Marc Márquez won the MotoGP World Championship race Sunday afternoon at MotorLand Aragón, in Alcañiz, in Spain. Riding his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP26 on Michelin control tires, the seven-time MotoGP World Champion won the 23-lap race by 1.754 seconds.
Pedro Acosta was the runner-up on his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RC16.
Polesitter Marco Bezzecchi placed third on his Aprilia Racing RS-GP26.
Alex Marquez crossed the finish line fourth on his BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP26.
Bezzecchi’s teammate and championship point leader, Jorge Martin took fifth.
Jorge Martin leads the championship with 256 points, 19 ahead of Marc Márquez who has 237 points. Marco Bezzecchi is third with 232 points.
Marc Marquez fends off Acosta and Bezzecchi to underline title charge at Aragon. The elbows come out at the front as the #93 takes the spoils and the title fight twists once more at MotorLand.
Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) completes a weekend of stunning retaliation at MotorLand Aragon, taking the 25-point haul on Sunday after outpacing Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) as the #37 emerged as his closest challenger at the front. Acosta made good on his promise to attack for the podium on Sunday with a stunning ride to second, with Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) completing the rostrum for double podium finishes at MotorLand.
After a near-disastrous British GP, 37 points of Aragon revenge for Marc Marquez boost him up to second in the standings, now 19 behind Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing), as Bezzecchi also closes the gap on his teammate despite now sitting third overall.
LIGHTS OUT TAKE TWO
At lights out it seemed a replay of the Tissot Sprint as Marc Marquez once again attacked at Turn 1, but the #93 admitted in parc ferme he’d left the rear ride height device engaged and then found himself dropping back as Bezzechi sliced back through to lead around Turn 3. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) had to sit up slightly in that shuffle and Martin then attacked Marc Marquez too, shouldering the Ducati out the way, making it an Aprilia 1-2 ahead of Marc Marquez and Acosta after the first few corners.
At the end of Lap 1 however, the elbows were out from the #93 as he sliced past Martin, with the #89 then also losing out to Acosta as he was forced off line in the move. Bezzecchi’s lead was up to around six tenths, but now it was Marc Marquez and Acosta on the chase as Martin found himself picked off by Alex Marquez too. By Lap 5, Marc Marquez was homing in on Bezzecchi – but Acosta remained close company for the #93.
ATTACK MODE ENGAGED: all change at the front
On Lap 6 at Turn 15, Marc Marquez attacked and made it through, setting in motion a stunning set of fireworks in the battle at the front. Bezzecchi remained side by side with the #93 down the back straight, millimeters apart at over 300km/h, but into the final corner complex the #72 was forced to cede. The #93 was free in the lead but out of nowhere, Acosta then swept round the outside of the Aprilia too.
The break wasn’t complete yet. The #37 was absolutely glued to the rear of the #93, and he stayed so as the laps ticked off. Lap 9 saw the wick turned up as Marc Marquez put in a fastest lap, but the KTM remained in touch. Lap 10 saw both set the exact same laptime – and Bezzecchi was even faster in third. At half distance, the race remained on a tightrope. Marc Marquez led Acosta who led Bezzecchi, with no gap over a second. Alex Marquez was holding fourth but had faded off the lead trio, with Martin also holding fifth in some clear air.
THE WICK TURNS UP: the lap records come in and title fight twists
As the laps ticked on, however, the lap records started coming in from the lead – and this time Acosta and Bezzecchi struggled to find an answer. The pin was pulled and Marc Marquez eked out the gap, those 25 points shaking up the standings once again. Pushing on to cross the line in a little breathing space to complete the stunning double, the #93 moves up to second overall – now just 19 points off Martin’s lead.
Acosta roasted himself on Saturday night after missing his grid slot and explaining he’d had a messy day, but the #37 was near perfect on Sunday to put up the best resistance possible and take a stunning second. Bezzecchi completes a commendable weekend of two podiums, both ahead of his points-leading teammate, with third place from pole.
Alex Marquez wasn’t able to make any inroads up from P4 and remained there for some solid points on Sunday, with Martin finding P5 to be his limit at MotorLand this weekend – taking the same on Sunday to see that lead drop to 19 points.
BATTLE IN THE PACK: duels to the finish
Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) took sixth on his return to action, ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) as the fluo yellow #49 took some solid points after crashing out of the Sprint. Behind, there was a huge battle. Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) was holding eight for much of the race ahead of a train of riders, but a late push from Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) saw the former Aragon winner catch the Honda-riding rookie with five to go as two duels lit up MotorLand on the final two laps.
Moreira vs Bastianini saw the Italian make an attack stick on the final lap to nab P8, just ahead of Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) vs Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) to complete the top ten. The South African just pipped the Australian, relegating Miller to 11th.
Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) and Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) were close company next up, ahead of Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) and Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) completing the points. Raul Fernandez (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) had been homing in on Martin for fifth in the first few laps but was forced to retire at about third distance, disappointment for the Silverstone winner, and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) crashed out early on, rider ok.
That’s a wrap on Aragon and another twist in the title fight. As Marc Marquez takes the full 37 points he moves up to second and Martin’s double P5s see his lead cut to 19. Bezzecchi’s two podiums cut his deficit to the top, however, as it closes up once more. And now? Italian turf. Aprilia turf? Clockwise Misano awaits – and all but one of Marc Marquez’s Grand Prix podiums so far this season are at anti-clockwise circuits, although they have all been wins. Will the pendulum swing again? Join us in two weeks to find out!
Alonso Lopez won the FIM Moto2 World Championship race Sunday afternoon at MotorLand Aragón, in Alcañiz, in Spain. Riding his ITALJET Gresini Kalex on Pirelli control tires, the Spaniard won the 19-lap race by 0.800 second.
Izan Guevara was the runner-up on his BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Boscoscuro.
David Alonso was a close third on his CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team Kalex.
Senna Agius finished fourth on his LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex.
Ivan Ortola took fifth on his QJMOTOR – Reverte – MSI Kalex.
American Joe Roberts finished Sunday’s race 12th on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
Manuel Gonzalez leads the championship with 207.5 points, 32.5 ahead of Izan Guevara who has 175 points. Senna Agius is third with 149 points.
Lopez returns to winning ways as podium battle goes to the wire. The polesitter earns a first win since 2024 as Guevara and Alonso go head-to-head on the final lap in an Aragon fight that sees Gonzalez finish outside the top five.
A first win since the 2024 Qatar GP was signed, sealed and delivered by Alonso Lopez (ITALJET Gresini Moto2), who completed a perfect weekend at MotorLand Aragon to return to winning ways in Moto2. A perfect 19-lap race was unravelled by the Spaniard to see the polesitter beat second place Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) by 0.8s, with the rider second in the championship holding off David Alonso (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) in a last-lap thriller to notch up an important 20 points.
From left to right, Izan Guevara, Alonso Lopez and David Alonso on the podium at Aragon. Photo courtesy MotoGP.
From a first pole position in three years, Lopez gobbled up the holeshot with relative ease, while it was as you were in the top four with Guevara, Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team), and Gonzalez holding onto their places. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) leapt ahead of Alonso for P5, as Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) and Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – Reverte – MSI) made the aggressive starts they craved from lower down the grid. The Australian and Spaniard were up to P7 and P8.
The race then settled down, with the top nine down to Angel Piqueras (QJMOTOR – Reverte – MSI) split by just over two and a half seconds on Lap 5 of 19. And at the end of that lap, leader Lopez set the fastest lap to nudge his lead over Guevara past the half-second mark.
As we clocked onto Lap 10, the race began to bubble up and really get going. Veijer, having failed a lap earlier, made a lovely Lap 9, Turn 16 move stick on Holgado to climb into P3, as Alonso then pounced at Turn 1 on the championship leader. This forced Gonzalez off the ideal line into Turn 2, and seizing the opportunity was the #18’s teammate Agius.
A lap later, Alonso hit copy and paste to slip past teammate Holgado for P4 at Turn 1. Agius was the next to demote Holgado a place, the Australian making a slick move stick into Turn 13 on Lap 13 for P5, and it wasn’t long before Gonzalez passed Holgado too, but now, the top four were over a second up the road from the Agius, Gonzalez, Holgado, and Ortola group.
That top four included Lopez, Guevara, Veijer, and Alonso, and having just lost P3 to Alonso at Turn 1, Veijer endured a fast crash at Turn 4 to end his podium hopes. And further behind, Gonzalez lost a couple of places having been close to making contact with teammate Agius at Turn 1. The title-chase frontrunner was P7 with five laps to go.
In the closing stages, the question was simply: could Guevara or Alonso reel in Lopez? Those rear tyre life worries weren’t making an appearance from the polesitter, and with two laps to go, the #21 was 0.7s clear of Guevara, who in turn had Alonso breathing down his neck.
Last lap time! Lopez led by 0.6s, with Alonso by far the fastest of the lead trio. But barring a mistake, Lopez had this in the bag. Guevara had a proper job on his hands to keep Alonso behind him though, and the duo went into battle at Turn 8. Music to the ears of Lopez. Guevara and Alonso were elbows out, with the former holding off the Colombian for now.
A slight mistake into Turn 14 then cost Guevara an ideal run through Turn 15 and down the 0.9km back straight, and it gave Alonso another sniff. Chucking his Kalex-Triumph up the inside of Guevara’s Boscoscuro-Triumph, Alonso ran in ever so slightly too hot, which allowed Guevara to sweep back through on the inside and clinch a crucial 20 points. And it’s a big return to form for Alonso after his disastrous Silverstone weekend – that was needed.
Alonso Lopez (21) leading Izan Guevara (28), Daniel Holgado (96) and Collin Veijer (95) during the Moto2 race at Aragon. Photo courtesy MotoGP.
Up the road though, Lopez completed the perfect weekend. A lights-to-flag finish. Zero errors. And a first win since 2024. And having fractured his hand a few weeks ago, that will taste sweet for the Spaniard.
Classy rides from Agius and Ortola saw them complete the top five to gain some important points on sixth place Gonzalez, who now sees his title race lead drop to 32.5 points ahead of the Misano-Red Bull Ring double header.
Holgado had to settle for P7, while Deniz Öncü (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) backed up his Silverstone P8 with another in Aragon to equal his season-best result from P18 on the grid. An under-the-radar performance from the Turk.
British GP podium finisher Alex Escrig (KLINT Racing Team) recovered from a little nudge off circuit in the opening exchanges to earn P9, with Adrian Huertas (Italtrans Racing Team) rounding out the Aragon top 10.
So, the championship continues to tighten as we now look forward to enjoying more cracking Moto2 action when we land at Misano in less than two weeks.
Maximo Quiles won the FIM Moto3 World Championship race Sunday morning at MotorLand Aragón, in Alcañiz, in Spain. Using his Pirelli-shod CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team KTM, the Spaniard won the 17-lap race by just 0.264 second.
Polesitter David Almansa was the runner-up on his LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP KTM.
Quiles’ teammate, Marco Morelli was third, 0.715 second behind race winner.
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Alvaro Carpe crossed the finish line fourth, and his teammate Brian Uriarte got fifth.
Maximo Quiles leads the championship with 256 points, 97 ahead of Alvaro Carpe who has 159 points. David Almansa is third with 154 points.
Quiles bounces back from injury with mighty Aragon victory. Silencing his rivals and fighting back on his return from a broken collarbone, the Championship leader fended off Almansa for honours in Alcañiz.
Broken collarbone three weeks ago, shattering the opposition’s hopes three weeks on; not even broken bones can stop Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team) as the Championship leader took win number seven of 2026. He had to resist a late charge from polesitter David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) who was hoping to make it a clean sweep of P1s for the weekend but was forced to accept second whereas Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team) rounded out the rostrum.
From left to right, David Almansa, Maximo Quiles and Marco Morelli on the podium at Aragon. Photo courtesy MotoGP.
Blasting off from pole and into the lead, Almansa got the perfect launch as the front three on the grid stayed the same. Later during the opening lap, Quiles cleared teammate Morelli and by the end of Lap 1, there was a leading group of six as Almansa, Quiles and Morelli led the way ahead of Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo), his teammate Alvaro Carpe and rookie Adrian Cruces (CIP GreenPower). Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) led the charge behind in the second group.
As the battle continued, the front group splintered and Almansa, Quiles and Carpe were duking it out whilst Morelli was keen to get back on terms having dropped back from P4. On Lap 4, Uriarte came in to serve a Long Lap Penalty stemming from Practice, filtering back into P8 before reaching P5. Crashing out from the top ten at Turn 16 a lap later, Jesus Rios’ (Rivacold Snipers Team) Grand Prix was over after a big highside; he was all OK.
