The Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia Tissot Sprint delivered a Saturday thriller, as Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) pulled off a breathtaking comeback to defeat rookie sensation Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing) in a last-lap duel, while Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) celebrated his first-ever MotoGP podium in P3.
Bezzecchi, starting from pole, endured a disastrous launch that dropped him to eighth place as Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) briefly surged from P6 to lead the pack. But the early shuffle saw Aldeguer and Fernandez seize control, with Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) also in the mix before crashing out of P2 at Turn 1.
That gifted Aldeguer a 1.8-second cushion, and for much of the Sprint it looked like the rookie was on his way to a dream win. Behind him, Bezzecchi was carving his way through the field, clocking blistering laps—including a 1:29.638 fastest lap—to slash the gap. By Lap 11 of 13, the Aprilia man was within striking distance.
The showdown came on the final lap at Turn 10, where Bezzecchi muscled past Aldeguer despite running wide. The Gresini rider tried to retaliate into Turn 12, but Bezzecchi held his ground to take a dramatic Sprint victory—his most impressive fightback of the season.
“It was a tough start, but I knew I had the pace. To win like this, on the last lap, feels incredible,” said Bezzecchi after the race.
Behind them, Fernandez’s consistent speed secured him third place and his long-awaited first MotoGP rostrum. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing) claimed a steady P4 to tighten his grip on second in the standings, while Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) completed the top five.
Further back, Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) overcame a Long Lap penalty for contact with Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) to salvage seventh, while Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Di Giannantonio collected the final points for Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team. It was a day to forget for Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), who limped home in 14th—nearly 30 seconds adrift.
Despite Bagnaia’s struggles, Ducati Lenovo Team still celebrated clinching the MotoGP Teams’ Championship, marking another milestone for the Borgo Panigale factory.
Credit Photo : MotoGP
