SMX World Championship Results From Playoff 2 in Los Angeles

Mathilde Gasnier

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September 20, 2026

SMX World Championship Results From Playoff 2 in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES – The penultimate race of the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship saw the series return to Southern California for Playoff 2 inside Dignity Health Sports Park, where abundant sunshine provided drastically different track conditions from last weekend’s rain-drenched postseason opener. Double points were on the line, providing an opportunity for a shakeup in the Playoff standings. What followed was a truly memorable afternoon and evening of racing, from which Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado prevailed with his first postseason victory following a captivating battle in the 450SMX Class, adding to his points lead. In the 250SMX Class, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Julien Beaumer made it a sweep for the Austrian brand with a decisive win.

Jorge Prado Prevails with Memorable Playoff 2 Victory After Captivating Battle in Los Angeles

The premier class started its first 20 Minutes + 1 Lap moto with Prado out front for the holeshot ahead of the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing pair of Cooper Webb and Haiden Deegan, while Progressive Insurance Cycle Gear Suzuki’s Ken Roczen slotted into fourth. Prado inched away to assert his hold of the position while the trio behind him swapped spots, with Roczen able to get by both Yamaha riders to take control of second as Deegan slotted into third. Behind them, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Eli Tomac moved into fourth.

Prado and Roczen proceeded to trade fast laps through the first half of the moto, with the lead hovering as just over a second. Then, just before halfway, Roczen made his move with an aggressive and decisive pass on the Spaniard to seize control of the lead. Once out front, the Supercross Champion quickly opened an advantage of more than two seconds. The lead stabilized until inside the final five minutes when Prado was able to close back in on the German native as they navigated lapped riders. Deegan put in a charge as well to close in from third.

The lead duo was separated by less than a second to begin the final lap. The international champions duked it out, to the thrill of the crowd, but Roczen held off Prado to take the moto win by 1.3 seconds. Deegan finished in a close third, with Pro Motocross Champion and Honda HRC Progressive rider Hunter Lawrence fourth. Webb rounded out the top five.

The final moto saw Lawrence emerge with the holeshot but he was soon passed by Prado. Moments later, a bobble by the Spaniard allowed the Australian to reclaim the lead. Behind them, Webb slotted into third, while Roczen charged up to fourth ahead of Deegan. Lawrence was able to move out to a lead of more than a second over Prado, as Roczen made the move on Webb for third. As the opening five minutes drew to a close, Lawrence’s lead grew to more than three seconds. Prado fended off heavy pressure from Roczen to maintain his hold of second, while both Webb and Deegan remained within striking distance of the top three.

At the halfway point of the moto Prado went down in the sand. As they made their way around the downed KTM, Deegan made the pass on Roczen for second. Prado remounted in fourth and went back on the attack, catching Roczen and making the pass for third. Each pass during this thrilling sequence carried major implications in the championship standings, as a four-way tie for first in the overall classification was in play.

With three minutes left on the race clock an intense battle for second between Deegan and Prado took shape until Deegan went down in the sand. As Prado carried on in second, Deegan and Roczen got tangled up as Deegan reentered the race. That allowed Webb to slip past both riders, only for Deegan to make contact during a pass by his teammate that put Webb on the ground. Deegan continued in third, with Roczen fourth, while Webb lost touch in fifth.

Lawrence enjoyed a dominant, trouble-free moto and stormed to the moto win by 14.9 seconds. Prado secured a resilient second-place finish, with Deegan third and Roczen fourth.

Prado’s consistent 2-2 effort put him atop the overall classification by a single point over Lawrence (4-1) and Roczen (1-4), who finished tied for second. Lawrence’s second moto win gave him the tiebreaker for the runner-up spot, leaving Roczen third. Deegan finished just off the overall podium in fourth despite two moto podiums (3-3).

Prado added to his lead in the SMX World Championship standings, as double points moved him 16 points ahead of both Deegan and Lawrence, who sit tied for second. Roczen sits 18 points out of the lead in fourth, while Webb, who finished fifth (5-5), is 20 points back. Triple points will be up for grabs at the Final, setting the stage for an exciting conclusion to the postseason.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado broke through for his first postseason victory and his first win inside a stadium to add to his points lead. Photo courtesy SMX.

Jorge Prado (2-2) – 1st Place – 450SMX Class:

“We just keep improving. We got out of the gate good and made a pass [for the lead], but then I almost went down. I knew this race was going to be hard. I tried to risk it in the sand and ended up on the ground. Sometimes you have to take those risks. I put in a charge and tried to wait for my chance, then Haiden [Deegan] went down and then I rode safe to get to the finish.”

After a challenging outing in Playoff 1, Honda HRC Progressive’s Hunter Lawrence bounced back with a runner-up finish headlined by a moto win. Photo courtesy SMX.

Hunter Lawrence (4-1) – 2nd Place – 450SMX Class:

“The start was everything. The track was pretty simple and didn’t offer much for separation. I’m happy to finish that one off with a good race win. We’ll see everyone in Missouri.”

Progressive Insurance Cycle Gear Suzuki’s Ken Roczen took his first moto win of the postseason and rode consistently to place third overall. Photo courtesy SMX.

Ken Roczen (1-4) – 3rd Place – 450SMX Class:

“I’m very happy with my effort in the first moto, but I don’t remember the last time I raced two motos [like this]. You can’t buy that kind of intensity. I’ll absorb it and it’ll benefit me for next weekend. Happy to get this one out of the way and looking forward to improving.”

450SMX Class Podium (left to right): Hunter Lawrence, Jorge Prado, and Ken Roczen. Photo courtesy SMX.

450SMX Class Playoff Standings

Julien Beaumer Captures 250SMX Class Win for KTM Sweep

The opening 20 Minute + 1 Lap 250SMX Class moto began with Beaumer out front ahead of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Ryder DiFrancesco. A collision between several riders bunched the field and allowed the Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki duo of Drew Adams and Levi Kitchen to move into third and fourth, respectively. Beaumer quickly established his hold of the lead while DiFrancesco settled into second. Further back, Kitchen, the points leader, and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cole Davies closed in on Adams for third. Davies then made the move around both Kawasaki riders to take control of the position.

The top three settled in through the middle of the moto, with Adams staying within striking distance from fourth. Kitchen, meanwhile, went down while running fifth and dropped to 11th. Back up front, Davies began to pressure DiFrancesco for second, which pushed them closer to Beaumer. The top three were separated by less than 1.5 seconds with just over five minutes to go. As he looked to make the pass on DiFrancesco, Davies went down in the sand, which dropped him to fourth behind Adams.

Beaumer never put a wheel wrong and completed the wire-to-wire performance for his first moto win in postseason competition. DiFrancesco followed 5.6 seconds behind in second, with Adams in third. Davies finished fourth, followed by his Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing teammate Kayden Minear in fifth. Kitchen recovered to finish seventh.

The second and deciding moto saw Beaumer lead the field with the holeshot once again, with DiFrancesco and Davies in tow. As Beaumer sprinted out to a lead of more than a second, Davies made the pass on DiFrancesco, while Kitchen moved his way into fourth. As he looked to give chase to Beaumer, Davies crashed hard out of second, which caused DiFrancesco to hit his motorcycle and go down. DiFrancesco dropped outside the top 10 before continuing, while Davies eventually remounted and retired from the race.

Amidst the chaos, Beaumer maintained his hold of the lead ahead of a hard-charging Kitchen, who moved up to second, while Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Landen Gordon slotted into third. Kitchen continued to chip away at Beaumer’s lead and with just under 13 minutes to go on the race clock he made the pass. Once out front, Kitchen quickly opened an advantage of more than three seconds. Several laps later, Honda HRC Progressive’s Jo Shimoda, the reigning SMX World Champion, made the pass on Gordon for third. The Japanese rider didn’t stop there. He methodically closed in on Beaumer and made the move for second with just over a minute to go. Further back, DiFrancesco’s recovery from his early misfortune saw him make a valiant charge into the top five, which loomed large in the overall classification.

Kitchen was never challenged the rest of the way and took his first postseason moto win by 5.7 seconds over Shimoda, with Beaumer in third.

By virtue of his consistent 1-3 performance Beaumer easily secured his first ever Playoff triumph, continuing an incredible comeback story from a broken back suffered one year ago. DiFrancesco’s late-race pass for fifth moved him from fourth to second overall (2-5), for a pass worth eight points in the championship standings. Kitchen bounced back from a challenging first moto to round out the overall podium (7-1).

Kitchen maintained his possession of the points lead and will carry a three-point lead over DiFrancesco into the SMX World Championship Final. Beaumer gained seven positions in the standings with the win to move into third, 16 points out of the lead. The three riders all remain within the thick of the title fight with triple points on the line next weekend.

After a dominant win in Moto 1, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Julien Beaumer rode to another podium finish in Moto 2 to secure the overall victory. Photo courtesy SMX.

Julien Beaumer (1-3) – 1st Place – 250SMX Class:

“I saw Davies was down and kind of knew where I was at. I wasn’t really myself [in Moto 2], but I also know Levi [Kitchen] and Jo [Shimoda] weren’t a factor for the win, so I didn’t risk it. It’s good to get a win and get things going back in the right direction.”