After stalking Almansa at the front, Quiles pounced at Turn 1 to take the lead for the first time on Lap 11. The onus was now on the #22 to respond against the Championship leader and to not lose more places to Carpe and Morelli behind. The pace instantly dropped from the 1’57.4s to the 1.57.2s and at the start of Lap 2, Carpe tried to pinch P2 from Almansa at Turn 1. The British GP winner wasn’t having any of it though and got him back at Turn 2, the battling allowing Quiles to stretch his advantage out to 0.6s and get down to the 1’56s.
It wasn’t done though; a mighty Lap 13 from Almansa saw him reel in Quiles and then profit from a mistake at Turn 14 by the #28, hitting the front and then all four were back as a group again. At the start of Lap 14, Quiles and teammate Morelli pounced at Turn 1, pushing Almansa wide and back to fourth whilst Carpe soon found himself second. It was a scruffy lap from the #83 though as he went wide at Turn 7 to give Almansa P2 back whilst Quiles attempted to escape for a second time, this time with a gap of nearly a second. Once again though, Almansa got the gap down from 0.9 to 0.3s with two to go.
Maximo Quiles (28) and David Almansa (22) crossing the finish line at Aragon. Photo courtesy MotoGP.
Starting the last lap split by 0.108s, Almansa was desperate to take back-to-back wins for the first time in his Moto3 career whereas Quiles was eager to return from injury with a statement win. Despite the #22’s best efforts though, a flawless final lap from Quiles was good enough for the Championship leader to take a seventh win of the year whilst it was a fifth podium of 2026 for Almansa, who closes in on P2 overall. Morelli was a fine third ahead of Carpe whilst 3.1s away from the top four, Uriarte salvaged fifth ahead of Cruces.
Cruces completed the top six with a joint-best finish of the year ahead of Casey O’Gorman (SIC58 Squadra Corse), likewise achieving his season-best result as top Honda. Perrone was eighth after late contact with teammate Rico Salmela resulted in the Finnish star crashing, with Guido Pini (Leopard Racing) and teammate Fernandez rounding out the top ten.
Andrea Iannone won the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup race 2 Sunday morning at MotorLand Aragón, in Alcañiz, in Spain. Riding his Niti Racing Harley-Davidson on Dunlop control tires, the Italian rider won the 8-lap race by 0.623 second.
Eric Granado was the runner-up on his Joe Rascal Racing Harley-Davidson and his teammate Archie McDonald got third.
Riding for Saddlemen Racing Harley-Davidson, American teammates Max Toth, Jake Lewis and Travis Wyman finished 5th, 7th and 8th respectively.
Archie McDonald leads the championship with 174 points, 7 ahead of Eric Granado who has 167 points. Oscar Gutierrez is third with 148 points.
More, from a press release issued by Bagger World Cup:
Andrea Iannone claims the first weekend sweep in FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup history as four riders remain in title contention.
ARAGÓN, Spain (August 30, 2026) – Andrea Iannone (Niti Racing) delivered a perfect weekend at MotorLand Aragón, claiming both race victories in Round 5 of the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup and becoming the first rider in the championship’s history to complete a double win at the same event.
The Italian collected the maximum 50 points available across the weekend, moving to within 27 points of the championship lead and keeping his title hopes alive heading into the final round in Austria. At the top of the standings, Archie McDonald (Joe Rascal Racing) leaves Aragón as the new championship leader with 174 points, seven ahead of teammate Eric Granado (Joe Rascal Racing), while Oscar Gutiérrez (Niti Racing) and Iannone are separated by just one point in third and fourth.
QUALIFYING
The fight for the top spot on the grid was the Oscar Gutiérrez show, as the Spanish rider secured his first pole position of the season with a 1:56.587 lap, setting a new all-time lap record for the category at Aragón.
RACE 1
Iannone claimed his second victory of the season after a thrilling battle with Oscar Gutiérrez, who finished second. The two riders broke away at the front from the early stages and continued to fight until the very last corner, where the Italian’s experience proved decisive as he defended the lead all the way to the checkered flag despite repeated attacks from the Spaniard.
Iannone pushed hard to defend his position on the final lap, setting the fastest lap of the race with a 1:57.583, bettering Gutiérrez’s 1:57.696, also recorded on the final lap.
A smart race from young Australian Archie McDonald secured him the final step of the podium, while championship contender Eric Granado left Saturday empty-handed following a crash.
Young American Max Toth (Saddlemen Race Development) was another highlight of the race. A lightning start put him into a podium position at the first corner, and he remained in the fight with the category’s more experienced riders for more than half the race before eventually bringing home an impressive fifth-place finish.
RACE 2
Iannone completed the first double victory in FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup history, taking control of Race 2 following an unfortunate crash for Oscar Gutiérrez on Lap 2 and adding another 25 points to his Saturday victory to secure the maximum 50-point haul from the Aragón weekend.
Behind him, Joe Rascal Racing teammates Eric Granado and Archie McDonald completed the podium in second and third, respectively. The result proved particularly important in the championship battle, with McDonald leaving Aragón as the new points leader.
Toth continued his impressive weekend with another fifth-place finish, while Filippo Rovelli (ParkinGO Team) replicated his Saturday result by finishing sixth.
Jeffrey Schuessler – Director of Global Racing Programs, Harley-Davidson: “Aragón was just a great weekend for the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup. The racing was incredible. Andrea became the first rider to sweep both races in a weekend, Oscar set a new all-time lap record, and Archie leaves Spain as our new championship leader. Five rounds in and we still have four riders fighting for the title. That’s exactly what we wanted when we started this championship. Equal Harley-Davidson machinery, great teams and riders, and racing where you really don’t know who is going to win when the lights go out. It was also fantastic to see the growing Harley-Davidson community at the races. Aragón welcomed more H-D fans than any previous round this season, and you could really feel their passion and enthusiasm around the circuit and in the paddock. Seeing more and more members of our community joining us at each round is exactly the kind of connection we want this championship to create. Now it all comes down to the Championship Finale at the Red Bull Ring. We’ll have some exciting new riders joining the grid, four riders still fighting for the title, and 50 points on the table across two final races. Austria is going to be a pretty special way to finish our inaugural season.”
Andrea Iannone (29) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Bagger World Cup.
Andrea Iannone – Niti Racing – Race 1 and Race 2 Winner:“If I want to achieve my goal of winning the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup, the only option I have is to try to win every race, so I’m really happy to leave Aragón with both victories and the maximum 50 points. The bike was working really well this weekend. In Race 1, Oscar and I had a great battle, very clean and respectful but still incredibly intense, while in Race 2 I was able to manage the race exactly the way I wanted. I stayed in front without pushing too hard at the beginning, and with four laps to go I started to increase the pace. It proved to be the right strategy. People shouldn’t think this category is easy. Nobody gives you anything for free, and everyone wants to be at the front. Eight laps here can be very demanding because you have to manage everything yourself, without electronic controls or rider aids. But I’m having a lot of fun. I love the bike and the championship, and I feel truly free and very close to the Harley-Davidson family. The championship will be difficult, but it’s not impossible, so we’ll keep fighting until the end. I want to thank Niti Racing, Harley-Davidson and everyone who made this possible. Most importantly, I want to dedicate these two victories to the people of Indonesia who are going through a very difficult time after losing family members, loved ones and their homes. As a team, we want to stand by them during this painful time. These two wins are for all of Indonesia.”
THE CHASE FOR THE TITLE
The championship battle has been reshaped following Aragón, with Archie McDonald taking the lead for the first time this season. The Australian heads to the final round with 174 points, seven ahead of Eric Granado. Gutiérrez remains firmly in contention in third with 148 points, while Iannone’s perfect 50-point weekend has brought him to 147 points, just one behind Gutiérrez and 27 behind McDonald.
Despite missing both races of the opening round at Circuit of The Americas, Iannone therefore remains one of four riders still mathematically capable of winning the inaugural title.
Behind the title contenders, the battle for fifth has also tightened considerably. Filippo Rovelli (ParkinGO Team) moves into fifth with 99 points, just two ahead of Jake Lewis (Saddlemen Race Development) with 97.
1. Archie McDonald (AUS) – 174 points
2. Eric Granado (BRA) – 167 points
3. Oscar Gutiérrez (SPA) – 148 points
4. Andrea Iannone (ITA) – 147 points
5. Filippo Rovelli (ITA) – 99 points
6. Jake Lewis (USA) – 97 points
7. Jordi Torres (SPA) – 77 points
8. Travis Wyman (USA) – 71 points
9. Cory West (USA) – 56 points
10. Dimas Ekky Pratama (INA) – 44 points
11. Max Toth (USA) – 41 points
12. Bradley Smith (GBR) – 36 points
13. Cody Wyman (USA) – 26 points
With 50 points still available, the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup now heads to the Red Bull Ring in Austria from September 18–20, where the inaugural championship will be decided.
Marc Márquez dominated the Aragón Sprint on Saturday, leading all 11 laps to claim his third consecutive Sprint victory at MotorLand Aragón. Álex Márquez followed in second to complete a Ducati one-two, while Marco Bezzecchi secured third for Aprilia Racing. Below, read the teams’ press releases from Saturday’s Sprint race at MotorLand Aragón.
More, from a press release issued by Ducati Lenovo Team:
Marc Márquez claims the Aragón Sprint with the Ducati Lenovo Team. Francesco Bagnaia eleventh.
Marc remains undefeated in the Aragón Sprint at this track since the introduction of the format, with three wins out of three races, all aboard a Ducati. With his twentieth victory in the Saturday race, he becomes the rider with the most Sprint wins and moves up to third in the standings
Alex Márquez is second with the Ducati of Gresini Racing MotoGP
The Ducati Lenovo Team took victory in the Sprint contested at MotorLand Aragón courtesy of Marc Márquez, who was uncatchable aboard the Desmosedici GP at the Spanish track. Francesco Bagnaia was eleventh at the end of the 11-lap encounter.
Márquez, starting from the middle slot of the front row, overtook Bezzecchi at turn one and pulled away immediately, controlling the race lap after lap up to the chequered flag. Bagnaia, eighth on the grid, kept his position at the start but ended up losing a few places in the middle part of the race, ultimately finishing eleventh.
The Ducati Lenovo Team will be back on track tomorrow morning at 9:40 local time (GMT +2) for the warm up, which will be followed by the Grand Prix of Aragón, to be contested over a 23-lap distance from 14:00.
Marc Márquez (93) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Ducati.
Marc Márquez (#93 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1st: “As soon as I saw Marco putting on the soft tyre, I understood that the only viable strategy was to attack at turn one. The medium option needs a bit more time to get up to temperature, and that would have allowed him to pull away in the early laps. We had no other choice but to use the medium tyre, which still works well and is very consistent. My start wasn’t the best as the bike was wheeling a bit, but I still gave it a shot and it worked. Then I more or less kept the same pace as in Practice, while tomorrow’s race will be hotter and the track may get a bit more slippery.”
Francesco Bagnaia (63) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Ducati.
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 11th: “Today things went better compared to yesterday. This morning, we managed to improve some areas on the bike and qualifying wasn’t bad. I was surely expecting a bit more, but for the first time this weekend I was able to actually have some feeling with the bike. We simply need to keep working. The pace in the morning wasn’t bad and surely better than the one I had in the Sprint. We need to understand – ahead of tomorrow’s race – the reason why things changed, because this afternoon I struggled with traction.”
More, from a press release issued by BK8 Gresini Racing Team:
Alex Marquez on the Sprint podium, comeback and points for Fermín Aldeguer.
SPRINT
ALEX MARQUEZ 2º
FERMIN ALDEGUER 6º
WORLD STANDING
ALEX MARQUEZ 9º (115 points)
FERMIN ALDEGUER 1º (80 points)
Alex Marquez on the Sprint race podium at Aragon. Photo courtesy Gresini Team.
Alex Marquez: “I’m happy with this podium. Everyone was expecting a battle between Marc and Marco, and in the end we managed to get ourselves into the fight. It’s perfectly in my style: staying in the shadows before trying to step into the spotlight. We managed to do that today, but tomorrow will be a completely different story. I’m convinced that Bezzecchi has something more over the full race distance, as does Marc. We are still struggling badly in Sector 3, although things improved a little in the race today. We’ll try something in the warm-up and see whether we can be in the fight for victory tomorrow.”
Fermín Aldeguer (54) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Gresini Team.
Fermín Aldeguer: “We got something wrong in qualifying this morning, and starting from 11th position was obviously a problem. In the Sprint, we knew we had good pace on the medium tyre. Perhaps I was a little too cautious at the beginning, but I didn’t want to make any mistakes. We were quick and set a great lap time on the final lap. Tomorrow, we’ll try to make up some positions right from the start and then repeat today’s performance.”
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia Racing:
Podium for Aprilia Racing and Marco Bezzecchi in the MotorLand Aragón sprint race.
