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Marco Bezzecchi aiming to build on Indonesian Grand Prix victory as Phillip Island hosts round 18 of MotoGP World Championship
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Italian Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) kept his title hopes alive ahead of this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island with a convincing victory at the Indonesian Grand Prix at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit.

Bezzecchi crashed out at Turn 1 alongside pole-setter Raúl Fernández in the Sprint race but made no mistakes in the Grand Prix.

Aprilia Racing's Marco Bezzecchi, winner of the Indonesian Grand Prix. (Photo credit: MotoGP)
Aprilia Racing's Marco Bezzecchi, winner of the Indonesian Grand Prix. (Photo credit: MotoGP)

Starting second on the grid, Bezzecchi made a strong getaway, but Fernández (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) led the field through Turn 1, with Sprint race winner Marc Márquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) in third.

Fernández and Bezzecchi quickly broke away, extending their advantage over Jorge Martín, who fought his way into third by lap three. Meanwhile, Márquez slipped back into the clutches of Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM).

By lap seven, Fernández, Bezzecchi, and Martín had established a commanding advantage at the front, while Acosta had passed Márquez for fourth.

The battle for the lead intensified, and on lap 19, Bezzecchi made his move at Turn 1 to take the lead for the first time. He immediately opened a gap over Fernández, who was struggling with two broken fingers sustained in Saturday’s Sprint race crash.

Bezzecchi eventually crossed the line more than four seconds clear of the Spaniard to claim his first victory since Mugello, with Martín completing the podium in third.

The result saw Martín return to the top of the championship standings, two points ahead of Márquez, who settled for sixth behind Acosta in fifth.

It was a historic day for Aprilia, as Ai Ogura’s fourth-place finish secured the Italian manufacturer’s first-ever MotoGP 1-2-3-4 finish.

Bezzecchi was delighted to return to the top step of the podium after a difficult few months following his crash at the Sachsenring.

“It's amazing to be back on the top step of the podium. It was my target since I broke everything at Sachsenring, so I'm very, very happy,” he said.

"It was a nice battle with Raúl, and I think we deserve a result like this, my team and me, especially them, because they never stop working.

"They've been through tough times with me. This is all for them, for my family at home and all my friends.”

Moto2 was red-flagged after a four-rider pile-up at Turn 1 after the start.

Thankfully, those involved, Joe Roberts, Collin Veijer, David Alonso and Daniel Holgado, all returned to the pit lane, but Alonso’s bike was too badly damaged to restart. Pole-setter Izan Guevara won the restarted race.

Irish rider Casey O’Gorman (SIC58 Squadra Corse) qualified tenth for the Moto3 race and ran ninth before high-siding out on lap three at Turn 4. Spaniard Max Quiles won the race nearly three seconds clear of David Almansa to claim the World Championship.

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