A late-race pass by Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Ryder DiFrancesco in Moto 2 moved him from off the podium into the runner-up spot. Photo courtesy SMX.

Ryder DiFrancesco (2-5) – 2nd Place – 250SMX Class:

“My riding was really good today. I was unlucky when Davies went down. I tried to avoid hitting him but hit the bike and went down. I knew I had to fight to get back into this championship. I executed the way I wanted to, but it went south, but we’ve got a shot in Missouri and that’s what matters.”

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen overcame a slow start in the first moto to take a convincing second moto win and retain the points lead. Photo courtesy SMX.

Levi Kitchen (7-1) – 3rd Place – 250SMX Class:

“I don’t know who was riding in the first moto, but it wasn’t me [laughs]. I ended up with a flat tire after the sight lap [for Moto 2] and luckily my mechanic caught it. He saved me. Still in the points lead, which is great, so we’ll carry that momentum into the final race.”

250SMX Class Podium (left to right): Ryder DiFrancesco, Julien Beaumer, and Levi Kitchen. Photo courtesy SMX.

250SMX Class Playoff Standings

The championship-deciding 8 Minute + 1 Lap SMX Next World All-Stars Main Event got underway with KTM Orange Brigade’s Wyatt Thurman out front for the holeshot ahead of ClubMX Yamaha’s Ryder Malinoski and Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Kade Johnson, the points leader. Thurman and Malinoski battled early for the lead until Thurman went down, which put the Yamaha rider out front ahead of Johnson and KTM Orange Brigade’s Luke Fauser. It didn’t take long for Malinoski and Johnson to sprint away from the field to make it a two-rider battle for the win. Behind them, Fauser lost his hold of third to Altus Motorsports bLUcRU Yamaha’s Kane Bollasina.

Malinoski strengthened his hold of the lead in the closing stages of the race and carried on to take the win by 3.9 seconds over Johnson, with Bollasina in third.

With his runner-up effort, Johnson was crowned the 2026 SMX Next World All-Stars Champion.

Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Kade Johnson followed up last week’s win with a runner-up finish to capture the SMX Next World All-Stars Championship. Photo courtesy SMX.

Kade Johnson – SMX Next World All-Stars Champion:

“I qualified fastest in practice and timed qualifying, so I really wanted to make a statement today. This is my fifth straight SMX Next podium. I really wanted the win, but Ryder [Malinoski] was riding awesome. I didn’t want to risk throwing away the championship, so I’m satisfied with that. I’m just so happy and so proud of myself to accomplish this. I’m ready for someone to give me an opportunity [at the professional level].”

The Monster Energy SMX World Championship postseason will come to a dramatic and exciting conclusion next Saturday, September 26, with the Final from Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri. Live comprehensive broadcast coverage will be available exclusively on Peacock, beginning at 1 p.m. ET with Race Day Live, followed by a Pre-Race Show at 6:30 p.m. ET and Gate Drop at 7 p.m. ET.

For information about the Monster Energy SMX World Championship, please visit www.SuperMotocross.com and be sure to follow all of the new SMX social media channels for exclusive content and additional information on the latest news:

MotoGP: World Championship Race Results From Austria

Mathilde Gasnier

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September 20, 2026

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MotoGP: World Championship Race Results From Austria

Pedro Acosta won the MotoGP World Championship race Sunday at Red Bull Ring – Spielberg, in Austria. Riding his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RC16 on Michelin control tires, the Spaniard won the 28-lap race by 1.017 seconds. It was Acosta’s first MotoGP victory.

Jorge Martin was the runner-up on his Aprilia Racing RS-GP26 and his teammate, Marco Bezzecchi placed third.

Ai Ogura crossed the finish line fourth on his SuperFile Trackhouse Aprilia RS-GP26.

Marc Marquez took fifth on his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici GP26.

Jorge Martin leads the championship with 306 points, 12 ahead of Marc Marquez who has 294 points. Marco Bezzecchi is third with 264 points.

motogp race

MOTOGworldstanding

More, from a press release issued by MotoGP:

Bouncing back: flawless Acosta fends off Aprilia charge to claim dream maiden win. He’s done it! In Red Bull and KTM’s backyard, the #37 clinches that long-awaited MotoGP Sunday victory as Martin and Bezzecchi earn Austrian GP podiums.

Officially the fastest mullet in the business. Nearly three years of trying. Now, those 25 points have been delivered. After his Tissot Sprint blunder on Saturday, boy did Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) banish those demons and respond on Sunday with a flawless ride to a maiden MotoGP victory. And what a perfect place to do it at too. KTM’s home. Red Bull’s home. The perfect venue. A beauty of a farewell gift before a new chapter for both rider and factory awaits in 2027.

Having notched up 15 podiums without standing on the top step in MotoGP, Acosta battled his way past, and then fended off World Championship leader Jorge Martin, who clinched an important second-place finish at the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Austria to extend his lead in the title race to 12 points after Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) was P5 at the flag. It was Martin’s Aprilia Racing teammate, Marco Bezzecchi, who bagged the final spot on the podium, with just 0.192s separating the Italian from the #89 over the line following a tense and riveting Grand Prix.

LIGHTS OUT: APRILIA DREAMLAND

As the lights went out, it was a dream getaway for Aprilia as Martin, Bezzecchi, and Ai Ogura (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) occupied P1 to P3, in that order, with Marc Marquez losing three positions at the end of the opening lap as Acosta pounced on his future teammate to grab P4 after a slightly sluggish start.

Bezzecchi then fancied a hold of the race lead baton at the start of Lap 2. A classic Turn 1 move was signed, sealed, and delivered to his teammate Martin at Turn 1, before the polesitter snapped straight back at Turn 3. Meanwhile, Acosta was shifting. Turn 6 saw the KTM star carve past Ogura for third, and then the #37 quickly began to climb all over the tailpipes of Bezzecchi’s RS-GP.

ACOSTA BATTLES HIS WAY TO THE FRONT, MM93 SLIPS BACK

He wasn’t behind for long though. On Lap 4, at Turn 2b – the scene of Acosta’s Sprint error 23 hours prior – Acosta struck to pocket P2, with Bezzecchi then slipping further into the clutches of fourth-place Ogura after the Italian ran wide at the final corner at the end of Lap 4.

By the end of Lap 7, Martin and Acosta were 1.5s up the road from Bezzecchi, who in turn sat half a second ahead of Ogura, who was beginning to be put under pressure from our reigning World Champion.

Then, on Lap 9, a change for the lead. Acosta, on the exit of Turn 1, outdrove Martin on the run down into Turn 2a to rise to the front of the field for the first time. Further back, attention turned to Marc Marquez because shortly after passing Ogura for P4, the #93 was sideways and wide into Turn 1. That cost Marc Marquez P4, and then P5, with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) picking the seven-time MotoGP World Champion off.

Another poor Turn 1 then saw Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) jump ahead of the #93, and suddenly, it was P7 for Marc Marquez. Was there an issue? Or was it a case of simply making a couple of small mistakes?

ACOSTA VS APRILIA FOR THE WIN

As we passed the halfway stage of the Grand Prix, or, to be more precise, clocking onto Lap 16 of 28, Acosta led Martin by 0.7s, with Bezzecchi hovering around a second off Martin in P3. Ogura wasn’t out of the podium equation in fourth, 1.2s away from Bezzecchi, as Aldeguer and Marc Marquez sat in P5 and P6 – 3.4s behind Ogura.

It was on Lap 20 when Marc Marquez was able to get back past Aldeguer for P5. The gap to Ogura was now up to 3.8s though, so was P5 the best it was going to get for Ducati’s title charger?

Meanwhile, things were beginning to close up at the front. Acosta dropped into the 1:31s on Lap 21 to see his lead drop to 0.7s from over a second, with all three of the chasing Aprilias still in the high 1:30s. The fastest of the quartet? Ogura.

Acosta did respond on the next lap. A 1:30.693 was faster than the factory-painted Aprilia’s of Martin and Bezzecchi, with Ogura still ever so slightly quicker than the three ahead of him.

Acosta gathered his pace up nicely over the next couple of laps though. The lead was back up to just north of a second, with Martin instead coming under increasing pressure from teammate Bezzecchi.

Two to go. Acosta’s advantage was 1.4s, and there was a dream debut MotoGP victory with Red Bull KTM, at the Red Bull Ring, well in sight.

LAST LAP. The gap? 1.2s. And the gap between Martin and Bezzecchi? 0.2s. Acosta just needed to bring his RC16 home with a clean lap. And he did. Finally, Acosta is a MotoGP Sunday winner. It was always going to come at some point for the superstar, and before his and KTM’s journey comes to an end, it was only right that they enjoyed at least one win together.

It could be a huge day for Aprilia as they hunt for MotoGP title glory, with both Martin and Bezzecchi picking up double podiums in Austria before the unpredictable flyaway stretch begins. Martin now leads Marquez by 12 points, with Bezzecchi 42 off the top of the table ahead of Japan.

YOUR AUSTRIAN GP POINT SCORERS

Speaking of Japan, what a comeback it was for Ogura. 0.9s away from the rostrum in P4 was a great way to return before his home Grand Prix arrives in less than two weeks.

