COTA Sprint Race: New 2026 MotoGP World Championship standings
New 2026 MotoGP World Championship standings after Saturday's US Sprint race at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, round 3 of 22.
Jorge Martin takes over the lead of the 2026 MotoGP World Championship standings after a shock victory in Saturday's COTA Sprint race was combined with a DNF for team-mate Marco Bezzecchi.
Martin's brave medium rear tyre choice paid dividends in the closing laps and, after Bezzecchi's costly mistake, the Spaniard hunted down and passed race leader Francesco Bagnaia.
That has given Martin a one-point lead over Bezzecchi heading into Sunday's grand prix.
Although KTM's Pedro Acosta lost third place in the Sprint due to a tyre pressure penalty, he keeps third in the standings with Fabio di Giannantonio and Marc Marquez failing to score after tangling on the opening lap.
Marc Marquez has a penalty to serve during Sunday's grand prix.
Ai Ogura now splits the leading Ducati riders in fifth, while Bagnaia climbs five places to eighth...
COTA Sprint Race: New 2026 MotoGP World Championship standings | ||||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Points | Diff. | |
| 1 | ^1 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP26) | 57 | |
| 2 | ˅1 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP26) | 56 | (-1) |
| 3 | = | Pedro Acosta | SPA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | 44 | (-13) |
| 4 | = | Fabio di Giannantonio | ITA | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP26) | 37 | (-20) |
| 5 | ^1 | Ai Ogura | JPN | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP26) | 37 | (-20) |
| 6 | ˅1 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Ducati Lenovo (GP26) | 34 | (-23) |
| 7 | = | Raul Fernandez | SPA | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP26) | 32 | (-25) |
| 8 | ^5 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP26) | 19 | (-38) |
| 9 | ˅1 | Alex Marquez | SPA | BK8 Gresini Ducati (GP26) | 19 | (-38) |
| 10 | ^2 | Luca Marini | ITA | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) | 16 | (-41) |
| 11 | ˅2 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | 13 | (-44) |
| 12 | ˅1 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Castrol Honda LCR (RC213V) | 13 | (-44) |
| 13 | ^4 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16) | 12 | (-45) |
| 14 | ˅4 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP25) | 12 | (-45) |
| 15 | ˅1 | Fermin Aldeguer | SPA | BK8 Gresini Ducati (GP25) | 8 | (-49) |
| 16 | = | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | 6 | (-51) |
| 17 | ˅2 | Diogo Moreira | BRA | Pro Honda LCR (RC213V)* | 6 | (-51) |
| 18 | = | Alex Rins | SPA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | 3 | (-54) |
| 19 | = | Joan Mir | SPA | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) | 3 | (-54) |
^X Rider has improved X championship positions.
= Rider has the same championship position as previous race.
˅X Rider has dropped X championship positions.
* Rookie
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