Aprilia Racing’s sprint race at MotorLand Aragón ended with both factory riders in the top five.
Marco Bezzecchi was protagonist of the qualifying, taking pole position and setting the new all-time lap record during the session, not once, but twice, stopping the clock at 1’44.962, the only rider on the starting grid to drop below 1’45. The Italian rider than rode a convincing sprint race, finishing third. Thanks to this result, Aprilia Racing takes their first podium in an Aragón sprint race.
After starting from fifth place, Jorge Martín rode a fiercely fought sprint race in the initial stages, finishing fifth at the end of the eleven laps.
Marco Bezzecchi (72) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Aprilia Racing.
Marco Bezzecchi: “’Im happy with the day, both because of the pole position and the podium. In any case, it was a physically difficult sprint race for me. At the first corner I braked slightly early and that is the only thing that I regret overall about the day. As for the sensations I had, I was certain about the soft tyre. I think that was the right choice for me. I don’t know if I would have been able to be as fast straight away with the medium tyre.”
Jorge Martín (89) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Aprilia Racing.
Jorge Martin: “I think we had a good sprint race. Especially at the beginning, I was rather strong and I managed to get close to the leaders, and this is positive because I was far from them all weekend. I’m struggling a lot with the front, so we’re working in each session to solve that and I feel progressively better. The truth is that the sprint race went much better than I had thought it would this morning or Friday, so I’m happy.”
Fabiano Sterlacchini – Technical Director: “It was a rather positive day which confirmed our speed on a track that we knew was not in line with our characteristics. So, taking pole position and the all-time lap record on this track was highly positive, as was qualifying for both Raúl and for Jorge. The entire factory team performed well in the sprint race, although there is clearly still work to be done and we’ll try to find what we were missing as compared with those who were more competitive at the moment, namely the Márquez brothers.”
More, from a press release issued by Honda HRC:
Bruising Sprint for recovering Mir and Marini.
A day of learnings for the Honda HRC Castrol squad, Joan Mir and Luca Marini encountering a number of hurdles throughout the day which limited their potential.
The temperature and pressure of the Grand Prix of Aragon continuing to build, the Honda HRC Castrol team began the day with justified optimism after a busy evening of analysis. 11th and 14th respectively in Free Practice 2, Luca Marini and Joan Mir were content with the work Honda HRC’s engineers and their mechanics had discovered and improved overnight.
Making a significant improvement to his fastest lap time from Friday, Joan Mir was in the mix for the transfer spots in Q1 but a tricky third sector hid the final tenths he needed to crack the top 12. Mir’s day would be further complicated by contact at Turn 3 on the first lap, the #36 getting sent off the circuit and dropping to the very back of the field. Putting his head down, Mir was able to work his way back up to 16th and complete the Sprint to collect important information for Sunday’s full-length Grand Prix.
Despite only being three tenths from the top two in Q1, Luca Marini started the Sprint in 18th on the grid as just over half a second split 10 of the 12 riders in Q1. Looking to gain ground early, the Italian started quickly but suffered a heavy fall between turns five and six on the opening lap. Marini reported some discomfort after the fall and will focus on rest and recovery to be as prepared as possible for the 23-lap Aragon Grand Prix on Sunday.
Joan Mir (36) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Hond HRC.
Joan Mir: “The positive is that we finished the race today, after the contact at Turn 3 with Bastianini I wasn’t sure that would be possible, but I was able to pick the bike up and save it after going wide. After that any good result was not possible so I focused on making the overtakes and I could and collecting data, honestly with clear air in front of me I was able to stay in the mid 1’57s which was quite acceptable. I was able to improve my confidence a lot on the bike compared to Friday and we need to keep building on that – fully focused on Sunday now.”
Luca Marini (10) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Honda HRC.
Luca Marini: “Really unfortunate today overall, not what we were expecting. The morning was positive and I was happy with the feeling from the bike thanks to the work of the team. Q1 was like it always is, very very close and just a tenth can make a big difference – finally we need to do the work on Friday to avoid this. Then in the Sprint, I crashed by myself between turn five and six, it was quite a hard fall, and I have quite some pain at the moment but no major issues. We will rest now and see what’s possible on Sunday.”
More, from a press release issued by VR46 Racing Team:
In the Sprint of the Aragon GP, Fabio Di Giannantonio crashes on the second lap, while Franco Morbidelli is eighteenth.
Bad luck affected the Saturday of the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team at MotorLand Aragon: in the Sprint, Fabio Di Giannantonio crashed – with no physical consequences – in the first stages. Franco Morbidelli crossed the finish line in eighteenth place.
After earning the seventh place in Qualifying (1’45”615), Di Giannantonio had a good start from the third row which allowed him to immediately slot into the large group battling for the podium. Fabio lost a place, but he couldn’t recover and show his good pace as he crashed on the second lap while he was eighth. Now, Di Giannantonio is fifth in the World Standing with 199 points.
Morbidelli started his Saturday with a twelfth place in Qualifying (1’45”919). Franco started from the fourth row and he tried to bouce back immediately. However, a contact in the first stages of the Sprint costed him several places. The Italian-Brazilian rider tried to recover and he crossed the finish line in eighteenth place. Morbidelli is now sixteenth in the World Standing with 53 points.
The Aragon GP will conclude tomorrow with the main race, which will start at 2 p.m. (local time).
Fabio Di Giannantonio (49) at Aragon. Photo courtesy VR46 Team.
Fabio Di Giannantonio: “Today I had a good Sprint start, but I didn’t have a great feeling, unfortunately. When I arrived at the braking point, I was too much outside of the ideal line, I lost the front and I crashed. Luckily, I’m ok, but it was a pity. For sure, we will work to change some things on the bike, but we saw that Ducati is very strong here, this is positive. For tomorrow, the goal is to be as close as possible to the riders in front and try to be in Top5.”
Franco Morbidelli on the MotoGP Sprint race grid at Aragon. Photo courtesy VR46 Team.
Franco Morbidelli: “It was a complicated Sprint. In the opening lap, I had a contact with another rider at Turn 5 and I lost several positions. From that moment, I struggled to recover, I couldn’t ride as I wanted. However, during the race I was able to do a great lap, and this is good. It’s a pity for this rewardless race, but we look at the positives of the day: in Qualifying I has a good lap, apart from the yellow flag which prevented me to be further on the grid. For tomorrow’s race, the goal is to have a good start and fight for interesting positions.”
More, from a press release issued by Castrol Honda LCR:
Castrol Honda LCR rider Johann Zarco has crossed the line 9th in Saturday’s Sprint in Aragon.
After a strong qualifying session, French rider Johann Zarco faced his first Sprint after three months of recovery, starting from the 9th spot on the grid.
The rider made a solid start and began fighting against his rivals for points-paying positions.
Without making any mistakes and demonstrating his determination to be back on track, Zarco crossed the chequered flag in 9th position, entering the points zone on his first weekend back.
Johann Zarco (5) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Honda LCR.
Johann Zarco 9th:“I’m happy! Ninth in qualifying and ninth in the Sprint. Getting a point in the Sprint shows that coming back here was a good idea! I felt good and had the pace, so I tried to do as well as possible. It was a great Sprint. I made a good start, but I was careful under braking for the first corner because of the characteristics of this track. After a few turns, I felt good enough to attack and enjoy it. Then I lost some time trying to catch my rivals while managing the rear tyre, which was demanding over the last few laps. It’s been a positive day, we’ve done a good job, we’ve got good motivation, and I’m really happy.”
More, from a press release issued by Pro Honda LCR:
Pro Honda LCR rider Diogo Moreira has finished 7th in Saturday’s Sprint in Aragon.
After securing a Q2 spot in qualifying, Moreira made a solid start from 10th position and began fighting against his rivals.
The rider placed himself in the fight for the top 5, avoiding mistakes and maintaining his concentration.
In the end, giving his maximum until the last inch of the Sprint while struggling with the rear tyre, he crossed the finish line in 7th, grabbing important points and equaling his best Sprint result so far.
Diogo Moreira (11) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Honda LCR.
Diogo Moreira 7th: “Today it was a good one! I enjoyed the Sprint a lot. I like this track, and it’s easy for me to have fun here. I was strong in the braking areas, I was able to always brake hard. I struggled with the rear tyre wear during the last three laps, but I managed to survive and take some points!”
More, from a press release issued by KTM Tech3:
Enea Bastianini slipped back to 14th after contesting eleventh place for much of today’s Sprint at Motorland Aragón, while Pol Espargaró survived a chaotic opening five laps to finish 17th.
Qualifying
The sunny skies of Friday remained for Saturday at the Aragón Grand Prix. After working with his crew to improve his feeling in the 5.08km track’s numerous heavy braking zones, Bastianini placed P6 in Q1 and 16th overall.
Espargaró continued to build his confidence on KTM’s 1000cc RC16 and Michelin tyres on Saturday morning. Finishing 20th in FP2, the 35-year-old was tenth in Q1, putting him 20th on the grid.
Sprint
As temperatures soared to 29 degrees when the eleven-lap Sprint kicked off, rear tyre choice was open for the 22-rider field. Thinking of the later laps, Bastianini went for Michelin’s medium option, while Espargaró felt more comfortable on the soft.
Bastianini had an all-action opening to the race. Contact with another rider affected his first lap, and he just avoided a crash when Luca Marini fell behind him, but ‘La Bestia’ managed to gain three places on lap two to sit twelfth. A pair of personal best times on laps four and five brought him onto the back of Pecco Bagnaia’s Ducati in eleventh.
While his mid-race pace is reason for optimism, unfortunately the Italian started to suffer from front tyre wear in the closing laps. He lost two places on the penultimate lap as a result, leaving him 14th.
Espargaró also endured a tough opening. The Spaniard struggled at the start before he had to avoid Marini’s crash and Fabio Quartararo’s bike when it suffered a mechanical failure on the back straight on lap five. This lost him ground to the group ahead, but the former Moto2 World Champion gained valuable experience in the remaining laps to finish 17th.
The Tech3 team-mates are now preparing for race day in Aragón, which sees Warm Up start the day off at 9:40 (UTC+2) before Sunday’s 23-lap race, which kicks off at 14:00 (UTC+2).
Enea Bastianini (23) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Tech3.
Enea Bastianini: “The start was not so bad, but when I tried to overtake Franco (Morbidelli), he came toward me and we had some contact. The guys told me Luca (Marini) crashed just behind me, so the first lap was quite strange. When you start further back, the chances of being in a bit of a mess are higher. In the middle of the race, I was quite fast, but then my front tyre dropped and I lost some positions to the others. The medium front tyre is probably a bit too soft for us at this track and we saw that in today’s race. Tomorrow’s a longer race, and I’m sure with a good start like today we can get back toward the top ten.”
Pol Espargaró (44) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Tech3.
Pol Espargaró: “A lot of things happened today! It was a typical Sprint race. I had a super bad start and then (Luca) Marini crashed in front of me. I lost a couple of positions and then lost the tow to the group ahead. Fabio (Quartararo) blew his engine just in front of me on the back straight and everything disappeared! I didn’t know if I was in a corner or on the straight. I had to shut the throttle completely so that was quite scary. In three laps I lost three seconds and was completely alone. Without the problems I’d have maybe finished around four seconds back of my team-mates, which is not bad, but I’m not pleased with this. I’d like to follow them all the race and I hope to be closer tomorrow.”
Nicolas Goyon, Team Manager: “We managed to improve the bike from yesterday, but we still ran into the same problem – it seems both riders struggled to turn. Enea was fighting with Pecco Bagnaia for eleventh position, which would’ve been a decent result, but he overheated his tyre in the fight and had to drop back at the end of the Sprint. This gives us some hope for tomorrow and we hope we can be close to the top ten. On the other side of the garage Pol made a clear step from Silverstone and he’s now a lot closer to the other KTM riders. We know it’s not easy to jump on the bike after some time off it but he did a good job. I’m sure with the medium rear tyre, he’ll be fighting for some points in the race tomorrow. Let’s keep our heads down and I’m sure some more results will come.”
More, from a press release issued by Prima Pramac Yamaha:
Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP Turns Friday Pace into Progress at Aragón Sprint.
Jack Miller converted his strong Friday pace into a 10th-place finish in the Aragón Sprint, securing his first Top 10 of the season, while Toprak Razgatlıoğlu fought his way to 13th after a determined battle with Brad Binder.
Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP turned the fortunes around in Saturday‘s Aragón Sprint, with both riders showing a stronger race performance after a difficult opening day. Jack Miller confirmed the speed demonstrated throughout Friday by finishing 10th, while Toprak Razgatlıoğlu produced a determined comeback to cross the line 13th after fighting for position throughout the race.
