2026 Czech GP Race Report

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) took his first Tissot Sprint win of the season in style at Brno, off the line like a rocket and holding off some serious pressure from behind to the line. From pole position, Ai Ogura (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) was forced to settle for second by just two tenths at the flag, with Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) completing the Saturday rostrum.

Off the line it was a pure drag race as Bagnaia got the best start on the front row, from P3, and Ogura the worst from pole position, leaving the #63 in the lead and the #79 forced the settle into second. They held position ahead of some shuffling behind, with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) picked off by Marc Marquez ahead of some early drama. Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) slid out on Lap 1 followed swiftly by Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) in separate incidents, leaving a little gap where each had been. Riders ok.

At the front, Bagnaia was setting the pace with around half a second in hand ahead of Ogura, but the gap behind them was starting to stretch further. Marquez was holding on ahead of Diggia, however, with Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) next up. Behind him, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was homing in on Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing).

Fireworks soon set off there by mid-distance as the two swapped positions not once nor twice, with Acosta eventually getting the deal done but not losing the close company from the #89. He held on for another couple of laps before his Sprint came to an early end, the #37 sliding out at Turn 11. Rider ok and ready to reload for Sunday.

Meanwhile at the front, what had been a growing gap between Bagnaia and Ogura was shrinking by four to go – and the Japanese rider was bringing company in the form of Marc Marquez as he started to eat up the metres. The trio looked on to decide the podium between themselves, with Di Giannantonio not quite able to bring himself back into contention from fourth.

Suddenly, more drama hit – this time for Bezzecchi. From a solid fifth, the championship leader suddenly slid out at Turn 3, losing the valuable points and promoting teammate Martin, just behind him, to the top five.

There were no such dramas for the race leaders. Onto the last lap, Bagnaia led Ogura led Marquez, with little to choose between them as the concertina made its way around Brno. As the metres ticked down though it was Ogura making the gains, with Marquez watching a duel for the win slowly pull away. But Ogura was forced to endure the same as Bagnaia kept it tidy as ever, giving no opportunity for the Japanese rider to create a move. The #63 crossed the line with just over two tenths in hand, supreme on Saturday.

Ogura takes second on a weekend that has seen him go fastest on Friday and take his maiden pole, and he’ll be aiming for more on Sunday. Marc Marquez takes third place ahead of Di Giannantonio, with Martin completing the top five on Saturday before he serves his double Long Lap on Sunday.

Raul Fernandez (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) came home sixth ahead of a charge up the order from Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Enea Bastianini into P7, with Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) completing the points scorers – denying Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) the opportunity by just a tenth.

MOTOGP - RACE
Masterful Marc Marquez beats Ogura and Bagnaia for mammoth Brno win

Mammoth? Seismic? Colossal? Call it what you want. But that is one hell of a statement win. Having sat 102 points away after the Italian Grand Prix, the seven-time World Champion now lurks just 40 points back from the absent World Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) after the #93 rolled out a masterclass at the Monster Energy Grand Prix of Czechia. Ai Ogura (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) made the reigning World Champion work mighty hard for the 25 points, but in the end, neither could stop the #93 from clinching a victory that feels like it could be a real turning point in the 2026 title chase.

BAGNAIA BITES IN OPENING EXCHANGES
Ogura got the getaway he would have been dreaming of to grab the holeshot from Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Marc Marquez, as the latter then launched an attack on the Italian into Turn 3. That unsettled Di Giannantonio on the exit, and through came Bagnaia too.

Then, through came Bagnaia again. This time on teammate Marc Marquez at Turn 7. An aggressive move on the World Champion, but a clean one. And immediately, Pecco began to crawl all over the rear Michelin rubber of Ogura. The Japanese rider defended well, but on Lap 2, Pecco struck to take the lead into Turn 10. A few corners later, at Turn 13, Marc Marquez followed his teammate through on the Trackhouse star to move into P2.

