MotoGP Sprint results as Alex Marquez wins at Catalan Grand Prix and Jorge Martin crashes again

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Gresini star Alex Marquez beat KTM’s Pedro Acosta to win the Sprint Race at the 2026 Catalan Grand Prix, as Aprilia rider Jorge Martin crashed for the fourth time this week.

KTM saw Acosta secure pole for the Catalan GP earlier this Saturday, but he lacked the early race pace required to hold Gresini rival Marquez behind aboard his Ducati GP26. Acosta did not give in, however, despite briefly falling to third place, and he took the fight to the finish.

The Sprint Race was ultimately another event to forget for Martin at the Catalan GP, though, as the 2024 champion recorded his fourth crash of the weekend. Martin crashed during FP1 and practice on Friday, and he even crashed during Q1 before advancing through qualifying.

Very fine margins decided the Catalan Sprint as Alex Marquez won – Who was your rider of the Race?

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Alex Marquez holds off Pedro Acosta to win the Sprint at the 2026 Catalan Grand Prix

Pedro Acosta made a brilliant launch from pole position to hold onto the lead of the Sprint at the Catalan GP from Gresini’s Alex Marquez. The KTM rider made sure to quickly take to the inside line and baulk his Spanish compatriot, which even cost him P2 to Johann Zarco.

LCR star Zarco produced a phenomenal start from P5 on the grid to run second, as Aprilia’s Jorge Martin also made moves after only qualifying P9 to finish the first lap in fourth place. But the extra power of the Ducati GP26 launched Marquez past Zarco at the start of Lap 2.

Martin also continued to move positions at the start of Lap 2, but in the wrong direction as Trackhouse’s Raul Fernandez fighting the 2024 champion also allowed VR46 racer Fabio Di Giannantonio through. In contrast, Franco Morbidelli of VR46 plummeted from P2 into P7.

Marquez clearly had more pace in the early stages of the Catalan Sprint than Acosta, along with turning more easily, but the KTM rider’s racecraft continually denied the Cervera native until the start of Lap 4. Acosta tried to block Marquez’s path, but he could defend no more.

The Catalan Sprint was also over for Martin by only Lap 3, as the Aprilia rider lost the front end of his RS-GP in Turn 10. While the Madrid native was able to keep his engine running, he dug his rear Michelin tyre in the gravel trap and joined Brad Binder of KTM on the sidelines.

After showing promise in practice, Binder’s Sprint at the Catalan GP was over by Turn 1 after a racing incident with Di Giannantonio also took Honda rival Joan Mir out. Acosta’s promise also failed to transfer into early speed, as Trackhouse’s Raul Ferandez took P2 into T5 on L5.

Acosta managed to hang onto Fernandez as Marquez started to open a comfortable lead in the Catalan Sprint, though, and fought back with a perfectly timed lunge under braking into Turn 10 on Lap 7. Francesco Bagnaia also continued to make progress after starting in 13th.

Alex Marquez beats Pedro Acosta to win the Sprint! Is the Gresini rider now your favourite for the Catalan Grand Prix?

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The power of the Ducati GP26 was then again on show entering the penultimate lap, as Di Giannantonio levelled Fernandez to complete the move under braking. But Acosta was not letting Gresini star Marquez run off into the sunset with his GP26 as he began to fight back.

In the end, Acosta’s charge came a little too late, as Marquez was continually able to edge away under acceleration and prevent the KTM rider from divebombing him under braking. Di Giannantonio also had the pace to hold onto the last spot on the Catalan Sprint podium.

Riders’ championship leader Marco Bezzecchi did not have a great Sprint at the Catalan GP, though, as the Aprilia rider had to settle for ninth place. The Italian did not have the speed around the Montmelo venue, where Bagnaia finished sixth behind Zarco by a mere 0.130s.

Full 2026 MotoGP Catalan Grand Prix Sprint Race results