Jorge Martin reclaimed the MotoGP championship lead at Mandalika, recovering from sixth place on the opening lap to finish third in the Indonesian Grand Prix. Marco Bezzecchi won for Aprilia ahead of teammate Raul Fernandez, while Martin completed the manufacturer’s podium lockout. Ai Ogura made it an Aprilia sweep of the top four.

Martin reached third by lap three and stayed there to the chequered flag, ahead of Marc Marquez. The reigning champion leaves Indonesia two points behind Martin, with five rounds still remaining in the title fight. The result also gave Martin his third consecutive Sunday podium, following runner-up finishes in Austria and Japan. His most recent Grand Prix victory remains the May race at Le Mans.

A difficult Saturday turned around

The weekend had initially been moving away from Martin. Bezzecchi and Fernandez were eliminated at Turn 1 in the Sprint, seemingly opening the way for Martin to fight for victory. Instead, low tyre pressure cost him the lead, and a further mistake dropped him to fourth. Marquez won the short race and carried a four-point advantage into Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Martin said he had been a step behind Bezzecchi and Fernandez throughout the weekend, making third his realistic target on Sunday. He described his work on riding style and pace as a maximum effort, while calling the Sprint setback a lesson rather than dwelling on it. He also said the Grand Prix tyre pressures had been set too conservatively, leaving the tyre with excessive pressure and making him struggle through the corners.

Despite that limitation, Martin called Sunday a great day because Aprilia had taken back the championship lead. He said he feels faster each time and expects to be competitive in the races ahead. Martin added that he no longer expects to struggle as he had in some earlier events, and said he is confident of being fast in all the remaining races. The Mandalika podium therefore restored his advantage at a crucial stage of his five-round battle with Marquez.