Starting from 19th after a late-session crash compromised his Friday afternoon, Miller made steady progress through the field and once again demonstrated the pace that had been evident in both practice sessions. The Australian managed the race effectively and fought his way into the Top 10, securing his first Top 10 finish of the season. It was a valuable confirmation of the performance level shown by the YZR-M1 throughout the weekend and of the development work carried out by the team and Yamaha over recent months.
Razgatlıoğlu delivered a much stronger performance than his Friday result suggested. Starting from 21st, the Turkish rider showed determination and aggression throughout the Sprint, engaging in a close and repeated battle with Brad Binder. The pair exchanged positions several times before Toprak made the decisive move towards the end of the race to finish 13th, gaining valuable experience of managing the demanding Aragón circuit and the YZR-M1 over race distance.
The Sprint therefore provided another useful indication of the progress being made with the project, with Miller’s Top 10 representing a tangible result after a difficult Friday and Toprak showing a clear step forward in race conditions. Both riders will now have another opportunity to build on today’s performance in Sunday’s Grand Prix, as the team continues to analyse the data and work towards further improvements over the full race distance.
Jack Miller (43) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Pramac Yamaha.
Jack Miller:“It was a decent Sprint. Obviously, we’re still lacking a bit of top speed, but the bike worked well and we were competitive on the medium tyre. I just tried to nurse it as much as I could, and the pace was good all the way through. We were pretty close to getting a point, so it’s a case of so close, but so far.
I was happy with how the bike worked, especially through the last corner. I’m able to brake quite late there and carry good speed, which helps us make some of that time back. We also tried the new swingarm this weekend and it seems to give us a little bit more traction, as well as some improvements in terms of stability and set-up, so that’s another useful piece of information for us.
The Grand Prix tomorrow will be a different story. It’s always a tough race here with the tyres, and I was already seeing quite a bit of degradation on the front left in the Sprint. We’ll need to be a bit more gentle with it over 23 laps and manage it as well as we can. We’ll look at the set-up again tonight and see what we can improve for tomorrow.”
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu (07) and Alex Rins (42) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Pramac Yamaha.
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu: “It wasn’t such a bad race. The biggest problem for all the Yamahas is the back straight. We lose a lot of time there, which makes overtaking very difficult. In the corners I can be strong, especially in Turn 7, but then I lose the gap again on the straight. I had to work quite hard to make the passes and that also used the rear tyre. Still, I think I did a good job and we showed that the pace is there.
I made one mistake in the last corner when I was trying to stay with Bastianini. He braked differently compared to the previous lap and I wasn’t expecting it, so I had to pick up the bike to avoid him and went wide, losing two positions. After that I was able to close the gap again, but without that mistake I think I could have stayed closer to Jack. We are very strong on the brakes, but that’s also where we have our limit because the front tyre starts to lock. We need to find a little more in the last corner and especially on the acceleration.
I learned something important this weekend because we tried a different set-up, with the front lower and further in, which is not something I’m normally used to. But I understood that I needed a bike that turns better, and today I felt more comfortable with it. That’s positive. I think a Top 10 is the target for tomorrow. It won’t be easy over the longer race distance because tyre management will be important, but I don’t think we’re too far away.
This year has been difficult, but I’m trying to always look at the positive side and learn as much as I can. I’m still learning about the tyres and about corner speed, which is not naturally my style, but I think these experiences can help me in the future. The most important thing is that I have my team behind me. They keep me strong and push me to learn, and that makes a big difference.”
Gino Borsoi – Team Director:“I would say it was a pretty positive day for the team, especially considering the big step forward Toprak made. From yesterday, he managed to improve significantly and felt much more comfortable on the bike. I saw a much happier rider today, and it looks like we have found our way back towards the direction we had started to follow a few races ago. That’s an important step forward for him, and I hope he can continue with this pace tomorrow.
As for Jack, his work has been impeccable. The Sprint was more than 9 seconds faster than last year’s race, which is a significant improvement. Apart from yesterday’s small mistake and the crash, his weekend so far has been excellent.
Tomorrow won’t be easy, but I think the team and both riders have done a very good job up to this point”
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Bodie Paige and Matthew Chapin both crashed out of the MotoAmerica Twins Cup Race Two at VIRginia International Raceway on a wet curb a couple of laps apart. Both were uninjured. The Chapin video was shot by Owen Granoff of OG.Media. We don’t know who shot the the Paige video, but if we find out we will add their credit. Both videos are courtesy MotoAmerica. See the footage below:
Bradley Ray maintained his edge in the British Superbike Championship Free Practice times at Cadwell Park. The McAMS Yamaha rider held a 0.440s advantage over title rival Kyle Ryde on combined times ahead of tomorrow’s Omologato Superpole and opening race at Cadwell Park.
The second session started in dry conditions and instantly Ryde, Ryan Vickers and Joe Talbot improved their times from the opening Free Practice session this morning to lock out the top four places, before a light shower left a damp track.
Several riders returned to the circuit, but the times would not be improved due to conditions, so riders missing out on a top 12 position and a guaranteed place in tomorrow’s Omologato Superpole included 2026 podium finishers Max Cook and Scott Redding. They will need to fight for a top three position in tomorrow’s ROKiT Oxygen Performance
Qualifying to ensure they are in the battle for the Omologato Pole Positon.
Storm Stacey completed the top five for Bathams AJN Racing Ducati after topping last night’s Official Test with Christian Iddon completing the top six riders. Leon Haslam held off Glenn Irwin for seventh place, with the second of the Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing Ducatis surging into the top ten after running 19th in Free Practice one.
Jason O’Halloran and Rory Skinner completed the top ten riders despite a crash at Park earlier in the session for the Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha rider. Josh Brookes and Ilya Mikhalchik completed the top 12 riders ahead of tomorrow’s action in Lincolnshire.
British Superbike Championship, Cadwell Park, combined Free Practice times:
Ilya Mikhalchik (ROKiT BMW Motorrad British Superbike Race team) +1.815s
For more information visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Bradley Ray – McAMS Yamaha:
“I am very happy with how it has gone so far. We didn’t get as many laps in the test yesterday evening, but today the first session was good and pretty much dry. I didn’t know how hard to push at the start, but I knew it might have been our only dry session so sometimes you just have to pull your socks up and get on with it!
“The boys made a change to the bike for the second session and we got some laps in before the rain came and I felt straight away better than I did this morning, so it has been a positive day and I think we can work on that tomorrow.
“We have got a fair bit of time there so the time came pretty good; I feel like there is a bit more in there and overall it has been a positive day.”
Andrea Iannone won the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup race 1 Saturday afternoon at MotorLand Aragón, in Alcañiz, in Spain. Riding his Niti Racing Harley-Davidson on Dunlop control tires, the Italian rider won the 8-lap race by 0.246 second.
His teammate, Oscar Gutierrez was the runner-up and Archie McDonald got third on his Joe Rascal Racing Harley-Davidson.
Riding for Saddlemen Racing Harley-Davidson, American teammates Max Toth and Travis Wyman finished 5th, 7th respectively, while Jake Lewis did not finish the race.
Marc Márquez won the MotoGP Tissot Sprint race Saturday afternoon at MotorLand Aragón, in Alcañiz, in Spain. Riding his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP26 on Michelin control tires, the seven-time MotoGP World Champion won the 11-lap race by 1.140 seconds.
Alex Marquez was the runner-up on his BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP26.
Marco Bezzecchi finished third on his Aprilia Racing RS-GP26.
Pedro Acosta crossed the finish line fourth on his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RC16.
Bezzecchi’s teammate, Jorge Martin got fifth.
Jorge Martin leads the championship with 245 points, 29 ahead of Marco Bezzecchi who has 216 points. Marc Márquez is third with 212 points.
Marc Marquez retaliates to hold off Alex Marquez for Aragon gold. The #93 attacked early to make his mark, with the #73 taking P2 and Bezzecchi holding on for third as points leader Martin gets his elbows out.
Another twist in the title fight seemed likely at MotorLand Aragon and Saturday delivered another stunning shake up as Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) took his third Tissot Sprint win at the venue. He was followed home by Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), with polesitter Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) completing the Saturday rostrum after losing the lead early doors. That makes it 29 points between him and teammate Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) at the top of the table.
It was a good start for Bezzecchi from pole but the metres of advantage were eaten away in the braking zone at Turn 1 as Marc Marquez slammed it up the inside and took over in the lead, with Alex Marquez then able to take advantage round the outside and grab P2. The trio remained locked together as behind the battle for fourth lit up, with Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) vs Raul Fernandez (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) vs Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) seeing the standings shuffle.
Acosta emerged at the lead of the group and then pulled way from it, leaving the #89 some moves to do to get back on the tail of the KTM with Fernandez, Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team). Martin dug in, and by Lap 3 was back past Acosta.
At the front, Marc Marquez had the hammer down but the gap was hovering just under a second back to Alex Marquez, with Bezzecchi half a second off the rear wheel of the #73 – with no one seemingly able to find anything more to make an attack.
Just behind, Martin had had a moment on Lap 5 round the final corner and ceded the position to Acosta again, left stalking him in the fight for fourth. Moreira was holding P6 and Fernandez had dropped to P7, but a battle between Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) was giving the Trackhouse rider some respite. Once Aldeguer was past Zarco and locked in however, it became a three-way fight for sixth as Moreira, Aldeguer and Fernandez all converged in the final two laps.
Acosta was also converging on the podium fight late on, appearing ominously behind Bezzecchi as the #37 left Martin behind. But over 11 laps it wasn’t to be as Marc Marquez crossed the line for an ominous third Sprint win at the track, taking the 12-haul, with Alex Marquez second within around a second and Bezzecchi just holding on for third ahead of that late race push from Acosta.
The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider takes fourth ahead of Martin, with Aldeguer able to attack Moreira on the very final lap and relegate the Brazilian to P7. Fernandez finished eighth, with the returning Zarco straight back into the points as he finished the Sprint in P9 – just holding off Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP).
Diggia crashed out mid-Sprint, rider ok, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) had a tough one taking P11. They’ll be reloading for more on Sunday as MotoGP heads back out for the Grand Prix race, so join us for more from MotorLand.
Alonso Lopez was the man to beat during Moto2 World Championship qualifying Saturday at MotorLand Aragón, in Alcañiz, in Spain. The Spaniard topped qualifying session with a new lap record time. Riding his Pirelli-shod ITALJET Gresini Kalex, Lopez navigated the 3.15-mile (5.08 km) course in 1:49.405, breaking Manuel Gonzalez’s 2026 All-Time Lap Record of 1:49.597, set this morning during FP2.
Izan Guevara was second-best with a 1:49.584 on his BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Boscoscuro.
Daniel Holgado claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:49.634 on his CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team Kalex.
Row-two qualifiers included LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP’s Manuel Gonzalez (1:49.658), Holgado’s teammate, David Alonso (1:49.689) and Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Collin Veijer (1:49.744).
American Joe Roberts finished the qualifying session 12th on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex with a time of 1:50.086.
Lopez to launch from long-awaited pole in Aragon. The Spanish rider ends his 1162-day pole drought in dramatic Q2.
Moto2 returns to action in Aragon as they lock in their Grand Prix grid positions in a thrilling Q2. Alonso Lopez (Italjet Gresini Moto2) ended a 1162-day wait for pole position with a late 1:49.405. The Spaniard went fastest on his penultimate lap, holding off Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) by 0.179s after the latter was caught by yellow flags following a huge crash for Ayumu Sasaki (Momoven Idrofoglia RW Racing Team), who escaped unhurt.
Alonso Lopez in parc fermé after claiming pole position at Aragon. Photo courtesy Gresini Team.
Dani Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) delivered late to grab P3, knocking David Alonso – who graduated from Q1 – off the front row, while Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) recovered to fourth on his final lap.
In the end, David Alonso had to settle for fifth after Holgado’s late charge, with Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) sixth and Barry Baltus (REDS Fantic Racing) leading row 3. Angel Piqueras (QJMOTOR – Reverte – MSI) took eighth ahead of Alex Escrig (KLINT Racing Team) and Filip Salac (OnlyFans American Racing Team), while Senna Agius (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP), Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) and Dani Muñoz (Italtrans Racing Team) completed the next group on the grid. Ivan Ortola’s (QJMOTOR – Reverte – MSI) cancelled lap left him down in 15th after he missed the chance to start one final flying lap before the chequered flag.
The wall awaits Moto2 at Motorland Aragon! Tune in at 12:15pm local time.
Marc Márquez won the MotoGP World Championship race Sunday afternoon at MotorLand Aragón, in Alcañiz, in Spain. Riding his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP26 on Michelin control tires, the seven-time MotoGP World Champion won the 23-lap race by 1.754 seconds.
Pedro Acosta was the runner-up on his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RC16.
Polesitter Marco Bezzecchi placed third on his Aprilia Racing RS-GP26.