So at the start of Lap 4, it was Pecco leading Marquez by half a second after consecutive fastest laps of the Grand Prix. Ogura was a further 0.7s down on Marquez, with Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Di Giannantonio lurking in P4 and P5. Meanwhile, Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) was sitting in P8 behind Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) and Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol), having not yet taken his two Long Lap penalties.

On Lap 5, Martin did dive into the Long Lap loop for the first time, which dropped the 2024 World Champion to P10, and the second time around, the #89 slotted back into P13 behind Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3).

BAGNAIA, MARQUEZ, OGURA STRETCH THEIR LEGS
By Lap 10, Acosta had dropped to 2.1s behind Ogura, with Di Giannantonio desperately trying to get past the KTM star. Up front, Bagnaia still led – but Marquez was now as close as he’d been all Grand Prix to his teammate. Meanwhile, Ogura was staying well in touch at 0.8s back, and on Lap 11, the polesitter set his personal best lap.

Bagnaia responded though. The #63 set his personal best lap, a 1:53.510, but it was then a return volley from Ogura on the next time around. The #79 landed the fastest lap of the race with eight laps to go, and then it was the turn of Marquez to turn the screw.

MM93 BEGINS VICTORY PUSH
The #93 was now looking the most dangerous in the victory fight. And sure enough, the lead changed for the first time in a while at Turn 4, and now it was all about how Pecco and Ogura could respond.

Marquez immediately pulled 0.6s clear of Bagnaia, and the Italian now had Ogura climbing all over his rear wheel. The Japanese star needed to make a move rapido here if a debut win was possible, and that’s what he did. Five to go, Lap 10, a late lunge, job done.

Four laps to go. 0.8s splitting Marquez and Ogura.

Three laps to go, 0.7s splitting Marquez and Ogura. The latter was marginally quicker, but at this stage, not enough.

Two to go. 0.6s in it. This was tantalising in the chase to win the Czech GP, and a little further back, Pecco was coming under threat from Di Giannantonio after the Italian set the fastest lap of the Grand Prix.

LAST LAP. And it was a great lap from the champion. Marquez led Ogura by 0.8s, but Ogura chopped it down to 0.5s through split two. The Japanese rider was properly digging in here, but it wasn’t going to be enough. A masterclass from an all-time great. That’s what it took to beat Ogura today, and Marquez did just that to clinch a second win of the season, and one that blows this fascinating title race wide open.

Despite narrowly missing out on a debut MotoGP win by 0.4s, Ogura’s Brno weekend was his best yet in MotoGP, and one that sees the Japanese sophomore sit just six points away from Marquez in the overall standings. Bagnaia just fended off Di Giannantonio at the chequered flag by 0.169s as all three podium finishers take home a double rostrum from Brno.

THE BRNO POINT SCORERS
Di Giannantonio’s late race pace was stunning, signalled by the Italian setting the fastest lap on the final lap, but it wasn’t enough for a podium for the VR46 Racing star. Mir rounded out the top five for HRC to collect his first Sunday top 10 of the season, with Fermin Aldeguer (Bk8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) sixth in Czechia. Having been in hospital on Thursday with illness, a P7 on Sunday was a great effort from the #25, as Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) beat Martin to the line by 0.136s in the chase for eighth.

P9 for Martin wasn’t the result he or Aprilia Racing would have been hoping for, despite the two Long Laps, in a weekend to forget for the factory Noale squad. Bastianini completed the top 10, with rookie Moreira crossing the line in P11. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), Toprak Razgatlioglu (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) and Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) were the final points scorers in Brno.

Elsewhere, it was late heartbreak for Acosta, who suffered a race-ending issue in the closing stages to see his chances of topping up the points tally end. A Sunday to remove from the memory for the unlucky #37. 

COMING UP: A TRIP TO THE CATHEDRAL
Next, we head to another all-time classic venue. Assen. This enthralling MotoGP title race in 2026 is more alive than ever, with Bezzecchi and Aprilia needing a response to the looming threat of Ducati and Marc Marquez. 

