VOLUME ISSUE OCTOBER , P43
tracks, Martin tore into the con-
test, trading early blows with Marc
and Alex while Pedro Acosta (Red
Bull KTM) and front-row starter
Johann Zarco (LCR Honda) made
a lead group of five.
Soon Marc broke clear. With
Alex gone, Martin soon chased
him down. No question, the
Aprilia was faster through the
long lefts, and Martin led laps
three and four. But it came at a
cost, with Marquez noting just
how hard his compatriot was
working.
"The lap he did right in front of
me, I understood two things and
then I saw that it was possible to
fight for the victory. He was fast
but taking a lot of risks. Because
he was shaking a lot and over-
riding, I re-attacked," said the
nine-time champion.
Neither rider lost sight of the
contest's importance. "Today
was more than just the three-
point difference," continued
Marquez. "Today was the time
Fabio Di Giannantonio (49) leads home hero Jack Miller (43)
and the rest into the Miller Corner (turn four). The Italian
would go on to finish a valiant third in the Sprint.
Fabio Quartararo leads Vinales
(12), Franco Morbidelli (21),
Augusto Fernandez (47) and Alex
Rins (42). All but Quartararo will
miss the MotoGP grid in 2027.