Alex Marquez crossed the finish line fourth on his BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP26.
Bezzecchi’s teammate and championship point leader, Jorge Martin took fifth.
Jorge Martin leads the championship with 256 points, 19 ahead of Marc Márquez who has 237 points. Marco Bezzecchi is third with 232 points.
Marc Marquez fends off Acosta and Bezzecchi to underline title charge at Aragon. The elbows come out at the front as the #93 takes the spoils and the title fight twists once more at MotorLand.
Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) completes a weekend of stunning retaliation at MotorLand Aragon, taking the 25-point haul on Sunday after outpacing Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) as the #37 emerged as his closest challenger at the front. Acosta made good on his promise to attack for the podium on Sunday with a stunning ride to second, with Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) completing the rostrum for double podium finishes at MotorLand.
After a near-disastrous British GP, 37 points of Aragon revenge for Marc Marquez boost him up to second in the standings, now 19 behind Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing), as Bezzecchi also closes the gap on his teammate despite now sitting third overall.
LIGHTS OUT TAKE TWO
At lights out it seemed a replay of the Tissot Sprint as Marc Marquez once again attacked at Turn 1, but the #93 admitted in parc ferme he’d left the rear ride height device engaged and then found himself dropping back as Bezzechi sliced back through to lead around Turn 3. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) had to sit up slightly in that shuffle and Martin then attacked Marc Marquez too, shouldering the Ducati out the way, making it an Aprilia 1-2 ahead of Marc Marquez and Acosta after the first few corners.
At the end of Lap 1 however, the elbows were out from the #93 as he sliced past Martin, with the #89 then also losing out to Acosta as he was forced off line in the move. Bezzecchi’s lead was up to around six tenths, but now it was Marc Marquez and Acosta on the chase as Martin found himself picked off by Alex Marquez too. By Lap 5, Marc Marquez was homing in on Bezzecchi – but Acosta remained close company for the #93.
ATTACK MODE ENGAGED: all change at the front
On Lap 6 at Turn 15, Marc Marquez attacked and made it through, setting in motion a stunning set of fireworks in the battle at the front. Bezzecchi remained side by side with the #93 down the back straight, millimeters apart at over 300km/h, but into the final corner complex the #72 was forced to cede. The #93 was free in the lead but out of nowhere, Acosta then swept round the outside of the Aprilia too.
The break wasn’t complete yet. The #37 was absolutely glued to the rear of the #93, and he stayed so as the laps ticked off. Lap 9 saw the wick turned up as Marc Marquez put in a fastest lap, but the KTM remained in touch. Lap 10 saw both set the exact same laptime – and Bezzecchi was even faster in third. At half distance, the race remained on a tightrope. Marc Marquez led Acosta who led Bezzecchi, with no gap over a second. Alex Marquez was holding fourth but had faded off the lead trio, with Martin also holding fifth in some clear air.
THE WICK TURNS UP: the lap records come in and title fight twists
As the laps ticked on, however, the lap records started coming in from the lead – and this time Acosta and Bezzecchi struggled to find an answer. The pin was pulled and Marc Marquez eked out the gap, those 25 points shaking up the standings once again. Pushing on to cross the line in a little breathing space to complete the stunning double, the #93 moves up to second overall – now just 19 points off Martin’s lead.
Acosta roasted himself on Saturday night after missing his grid slot and explaining he’d had a messy day, but the #37 was near perfect on Sunday to put up the best resistance possible and take a stunning second. Bezzecchi completes a commendable weekend of two podiums, both ahead of his points-leading teammate, with third place from pole.
Alex Marquez wasn’t able to make any inroads up from P4 and remained there for some solid points on Sunday, with Martin finding P5 to be his limit at MotorLand this weekend – taking the same on Sunday to see that lead drop to 19 points.
BATTLE IN THE PACK: duels to the finish
Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) took sixth on his return to action, ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) as the fluo yellow #49 took some solid points after crashing out of the Sprint. Behind, there was a huge battle. Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) was holding eight for much of the race ahead of a train of riders, but a late push from Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) saw the former Aragon winner catch the Honda-riding rookie with five to go as two duels lit up MotorLand on the final two laps.
Moreira vs Bastianini saw the Italian make an attack stick on the final lap to nab P8, just ahead of Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) vs Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) to complete the top ten. The South African just pipped the Australian, relegating Miller to 11th.
Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) and Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) were close company next up, ahead of Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) and Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) completing the points. Raul Fernandez (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) had been homing in on Martin for fifth in the first few laps but was forced to retire at about third distance, disappointment for the Silverstone winner, and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) crashed out early on, rider ok.
That’s a wrap on Aragon and another twist in the title fight. As Marc Marquez takes the full 37 points he moves up to second and Martin’s double P5s see his lead cut to 19. Bezzecchi’s two podiums cut his deficit to the top, however, as it closes up once more. And now? Italian turf. Aprilia turf? Clockwise Misano awaits – and all but one of Marc Marquez’s Grand Prix podiums so far this season are at anti-clockwise circuits, although they have all been wins. Will the pendulum swing again? Join us in two weeks to find out!
Moto2 race start at Aragon. Photo courtesy MotoGP.
Alonso Lopez won the FIM Moto2 World Championship race Sunday afternoon at MotorLand Aragón, in Alcañiz, in Spain. Riding his ITALJET Gresini Kalex on Pirelli control tires, the Spaniard won the 19-lap race by 0.800 second.
Izan Guevara was the runner-up on his BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Boscoscuro.
David Alonso was a close third on his CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team Kalex.
Senna Agius finished fourth on his LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex.
Ivan Ortola took fifth on his QJMOTOR – Reverte – MSI Kalex.
American Joe Roberts finished Sunday’s race 12th on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
Manuel Gonzalez leads the championship with 207.5 points, 32.5 ahead of Izan Guevara who has 175 points. Senna Agius is third with 149 points.
Lopez returns to winning ways as podium battle goes to the wire. The polesitter earns a first win since 2024 as Guevara and Alonso go head-to-head on the final lap in an Aragon fight that sees Gonzalez finish outside the top five.
A first win since the 2024 Qatar GP was signed, sealed and delivered by Alonso Lopez (ITALJET Gresini Moto2), who completed a perfect weekend at MotorLand Aragon to return to winning ways in Moto2. A perfect 19-lap race was unravelled by the Spaniard to see the polesitter beat second place Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) by 0.8s, with the rider second in the championship holding off David Alonso (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) in a last-lap thriller to notch up an important 20 points.
From left to right, Izan Guevara, Alonso Lopez and David Alonso on the podium at Aragon. Photo courtesy MotoGP.
From a first pole position in three years, Lopez gobbled up the holeshot with relative ease, while it was as you were in the top four with Guevara, Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team), and Gonzalez holding onto their places. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) leapt ahead of Alonso for P5, as Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) and Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – Reverte – MSI) made the aggressive starts they craved from lower down the grid. The Australian and Spaniard were up to P7 and P8.
The race then settled down, with the top nine down to Angel Piqueras (QJMOTOR – Reverte – MSI) split by just over two and a half seconds on Lap 5 of 19. And at the end of that lap, leader Lopez set the fastest lap to nudge his lead over Guevara past the half-second mark.
As we clocked onto Lap 10, the race began to bubble up and really get going. Veijer, having failed a lap earlier, made a lovely Lap 9, Turn 16 move stick on Holgado to climb into P3, as Alonso then pounced at Turn 1 on the championship leader. This forced Gonzalez off the ideal line into Turn 2, and seizing the opportunity was the #18’s teammate Agius.
A lap later, Alonso hit copy and paste to slip past teammate Holgado for P4 at Turn 1. Agius was the next to demote Holgado a place, the Australian making a slick move stick into Turn 13 on Lap 13 for P5, and it wasn’t long before Gonzalez passed Holgado too, but now, the top four were over a second up the road from the Agius, Gonzalez, Holgado, and Ortola group.
That top four included Lopez, Guevara, Veijer, and Alonso, and having just lost P3 to Alonso at Turn 1, Veijer endured a fast crash at Turn 4 to end his podium hopes. And further behind, Gonzalez lost a couple of places having been close to making contact with teammate Agius at Turn 1. The title-chase frontrunner was P7 with five laps to go.
In the closing stages, the question was simply: could Guevara or Alonso reel in Lopez? Those rear tyre life worries weren’t making an appearance from the polesitter, and with two laps to go, the #21 was 0.7s clear of Guevara, who in turn had Alonso breathing down his neck.
Last lap time! Lopez led by 0.6s, with Alonso by far the fastest of the lead trio. But barring a mistake, Lopez had this in the bag. Guevara had a proper job on his hands to keep Alonso behind him though, and the duo went into battle at Turn 8. Music to the ears of Lopez. Guevara and Alonso were elbows out, with the former holding off the Colombian for now.
A slight mistake into Turn 14 then cost Guevara an ideal run through Turn 15 and down the 0.9km back straight, and it gave Alonso another sniff. Chucking his Kalex-Triumph up the inside of Guevara’s Boscoscuro-Triumph, Alonso ran in ever so slightly too hot, which allowed Guevara to sweep back through on the inside and clinch a crucial 20 points. And it’s a big return to form for Alonso after his disastrous Silverstone weekend – that was needed.
Alonso Lopez (21) leading Izan Guevara (28), Daniel Holgado (96) and Collin Veijer (95) during the Moto2 race at Aragon. Photo courtesy MotoGP.
Up the road though, Lopez completed the perfect weekend. A lights-to-flag finish. Zero errors. And a first win since 2024. And having fractured his hand a few weeks ago, that will taste sweet for the Spaniard.
Classy rides from Agius and Ortola saw them complete the top five to gain some important points on sixth place Gonzalez, who now sees his title race lead drop to 32.5 points ahead of the Misano-Red Bull Ring double header.
Holgado had to settle for P7, while Deniz Öncü (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) backed up his Silverstone P8 with another in Aragon to equal his season-best result from P18 on the grid. An under-the-radar performance from the Turk.
British GP podium finisher Alex Escrig (KLINT Racing Team) recovered from a little nudge off circuit in the opening exchanges to earn P9, with Adrian Huertas (Italtrans Racing Team) rounding out the Aragon top 10.
So, the championship continues to tighten as we now look forward to enjoying more cracking Moto2 action when we land at Misano in less than two weeks.
Moto3 race start at Aragon. Photo courtesy MotoGP.
Maximo Quiles won the FIM Moto3 World Championship race Sunday morning at MotorLand Aragón, in Alcañiz, in Spain. Using his Pirelli-shod CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team KTM, the Spaniard won the 17-lap race by just 0.264 second.
Polesitter David Almansa was the runner-up on his LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP KTM.
Quiles’ teammate, Marco Morelli was third, 0.715 second behind race winner.
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Alvaro Carpe crossed the finish line fourth, and his teammate Brian Uriarte got fifth.
Maximo Quiles leads the championship with 256 points, 97 ahead of Alvaro Carpe who has 159 points. David Almansa is third with 154 points.
Quiles bounces back from injury with mighty Aragon victory. Silencing his rivals and fighting back on his return from a broken collarbone, the Championship leader fended off Almansa for honours in Alcañiz.
Broken collarbone three weeks ago, shattering the opposition’s hopes three weeks on; not even broken bones can stop Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team) as the Championship leader took win number seven of 2026. He had to resist a late charge from polesitter David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) who was hoping to make it a clean sweep of P1s for the weekend but was forced to accept second whereas Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team) rounded out the rostrum.
From left to right, David Almansa, Maximo Quiles and Marco Morelli on the podium at Aragon. Photo courtesy MotoGP.
Blasting off from pole and into the lead, Almansa got the perfect launch as the front three on the grid stayed the same. Later during the opening lap, Quiles cleared teammate Morelli and by the end of Lap 1, there was a leading group of six as Almansa, Quiles and Morelli led the way ahead of Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo), his teammate Alvaro Carpe and rookie Adrian Cruces (CIP GreenPower). Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) led the charge behind in the second group.
As the battle continued, the front group splintered and Almansa, Quiles and Carpe were duking it out whilst Morelli was keen to get back on terms having dropped back from P4. On Lap 4, Uriarte came in to serve a Long Lap Penalty stemming from Practice, filtering back into P8 before reaching P5. Crashing out from the top ten at Turn 16 a lap later, Jesus Rios’ (Rivacold Snipers Team) Grand Prix was over after a big highside; he was all OK.
After stalking Almansa at the front, Quiles pounced at Turn 1 to take the lead for the first time on Lap 11. The onus was now on the #22 to respond against the Championship leader and to not lose more places to Carpe and Morelli behind. The pace instantly dropped from the 1’57.4s to the 1.57.2s and at the start of Lap 2, Carpe tried to pinch P2 from Almansa at Turn 1. The British GP winner wasn’t having any of it though and got him back at Turn 2, the battling allowing Quiles to stretch his advantage out to 0.6s and get down to the 1’56s.
