Bezzecchi wins at Mugello: Aprilia ends Ducati’s winning streak

• Bezzecchi won from pole position ahead of Jorge Martin, marking Aprilia’s fourth one-two finish of the 2026 season.
• Francesco Bagnaia saved third place by 0.034 seconds over Ai Ogura.
• Bezzecchi extended his championship lead to 17 points over Martin.

In the seventh of 22 rounds this season, Italian manufacturers Aprilia and Ducati faced off at the Mugello Circuit, and Aprilia came out clearly on top. In front of more than 88,000 spectators and in sunny weather with air temperatures of nearly 30 degrees Celsius, all 22 riders started the 23-lap race on Michelin’s medium compound at both front and rear. The factory Ducati team ran a special livery to mark the brand’s 100th anniversary, while Pramac-Yamaha also competed in a special design. Bezzecchi, meanwhile, wore a special helmet in tribute to the recently deceased Alex Zanardi, a replica of the helmet Zanardi wore during his famous overtaking move at the Corkscrew at Laguna Seca in 1996.

How did the MotoGP race at Mugello 2026 unfold?

Bezzecchi won the start, temporarily lost the lead to Bagnaia, and reclaimed it on lap 14. Unlike in Saturday’s sprint, the pole-sitter moved straight into the lead and was first into the San Donato corner. In the early stages, Bezzecchi and his Aprilia teammate Martin briefly swapped the lead before Bagnaia overtook both factory Aprilias and set the pace. The Ducati rider, who had won at Mugello in 2022, 2023 and 2024, initially could only fend off Bezzecchi as a constant pursuer while Martin dropped back slightly.

Why did Raul Fernandez lose out in the first corner?

Sprint winner Raul Fernandez dropped outside the top 15 immediately after the start when he braked too late for the first corner. The Trackhouse team rider, who had started from second on the grid, reached his limits in Bezzecchi’s slipstream but just managed to avoid contact with the leading Aprilia and stay out of the gravel trap. Fernandez partially recovered the lost ground over the course of the race. He crossed the finish line in eighth, but after a one-position penalty was classified ninth in the final results. The day before, Fernandez had celebrated his first sprint victory with a 1.289-second margin over Martin.

When did Bezzecchi retake the lead?

Bezzecchi dived up the inside at San Donato at the start of lap 14 to pass Bagnaia and lead for the first time since the second lap. Bagnaia subsequently lost touch and struggled to maintain the pace. Two laps later, Martin also found a way past the factory Ducati rider at the same spot, restoring Aprilia’s one-two formation. Bezzecchi then continuously extended his advantage and crossed the finish line with a 3.559-second margin. At the finish he said this victory had been a childhood dream come true, and thanked the fans at the track in Italian. Martin said he had still been struggling with his confidence this weekend but was satisfied with second place and congratulated his teammate.

How did Bagnaia save the podium against Ogura?

Bagnaia held on to third place by 0.034 seconds over Ai Ogura after the Japanese rider had briefly passed him in the final corner. Ogura, also on a Trackhouse team Aprilia, had significantly more pace in the closing stages and took almost half a second out of Bagnaia on the final lap. When Ogura attacked in the last corner, Bagnaia immediately countered and defended the podium spot on the run to the line. The Ducati rider thus prevented a triple Aprilia podium by just a few thousandths of a second. Bagnaia attributed the result to the support of the home fans while also pointing to rear grip problems in the final laps. Fabio Di Giannantonio completed the top five on the second factory Ducati of the VR46 team.

Marquez, Acosta and the battle for sixth place

Pedro Acosta prevailed in a direct duel against Marc Marquez to become the best KTM rider in sixth place. Marquez, who was not fully fit after surgery, had battled with Acosta for much of the race before the KTM rider took the position. A run-off by Marquez at the first corner gave Acosta breathing space and opened the door for Ogura to overtake. There was slight contact between Ogura and Acosta at the corner exit. Marquez finished the race in seventh. Behind Fernandez and the promoted Fermin Aldeguer, Diogo Moreira on the LCR Honda finished tenth for points. Three riders did not reach the finish: Alex Rins and Enea Bastianini crashed, while Cal Crutchlow retired after ten laps with muscle pain. For the 40-year-old Briton, who was standing in for the injured Johann Zarco, it was his 180th MotoGP race.

What does the result mean for the 2026 championship?

Bezzecchi extended his championship lead to 17 points over Martin with his home victory. He thereby consolidated his position at the top of the ongoing 2026 title fight, while Aprilia underlined its current strength with its fourth one-two finish of the year. For both the manufacturer and Bezzecchi personally, it was their first victory in the Italian Grand Prix in the premier class, after Ducati had won the four previous Mugello editions. Already in qualifying, Bezzecchi had set a 1:43.921 lap to become the first rider to break the 1:44 barrier at the track, while Aprilia set another record with three machines on the front row.

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