped and stayed with the lead pack. A red flag restart created another opportunity, and he capitalized with a stronger second start. In an intense closing battle, Olmedo made a last-corner pass to secure third place and bring home another podium for the team.

“It was a fun race battling and passing each other,” said Olmedo. “I really appreciate all the support, and I want to continue improving and bring home more podiums this season.”

Kevin Olmedo and his wife Luisa pose with Olmedo’s dad Angel Omedo (foreground) and the Karns crew, including (from left) sponsor Brandon Meck, crew chief Jose Archeval (blue shirt), Dennis King, Jason Karns and his daughter Tori, teammate Solly Mervis, and electronics engineer Emerson Amaya.

Woodworth continued his impressive form with two fifth-place finishes, once again showing race pace and determination throughout the weekend. In Race 1, he lost positions off the start but charged back through the field with a series of decisive passes to secure P5. In Race 2, Woodworth immediately placed himself in contention, running third before a red flag reset the race. Following the restart, he launched well and remained in the fight for the podium before crossing the line fifth once again.

Isaac Woodworth (27) in action on his Karns Suzuki GSX-8R at Road Atlanta. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.

“Overall, the speed is there, and we’re continuing to build,” said Woodworth. “We’re focused on putting everything together in qualifying and bringing more aggression into the races as we head into the next round.”

Mervis also delivered a milestone weekend, earning his first MotoAmerica Twins Cup top-10 finish and continuing his rapid progression as a rookie in one of the most competitive classes in the paddock.

“I had a solid weekend and learned more and more about my Karns Performance / Ice Barn Racing Suzuki GSX-8R,” said Mervis. “I want to thank Jason and the entire Karns team for putting in the work to make my bike the best it can be. I especially want to thank Danny Walker, Nick Daniels, and Thor Thomas on the Ice Barn Racing crew for their exceptional effort all weekend. I’m looking forward to getting back on the GSX-8R at Barber Motorsports Park when MotoAmerica resumes in May.”

Solly Mervis (25) in Twins Cup at Road Atlanta. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.

Team principle Jason Karns said “With a podium finish, multiple top-five finishes, another key rookie milestone achieved, and overcoming significate adversity early in the weekend, Karns Performance Racing leaves Road Atlanta with confidence and momentum heading into the next round of the MotoAmerica championship.”

Karns Performance Racing thanks all sponsors, partners, crew members, and supporters for their continued commitment throughout the 2026 season.

 

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