It wasn’t done though; a mighty Lap 13 from Almansa saw him reel in Quiles and then profit from a mistake at Turn 14 by the #28, hitting the front and then all four were back as a group again. At the start of Lap 14, Quiles and teammate Morelli pounced at Turn 1, pushing Almansa wide and back to fourth whilst Carpe soon found himself second. It was a scruffy lap from the #83 though as he went wide at Turn 7 to give Almansa P2 back whilst Quiles attempted to escape for a second time, this time with a gap of nearly a second. Once again though, Almansa got the gap down from 0.9 to 0.3s with two to go.
Maximo Quiles (28) and David Almansa (22) crossing the finish line at Aragon. Photo courtesy MotoGP.
Starting the last lap split by 0.108s, Almansa was desperate to take back-to-back wins for the first time in his Moto3 career whereas Quiles was eager to return from injury with a statement win. Despite the #22’s best efforts though, a flawless final lap from Quiles was good enough for the Championship leader to take a seventh win of the year whilst it was a fifth podium of 2026 for Almansa, who closes in on P2 overall. Morelli was a fine third ahead of Carpe whilst 3.1s away from the top four, Uriarte salvaged fifth ahead of Cruces.
Cruces completed the top six with a joint-best finish of the year ahead of Casey O’Gorman (SIC58 Squadra Corse), likewise achieving his season-best result as top Honda. Perrone was eighth after late contact with teammate Rico Salmela resulted in the Finnish star crashing, with Guido Pini (Leopard Racing) and teammate Fernandez rounding out the top ten.
Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup Race 2 start at Aragon. Photo courtesy Bagger World Cup.
Andrea Iannone won the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup race 2 Sunday morning at MotorLand Aragón, in Alcañiz, in Spain. Riding his Niti Racing Harley-Davidson on Dunlop control tires, the Italian rider won the 8-lap race by 0.623 second.
Eric Granado was the runner-up on his Joe Rascal Racing Harley-Davidson and his teammate Archie McDonald got third.
Riding for Saddlemen Racing Harley-Davidson, American teammates Max Toth, Jake Lewis and Travis Wyman finished 5th, 7th and 8th respectively.
Archie McDonald leads the championship with 174 points, 7 ahead of Eric Granado who has 167 points. Oscar Gutierrez is third with 148 points.
More, from a press release issued by Bagger World Cup:
Andrea Iannone claims the first weekend sweep in FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup history as four riders remain in title contention.
ARAGÓN, Spain (August 30, 2026) – Andrea Iannone (Niti Racing) delivered a perfect weekend at MotorLand Aragón, claiming both race victories in Round 5 of the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup and becoming the first rider in the championship’s history to complete a double win at the same event.
The Italian collected the maximum 50 points available across the weekend, moving to within 27 points of the championship lead and keeping his title hopes alive heading into the final round in Austria. At the top of the standings, Archie McDonald (Joe Rascal Racing) leaves Aragón as the new championship leader with 174 points, seven ahead of teammate Eric Granado (Joe Rascal Racing), while Oscar Gutiérrez (Niti Racing) and Iannone are separated by just one point in third and fourth.
QUALIFYING
The fight for the top spot on the grid was the Oscar Gutiérrez show, as the Spanish rider secured his first pole position of the season with a 1:56.587 lap, setting a new all-time lap record for the category at Aragón.
RACE 1
Iannone claimed his second victory of the season after a thrilling battle with Oscar Gutiérrez, who finished second. The two riders broke away at the front from the early stages and continued to fight until the very last corner, where the Italian’s experience proved decisive as he defended the lead all the way to the checkered flag despite repeated attacks from the Spaniard.
Iannone pushed hard to defend his position on the final lap, setting the fastest lap of the race with a 1:57.583, bettering Gutiérrez’s 1:57.696, also recorded on the final lap.
A smart race from young Australian Archie McDonald secured him the final step of the podium, while championship contender Eric Granado left Saturday empty-handed following a crash.
Young American Max Toth (Saddlemen Race Development) was another highlight of the race. A lightning start put him into a podium position at the first corner, and he remained in the fight with the category’s more experienced riders for more than half the race before eventually bringing home an impressive fifth-place finish.
RACE 2
Iannone completed the first double victory in FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup history, taking control of Race 2 following an unfortunate crash for Oscar Gutiérrez on Lap 2 and adding another 25 points to his Saturday victory to secure the maximum 50-point haul from the Aragón weekend.
Behind him, Joe Rascal Racing teammates Eric Granado and Archie McDonald completed the podium in second and third, respectively. The result proved particularly important in the championship battle, with McDonald leaving Aragón as the new points leader.
Toth continued his impressive weekend with another fifth-place finish, while Filippo Rovelli (ParkinGO Team) replicated his Saturday result by finishing sixth.
Jeffrey Schuessler – Director of Global Racing Programs, Harley-Davidson: “Aragón was just a great weekend for the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup. The racing was incredible. Andrea became the first rider to sweep both races in a weekend, Oscar set a new all-time lap record, and Archie leaves Spain as our new championship leader. Five rounds in and we still have four riders fighting for the title. That’s exactly what we wanted when we started this championship. Equal Harley-Davidson machinery, great teams and riders, and racing where you really don’t know who is going to win when the lights go out. It was also fantastic to see the growing Harley-Davidson community at the races. Aragón welcomed more H-D fans than any previous round this season, and you could really feel their passion and enthusiasm around the circuit and in the paddock. Seeing more and more members of our community joining us at each round is exactly the kind of connection we want this championship to create. Now it all comes down to the Championship Finale at the Red Bull Ring. We’ll have some exciting new riders joining the grid, four riders still fighting for the title, and 50 points on the table across two final races. Austria is going to be a pretty special way to finish our inaugural season.”
Andrea Iannone (29) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Bagger World Cup.
Andrea Iannone – Niti Racing – Race 1 and Race 2 Winner:“If I want to achieve my goal of winning the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup, the only option I have is to try to win every race, so I’m really happy to leave Aragón with both victories and the maximum 50 points. The bike was working really well this weekend. In Race 1, Oscar and I had a great battle, very clean and respectful but still incredibly intense, while in Race 2 I was able to manage the race exactly the way I wanted. I stayed in front without pushing too hard at the beginning, and with four laps to go I started to increase the pace. It proved to be the right strategy. People shouldn’t think this category is easy. Nobody gives you anything for free, and everyone wants to be at the front. Eight laps here can be very demanding because you have to manage everything yourself, without electronic controls or rider aids. But I’m having a lot of fun. I love the bike and the championship, and I feel truly free and very close to the Harley-Davidson family. The championship will be difficult, but it’s not impossible, so we’ll keep fighting until the end. I want to thank Niti Racing, Harley-Davidson and everyone who made this possible. Most importantly, I want to dedicate these two victories to the people of Indonesia who are going through a very difficult time after losing family members, loved ones and their homes. As a team, we want to stand by them during this painful time. These two wins are for all of Indonesia.”
THE CHASE FOR THE TITLE
The championship battle has been reshaped following Aragón, with Archie McDonald taking the lead for the first time this season. The Australian heads to the final round with 174 points, seven ahead of Eric Granado. Gutiérrez remains firmly in contention in third with 148 points, while Iannone’s perfect 50-point weekend has brought him to 147 points, just one behind Gutiérrez and 27 behind McDonald.
Despite missing both races of the opening round at Circuit of The Americas, Iannone therefore remains one of four riders still mathematically capable of winning the inaugural title.
Behind the title contenders, the battle for fifth has also tightened considerably. Filippo Rovelli (ParkinGO Team) moves into fifth with 99 points, just two ahead of Jake Lewis (Saddlemen Race Development) with 97.
1. Archie McDonald (AUS) – 174 points
2. Eric Granado (BRA) – 167 points
3. Oscar Gutiérrez (SPA) – 148 points
4. Andrea Iannone (ITA) – 147 points
5. Filippo Rovelli (ITA) – 99 points
6. Jake Lewis (USA) – 97 points
7. Jordi Torres (SPA) – 77 points
8. Travis Wyman (USA) – 71 points
9. Cory West (USA) – 56 points
10. Dimas Ekky Pratama (INA) – 44 points
11. Max Toth (USA) – 41 points
12. Bradley Smith (GBR) – 36 points
13. Cody Wyman (USA) – 26 points
With 50 points still available, the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup now heads to the Red Bull Ring in Austria from September 18–20, where the inaugural championship will be decided.
Marc Márquez (93) leading Alex Marquez (73) and Marco Bezzecchi (72) during the MotoGP Sprint race at Aragon. Photo courtesy MotoGP.
Marc Márquez dominated the Aragón Sprint on Saturday, leading all 11 laps to claim his third consecutive Sprint victory at MotorLand Aragón. Álex Márquez followed in second to complete a Ducati one-two, while Marco Bezzecchi secured third for Aprilia Racing. Below, read the teams’ press releases from Saturday’s Sprint race at MotorLand Aragón.
More, from a press release issued by Ducati Lenovo Team:
Marc Márquez claims the Aragón Sprint with the Ducati Lenovo Team. Francesco Bagnaia eleventh.
Marc remains undefeated in the Aragón Sprint at this track since the introduction of the format, with three wins out of three races, all aboard a Ducati. With his twentieth victory in the Saturday race, he becomes the rider with the most Sprint wins and moves up to third in the standings
Alex Márquez is second with the Ducati of Gresini Racing MotoGP
The Ducati Lenovo Team took victory in the Sprint contested at MotorLand Aragón courtesy of Marc Márquez, who was uncatchable aboard the Desmosedici GP at the Spanish track. Francesco Bagnaia was eleventh at the end of the 11-lap encounter.
Márquez, starting from the middle slot of the front row, overtook Bezzecchi at turn one and pulled away immediately, controlling the race lap after lap up to the chequered flag. Bagnaia, eighth on the grid, kept his position at the start but ended up losing a few places in the middle part of the race, ultimately finishing eleventh.
The Ducati Lenovo Team will be back on track tomorrow morning at 9:40 local time (GMT +2) for the warm up, which will be followed by the Grand Prix of Aragón, to be contested over a 23-lap distance from 14:00.
Marc Márquez (93) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Ducati.
Marc Márquez (#93 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1st: “As soon as I saw Marco putting on the soft tyre, I understood that the only viable strategy was to attack at turn one. The medium option needs a bit more time to get up to temperature, and that would have allowed him to pull away in the early laps. We had no other choice but to use the medium tyre, which still works well and is very consistent. My start wasn’t the best as the bike was wheeling a bit, but I still gave it a shot and it worked. Then I more or less kept the same pace as in Practice, while tomorrow’s race will be hotter and the track may get a bit more slippery.”
Francesco Bagnaia (63) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Ducati.
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 11th: “Today things went better compared to yesterday. This morning, we managed to improve some areas on the bike and qualifying wasn’t bad. I was surely expecting a bit more, but for the first time this weekend I was able to actually have some feeling with the bike. We simply need to keep working. The pace in the morning wasn’t bad and surely better than the one I had in the Sprint. We need to understand – ahead of tomorrow’s race – the reason why things changed, because this afternoon I struggled with traction.”
More, from a press release issued by BK8 Gresini Racing Team:
Alex Marquez on the Sprint podium, comeback and points for Fermín Aldeguer.
SPRINT
ALEX MARQUEZ 2º
FERMIN ALDEGUER 6º
WORLD STANDING
ALEX MARQUEZ 9º (115 points)
FERMIN ALDEGUER 1º (80 points)
Alex Marquez on the Sprint race podium at Aragon. Photo courtesy Gresini Team.
Alex Marquez: “I’m happy with this podium. Everyone was expecting a battle between Marc and Marco, and in the end we managed to get ourselves into the fight. It’s perfectly in my style: staying in the shadows before trying to step into the spotlight. We managed to do that today, but tomorrow will be a completely different story. I’m convinced that Bezzecchi has something more over the full race distance, as does Marc. We are still struggling badly in Sector 3, although things improved a little in the race today. We’ll try something in the warm-up and see whether we can be in the fight for victory tomorrow.”
Fermín Aldeguer (54) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Gresini Team.
Fermín Aldeguer: “We got something wrong in qualifying this morning, and starting from 11th position was obviously a problem. In the Sprint, we knew we had good pace on the medium tyre. Perhaps I was a little too cautious at the beginning, but I didn’t want to make any mistakes. We were quick and set a great lap time on the final lap. Tomorrow, we’ll try to make up some positions right from the start and then repeat today’s performance.”
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia Racing:
Podium for Aprilia Racing and Marco Bezzecchi in the MotorLand Aragón sprint race.
