Pedro Acosta wins Thai MotoGP sprint thriller after Marc Marquez penalty
Pedro Acosta scored a first sprint win in a dramatic Thai MotoGP
Pedro Acosta won a dramatic MotoGP Thai Grand Prix sprint after Marc Marquez was forced to drop out of the lead following an aggressive move on the KTM rider.
The opening sprint of the 2026 season was due to be a duel between Marc Marquez and polesitter Marco Bezzecchi on the factory Aprilia.
While the pair battled hard in the early stages, Bezzecchi crashed out of the lead on the second lap of 13, opening the door for Pedro Acosta to go for his first sprint victory.
Marquez and Acosta traded overtakes continually, though an aggressive move from the latter at Turn 12 on the penultimate tour ultimately proved decisive.
The FIM stewards placed the incident under investigation before ordering Marquez to drop one position, handing the win to Acosta.
It marks Acosta’s first win in MotoGP and KTM’s first sprint victory since 2023.
Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez represented Aprilia on the final step of the podium.
Marquez seized the lead from second on the grid at the start, though Bezzecchi made his first move at Turn 8 to take the position from the Ducati rider.
Marquez struck back at Turn 12, before Bezzecchi retaliated at Turn 3. But his sprint would last just a few more corners, as he slid out of the lead at Turn 8.
Though Marquez was able to take a small advantage over the chasing pack, KTM’s Acosta soon piled the pressure on and made a raid on his lead at Turn 12 on lap four.
Marquez was able to get the better drive out of the corner and retake the position, with the pair repeating this several times across the sprint.
Acosta made a daring overtake on Marquez at Turn 5 on the penultimate tour, with the Ducati rider taking the place back with a hard move at the final corner.
The KTM rider was forced off track, with the stewards handing Marquez a penalty.
Marquez gave the position back into the final corner on the last lap, trailing Acosta to the chequered flag by 0.108s.
Fernandez kept the leaders close in front but could do no more than third, while Trackhouse team-mate Ai Ogura was fourth after a battle with factory Aprilia counterpart Jorge Martin.
But Martin could be demoted eight seconds as he faces a tyre pressure investigation.
Brad Binder was sixth on the sister factory KTM, with Honda’s Joan Mir, VR46’s Fabio Di Giannantonio and Ducati’s Pecco Bagnaia taking the final points down to ninth.
Di Giannantonio was knocked wide by Alex Marquez at Turn 3 on the opening lap, though the move was not punished by the stewards.
Alex Marquez was 11th for Gresini in the end, while Jack Miller took top Yamaha honours in 15th.
Toprak Razgatlioglu crashed during his maiden MotoGP start, though rejoined to finish 20th.
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