MotoGP Sprint results as Jorge Martin wins at the United States GP, Marc Marquez crashes and Pedro Acosta penalised

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Jorge Martin beat Francesco Bagnaia to win the Sprint Race at the 2026 United States Grand Prix with a last-lap pass, on a day that Marc Marquez also crashed out at COTA.

Fabio Di Giannantonio took pole for the United States GP earlier this Saturday, but the VR46 star did not get a great start in the COTA Sprint. The Italian lost the lead to Bagnaia of Ducati out of Turn 1, having run deep while trying to hold off KTM’s fast-starting ace, Pedro Acosta.

Ducati star Marquez also smelled blood on the opening lap in Austin, Texas, after he took P4 early on. But while Turn 12 is one of Marquez’s strongest corners at COTA, he simply braked too late for it and wiped Di Giannantonio out. Marquez was never going to make the corner.

Jorge Martin wins the COTA Sprint Race! Is the 2024 champion finally back?

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Yet while Marquez was picking his Desmosedici GP26 off the deck, the other Ducati ace was on the move, as Bagnaia stretched his lead at the front of the field. Aprilia pilots Martin and Marco Bezzecchi also took advantage of their rivals’ misfortune, and they soon took Acosta.

Yet while Bezzecchi faced no threat from Martin in second and third place, the chance for a Sprint win at COTA remained within reach, which proved to be costly. Bezzecchi crashed out at Turn 11 trying to chase down Bagnaia, which opened the door for Martin to hunt his foe.

Martin showed superb late race pace to hunt Bagnaia down, as the Ducati rider had ruined his rear tyre and seemed to lose all speed. His chance to steal the lead finally appeared for Martin on the final lap at Turn 12, but Bagnaia initially appeared to hang on under braking.

But Martin was not to be beaten and let off the brake, forcing Bagnaia to run deep. Martin took the lead and never gave Bagnaia another chance to strike back, scoring his first win in any race format as an Aprilia rider to cast his nightmare with injuries in 2025 into the past.

Martin’s celebrations after winning the COTA Sprint were slightly short-lived, as the Spaniard crashed on the cool-down lap en route to parc ferme. KTM rider Acosta rounded out the top three in the COTA Sprint, but finished the race under investigation due to his tyre pressures.

The FIM stewards ultimately decided to award a long lap penalty for Marquez crashing into Di Giannantonio in the COTA Sprint, which he must serve in the United States GP. The FIM stewards also slapped Acosta with an eight-second time penalty for his low tyre pressures.

Full COTA Sprint Race results at the 2026 MotoGP United States Grand Prix