Enea Bastianini P10

"It was a very tough race, very hot, and when you're behind too many bikes you're in a critical condition because you can't make your line. Every lap I got a bit more comfortable, and at the end it was possible to push a little more.

Our limit today was the front. I think I saved the front from closing maybe five or six times, that was crazy. I tried to stay close to Martin, but I wasn't comfortable in that part of the race and at the end I was close, but it was too risky to push for it today.

When we're close to other bikes the rear degrades worse, and the front is on the edge when we take the corners. Yesterday was better, and it's important to understand why today wasn't the same. Next week it's not going to get easier as it'll be 34 degrees again in Assen. It's difficult, but we stay positive."

Diogo Moreira P11

"It was a tough race. We chose the medium tyre because it was the safest option and, after yesterday’s crash, it was important to make sure we reached the finish. The final stages of the race were difficult, and I focused on managing the tyre and bringing it home. Considering the circumstances, we did a good job and managed to score points. In Assen, we’ll aim to take another step forward and be back fighting again."

MOTO3
Malaysian masterclass as Danish takes maiden Moto3 victory at Brno

A first win for Malaysia in a decade and a career-first for Hakim Danish (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI) who overcame a 12-place grid penalty to hit the front on the last lap after a race-long battle. The #13 became the fourth new winner of the 2026 season, finishing ahead of Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Championship leader Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team).

It was a bright start from polesitter David Almansa (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) but he was beaten to the holeshot by Quiles. Straight away on the opening lap, a front group of four broke clear as Quiles, Almansa and Red Bull KTM Ajo duo Alvaro Carpe and Brian Uriarte duked it out. Further down, it was a cracking start from Danish who after receiving a 12-place grid penalty, started 14th and was P5 and with the leaders by Lap 2.

Four had become six with Danish right with the leaders and bringing Casey O’Gorman (SIC58 Squadra Corse) with him whilst less than a second back, Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia) had also recovered from his 12-place grid penalty and was P7 from 20th and by Lap 5, had climbed into the top four having had a very quiet weekend. A seven-rider fight at the front, Moto3 was at its best. A change of the lead on Lap 6 as Almansa burst through at Turn 1 whilst seven became six when O’Gorman crashed out at Turn 9.

Almansa’s lead was short-lived when Uriarte dispatched of Quiles and the Grand Prix leader at Turns 5 and 7 respectively and the #22 was now being beaten up by the Championship leader and Carpe, managing to recover to P3 as the second half of the race began. The battle kept raging, Almansa working his way to P1 briefly before Quiles took over and then Carpe pounced on the #22 at Turn 4, running him out wide and fragmenting the group.

With four to go, the group was back together and there was a brief change of lead with Almansa getting back in the game and attacking Quiles but the Buriram winner was unable to make it stick. Two laps to go and it was still anyone’s to win; Quiles stood firm and was leading brilliantly but the chasing pack were eager to disrupt his flow. Disrupting flow was what Pratama did to Almansa at Turn 10 whilst Carpe made a mistake all on his own, allowing Quiles, Uriarte and Danish to break free at the front.

Last lap time and elbows were flying everywhere and there was contact at Turn 8 between Quiles and Uriarte and that paved the way for Danish to carve his way through. In the final sector, it was five abreast into the final corner but nobody was getting near the Malaysian rookie. From 14th on the grid, it was a masterclass from Danish to take his maiden victory in Moto3 and Malaysia’s first since Khairul Idham Pawi at the Sachsenring in 2016. In the all-out fight for second, Uriarte came out on top ahead of Quiles with Almansa fourth despite being in P2 on the run up to the final two corners. Pratama was fifth at the flag whilst Carpe lost valuable ground to Quiles in the title race to finish sixth.

Noteworthy performances included a good comeback from 17th on the grid to P7 for Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) and Joel Kelso (GRYD Racing) a best result of 2026 in eighth. Scott Ogden (CIP GreenPower) took his second top ten of the season in ninth ahead of Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) who came home tenth.

Nicola Carraro NC