Marc Marquez’s P5 finish, and 7.3s margin from victory, was a little unexpected from the Sprint silver medallist, as the #93 relinquishes the championship lead heading to the venue he clinched the 2025 title at a year ago.

Binder backed up Acosta’s victory by claiming his best result of the season in P6, giving both sides of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing box a lot to shout about, with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) the second Ducati rider home in P7.

The third Ducati rider in the standings, having been handed a post-race three-second penalty for causing contact, was Aldeguer in P8, while Fabio Di Giannantonio’s (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) quiet weekend ends with a Sunday P9. Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) rounded out the Austrian GP top 10, as Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Raul Fernandez (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team), Joan Mir’s stand-in Takaaki Nakagami (Honda HRC Castrol), Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol), and Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) collect the final points on offer.

That’s all she wrote from the Red Bull Ring. And what a script it was. Acosta heads to Japan as a MotoGP winner, with the championship fight well and truly on. Motegi, we’re coming for you.

MotoGP Austrian GP results!

Moto2: World Championship Race Results From Austria

Mathilde Gasnier

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September 20, 2026

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Moto2: World Championship Race Results From Austria

Izan Guevara won the FIM Moto2 World Championship race Sunday at Red Bull Ring – Spielberg, in Austria. Riding his BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Boscoscuro on Pirelli control tires, the Spaniard won the 23-lap race by 1.728 seconds.

Polesitter Filip Salac was the runner-up on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.

David Alonso was third on his CFMOTO Inde Team Kalex.

Championship point leader Manuel Gonzalez finished fourth on his LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex.

Ivan Ortola took fifth on his QJMOTOR – Campolor – MSI Kalex.

American Joe Roberts finished Sunday’s race 15th on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.

Manuel Gonzalez leads the championship with 245.5 points, 35.5 ahead of Izan Guevara who has 210 points. Ivan Ortola is third with 168.5 points.

MOTO2 RACE Classification

MOTO2worldstanding

More, from a press release issued by MotoGP:

Guevara strikes back to clinch crucial Red Bull Ring victory. The #28 reduced the gap to World Championship leader Gonzalez to under 40 points as Salač and Alonso earn Austrian GP podiums.

The Moto2 title race momentum pendulum keeps swinging one way and then the other in 2026 as we witness Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) roll out a Red Bull Ring masterclass to clinch a crucial second win of the season. It’s a 25-point haul that sees the #28 chop World Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez’s (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) points lead back down to 35.5 points after the latter crosses the line in P4 behind second-place Filip Salač (OnlyFans American Racing Team) and third-place David Alonso (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team).

Starting from the middle of the front row, Gonzalez nailed the start and grabbed the holeshot into Turn 1, as Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – Campolor – MSI) and polesitter Salač went elbow to elbow through the opening corner and into Turn 2. Hanging it on the outside into Turn 2a, Salač then had the inside line into Turn 2b and pounced up the inside of Gonzalez to take the lead, and this halted Gonzalez’s momentum and speed, seeing the title race leader get punted back down to the lower ends of the top 10.

More big moves were coming though. Turn 9 saw both Ortola and the fast-starting Guevara carve their way past Salač to demote the Czech rider to P3. And as the top three started to stretch their legs at the front, Gonzalez tried to wrestle his way past fourth-place Alonso, which didn’t work, as Gonzalez fell to 2.4s off the lead by Lap 6 of 23.

On Lap 11, Guevara’s lead was up to 1.8s over the Ortola vs Salač battle; Alonso was a further second behind the podium positions, Gonzalez was just over a second adrift of the Colombian, as a change for P2 then came. Salač passed Ortola into Turn 4, so could the Czech rider begin reeling in Guevara?

Ortola slipped behind Alonso on Lap 15 when the Spaniard had a moment coming through Turn 2b as the battle for the podium began to bubble up nicely, with Gonzalez still a looming threat to the top three in P5. And sure enough, on Lap 17, at Turn 4, Gonzalez passed Ortola for P4. Meanwhile, up front, Guevara’s endured a real scare on his front end as it folded at Turn 9. What a save. It cost the race leader a second, whose lead came down to 2.2s on Lap 19.

Guevara steadied the ship though. The gap was still hovering above two seconds with three laps to go, as Salač kept Alonso 0.9s in arrears. Gonzalez sat 1.1s behind a podium spot in P4, while Ortola hadn’t let the championship leader get away – 0.3s split the Spaniards.

Apart from that big save, it was a flawless Sunday stride to victory for Guevara. And a huge one in his quest for 2026 Moto2 title glory too. Salač and Alonso completed the podium, with Gonzalez claiming 13 points in P4 to see his championship lead cut back down to 35.5 points ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.

Ortola couldn’t bite back at Gonzalez in the end; the rider third in the standings finished P5. Alonso Lopez (ITALJET Gresini Moto2), Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team), Barry Baltus (REDS Fantic Racing), Deniz Öncü (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) and rookie Luca Lunetta (BETA Tools SpeedRS Team) were your P6 to P10 finishes at the Red Bull Ring, as Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) was forced to retire after encountering issues in the Grand Prix. Is that now the MotoGP-bound Australian’s title hopes over?

This compelling Moto2 title race takes another turn. Guevara responds, and heading to Japan, less than 40 points is the gap between Gonzalez and the Austrian GP winner. Next? A trip to Japan.

Moto2 Austrian GP race results!

H-D Bagger World Cup: Race 2 Results From Austria

Mathilde Gasnier

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September 20, 2026

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H-D Bagger World Cup: Race 2 Results From Austria

Eric Granado won the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup race 2 Sunday morning at Red Bull Ring – Spielberg, in Austria. Riding his Joe Rascal Racing Harley-Davidson on Dunlop control tires, the Brazilian rider won the 9-lap race by 1.966 seconds.

Oscar Gutierrez was the runner-up on his Niti Racing Harley-Davidson.

American Kyle Wyman got third on his WEGNER X KWR Harley-Davidson and James Rispoli finished the race fourth on his Joe Rascal Racing Harley-Davidson.

Riding for Saddlemen Racing Harley-Davidson, American teammates Max Toth, Jake Lewis and Travis Wyman crossed the finish line 5th, 7th, and 11th respectively.

Max Flinders got 10th on his ParkinGO TEAM Harley-Davidson.

Archie Mcdonald leads the championship with 202 points, 9 ahead of Oscar Gutierrez who has 193 points. Eric Granado is third with 192 points.

More, from a press release issued by Bagger World Cup:

Harley-Davidson celebrates Archie McDonald as the first FIM Bagger World Cup Champion.

Archie McDonald secures the inaugural title at the Red Bull Ring, with Oscar Gutiérrez and Eric Granado completing the championship podium after a season of close competition.

SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA (September 20, 2026) – Archie McDonald (Joe Rascal Racing) has made history as the first-ever FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup Champion, bringing the inaugural season to a close after a dramatic final race at the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring.

The title fight went down to the final race after Oscar Gutiérrez (Niti Racing) claimed an authoritative Race 1 victory on Saturday ahead of McDonald and James Rispoli (Joe Rascal Racing). With championship rivals Eric Granado (Joe Rascal Racing) and Andrea Iannone (Niti Racing) both retiring, McDonald rode a smart and controlled race to finish second and take a 21-point advantage over Gutiérrez into Sunday’s finale.

R06 AUT Action Race 2 006 — Kyle Wyman (33) and James Rispoli (43) during the BWC race 2 in Austria. Photo courtesy BWC.

In Race 2, Granado made a strong start, took the lead and never looked back, controlling the race from the front to claim his second victory of the season. Gutiérrez finished second, with Kyle Wyman (Wegner Automotive x KWR) completing the podium in third. McDonald crossed the line in eighth place, scoring the points he needed to secure the inaugural championship.

The result crowned McDonald as the inaugural Champion with 202 points, just nine ahead of Gutiérrez with 193 points, while Granado completed the championship podium only one point further back with 192 points.

R06 AUT Celebrations R2 Podium and Championship 126 — Archie McDonald becomes the 2026 Bagger World Cup Champion in Austria. Photo courtesy BWC.

2026 FIM HARLEY-DAVIDSON BAGGER WORLD CUP CHAMPION

ARCHIE MCDONALD – JOE RASCAL RACING – 202 POINTS

Young, ambitious and spectacular to watch, McDonald combined outright speed with remarkable consistency throughout a demanding inaugural season. The Australian claimed two race victories and one pole position, while establishing himself as a regular presence at the front.

His campaign was not without setbacks, including a significant crash at Assen, but he repeatedly responded with the resilience and determination of a title contender. As the season progressed, his approach became increasingly mature, balancing his natural aggression with intelligent championship management – an approach he demonstrated perfectly in Austria, managing his race to finish second in Race 1 before bringing the motorcycle home safely in eighth in Race 2 to secure the inaugural title.