Aprilia Racing’s sprint race at MotorLand Aragón ended with both factory riders in the top five.
Marco Bezzecchi was protagonist of the qualifying, taking pole position and setting the new all-time lap record during the session, not once, but twice, stopping the clock at 1’44.962, the only rider on the starting grid to drop below 1’45. The Italian rider than rode a convincing sprint race, finishing third. Thanks to this result, Aprilia Racing takes their first podium in an Aragón sprint race.
After starting from fifth place, Jorge Martín rode a fiercely fought sprint race in the initial stages, finishing fifth at the end of the eleven laps.
Marco Bezzecchi (72) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Aprilia Racing.
Marco Bezzecchi: “’Im happy with the day, both because of the pole position and the podium. In any case, it was a physically difficult sprint race for me. At the first corner I braked slightly early and that is the only thing that I regret overall about the day. As for the sensations I had, I was certain about the soft tyre. I think that was the right choice for me. I don’t know if I would have been able to be as fast straight away with the medium tyre.”
Jorge Martín (89) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Aprilia Racing.
Jorge Martin: “I think we had a good sprint race. Especially at the beginning, I was rather strong and I managed to get close to the leaders, and this is positive because I was far from them all weekend. I’m struggling a lot with the front, so we’re working in each session to solve that and I feel progressively better. The truth is that the sprint race went much better than I had thought it would this morning or Friday, so I’m happy.”
Fabiano Sterlacchini – Technical Director: “It was a rather positive day which confirmed our speed on a track that we knew was not in line with our characteristics. So, taking pole position and the all-time lap record on this track was highly positive, as was qualifying for both Raúl and for Jorge. The entire factory team performed well in the sprint race, although there is clearly still work to be done and we’ll try to find what we were missing as compared with those who were more competitive at the moment, namely the Márquez brothers.”
More, from a press release issued by Honda HRC:
Bruising Sprint for recovering Mir and Marini.
A day of learnings for the Honda HRC Castrol squad, Joan Mir and Luca Marini encountering a number of hurdles throughout the day which limited their potential.
The temperature and pressure of the Grand Prix of Aragon continuing to build, the Honda HRC Castrol team began the day with justified optimism after a busy evening of analysis. 11th and 14th respectively in Free Practice 2, Luca Marini and Joan Mir were content with the work Honda HRC’s engineers and their mechanics had discovered and improved overnight.
Making a significant improvement to his fastest lap time from Friday, Joan Mir was in the mix for the transfer spots in Q1 but a tricky third sector hid the final tenths he needed to crack the top 12. Mir’s day would be further complicated by contact at Turn 3 on the first lap, the #36 getting sent off the circuit and dropping to the very back of the field. Putting his head down, Mir was able to work his way back up to 16th and complete the Sprint to collect important information for Sunday’s full-length Grand Prix.
Despite only being three tenths from the top two in Q1, Luca Marini started the Sprint in 18th on the grid as just over half a second split 10 of the 12 riders in Q1. Looking to gain ground early, the Italian started quickly but suffered a heavy fall between turns five and six on the opening lap. Marini reported some discomfort after the fall and will focus on rest and recovery to be as prepared as possible for the 23-lap Aragon Grand Prix on Sunday.
Joan Mir (36) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Hond HRC.
Joan Mir: “The positive is that we finished the race today, after the contact at Turn 3 with Bastianini I wasn’t sure that would be possible, but I was able to pick the bike up and save it after going wide. After that any good result was not possible so I focused on making the overtakes and I could and collecting data, honestly with clear air in front of me I was able to stay in the mid 1’57s which was quite acceptable. I was able to improve my confidence a lot on the bike compared to Friday and we need to keep building on that – fully focused on Sunday now.”
Luca Marini (10) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Honda HRC.
Luca Marini: “Really unfortunate today overall, not what we were expecting. The morning was positive and I was happy with the feeling from the bike thanks to the work of the team. Q1 was like it always is, very very close and just a tenth can make a big difference – finally we need to do the work on Friday to avoid this. Then in the Sprint, I crashed by myself between turn five and six, it was quite a hard fall, and I have quite some pain at the moment but no major issues. We will rest now and see what’s possible on Sunday.”
More, from a press release issued by VR46 Racing Team:
In the Sprint of the Aragon GP, Fabio Di Giannantonio crashes on the second lap, while Franco Morbidelli is eighteenth.
Bad luck affected the Saturday of the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team at MotorLand Aragon: in the Sprint, Fabio Di Giannantonio crashed – with no physical consequences – in the first stages. Franco Morbidelli crossed the finish line in eighteenth place.
After earning the seventh place in Qualifying (1’45”615), Di Giannantonio had a good start from the third row which allowed him to immediately slot into the large group battling for the podium. Fabio lost a place, but he couldn’t recover and show his good pace as he crashed on the second lap while he was eighth. Now, Di Giannantonio is fifth in the World Standing with 199 points.
Morbidelli started his Saturday with a twelfth place in Qualifying (1’45”919). Franco started from the fourth row and he tried to bouce back immediately. However, a contact in the first stages of the Sprint costed him several places. The Italian-Brazilian rider tried to recover and he crossed the finish line in eighteenth place. Morbidelli is now sixteenth in the World Standing with 53 points.
The Aragon GP will conclude tomorrow with the main race, which will start at 2 p.m. (local time).
Fabio Di Giannantonio (49) at Aragon. Photo courtesy VR46 Team.
Fabio Di Giannantonio: “Today I had a good Sprint start, but I didn’t have a great feeling, unfortunately. When I arrived at the braking point, I was too much outside of the ideal line, I lost the front and I crashed. Luckily, I’m ok, but it was a pity. For sure, we will work to change some things on the bike, but we saw that Ducati is very strong here, this is positive. For tomorrow, the goal is to be as close as possible to the riders in front and try to be in Top5.”
Franco Morbidelli on the MotoGP Sprint race grid at Aragon. Photo courtesy VR46 Team.
Franco Morbidelli: “It was a complicated Sprint. In the opening lap, I had a contact with another rider at Turn 5 and I lost several positions. From that moment, I struggled to recover, I couldn’t ride as I wanted. However, during the race I was able to do a great lap, and this is good. It’s a pity for this rewardless race, but we look at the positives of the day: in Qualifying I has a good lap, apart from the yellow flag which prevented me to be further on the grid. For tomorrow’s race, the goal is to have a good start and fight for interesting positions.”
More, from a press release issued by Castrol Honda LCR:
Castrol Honda LCR rider Johann Zarco has crossed the line 9th in Saturday’s Sprint in Aragon.
After a strong qualifying session, French rider Johann Zarco faced his first Sprint after three months of recovery, starting from the 9th spot on the grid.
The rider made a solid start and began fighting against his rivals for points-paying positions.
Without making any mistakes and demonstrating his determination to be back on track, Zarco crossed the chequered flag in 9th position, entering the points zone on his first weekend back.
Johann Zarco (5) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Honda LCR.
Johann Zarco 9th:“I’m happy! Ninth in qualifying and ninth in the Sprint. Getting a point in the Sprint shows that coming back here was a good idea! I felt good and had the pace, so I tried to do as well as possible. It was a great Sprint. I made a good start, but I was careful under braking for the first corner because of the characteristics of this track. After a few turns, I felt good enough to attack and enjoy it. Then I lost some time trying to catch my rivals while managing the rear tyre, which was demanding over the last few laps. It’s been a positive day, we’ve done a good job, we’ve got good motivation, and I’m really happy.”
More, from a press release issued by Pro Honda LCR:
Pro Honda LCR rider Diogo Moreira has finished 7th in Saturday’s Sprint in Aragon.
After securing a Q2 spot in qualifying, Moreira made a solid start from 10th position and began fighting against his rivals.
The rider placed himself in the fight for the top 5, avoiding mistakes and maintaining his concentration.
In the end, giving his maximum until the last inch of the Sprint while struggling with the rear tyre, he crossed the finish line in 7th, grabbing important points and equaling his best Sprint result so far.
Diogo Moreira (11) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Honda LCR.
Diogo Moreira 7th: “Today it was a good one! I enjoyed the Sprint a lot. I like this track, and it’s easy for me to have fun here. I was strong in the braking areas, I was able to always brake hard. I struggled with the rear tyre wear during the last three laps, but I managed to survive and take some points!”
More, from a press release issued by KTM Tech3:
Enea Bastianini slipped back to 14th after contesting eleventh place for much of today’s Sprint at Motorland Aragón, while Pol Espargaró survived a chaotic opening five laps to finish 17th.
Qualifying
The sunny skies of Friday remained for Saturday at the Aragón Grand Prix. After working with his crew to improve his feeling in the 5.08km track’s numerous heavy braking zones, Bastianini placed P6 in Q1 and 16th overall.
Espargaró continued to build his confidence on KTM’s 1000cc RC16 and Michelin tyres on Saturday morning. Finishing 20th in FP2, the 35-year-old was tenth in Q1, putting him 20th on the grid.
Sprint
As temperatures soared to 29 degrees when the eleven-lap Sprint kicked off, rear tyre choice was open for the 22-rider field. Thinking of the later laps, Bastianini went for Michelin’s medium option, while Espargaró felt more comfortable on the soft.
Bastianini had an all-action opening to the race. Contact with another rider affected his first lap, and he just avoided a crash when Luca Marini fell behind him, but ‘La Bestia’ managed to gain three places on lap two to sit twelfth. A pair of personal best times on laps four and five brought him onto the back of Pecco Bagnaia’s Ducati in eleventh.
While his mid-race pace is reason for optimism, unfortunately the Italian started to suffer from front tyre wear in the closing laps. He lost two places on the penultimate lap as a result, leaving him 14th.
Espargaró also endured a tough opening. The Spaniard struggled at the start before he had to avoid Marini’s crash and Fabio Quartararo’s bike when it suffered a mechanical failure on the back straight on lap five. This lost him ground to the group ahead, but the former Moto2 World Champion gained valuable experience in the remaining laps to finish 17th.
The Tech3 team-mates are now preparing for race day in Aragón, which sees Warm Up start the day off at 9:40 (UTC+2) before Sunday’s 23-lap race, which kicks off at 14:00 (UTC+2).
Enea Bastianini (23) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Tech3.
Enea Bastianini: “The start was not so bad, but when I tried to overtake Franco (Morbidelli), he came toward me and we had some contact. The guys told me Luca (Marini) crashed just behind me, so the first lap was quite strange. When you start further back, the chances of being in a bit of a mess are higher. In the middle of the race, I was quite fast, but then my front tyre dropped and I lost some positions to the others. The medium front tyre is probably a bit too soft for us at this track and we saw that in today’s race. Tomorrow’s a longer race, and I’m sure with a good start like today we can get back toward the top ten.”
Pol Espargaró (44) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Tech3.
Pol Espargaró: “A lot of things happened today! It was a typical Sprint race. I had a super bad start and then (Luca) Marini crashed in front of me. I lost a couple of positions and then lost the tow to the group ahead. Fabio (Quartararo) blew his engine just in front of me on the back straight and everything disappeared! I didn’t know if I was in a corner or on the straight. I had to shut the throttle completely so that was quite scary. In three laps I lost three seconds and was completely alone. Without the problems I’d have maybe finished around four seconds back of my team-mates, which is not bad, but I’m not pleased with this. I’d like to follow them all the race and I hope to be closer tomorrow.”
Nicolas Goyon, Team Manager: “We managed to improve the bike from yesterday, but we still ran into the same problem – it seems both riders struggled to turn. Enea was fighting with Pecco Bagnaia for eleventh position, which would’ve been a decent result, but he overheated his tyre in the fight and had to drop back at the end of the Sprint. This gives us some hope for tomorrow and we hope we can be close to the top ten. On the other side of the garage Pol made a clear step from Silverstone and he’s now a lot closer to the other KTM riders. We know it’s not easy to jump on the bike after some time off it but he did a good job. I’m sure with the medium rear tyre, he’ll be fighting for some points in the race tomorrow. Let’s keep our heads down and I’m sure some more results will come.”
More, from a press release issued by Prima Pramac Yamaha:
Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP Turns Friday Pace into Progress at Aragón Sprint.
Jack Miller converted his strong Friday pace into a 10th-place finish in the Aragón Sprint, securing his first Top 10 of the season, while Toprak Razgatlıoğlu fought his way to 13th after a determined battle with Brad Binder.
Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP turned the fortunes around in Saturday‘s Aragón Sprint, with both riders showing a stronger race performance after a difficult opening day. Jack Miller confirmed the speed demonstrated throughout Friday by finishing 10th, while Toprak Razgatlıoğlu produced a determined comeback to cross the line 13th after fighting for position throughout the race.
