It was total perfection from Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) as he conquered Portimão from start to finish in the MotoGP Portuguese Grand Prix 2026. The Italian rider didn’t make a single mistake across 25 laps, taking a decisive win that strengthens his grip on third place in the championship standings.
Behind him, Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) held off a late charge from Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), reshuffling the podium from Saturday’s Sprint and delivering another thrilling Sunday showdown.
Bezzecchi Leads from the Start
As the lights went out, Acosta made a lightning start from the front row, but Bezzecchi’s perfect launch from pole allowed him to claim the holeshot. Alex Marquez mirrored his Sprint pace to grab third place, while chaos unfolded behind — Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) got tangled in a Turn 5 incident but managed to continue.
On Lap 2, Marquez overtook Acosta to take second place and began chasing Bezzecchi, but the Aprilia rider’s rhythm was untouchable. Meanwhile, Sepang podium finisher Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) was forced to retire early due to a technical issue.
Mid-Race Battles and Bagnaia’s Crash
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) held a solid fourth place ahead of Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), while Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) came under fire from Indonesia GP winner Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing).
The rookie Aldeguer showed no hesitation, overtaking Binder at Turn 5 with a bold move before passing Quartararo for fourth. Moments later, Bagnaia crashed out at Turn 10 on Lap 11 — his fourth consecutive Sunday DNF — dealing a major blow to his podium hopes in the overall standings.
At the front, Bezzecchi built a commanding 2.2-second lead by Lap 15, followed by Marquez and Acosta, who were separated by another two seconds. Behind them, the fight for sixth was intense, with Quartararo fending off Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) and a charging Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team).
Acosta’s Late Push Falls Just Short
With four laps to go, Acosta found a second wind and started closing the gap to Marquez, cutting the deficit from 1.8 seconds to just one. Despite his late surge, Marquez managed to respond and defend his position, keeping Acosta behind until the chequered flag.
Bezzecchi’s Brilliant Finish
On the final lap, Bezzecchi cruised to victory, unchallenged from lights to flag. His smooth, controlled performance marked Aprilia’s third win of the season — their first time achieving three victories in a single MotoGP year.
Marquez and Acosta joined him on the podium, while Aldeguer claimed fourth ahead of Binder, who secured his third top-six finish of the year. Quartararo ended sixth, his best Portuguese GP result since 2022. Ogura’s P7 continued his impressive run of form, and Di Giannantonio edged out Zarco for eighth, with Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Tech3) completing the top ten.
Next Stop: Valencia Finale
With just one round remaining, all eyes turn to Valencia, where the season finale will decide the final standings and the battle for third in the championship. Expect fireworks as Bezzecchi, Marquez, and Acosta go head-to-head one last time in 2026.
