Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1547011
simply managed my pace and pushed a little harder when he got closer. It's never easy, but the feeling from the Sprint onwards was very good, and today I was able to be consistent and precise. Now let's see how things will be in Indonesia but, generally speaking, since Aragon [Austria aside] I am feeling well with the bike." Behind them, Bastianini pro- duced a spectacular late charge, setting four consecutive fastest became the first Brazilian to finish on a Saturday rostrum and the first Brazilian on any MotoGP podium since Alex Barros in Italy in 2007. Martin took third, ahead of Bas- tianini, Ogura, Bezzecchi, Johann Zarco, Raul Fernandez (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team), Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Ya- maha) and Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP). MotoGP Race Martin led the field away from pole, holding Marc Marquez behind him while Bezzecchi and Alex Mar- quez moved past Acosta. Acosta slipped further down the order on lap two as Bastianini, Fernandez and Ogura moved through. Out front, Martin and Marquez quickly established a gap, with four-tenths of a second separat- ing them on lap five. Alex Marquez served his two long-lap penalties on laps five and seven, dropping from the front group to ninth. By lap 10, the leading pair were almost two seconds clear of Bez- zecchi, and Marc Marquez made his move on lap 11 with a decisive pass at turn nine. The Ducati rider immediately began extending his advantage, while Bezzecchi and Bastianini closed on Martin. Martin responded in the middle stages, trimming Marc Marquez's advantage to seven-tenths of a second, but Marc Marquez answered with the fastest lap of the race, a 1:43.291, to restore a 1.2-second cushion. "It was a difficult race, espe- cially in the opening laps behind Jorge [Martin]," Marc Marquez said. "Then, once in the lead, I the hard option with the stronger casing, and this is what Michelin recommend for tomorrow." VINALES IS BACK— AND KEEN TO CONTINUE Maverick Vinales made his return to MotoGP action after a four-race absence when he desperately worked to recover his troublesome left shoulder. The Catalan is aiming to gradually build up his confidence and finished Friday in 22nd out of 22 riders. Curiously, Vinales is on the lookout for opportunities for 2027, even if he failed to secure a spot on the MotoGP grid full-time. "I'm not done yet here," he said. "I have many objectives to achieve. Obviously, there is no more space. Unfortunately, with the move of KTM, they left me out and it was too late. I could not have any chance, but you never know in the future. Here, many things happen, maybe a door can open. My first objective is to recover, to be fully in shape that I can push at the maximum, and then we'll see. I am not ready to give up." Briefly... VOLUME ISSUE OCTOBER , P87 Enea Bastianini was absolutely flying during the closing laps on Sunday. One more lap and he'd most likely have grabbed third place on the podium. As it was, he had to settle for fourth. It was another round to forget for Fabio Di Giannantonio (49). Punted by Alex Marquez in the Sprint, he could only struggle through the pain to take 18th and no points on Sunday.