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.
