HODGSON SAYS APRILIA GIFTED MARQUEZ THE SPRINT AS MARTIN’S PASS STUNNED

Aprilia dominated the Indonesian Grand Prix at Mandalika, taking the first 1-2-3-4 finish in the team’s history. Marco Bezzecchi claimed his fifth victory of the 2026 season ahead of Raul Fernandez, with Jorge Martin third and Ai Ogura fourth. The result put Martin back at the top of the championship, while Marc Marquez finished sixth after winning Saturday’s Sprint.

Former rider and pundit Neil Hodgson believes Aprilia missed an opportunity to open a bigger gap. Marquez had taken the Sprint after Bezzecchi and Fernandez collided at the first corner on the opening lap, while Martin finished outside the podium places. That unexpected result gave the Ducati rider the championship lead before Sunday’s race.

Hodgson said the standings had returned to “status quo, two points in the championship,” adding that Marquez would be pleased. He described Indonesia as “a proper weekend for Ducati,” but said the team had not expected “the gift of yesterday” — the Sprint victory — or Martin’s lack of dominance over the weekend. In Hodgson’s view, Martin could have won both races, while Marquez might instead have finished sixth in each. With the title fight still close, he concluded: “The championship continues, it’s hard to call.”

Sunday also brought a striking moment between the title rivals. Marquez was running third when Martin passed him on lap three with a late-braking move into turn 10. Hodgson, commentating for TNT Sports 2, called the overtake “bizarre,” noting that Martin had been “three or four bike lengths” back and took a tighter line on the dirty part of the track, yet made the apex and completed the pass cleanly. “I thought, ‘Well surely Martin’s going to go wide there,’” he said, adding that the move was “very impressive.” Hodgson suggested it might be a sign that “everything starts clicking” for Martin.

Marquez had led the championship after the Sprint but lacked the pace to match Aprilia on Sunday. His sixth place was nevertheless the first time he had reached the chequered flag in a Sunday race at Mandalika. The pair’s late-braking styles, and the close title contest, set up a tense final five rounds.