2026 MotoGP Indonesian Grand Prix, round 17: Bezzecchi wins as Martin retakes championship lead

The 27-lap Indonesian Grand Prix, round 17 of the 2026 MotoGP season, took place at Mandalika on October 11. Marco Bezzecchi won in 40 minutes 46.582 seconds, 4.260 seconds ahead of runner-up Raul Fernandez. Jorge Martin was third and Ai Ogura fourth, giving Aprilia machinery all four leading places. Marc Marquez finished sixth as the riders’ championship lead changed hands again.

Fernandez leads for 18 laps before Bezzecchi takes over late on

Pole-sitter Fernandez led the opening 18 laps with Bezzecchi second throughout. By the end of lap 19, their positions had reversed: Bezzecchi was in front and had set the fastest lap of the race, 1 minute 29.960 seconds. He stayed ahead thereafter, with Fernandez finishing second.

The title contenders changed positions early. Marc Marquez started fourth and rose to third by the end of the opening lap. Martin started fifth and ended lap one sixth, but was already third by the end of lap three and retained that position to the finish. He finished 6.890 seconds behind the winner and 2.630 seconds behind Fernandez.

Fourth place was not settled until late in the race. At the end of lap 20, Pedro Acosta was fourth, Marc Marquez fifth and Ai Ogura sixth. Ogura rose to fifth on the next lap and fourth on lap 25. Acosta chased him to the line, finishing fifth just 0.114 seconds behind.

Martin regains the lead as four riders fail to finish

Marc Marquez finished 10.778 seconds behind the winner as the highest-placed Ducati rider. Alex Marquez was seventh, Fabio Di Giannantonio eighth, Fabio Quartararo ninth and Enea Bastianini tenth.

Of the 21 starters, 17 completed all 27 laps. Fermin Aldeguer completed only 1 lap, Francesco Bagnaia and Jack Miller 5 each, and Toprak Razgatlioglu 8; none of the four was awarded a finishing position. Maverick Vinales received a 16-second penalty for a technical infringement but remained 17th, 1 minute 11.596 seconds behind the winner.

Martin earned 16 points for third and Marc Marquez 10 for sixth. Their post-race totals were 355 and 353 respectively, returning Martin to the lead by 2 points. Bezzecchi’s victory took him to 309 points in third, 46 behind Martin.

The Indonesian round ended with four Aprilias occupying the top four and two teams represented on the podium. Bezzecchi took the race victory, while Martin converted his podium into a recovery in the title standings. The next Grand Prix will be held in Australia on October 25.

Race results