MotoGP Sprint Race results as Pedro Acosta wins in Thailand after Marc Marquez penalised

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KTM rider Pedro Acosta won the first Sprint Race of the 2026 MotoGP season at the Thailand Grand Prix after a last-lap penalty for Ducati ace Marc Marquez in Buriram.

Marco Bezzecchi scored pole position for the Thailand GP earlier on Saturday, but there was nothing that the Aprilia star could do to keep Marquez behind into Turn 1. Marquez got a far superior launch off the line and he immediately pulled alongside Bezzecchi at the start.

Marquez’s lead did not last long, though, as Bezzecchi utilised the Aprilia RS-GP’s strengths through the corners to reclaim the lead on the opening lap. While Marquez replied instantly, Bezzecchi capitalised on an early mistake by the Spaniard only to make a bigger one himself.

Pedro Acosta wins the first Sprint Race of 2026 at the MotoGP Thailand Grand Prix

Bezzecchi was by far the favourite to win the Sprint in Buriram, and Sunday’s Thailand GP, as the Aprilia RS-GP has had a clear advantage over the Ducati GP26 this weekend. Yet he blew a chance to stake his claim, as the Italian fell through his own doing trying to open up a lead.

READ MORE: All you need to know about the 2026 MotoGP season from calendar to riders

KTM rider Acosta sensed his chance to strike after Bezzecchi’s crash and took the lead away from Marquez. But the Mazarron native’s time in front of the Cervera-born legend was short-lived, as the Ducati rider quickly replied. Although Marquez could not simply then run away.

Acosta lurked on Marquez’s tail and made his second lunge for the lead on Lap 7 of 13, with the KTM star letting off the brakes to try a block pass into the final corner. But Acosta drifted slightly too deep, which let Marquez cut back underneath and lead the Buriram Sprint again.

Once again, however, Marquez could not build a large lead over his fellow Spaniard, and an array of issues while braking kept forcing the former wide and keeping the latter in touch. A chance to lead also showed itself to Acosta at the last corner, but he left it too late to brake.

Eventually, Acosta made a move stick on Marquez on the penultimate lap, as he finally took advantage of the Ducati rider’s struggles on the brakes. But Marquez refused to be beaten, and forced Acosta to stand his bike up in the final corner with a very late lunge of his own.

The story was not over, though, as Simon Crafar and his stewards quickly put Marquez under investigation and ordered him to drop one position. Marquez’s penalty gifted Acosta his first win as a MotoGP rider in any race format at the first round of his third campaign on the grid.

The story behind the lead fight saw Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez capitalise on his strong qualifying result, despite having to come through Q1, to finish third. He was the best Aprilia rider, in front of teammate Ai Ogura and factory rider Jorge Martin, after Bezzecchi’s crash.

Three-time World Superbike champion Toprak Razgatlioglu looked set to challenge Pramac teammate Jack Miller to be the top Yamaha rider, as well. But the Turkish rider crashed out of 15th place with two laps to go, after tucking the front wheel during his first MotoGP start.

Full Sprint Race results at the 2026 Thailand GP in Buriram