Italian rider Marco Bezzecchi on the Ducati took the victory in the MotoGP Indian Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit. The leader Francesco Bagnaia encountered a dramatic moment when he crashed with eight laps remaining, allowing Bezzecchi to seize the podium. Jorge Martin, also on a Ducati, finished in second, narrowing the gap in the championship race as the weekend action concluded.
Bezzecchi briefly led as the race reached its late stages, but Bagnaia’s crash altered the order and opened the door for a late surge. Martin moved up into second place and, on the final lap, he fought to maintain that position against Fabio Quartararo on a Yamaha, managing to stay ahead as Quartararo pushed hard near the end. The flip in momentum from Bagnaia’s misfortune reshaped the top of the standings as the chequered flag waved.
With this podium, Martin earned extra points on top of his previous Saturday sprint results, pulling within striking distance of Bagnaia in the overall standings. Bezzecchi sits within sight of the leader, with several rounds still on the calendar, keeping the championship firmly open as the season progresses toward its conclusion.
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As the lights went out, Martin grabbed the holeshot ahead of pole-sitter Bezzecchi, who quickly reclaimed the lead after one lap. Bagnaia, initially under pressure from the Honda entries, soon overtook the Madrid rider in a few laps. With only six rounds left, Marc Márquez endured a crash while braking at turn 1 but managed to rejoin, though the race had slipped away from his hopes. Meanwhile, Fabio Quartararo advanced, closing the gap to the front-runners as the battle for position intensified.
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The moment of drama arrived when Bezzecchi and Bagnaia tangled in the late stages, clearing the path for Bezzecchi’s win and elevating Martin to second. The Madrid-born rider faced a minor wardrobe mishap with his overalls, which nearly caused a penalty because they could have impeded him, but he managed to fix the situation and stay competitive. Close racing continued as the final corner was contested, with Quartararo briefly challenging before Bezzecchi secured second place behind the winner.
In the veteran ranks, Joan Mir finished fifth, Maverick Viñales placed eighth, and Marc Márquez took ninth. Raúl Fernández completed the top ten, while Pol Espargaró ended thirteenth. Other contenders faced mechanical issues or derailed by misfortune, underscoring the unpredictable nature of the circuit and the season’s ongoing drama.
— End of race reportage, with ongoing championship implications for riders across the premier class and mid-level categories [Agency report].