Archie McDonald – Joe Rascal Racing: “This has been such an emotional season. After winning the opening race and, weeks later, seeing my brother pass away, it’s nothing I ever thought I’d experience. To say goodbye to him, say goodbye to my family, and go overseas to keep training and keep following this dream… it’s such a relief now that it’s paid off. I’m so sorry to my family and my friends that I left behind in Australia to focus on this goal. Now I’m going to celebrate with them and continue grieving, as I’ve put it in a hole in the back of my mind this whole time. I dedicate this completely to Toby. I love you and I miss you so much, and I keep my arms wide open to anyone who needs it. What my family has gone through is not a normal experience, but to have him on the back of my bike with me in those last few laps was the best extra weight I could have asked for in any race. I had the points lead from yesterday and, like I said, this is a dream come true. This is a goal come true. This is years and years of setbacks and blood, sweat and tears put into something. I can’t thank everyone behind the scenes enough – from my manager to my coach, to my dad, my family, my friends, the whole Bagger World Cup, and Joe Rascal Racing. I can’t thank them enough. It’s an absolute relief and a goal that we’ve achieved. And, like I said to my brother Toby: I love you and I miss you.”

R06 AUT Action Race 2 009 — Oscar Gutiérrez (99) in Austria. Photo courtesy BWC.

SECOND – OSCAR GUTIÉRREZ – NITI RACING – 193 POINTS

Raw speed was never in question for Gutiérrez, who established himself as one of the most exciting riders in the field and backed that pace up with four race victories – more than any other rider – and one pole position. His spectacular overtaking moves and aggressive corner entries became a hallmark of his season. While a handful of costly crashes prevented him from converting all of that speed into the points his pace suggested were possible, his commanding Race 1 victory in Austria showed another side of his racing, combining outright pace with composure under pressure. A second-place finish in Race 2 completed a 45-point weekend and took his championship challenge all the way to the final race, ultimately securing second overall by a single point.

R06 AUT Action Race 2 008 — Eric Granado (51) in Austria. Photo courtesy BWC.

THIRD – ERIC GRANADO – JOE RASCAL RACING – 192 POINTS

Granado combined remarkable consistency with exceptional outright speed, claiming two race victories and a championship-leading four pole positions during the inaugural season. The Brazilian’s clean, precise and elegant riding style proved perfectly suited to the Harley-Davidson Road Glide, making him a constant presence at the front and allowing him to collect valuable points across a wide variety of circuits and conditions. After his Race 1 retirement ended his title challenge, Granado responded in emphatic fashion on Sunday, taking the lead early and controlling Race 2 from the front to claim the final victory of the season and finish third in the championship, just one point behind Gutiérrez and ten behind McDonald.

FINAL 2026 CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Archie McDonald (AUS) – 202 points
Oscar Gutiérrez (SPA) – 193 points
Eric Granado (BRA) – 192 points
Andrea Iannone (ITA) – 157 points
Jake Lewis (USA) – 117 points
Filippo Rovelli (ITA) – 99 points
Travis Wyman (USA) – 83 points
Jordi Torres (SPA) – 77 points
Maxwell Toth (USA) – 62 points
Dimas Ekky Pratama (INA) – 60 points
Cory West (USA) – 56 points
Bradley Smith (GBR) – 36 points
Kyle Wyman (USA) – 29 points
James Rispoli (USA) – 29 points
Cody Wyman (USA) – 26 points
Max Flinders (USA) – 14 points

R06 AUT Celebrations R2 Podium and Championship 129 — Jeffrey Schuessler – Director of Global Racing Programs, Harley-Davidson. Photo courtesy BWC.

Jeffrey Schuessler – Director of Global Racing Programs, Harley-Davidson: “We’re incredibly proud to celebrate Archie McDonald as the first FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup Champion. Congratulations to him and the entire Joe Rascal Racing team on an incredible achievement. And just as importantly, thank you to every rider, team, partner and person who believed in this program and helped us bring it to life. One year ago, we were here in Austria announcing this championship. We didn’t have teams, riders or even the race motorcycles yet. We had an idea, a plan and a lot of ambition. Today, we have a global racing series competing alongside MotoGP, with teams and riders from around the world. It’s pretty incredible to see how far we’ve come. This first season was about building the foundation and proving what this series could be, and the racing delivered beyond our expectations: five different race winners, every team on the podium and four riders arriving at the final round still fighting for the title. At the same time, seeing Harley- Davidson shirts throughout the MotoGP paddock and grandstands, and watching two very different motorcycle communities come together around the racing, has been incredibly rewarding. This is only the beginning. Our ambition is to continue growing the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup with more teams, more riders, more races and new markets around the world, while creating even more opportunities for our dealers, H.O.G. members and fans to be part of it. We built a strong foundation this year. Now it’s time to build on it.”

Jason Kehl – Technical Director and Team Principal, Harley-Davidson Factory Racing: “The inaugural season of the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup gave the global racing community its first opportunity to experience the unique look, sound and feel of a truly high-performance Harley-Davidson motorcycle. I’m incredibly excited by what these 200-plus-horsepower machines demonstrated on track in the hands of world-class riders and teams. Mind-blowing lap times, 62 degrees of lean angle and wheelie-inducing torque have left fans and riders asking for more. The performance and reliability of the 131ci (2,152cc) Screamin’ Eagle 131R engine, combined with a Factory Racing-developed chassis, proved that these motorcycles belong at the highest levels of racing. Harley-Davidson itself started with a few guys in a shed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who had a vision and a dream. More than a century later, this entire bagger racing project started in much the same way: with a few guys in a garage in Milwaukee, with a vision and a dream of their own. Seeing that dream come to life as an entirely new racing category alongside MotoGP, the world’s premier motorcycle racing series, is something we are incredibly proud of. Yet development never stops, and I can’t wait to show the world what we have planned for 2027.”

About FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup

The FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup is the first global championship exclusively dedicated to high-performance Harley-Davidson bagger motorcycles, organized by Harley-Davidson in partnership with MotoGP™ and officially recognized by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). The series is contested at selected international circuits alongside the MotoGP™ calendar, bringing Harley-Davidson’s iconic machines into a premier global racing environment. The championship combines heritage, technical innovation, and on-track competition, extending the brand’s racing legacy onto the world stage. Learn more on the dedicated FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup page at www.harley-davidson.com.

About Harley-Davidson

Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the parent company of Harley-Davidson Motor Company and Harley-Davidson Financial Services. Our vision: Building our legend and leading our industry through innovation, evolution and emotion. Our mission: More than building machines, we stand for the timeless pursuit of adventure. Freedom for the soul. Since 1903, Harley-Davidson has defined motorcycle culture with an expanding range of leading-edge, distinctive and customizable motorcycles in addition to riding experiences and exceptional motorcycle accessories, riding gear and apparel. Harley-Davidson Financial Services provides financing, insurance and other programs to help get Harley-Davidson riders on the road. Learn more at www.harley-davidson.com.

MotoGP™ Background

Welcome to the most exciting sport on earth. The fastest bikes. The most forward-thinking manufacturers. The world’s most fearless riders. Come with us to the edge of possibility and the edge of your seat. MotoGP™. Faster. Forward. Fearless.

Moto3: World Championship Race Results From Austria

Mathilde Gasnier

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September 20, 2026

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Moto3: World Championship Race Results From Austria

Maximo Quiles won the FIM Moto3 World Championship race Sunday at Red Bull Ring – Spielberg, in Austria. Using his Pirelli-shod CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team KTM, the Spaniard won the 20-lap race by 2.334 seconds.

Brian Uriarte was the runner-up on his Red Bull KTM Ajo machine and his teammate Alvaro Carpe was third.

Eddie O’Shea crossed the finish line fourth on his GRYD Racing Honda.

Guido Pini got fifth on his Leopard Racing Honda.

Maximo Quiles leads the championship with 306 points, 131 ahead of Alvaro Carpe who has 175 points. David Almansa is third with 174 points.

MOTO3 RACE

MOTO3worldstanding

More, from a press release issued by MotoGP:

Quiles cruises to Austrian GP victory. The Championship leader took an emphatic win in Spielberg to give himself a shot of the Championship trophy next time out whilst Almansa fell from the lead in Austria.

Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) is officially on cloud nine after a ninth win of the season came at the Red Bull Ring in Austria. Taking advantage of title rival David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) crashing out of the lead on Lap 8, he took honours to give KTM the manufacturer’s crown ahead of Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and his teammate Alvaro Carpe. Quiles’ win means it is now mathematically possible for him to take the title next time out at Motegi; he currently sports a 131-point lead, he’s Champion if he leaves Japan with 150 or more.

Grabbing the holeshot from the front row, Almansa got a great start and led through the first lap but was soon instructed to drop one position. He did so into Turn 9, only retake the lead from polesitter Uriarte at Turn 1 on Lap 2. It was a front group of four with Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Championship leader Quiles who, by the end of Lap 3, was into second place and giving chase to Almansa who was pulling clear.

Soon, the top two had escape and it was the same movie we’d seen plenty of times across the course of the season as they traded fastest laps and were some half a second a lap quicker than Uriarte and Carpe. Quiles was pushing hard in his pursuit of Almansa, perhaps too hard as on Lap 6 he was given a track limits warning for exceeding track limits. On Lap 8 though, bigger drama, just as he started pulling clear at the front as Almansa crashed at Turn 2B, ending his Grand Prix. Heartbreak for the Spaniard whilst Quiles inherited the lead. More heartbreak behind as Rico Salmela (Red Bull KTM Tech3) fell from the top six at Turn 6, thankfully rider OK.

