Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi turned heads on Saturday at the Indonesian Grand Prix by securing a MotoGP last-lap comeback win during the sprint race in Mandalika. Despite a strong start from pole position, the Italian rider overcame a poor getaway to claim a thrilling victory in the sweltering 52-degree heat.
From Pole to Midfield: Bezzecchi’s Rocky Start and Remarkable Recovery
Earlier in the day, Bezzecchi shattered the Mandalika circuit record with a blistering qualifying lap of 1 minute 28.832 seconds, positioning himself at the front of the grid. However, his start faltered badly, dropping him to eighth place after the first lap. Meanwhile, Ducati rookie Fermin Aldeguer surged to an early lead, asserting control over the race.
Bezzecchi’s Surge Through the Field and Final Pass for Victory
Undeterred by his initial setback, Bezzecchi charged back through the field. With six laps remaining, he overtook Aprilia teammate Raul Fernandez to occupy second place. He then relentlessly chipped away at Aldeguer’s 2.3-second gap before completing a bold late surge. Seven corners from the finish on the last lap, Bezzecchi made a decisive pass to capture the lead.
Aldeguer, at just 20 years old, narrowly missed becoming MotoGP’s youngest-ever winner by a margin of 0.157 seconds, while Fernandez celebrated his first podium finish in his fourth MotoGP season by taking third place.
Bezzecchi Reflects on a Hard-Fought Victory in Intense Conditions
Describing the race, Bezzecchi said,
“We have to understand what’s happened with the start, because I lost a lot of time. But afterwards, I was so confident and so fast. Fermin [Aldeguer] was already gone, so I didn’t expect to catch him. But I didn’t give up … I am destroyed, but it was incredible in the last lap. I wanted this win so bad.”
– Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia rider
Saturday’s Surprises and Challenges Across the Grid
The sprint event produced multiple career-best performances, including Aldeguer’s and Fernandez’s strong starting positions, as well as Yamaha’s Alex Rins achieving his best qualifying spot in over two years by starting fourth. Yet, there were difficulties for some of the sport’s biggest names.
Marc Marquez, fresh off his seventh world title clinched in Japan, had a tough day, qualifying a season-worst ninth after going through Q1 and finishing seventh despite serving a long-lap penalty for aggressive riding that pushed Rins off track on the first lap. Meanwhile, Marquez’s teammate Francesco Bagnaia struggled, qualifying 16th and finishing last in 14th place, trailblazing nearly 30 seconds behind Bezzecchi.
Australia’s Jack Miller also faced challenges, crossing the line in 12th after starting 14th, almost 16 seconds behind the winner.
Looking Ahead: The Indonesian Grand Prix Main Event Approaches
The sprint race victory adds intensity to the ongoing championship battles as the series prepares for Sunday’s main event—the 27-lap Indonesian Grand Prix, round 18 of the 22-race MotoGP season. This race will commence at 6 p.m. AEDT, promising further twists on the challenging Mandalika circuit as riders vie for crucial points in the fading months of the season.