Starting from 19th after a late-session crash compromised his Friday afternoon, Miller made steady progress through the field and once again demonstrated the pace that had been evident in both practice sessions. The Australian managed the race effectively and fought his way into the Top 10, securing his first Top 10 finish of the season. It was a valuable confirmation of the performance level shown by the YZR-M1 throughout the weekend and of the development work carried out by the team and Yamaha over recent months.
Razgatlıoğlu delivered a much stronger performance than his Friday result suggested. Starting from 21st, the Turkish rider showed determination and aggression throughout the Sprint, engaging in a close and repeated battle with Brad Binder. The pair exchanged positions several times before Toprak made the decisive move towards the end of the race to finish 13th, gaining valuable experience of managing the demanding Aragón circuit and the YZR-M1 over race distance.
The Sprint therefore provided another useful indication of the progress being made with the project, with Miller’s Top 10 representing a tangible result after a difficult Friday and Toprak showing a clear step forward in race conditions. Both riders will now have another opportunity to build on today’s performance in Sunday’s Grand Prix, as the team continues to analyse the data and work towards further improvements over the full race distance.
Jack Miller (43) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Pramac Yamaha.
Jack Miller:“It was a decent Sprint. Obviously, we’re still lacking a bit of top speed, but the bike worked well and we were competitive on the medium tyre. I just tried to nurse it as much as I could, and the pace was good all the way through. We were pretty close to getting a point, so it’s a case of so close, but so far.
I was happy with how the bike worked, especially through the last corner. I’m able to brake quite late there and carry good speed, which helps us make some of that time back. We also tried the new swingarm this weekend and it seems to give us a little bit more traction, as well as some improvements in terms of stability and set-up, so that’s another useful piece of information for us.
The Grand Prix tomorrow will be a different story. It’s always a tough race here with the tyres, and I was already seeing quite a bit of degradation on the front left in the Sprint. We’ll need to be a bit more gentle with it over 23 laps and manage it as well as we can. We’ll look at the set-up again tonight and see what we can improve for tomorrow.”
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu (07) and Alex Rins (42) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Pramac Yamaha.
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu: “It wasn’t such a bad race. The biggest problem for all the Yamahas is the back straight. We lose a lot of time there, which makes overtaking very difficult. In the corners I can be strong, especially in Turn 7, but then I lose the gap again on the straight. I had to work quite hard to make the passes and that also used the rear tyre. Still, I think I did a good job and we showed that the pace is there.
I made one mistake in the last corner when I was trying to stay with Bastianini. He braked differently compared to the previous lap and I wasn’t expecting it, so I had to pick up the bike to avoid him and went wide, losing two positions. After that I was able to close the gap again, but without that mistake I think I could have stayed closer to Jack. We are very strong on the brakes, but that’s also where we have our limit because the front tyre starts to lock. We need to find a little more in the last corner and especially on the acceleration.
I learned something important this weekend because we tried a different set-up, with the front lower and further in, which is not something I’m normally used to. But I understood that I needed a bike that turns better, and today I felt more comfortable with it. That’s positive. I think a Top 10 is the target for tomorrow. It won’t be easy over the longer race distance because tyre management will be important, but I don’t think we’re too far away.
This year has been difficult, but I’m trying to always look at the positive side and learn as much as I can. I’m still learning about the tyres and about corner speed, which is not naturally my style, but I think these experiences can help me in the future. The most important thing is that I have my team behind me. They keep me strong and push me to learn, and that makes a big difference.”
Gino Borsoi – Team Director:“I would say it was a pretty positive day for the team, especially considering the big step forward Toprak made. From yesterday, he managed to improve significantly and felt much more comfortable on the bike. I saw a much happier rider today, and it looks like we have found our way back towards the direction we had started to follow a few races ago. That’s an important step forward for him, and I hope he can continue with this pace tomorrow.
As for Jack, his work has been impeccable. The Sprint was more than 9 seconds faster than last year’s race, which is a significant improvement. Apart from yesterday’s small mistake and the crash, his weekend so far has been excellent.
Tomorrow won’t be easy, but I think the team and both riders have done a very good job up to this point”
The crashed Suzuki GSX-8R racebikes of M4 ECSTAR Suzuki's Matthew Chapin and Bodie Paige. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Bodie Paige and Matthew Chapin both crashed out of the MotoAmerica Twins Cup Race Two at VIRginia International Raceway on a wet curb a couple of laps apart. Both were uninjured. The Chapin video was shot by Owen Granoff of OG.Media. We don’t know who shot the the Paige video, but if we find out we will add their credit. Both videos are courtesy MotoAmerica. See the footage below:
Bradley Ray maintained his edge in the British Superbike Championship Free Practice times at Cadwell Park. The McAMS Yamaha rider held a 0.440s advantage over title rival Kyle Ryde on combined times ahead of tomorrow’s Omologato Superpole and opening race at Cadwell Park.
The second session started in dry conditions and instantly Ryde, Ryan Vickers and Joe Talbot improved their times from the opening Free Practice session this morning to lock out the top four places, before a light shower left a damp track.
Several riders returned to the circuit, but the times would not be improved due to conditions, so riders missing out on a top 12 position and a guaranteed place in tomorrow’s Omologato Superpole included 2026 podium finishers Max Cook and Scott Redding. They will need to fight for a top three position in tomorrow’s ROKiT Oxygen Performance
Qualifying to ensure they are in the battle for the Omologato Pole Positon.
Storm Stacey completed the top five for Bathams AJN Racing Ducati after topping last night’s Official Test with Christian Iddon completing the top six riders. Leon Haslam held off Glenn Irwin for seventh place, with the second of the Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing Ducatis surging into the top ten after running 19th in Free Practice one.
Jason O’Halloran and Rory Skinner completed the top ten riders despite a crash at Park earlier in the session for the Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha rider. Josh Brookes and Ilya Mikhalchik completed the top 12 riders ahead of tomorrow’s action in Lincolnshire.
British Superbike Championship, Cadwell Park, combined Free Practice times:
Ilya Mikhalchik (ROKiT BMW Motorrad British Superbike Race team) +1.815s
For more information visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Bradley Ray – McAMS Yamaha:
“I am very happy with how it has gone so far. We didn’t get as many laps in the test yesterday evening, but today the first session was good and pretty much dry. I didn’t know how hard to push at the start, but I knew it might have been our only dry session so sometimes you just have to pull your socks up and get on with it!
“The boys made a change to the bike for the second session and we got some laps in before the rain came and I felt straight away better than I did this morning, so it has been a positive day and I think we can work on that tomorrow.
“We have got a fair bit of time there so the time came pretty good; I feel like there is a bit more in there and overall it has been a positive day.”
Race 1 start at Aragon. Photo courtesy Bagger World Cup.
Andrea Iannone won the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup race 1 Saturday afternoon at MotorLand Aragón, in Alcañiz, in Spain. Riding his Niti Racing Harley-Davidson on Dunlop control tires, the Italian rider won the 8-lap race by 0.246 second.
His teammate, Oscar Gutierrez was the runner-up and Archie McDonald got third on his Joe Rascal Racing Harley-Davidson.
Riding for Saddlemen Racing Harley-Davidson, American teammates Max Toth and Travis Wyman finished 5th, 7th respectively, while Jake Lewis did not finish the race.
MotoGP Sprint race start at Aragon. Photo courtesy MotoGP.
Marc Márquez won the MotoGP Tissot Sprint race Saturday afternoon at MotorLand Aragón, in Alcañiz, in Spain. Riding his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP26 on Michelin control tires, the seven-time MotoGP World Champion won the 11-lap race by 1.140 seconds.
Alex Marquez was the runner-up on his BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP26.
Marco Bezzecchi finished third on his Aprilia Racing RS-GP26.
Pedro Acosta crossed the finish line fourth on his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RC16.
Bezzecchi’s teammate, Jorge Martin got fifth.
Jorge Martin leads the championship with 245 points, 29 ahead of Marco Bezzecchi who has 216 points. Marc Márquez is third with 212 points.
Marc Marquez retaliates to hold off Alex Marquez for Aragon gold. The #93 attacked early to make his mark, with the #73 taking P2 and Bezzecchi holding on for third as points leader Martin gets his elbows out.
Another twist in the title fight seemed likely at MotorLand Aragon and Saturday delivered another stunning shake up as Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) took his third Tissot Sprint win at the venue. He was followed home by Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), with polesitter Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) completing the Saturday rostrum after losing the lead early doors. That makes it 29 points between him and teammate Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) at the top of the table.
It was a good start for Bezzecchi from pole but the metres of advantage were eaten away in the braking zone at Turn 1 as Marc Marquez slammed it up the inside and took over in the lead, with Alex Marquez then able to take advantage round the outside and grab P2. The trio remained locked together as behind the battle for fourth lit up, with Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) vs Raul Fernandez (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) vs Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) seeing the standings shuffle.
Acosta emerged at the lead of the group and then pulled way from it, leaving the #89 some moves to do to get back on the tail of the KTM with Fernandez, Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team). Martin dug in, and by Lap 3 was back past Acosta.
At the front, Marc Marquez had the hammer down but the gap was hovering just under a second back to Alex Marquez, with Bezzecchi half a second off the rear wheel of the #73 – with no one seemingly able to find anything more to make an attack.
Just behind, Martin had had a moment on Lap 5 round the final corner and ceded the position to Acosta again, left stalking him in the fight for fourth. Moreira was holding P6 and Fernandez had dropped to P7, but a battle between Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) was giving the Trackhouse rider some respite. Once Aldeguer was past Zarco and locked in however, it became a three-way fight for sixth as Moreira, Aldeguer and Fernandez all converged in the final two laps.
Acosta was also converging on the podium fight late on, appearing ominously behind Bezzecchi as the #37 left Martin behind. But over 11 laps it wasn’t to be as Marc Marquez crossed the line for an ominous third Sprint win at the track, taking the 12-haul, with Alex Marquez second within around a second and Bezzecchi just holding on for third ahead of that late race push from Acosta.
The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider takes fourth ahead of Martin, with Aldeguer able to attack Moreira on the very final lap and relegate the Brazilian to P7. Fernandez finished eighth, with the returning Zarco straight back into the points as he finished the Sprint in P9 – just holding off Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP).
Diggia crashed out mid-Sprint, rider ok, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) had a tough one taking P11. They’ll be reloading for more on Sunday as MotoGP heads back out for the Grand Prix race, so join us for more from MotorLand.
Alonso Lopez (21) at Aragon. Photo courtesy MotoGP.
Alonso Lopez was the man to beat during Moto2 World Championship qualifying Saturday at MotorLand Aragón, in Alcañiz, in Spain. The Spaniard topped qualifying session with a new lap record time. Riding his Pirelli-shod ITALJET Gresini Kalex, Lopez navigated the 3.15-mile (5.08 km) course in 1:49.405, breaking Manuel Gonzalez’s 2026 All-Time Lap Record of 1:49.597, set this morning during FP2.
Izan Guevara was second-best with a 1:49.584 on his BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Boscoscuro.
Daniel Holgado claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:49.634 on his CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team Kalex.
Row-two qualifiers included LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP’s Manuel Gonzalez (1:49.658), Holgado’s teammate, David Alonso (1:49.689) and Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Collin Veijer (1:49.744).
American Joe Roberts finished the qualifying session 12th on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex with a time of 1:50.086.
Lopez to launch from long-awaited pole in Aragon. The Spanish rider ends his 1162-day pole drought in dramatic Q2.
Moto2 returns to action in Aragon as they lock in their Grand Prix grid positions in a thrilling Q2. Alonso Lopez (Italjet Gresini Moto2) ended a 1162-day wait for pole position with a late 1:49.405. The Spaniard went fastest on his penultimate lap, holding off Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) by 0.179s after the latter was caught by yellow flags following a huge crash for Ayumu Sasaki (Momoven Idrofoglia RW Racing Team), who escaped unhurt.
Alonso Lopez in parc fermé after claiming pole position at Aragon. Photo courtesy Gresini Team.
Dani Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) delivered late to grab P3, knocking David Alonso – who graduated from Q1 – off the front row, while Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) recovered to fourth on his final lap.
In the end, David Alonso had to settle for fifth after Holgado’s late charge, with Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) sixth and Barry Baltus (REDS Fantic Racing) leading row 3. Angel Piqueras (QJMOTOR – Reverte – MSI) took eighth ahead of Alex Escrig (KLINT Racing Team) and Filip Salac (OnlyFans American Racing Team), while Senna Agius (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP), Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) and Dani Muñoz (Italtrans Racing Team) completed the next group on the grid. Ivan Ortola’s (QJMOTOR – Reverte – MSI) cancelled lap left him down in 15th after he missed the chance to start one final flying lap before the chequered flag.
The wall awaits Moto2 at Motorland Aragon! Tune in at 12:15pm local time.
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Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
Bradley Ray – McAMS Yamaha: 