Into the second half of the GP and the battled had relaxed at the front with Quiles 1.9s clear of Uriarte and Carpe whilst 9.5s behind the podium, Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia) led a big battle for P4 with Eddie O’Shea (GRYD Racing), Joel Esteban (LEVELUP-MTA), David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), Casey O’Gorman (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Joel Kelso (GRYD Racing) and Guido Pini (Leopard Racing). Esteban soon found his way to the front ahead of O’Shea and Muñoz but the battle was far from done. With 5 to go though, Muñoz GP came to an end when Pratama pushed him out wide causing the Spaniard to crash. Pratama was given a Long Lap Penalty whilst Muñoz retired after rejoining.

Meanwhile, at the front, Quiles took a ninth victory of the season with the chequered flag waving him through and to give him an opportunity to wrap up the title in Japan whilst KTM are manufacturer’s Champions. Uriarte pulled out a five second gap over teammate Carpe who rounded out the podium and moved into P2 in the standings. It was a career-best result of O’Shea who came home fourth for the GRYD Racing’s best result with Pini in P5, his best since his win at COTA. O’Gorman took a joint-best P6 ahead of Adrian Cruces (CIP GreenPower), Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team), Hakim Danish (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI) and teammate Yamanaka.

Moto3 Austrian GP results from the Red Bull Ring

Utah Track Rebirth: New Owners, Big Plans For West Desert

John Ulrich

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September 19, 2026

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Utah Track Rebirth: New Owners, Big Plans For West Desert

The new owners of what used to be called Miller Motorsports Park and Utah Motorsports Complex have renamed it just “West Desert,” without any added description like Raceway or Motorpark or Circuit. On Friday, September 18th, the track in Grantsville, Utah held a Grand Re-Opening VIP Day for registered guests and media representatives. RoadracingWorld.com was invited.

Utah governor at West Desert by JU IMG 1943 — Utah Governor Spencer Cox attended the grand re-opening of what is now known as West Desert, making opening remarks, participating in a ribbon-cutting, and giving plenty of mainstream media interviews, as seen here. Photo by John Ulrich.

Ribbon cutting at West Desert IMG 1939 — The ribbon-cutting ceremony, with Utah Governor Spencer Cox holding the ribbon at center left, and Grantsville Mayor Heidi Hammond cutting the ribbon at center right. Photo by John Ulrich.

Joe Atkin and Graham Rahall on front straight by JU IMG 1941 — West Desert CEO Joe Atkin (left) with Graham Rahal (center), an Indy car driver and MotoAmerica team owner, on pit lane after the ribbon-cutting. Atkin has already supervised work on the track infield and existing buildings, with many more projects in the works. Photo by John Ulrich.

More West Desert with utah gov making opening remarks by JU IMG 1924 — Hundreds of people involved in assorted types of racing attended the grand re-opening and listened to Utah Governor Spencer Cox’s opening remarks. Several groups got on track during the day–including UtahSBA racers as well as track day riders. The governor sees the track as a valuable recreational asset and professional event attraction for the state. Photo by John Ulrich.

West desert infield by JU IMG 1953 — A view of the West Desert infield, featuring some cars on track, part of an off-road course in the center, an under-construction drag strip running parallel to the front straight, and more West Desert logos and signs. Photo by John Ulrich.

West desert airial overview by JU IMG 1950 — A rendering of the existing multiple-configuration West Desert road racing track, parts of an existing off-road course, an upgraded karting center, plus placement of new planned features like offices, garage condos, additional day garages, a clubhouse and residences, a conference center, a welcome center and restaurant, a retail experience center, an engineering and performance campus, some “corporate flex spaces,” an upgraded existing drift pad, the previously mentioned drag strip, and of course, plenty of the upgraded West Desert branding! Photo by John Ulrich.

West Desert clubhouse and residences rendering by JU IMG 1951 — Rendering of a planned new clubhouse complex and residences. Photo by John Ulrich.

West Desert welcome center rendering by JU IMG 1952 — A rendering of a planned new West Desert welcome center. Photo by John Ulrich.

West Desert main building and pit lane garages on paddock side by JU — A view of the backside of the pit lane garages, complete with designated, numbered parking spaces, along with many stylish logos so nobody forgets where they are. And the destroyed canopy over the second floor outdoor viewing area has been replaced! Photo by John Ulrich.

Labeled golf cart at West Desert by JU IMG 1944 — A well-labeled golf cart in action on pit lane. Photo by John Ulrich.

West desert en route sunrise by JU IMG 1916 — The beginning of the sunrise Friday morning, en route to the grand re-opening of the track built by the late Larry H. Miller, sold to a Chinese corporation and allowed to languish, and now owned by enthusiastic Americans with a plan and a vision. They’ve already been talking to MotoAmerica, ASRA, and other motorcycle racing organizations, including the ill-fated World Moto Clash. If all goes well, this could be a new dawn for motorcycle (and car) road racing in Utah and the surrounding area. More information will be posted if and when it becomes available. Photo by John Ulrich.

See more here:

https://kutv.com/news/local/utah-motorsports-campus-reopens-with-new-name-50-million-investment

https://www.ksl.com/article/news/business/utah-motorsports-campus-reopens-under-new-ownership/51625902

MotoGP: More On Saturday From Teams In Austria

Mathilde Gasnier

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September 19, 2026

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MotoGP: More On Saturday From Teams In Austria

Jorge Martin recovered from an early setback to claim victory in Saturday’s Austrian Sprint at the Red Bull Ring, moving from eighth place after an opening-lap clash to take the win. Marc Márquez finished second for Ducati, while Marco Bezzecchi secured third for Aprilia Racing. Below, read the teams’ press releases from Saturday’s Sprint race at the Red Bull Ring.

More, from a press release issued by Aprilia Racing:

Victory and a podium for Aprilia Racing in Austrian GP sprint. Pole position and a comeback victory for Jorge Martin, Marco Bezzecchi third.

Saturday in Austria ended with both Aprilia Racing factory riders on the podium.

Jorge Martín began the day by taking pole position with a time of 1:27.917. This gave Aprilia four consecutive pole positions, for the first time in the Noale manufacturer’s history. The Spanish rider had a difficult opening lap, dropping to eighth before mounting a comeback to retake the lead and secure victory. This was Martín’s fourth sprint victory of the season, following his wins at Austin, Le Mans and Silverstone, and the 20th sprint victory of his career. It was also his seventh sprint podium of the season and the 37th sprint podium of his career.

Marco Bezzecchi started fourth on the grid and finished third in the sprint. This was the Italian rider’s sixth sprint podium of the season, following those at Le Mans, Balaton, Silverstone, Aragón and Misano, and the 16th sprint podium of his career.

Ai Ogura of the SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team finished fourth on his return from injury. The result saw Aprilia place three RS-GP26 machines in the top four.

Jorge Martín’s victory brings Aprilia’s tally of sprint wins this season to six, following those at Austin, Le Mans, Mugello, Assen and Silverstone, and takes the Noale manufacturer’s total to 13 sprint wins. The double podium for Martín and Bezzecchi also marks Aprilia Racing’s best result in a sprint in Austria.

apriliaracing austriangp15 2026 saturday 05 — Jorge Martin (89) in Austria. Photo courtesy Aprilia.

Jorge Martin: “I’m very happy with my sprint and the pace I had. I enjoyed a good start, but when Marc passed me, I lost a lot of places. From then on, I tried to stay focused. I was really concentrating and overtook a rider almost every lap. My arm is fine. I struggled more with it today than yesterday, but that’s normal – it’s just fatigue. Just as my neck gets tired, for example, so does my arm.”

apriliaracing austriangp15 2026 saturday 07 — Marco Bezzecchi (72) in Austria. Photo courtesy Aprilia.

Marco Bezzecchi: “Overall, I’ve been fairly competitive over these two days, improving from Friday to today, although I was still slightly slower than the three fastest riders: Jorge, Pedro and Marc. Still, I’m happy with this sprint because I stayed right with Marc. I could never get close enough to make a move because I still need to find a little more, but staying with him, with the feeling I had, was still very positive.”

More, from a press release issued by Ducati Lenovo Team:

Marc Márquez and the Ducati Lenovo Team take second place in the Austrian Sprint. Francesco Bagnaia scores points in sixth.

The Ducati Lenovo Team completed the fifteenth Sprint of the season at the Austrian Ring. Marc Márquez took second place at the end of the 14-lap encounter, whilst Francesco Bagnaia was sixth at the flag.

Márquez retained second place at the start and briefly took the lead at the first chicane before being overtaken by Acosta. After dropping down to third at the start of lap eight, Marc found himself back in second place with three laps remaining and tried to re-enter the battle for the win until the end. Bagnaia, seventh on the grid after going through Q1, finished with an encouraging sixth place.

The Ducati Lenovo Team will be back in action tomorrow at 9:40 local time (GMT +2) for the warm-up, which will be followed by the 28-lap Grand Prix of Austria, to be contested from 14:00.

Marc Márquez (93) in Austria. Photo courtesy Ducati.

Marc Márquez (#93 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 2nd: “Today we achieved the main goal, which was to finish right behind Jorge (Martín) with no other rider in between. The first two laps were intense, then I simply kept my pace and scored the best possible result, as we are struggling a bit here. We need to keep working in order to improve in some specific areas of the track and, if we manage to do so, everything will become a whole lot simpler. Tomorrow’s race will be a long one and we’ll have to be careful with tyre wear.”

Francesco Bagnaia (63) in Austria. Photo courtesy Ducati.

Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 6th
“We’re doing a good job. Today we improved in the time attack, while in the Sprint we mainly worked towards tomorrow’s race by choosing the medium tyre, as we know how important it’ll be to manage tyre wear. I think it was the correct decision. It’s true that we struggled in the opening laps, but then the pace wasn’t so bad. The feeling has improved and now I hope we can make another step forward – with regards to grip and traction on corner exit – ahead of tomorrow.”

More, from a press release issued by Gresini Racing:

BK8 Gresini Team scores points in the Austrian Sprint.

SPRINT

ALEX MARQUEZ 5º

FERMIN ALDEGUER 8º

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

ALEX MARQUEZ 8º (158)

FERMIN ALDEGUER 10º (107)

TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

BK8 GRESINI RACING 6º (274)

Alex Marquez (73) in Austria. Photo courtesy Gresini Team.

Alex Marquez: “This morning I made a mistake while changing gear and crashed. We managed to save qualifying with a second-row start, but clearly the crash didn’t help. Regardless of that, we are struggling to find the right direction, and fifth position (sixth without Pedro’s crash) is currently the target we can achieve. We will try something in the warm-up to make a step forward and try to stay with the Aprilias, although it is currently difficult to do so on this track.”

Fermin Aldeguer on the grid in Austria. Photo courtesy Gresini.

Fermin Aldeguer: “Qualifying, as is often the case, made the weekend more complicated for us. I felt good in practice, but in the session that really counts, we didn’t perform as well as we would have liked. Starting that far back makes things difficult, and the Sprint went pretty much as I expected. We managed to score a few points and made a decent step forward. Tomorrow, with the medium tyre, we can do something better.”

More, from a press release issued by Honda HRC Castrol:

Marini works for Sunday in Spielberg as Nakagami’s progress steps up.

Luca Marini’s Saturday in Austria was all about Sunday gains after a difficult Q1 while Takaaki Nakagami showed his experience and speed, battling through to 15th and ahead of several big names.

Saturday in Austria had the Honda HRC Castrol team hard at work, looking to make the most of every opportunity presented to them after a truncated morning practice due to overnight rain. Q1 marked the first obstacle of the day with both Luca Marini and Takaaki Nakagami tackling the 15-minute session on a still-green circuit.

Able to set a best time of 1’29.110 and manage 15th on the grid, Luca Marini faced an uphill battle on the run up the hill to Turn 1 in the Sprint. With this in mind, the Italian and his team decided to focus on better understanding what will be possible during Sunday’s Grand Prix and opted for the medium tyre. A classically strong start from Marini helped him gain early ground before he switched to a more defensive mode. Taking 13th at the line, the Italian has certainly gained information for the feature length race and has some key decisions to make overnight. Marini is confident that Sunday’s race could introduce an even more unpredictable GP.

One of the few riders to venture out in the damp morning, Takaaki Nakagami’s progress continued with each and every lap as he closed the distance and went deeper into the field. A best lap of 1’29.442 in Q1 put him 18th on the grid and just 0.3s behind Luca Marini on the other side of the garage. When the lights went out for the 14-lap Sprint, Nakagami immediately locked into an intense fight with Morbidelli and a trio of Yamaha riders before breaking away and trying to close in on Pol Espargaro in the battle of the Development Riders. 15th in the Sprint bodes well for some welcome points in Sunday’s main event.

Luca Marini (10) in Austria. Photo courtesy Honda HRC.

Luca Marini: “Today was all about testing for tomorrow, I went with the medium rear in the Sprint to understand how it behaves before the long race. It was not easy with the medium and I think a lot of guys who used the soft in the Sprint will have some surprises. Q1 was tricky today and I couldn’t get the same feeling as in practice, it felt like there was less grip overall and I wasn’t able to improve my time in the second half of the lap. But let’s see what we can do on Sunday with this extra information as our pattern this year is always making a step for the long race and as we saw today, this track is very critical and you need to be riding in a perfect way.”

Takaaki Nakagami (30) in Austria. Photo courtesy Honda HRC.

Takaaki Nakagami: “Some positives feelings today in Qualifying and the Sprint, still there’s a lot to improve but step by step progress is being made. Session by session, I am working better with the team and they’re helping me a lot to compare to the other Honda riders. We did a lot of laps during the test before here so my physical condition isn’t perfect and when you need to push to your maximum like in Qualifying or a race, this is when you feel it. Sunday will be a long 28 laps, a lot of tyre management to do. I am enjoying being the factory team and I want to thank them all for their effort.”

More, from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:

Steady Sprint for Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP in Styria.

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins pushed all the way to the finish line in the Grand Prix of Austria Sprint at the Spielberg track today. Quartararo turned a solid Saturday into a 12th-place result, while Rins made progress from the back of the grid to take 18th position.

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins took on the Sprint at Spielberg on the Grand Prix of Austria Saturday. Quartararo pressed on in the midfield throughout the 14-lap dash and crossed the line in 12th place, while Rins steadily rode from 20th on the grid to 18th position at the chequered flag.

Quartararo started the Sprint from ninth place but found himself in 12th after a busy opening lap. The Frenchman settled into the position and maintained a consistent pace throughout much of the race. With three laps remaining, Pedro Acosta’s crash briefly promoted Quartararo to 11th. However, Enea Bastianini, who had been closing in on the number 20 during the latter stages, found a way past on the same lap. Quartararo continued to push until the finish and crossed the line in 12th place, 13.050s from the winner.

Rins lined up in 20th on the grid and dropped behind the Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP riders at the start before overtaking Jack Miller to complete the opening lap in 21st. The Spaniard began making progress on lap 5 when he passed Franco Morbidelli. Further gains followed as Diogo Moreira and Raúl Fernández were handed double long-lap penalties, moving Rins up to 18th by lap 8. Another position came his way when Acosta crashed out, but Moreira found his way past on the same lap. On the final lap, Rins continued to close the gap to Toprak Razgatlıoğlu but came just 0.090s short at the finish line, taking 18th place and ending the Sprint 21.054s from first.

After today’s Sprint, Quartararo remains 15th in the championship standings with 61 points, while Rins stays 20th with 24 points. Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP are 10th in the team classification with 85 points, and Yamaha hold 5th place in the constructor standings with 84 points.

Tomorrow, the teammates will be back in action for Warm Up, held from 09:40-09:50 (GMT+2), and the 28-lap Race, which starts at 14:00.

Fabio Quartararo (20) in Austria. Photo courtesy Yamaha.

Fabio Quartararo: “Qualifying was good and the Sprint was good too. I knew a top 10 would be difficult today, so I think P12 was the position we deserved. I am feeling well on the bike, but in the Sprint and Race, with people in front of you, it’s more difficult to make the lap times. Tomorrow the race will be difficult, especially for the tyres. We know that for the Race we will try something different.”

Alex Rins (42) in Austria. Photo courtesy Yamaha.

Alex Rins: “This is a tough track for us. Today in the Sprint, I was struggling quite a bit. I had [Takaaki] Nakagami in front of me. I was recovering quite a lot on braking, but every time he was able to pull away by some metres again.”

More, from a press release issued by Prima Pramac Yamaha:

Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP continues to work through a challenging Austrian Saturday.

Jack Miller and Toprak Razgatlıoğlu completed a demanding Saturday at the Red Bull Ring, with Miller continuing to search for the right balance after setup changes and Razgatlıoğlu showing clear progress throughout the day and in the Sprint.

Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP experienced another challenging day at the Red Bull Ring, with the team continuing to work through the setup and balance of the YZR-M1. For Jack Miller, the changes introduced overnight did not produce the expected improvement in overall bike behaviour. As often happens when making significant setup changes, the new direction also created compromises in other areas, leaving the Australian searching for a more consistent balance during both qualifying and the Sprint. He eventually finished the Sprint in 20th position.

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, meanwhile, continued the positive progression already seen during the weekend. After a difficult Friday, the Turkish rider made another clear step forward on Saturday, with his Sprint pace bringing him closer to the group fighting around the Top 10. He ultimately crossed the finish line in 17th, although the final result did not fully reflect the progress shown in terms of pace and feeling throughout the day.

The next step for Toprak will be to carry more of that progress into the opening stages of the weekend, allowing him to start from a stronger position and make better use of the pace he is able to find later on. With the Austrian Grand Prix continuing tomorrow, both riders and the team will now focus on making the most of the information gathered today and finding further improvements for the final race.

Toprak Razgatlioglu (07) on the grid in Austria. Photo courtesy Prima Pramac Yamaha.

Toprak Razgatlioglu: “Today was better than qualifying and the feeling with the bike was much better. The beginning of the race was okay, although I lost some rhythm after fighting with another rider in the opening laps. After that I was able to find my pace, but it was very difficult to overtake because we lose a lot on the straights.
Towards the end, the rear tyre dropped quite a lot and I lost some time, but overall the pace was not so bad. We also learned more about the tyre and tomorrow we will try the medium, which normally gives me a better feeling.
The main problem is still qualifying. Yesterday I did a 1:29.6, but today with the new tyre I could only do a 1:30.0, and I still don‘t understand why I cannot extract the same performance in qualifying. Then I have to start from the back again, which makes the race much more difficult.
Tomorrow is a long race and anything can happen. I will try my best as always and hopefully we can make another step.”

Jack Miller (43) in Austria. Photo courtesy Prima Pramac Yamaha.

Jack Miller: “Not much to say. The bike itself was behaving better today and it was definitely an improvement compared with yesterday. From a setup point of view, I felt much better on the bike and I could brake late and do what I needed to do. It wasn‘t an enjoyable race, to be honest, and we need to understand why we have been struggling with this since Friday. We‘re going to have to make some significant changes tonight and try to find a way to improve the acceleration for tomorrow. We know there is more potential in the bike. I‘m not extracting everything from it at the moment either, and I need to keep building my confidence back, but the main priority now is to find a solution with the electronics and give ourselves a better chance in the race.”

More, from a press release issued by Pro Honda LCR:

Pro Honda LCR rider Diogo Moreira finished 16th in Saturday’s Sprint in Austria.

After a challenging qualifying session, Moreira lined up 16th on the grid for the Sprint.
Determined to fight his way forward, Moreira made a jump start at the beginning of the race, as he felt the wait for the lights had been unusually long.
The Brazilian was handed a double Long Lap penalty and eventually crossed the finish line in 16th. Despite the setback, Moreira took positives from the race, feeling comfortable on the bike and noticing improvements in its performance.

Diogo Moreira (11) in Austria. Photo courtesy Pro Honda LCR.

Diogo Moreira 16th: “When I was waiting for the lights, somehow I felt like it was taking too long, and I made a big mistake. I apologized to the team. We have another chance tomorrow to make up for it. In the end, we changed some things on the bike, and I felt better and had a good pace. We’ll recover from this, for sure!”

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

Bastianini gains six places in Austrian sprint.

Enea Bastianini quickly put a disappointing Qualifying at the Austrian Grand Prix behind him to rise from 17th to 11th in Saturday’s Sprint, while Pol Espargaró came home in 14th.

Qualifying

After a heavy morning shower at the Red Bull Ring, the track surface had soon dried sufficiently for slick tyres to be used in FP2 and Qualifying.

Although fast over longer runs on Friday, Bastianini couldn’t get comfortable with Michelin’s soft rear tyre in Q1. As he struggled in Sectors three and four, the 28-year-old posted the seventh fastest time, which put him 17th overall. Espargaró fared better in Q1, finishing fourth and just 0.2s off Johann Zarco’s fastest time for 14th on the grid.

Sprint

Conditions were close to perfect around the 4.35km layout ahead of the 14-lap Sprint race. Although he started in the middle of the sixth row, Bastianini was still confident of his speed over a longer run. The Italian felt his way into the 14-lap shootout, holding 17th on lap one before launching a series of attacks.

Sitting 15th on lap three, ‘La Bestia’ continued his forward trajectory and late passes on Luca Marini and Fabio Quartararo, plus a crash for another rider, lifted him to 11th place.

Espargaró chose Michelin’s medium rear tyre in a bid to gather more information for Sunday’s race. The Spaniard lost two positions on the first lap and was soon caught up in a tough fight with Toprak Razgatlioglu. Once clear of the Turk, he focused on catching Marini ahead but ran out of time to complete the overtake and finished 14th.

The main event is still to come for Red Bull KTM Tech3 with Warm Up kicking off Sunday’s action at 9:40 (UTC+2) before the 28-lap race, which starts at 14:00 (UTC+2).

Enea Bastianini (23) in Austria. Photo courtesy KTM Tech3.

Enea Bastianini: “We don’t know what happened today. In Practice I was confident because I was pretty fast, but when we put the soft tyre in for the time attack in Qualifying, I had no grip with the front. I just felt a lot of pushing from the rear. I did my best, but the lap time was a disaster. The Sprint was a bit better. If you are behind other riders, you can’t do your maximum, and it’s very difficult to come back. This is the reality of MotoGP at the moment. Tomorrow we’ll need to save the rear tyre for the end of the race because the drop is big. We’ll need to pay attention to this more than other races tomorrow.”

Pol Espargaró (44) in Austria. Photo courtesy KTM Tech3.

Pol Espargaró: “Not such a bad day. We chose the medium rear tyre for the Sprint, just so we have more information for tomorrow for the KTM guys. My feeling at the start wasn’t bad at all. The only thing was I started battling with Toprak [Razgatlioglu] in the middle of the race for nothing and I lost quite a lot of time. When I overtook him, I could find my rhythm. I tried to catch Luca Marini ahead, but he was so far away, and I didn’t have enough time. Anyway, it was useful for the factory to get some information for tomorrow and we can work a bit better. The rear tyre drop is going to be a factor tomorrow, so we’ll have to manage that, but we’ll be prepared. Let’s get stuck in.”

Nicolas Goyon, Team Manager: “Well, it was a good Sprint for both our boys. Enea struggled in Qualifying this morning. We hoped for a better result, but we know how Enea races and he ended up in a good P11, which gives us some hope for a good result tomorrow – a top eight finish is an achievable target. It was a good Qualifying for Pol. He qualified 14th and then ended the Sprint in 14th with a medium rear tyre. He was clearly focussing on working for tomorrow’s main race and we hope this work will pay off. We are quite confident that both our riders can bring a stronger result tomorrow.”

More, from a press release issued by Castrol Honda LCR:

Castrol Honda LCR rider Johann Zarco crossed the finish line in 7th place in Saturday’s Sprint in Austria.

Zarco made a strong start from 10th on the grid after progressing to Q2 in the morning qualifying session.
When it mattered, the Frenchman kept his composure, avoiding mistakes while battling with his rivals and maintaining a strong pace.
He eventually crossed the finish line in 7th, securing valuable points and feeling comfortable on the bike.

Johann Zarco (5) in Austria. Photo courtesy Honda LCR.

Johann Zarco 7th: “I’m very happy! To score points in the Sprint, you need to do everything perfectly, and we did a good enough job today. I’m happy. Today, during the Sprint, I confirmed the good feeling I had yesterday. Tomorrow, we’ll need to manage the whole race and do a good job, but we’re confident that we can put together a strong race. Let’s see!”

More, from a press release issued by VR46 Team:

The Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team secures the tenth place in the Sprint with Fabio Di Giannantonio at Spielberg. Franco Morbidelli crashes.

Saturday of the Austrian GP proved to be more challenging than expected for the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team, which ended a sunny Sprint at Spielberg in tenth place with Fabio Di Giannantonio. It was a tough race for Franco Morbidelli, who crashed with four laps to go, luckily without physical consequences.

Di Giannantonio started from the third row thanks to his eighth place in Qualifying, his best result ever on the Styrian track (1’28”612). In the Sprint, a complicated start prevented Fabio to gain positions, remaining in the group fighting for the Top19. The rider from Rome was very determined, and he crossed the finish line in tenth place. Di Giannantonio keeps the fourth position in the World Standing with 223 points.

It was a tough Saturday for Morbidelli, who was nineteenth in Qualifying (1’29”554). Franco started from the seventh row and struggled to show his potential right from the first laps. A crash at lap 11 when he was in nineteenth place prevented him to bounce back. Morbidelli is now sixteenth in the World Standing with 56 points.

The Austrian GP will conclude tomorrow with the main race, which will start at 2:00 p.m. (local time).

Fabio Di Giannantonio (49) in Austria. Photo courtesy VR46 Team.

Fabio Di Giannantonio: “Until the qualifying, the weekend was not bad, but I had low grip at the rear and I struggle more in the Sprint. I made a couple of mistakes in the first laps, I went wide and I lost positions, this affected me a bit. But we want to stay positive and focused because we are adapting to this track more and more. Now, we work to understand how we can improve even more for tomorrow’s race.”

Franco Morbidelli (21) and Jack Miller (43) in Austria. Photo courtesy VR46 Team.

Franco Morbidelli: “Today in the Sprint I crashed at Turn 2, maybe I arrived to the corner a little faster than usual and I lost the front. Luckily, I’m ok. Anyway, the race was not going very well, I had already made a mistake at Turn 9 and I went wide. I was trying to recover, but then I crashed. We still have tomorrow to bounce back. We must remain confident and determined to solve the issues that have been affecting us this weekend.”

BSB: Race 1 Results From TT Circuit Assen

Mathilde Gasnier

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September 19, 2026

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BSB: Race 1 Results From TT Circuit Assen

Redding rules in opening BSB Showdown race at TT Circuit Assen.

Scott Redding claimed a determined victory in the opening race of the Showdown for the Hager PBM Racing Team, returning to the top step of the British Superbike Championship podium at the TT Circuit Assen.

Ryan Vickers had snatched the lead at the start, but Redding was instantly on the attack, and took the advantage on the opening lap and then continued to set a consistent run of laps to give him the early edge as his rivals battled.

Vickers was holding second ahead of his teammate Jason O’Halloran, Danny Kent and Leon Haslam over the opening laps with Kyle Ryde in sixth place. However, the defending champion was fighting through the pack, gaining two positions for the Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing team.

The race ended prematurely for both Joe Talbot and Christian Iddon when they crashed out of contention in separate crashes on lap four, but at the front, the battle for the podium was intense between Vickers, Haslam and Ryde.

On the eighth lap, Vickers ran wide and he then had to try to regain the ground to Ryde and Haslam, who battled all race long for second place, trading positions and not giving an inch over the following nine laps.

Ryde was eventually able to make a pass and then keep Haslam behind him with determination to claim second with his Moto Rapido Racing rival completing the podium. Vickers secured fourth place as the Honda Racing UK rider bid to try to close the deficit.

Bradley Ray ended the race in fifth place after a resilient performance; the McAMS Yamaha rider was running outside the top ten in 14th position in the early stages, but he carved his way up the order into fifth place with a damage limitation ride.

Rory Skinner took sixth place on the Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha, whilst rookie Ilya Mikhalchik claimed his best finish of the season for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad British Superbike Race team in seventh place.

Max Cook on the AJN Steelstock bimota was eighth with Kent and O’Halloran completing the top ten ahead of tomorrow’s two races.

British Superbike Championship, TT Circuit Assen, Race 1 result:

Scott Redding (Hager PBM Racing Team)
Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing) +2.143s
Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Racing) +2.517s
Ryan Vickers (Honda Racing UK) +3.747s
Bradley Ray (McAMS Yamaha) +5.141s
Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha) +9.955s
Ilya Mikhalchik (ROKiT BMW Motorrad British Superbike Race team) +11.377s
Max Cook (AJN Steelstock bimota) +12.555s
Danny Kent (Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha) +12.992s
Jason O’Halloran (Honda Racing UK) +13.493s

British Superbike Championship standings:

Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing) 414
Scott Redding (Hager PBM Racing Team) 346
Bradley Ray (McAMS Yamaha) 305
Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Racing) 280
Ryan Vickers (Honda Racing UK) 253
Max Cook (AJN Steelstock bimota) 208
Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha) 205
Christian Iddon (Sencat Racing Yamaha) 133
Lee Jackson (DAO Racing Honda) 128
Danny Kent (Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha) 126

For more information visit www.britishsuperbike.com

Scott Redding – Hager PBM Racing Team:

“That felt good! I just wanted to stay out of trouble. We made a change with the bike, which was a little bit of a gamble as we didn’t have time to try it before so in the race. I was trying to nurse it on the first lap to try and feel if it was ok and then Danny passed me and I thought ‘I don’t need any of this!’

“It’s a bit risky to make a change like that, but it’s something I have used before, just not at this circuit so you go off of data that it should be a little bit better. I know that I had pretty good pace here, so I had a little bit of margin to work on something.

“We weren’t in trouble; we just wanted to try it. We’re going to check the data after the race to check the lap times to see where we were dropping compared to the others. Obviously, they were battling, but when Kyle got a clear lap, he closed on me and then I responded, but I just need to see where we are at with all the information.

“In the race, I tried to get in front of Ryan as quickly as I could and I just did my rhythm. It was for me to make a mistake and I was just trying to work on a few little bits. It was a long 17 laps, but I’m just happy to come back with the win. We’ll see now what happens tomorrow and we will see what we have for the rest of the weekend.”

H-D Bagger World Cup: Race 1 Results From Austria

Mathilde Gasnier

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September 19, 2026

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H-D Bagger World Cup: Race 1 Results From Austria

Oscar Gutierrez won the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup race 1 Saturday afternoon at Red Bull Ring – Spielberg, in Austria. Riding his Niti Racing Harley-Davidson on Dunlop control tires, the Spaniard won the 9-lap race by 0.885 second.

Archie Mcdonald was the runner-up on his Joe Rascal Racing Harley-Davidson.

American James Rispoli got third on his Joe Rascal Racing Harley-Davidson and Kyle Wyman finished the race fourth on his WEGNER X KWR Harley-Davidson.

Riding for Saddlemen Racing Harley-Davidson, American teammates Jake Lewis, Max Toth and Travis Wyman crossed the finish line 5th, 6th, and 9th respectively.

Max Flinders got 8th on his ParkinGO TEAM Harley-Davidson.

Archie Mcdonald leads the championship with 194 points, 21 ahead of Oscar Gutierrez who has 173 points. Eric Granado is third with 167 points.

MotoGP: Sprint Race Results From Spielberg

Mathilde Gasnier

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September 19, 2026

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MotoGP: Sprint Race Results From Spielberg

Jorge Martin won the MotoGP Tissot Sprint race Saturday afternoon at Red Bull Ring – Spielberg, in Austria. Riding his Aprilia Racing RS-GP26 on Michelin control tires, the Championship points leader won the 14-lap race by 1.026 seconds.

Seven-time MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez was the runner-up on his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici GP26.

Martin’s teammate, Marco Bezzecchi finished third.

Ai Ogura crossed the finish line fourth on his SuperFile Trackhouse Aprilia RS-GP26.

Alex Marquez got fifth on his BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP26.

Jorge Martin leads the championship with 286 points, 3 ahead of Marc Marquez who has 283 points. Marco Bezzecchi is third with 248 points.

MOTOGP SPRINT RACE

motogpworldstanding

More, from a press release issued by MotoGP:

Title race leader Martin produces golden comeback to capitalise on Acosta error. Aprilia’s #89 retakes the championship lead from second place finisher Marc Marquez ahead of Sunday’s Grand Prix as a dramatic Tissot Sprint unfolds in Austria.

P1 into Turn 1, down to P8 on the opening lap, then back to P1 at the chequered flag. Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) produced an exquisite Tissot Sprint comeback to emerge victorious from a dramatic Saturday afternoon at the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Austria, as Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crashes from a comfortable lead in the closing stages. Joining Martin on the Sprint podium were his two main title rivals in the form of Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), as we now look forward to what is set to be a Spielberg thriller on Sunday afternoon.

MARTIN & MARC MARQUEZ GO INTO BATTLE

Before that though, here’s how the Sprint unfolded… From a blockbuster front row, Martin grabbed the holeshot ahead of Marc Marquez, but the Aprilia star was wide on the exit to give the reigning World Champion a sniff of taking the lead into Turn 2a. Both braking late, Marquez had the inside line, and with neither wanting to give an inch, it was Martin who lost out. On the outside, Martin wasn’t in an ideal position and lost all of his mid-corner speed and drive, and having led into Turn 1, by Turn 3, Martin was shoved down to P8.

Marc Marquez didn’t lead for long, though. At Turn 3, the #93 was slightly wide and cutting his way past? His 2027 teammate Acosta. And immediately, the #37 pulled the pin to open up a gap that rapidly crept up to a second.

Third place was Bezzecchi at this stage, the Italian shadowing Marc Marquez closely, with the other Marquez, Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), lapping in P4.

THE COMEBACK BEGINS

After the relatively disastrous opening lap, Martin was unravelling a mega comeback. Martin moved past Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), Ai Ogura (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team), and then Alex Marquez in quick succession to climb back up to P4 by Lap 5, and at Turn 1 on Lap 7 of 14, Martin carved his way up the inside of teammate Bezzecchi to clamber his way into the bronze medal positions. Next up: title rival Marc Marquez.

And at Turn 1, exactly a lap after his classy move on Bezzecchi, Martin returned the favour on Marc Marquez. An aggressive but clean move saw Martin rise into P2, and with Acosta 2.8s up the road, Martin’s main concern was now keeping Marc Marquez and Bezzecchi at bay – and not exceeding track limits once more, because that would lead to a Long Lap penalty having already received a warning.

ACOSTA CRASHES FROM SPRINT LEAD

It was all looking easy for Acosta to go on and collect a second Sprint win of the season, until an unforced error arrived at Turn 2a with three laps to go. Can you believe it? Leading by two seconds on KTM’s home turf, Acosta lost the front and crashed. The Spaniard was into the chicane too hot, and while remaining committed to keeping his KTM leant into the corner, the front end let go. Acosta snatched defeat from the jaws of victory to hand Martin the lead of the Sprint. MotoGP, hey?

YOUR PODIUM AND POINT SCORERS

And so, unlike Acosta, the championship leader made no mistake. The 2024 World Champion produced a phenomenal ride to gobble up what could prove to be a crucial 12 points, with Marc Marquez and Bezzecchi, your top three in the title race, picking up the silver and bronze medals.

Ogura’s return from injury unearths a Sprint P4 for the Japanese star, with Alex Marquez beating Bagnaia by six tenths as the Ducati riders cross the line in P5 and P6. Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) took top HRC honours in P7, while Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Binder took the final Saturday points in P8 and P9.

Wow. It’s never over until the chequered flag in MotoGP, as KTM and Acosta now look to forget about Saturday’s late drama and string together something similar – minus the crash, of course – in Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Come back tomorrow for more MotoGP, with Martin now leading Marc Marquez by three points in this unrelenting, compelling championship chase.

MotoGP Tissot Sprint results from Austria!

SMX World Championship Results From Playoff 2 in Los Angeles

September 20, 2026

The 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship made its anticipated return to Southern California for Playoff 2 from Dignity Health Sports Park. Photo courtesy SMX.