Marquez wins Portuguese MotoGP sprint race / Photo: © AFP
-
South African election results renew debate over identity-based voting
-
Post-election pressures complicate US and Israeli decisions on Iran
-
South African voters report smoother local election but declining IEC trust
-
UN members approve talks on treaty protocol against environmental crime
-
Dolly Parton museum and Nashville hotel open after singer’s death
-
Family-run West Sussex beach café prepares for first winter season
-
George and Amal Clooney attend New York political-comedy reading
-
CT scans reveal health and burial clues from Egypt’s Braided Lady mummy
-
British buyers pay substantial premiums for period-home appearance
-
Oxford faces complaints over lecturer’s classroom attire
-
Thomas Markle released to house arrest after child-abuse-image charge
-
Kyren Wilson and John Higgins reach International Championship snooker final
-
Dawn of War 4 developers chose Adeptus Mechanicus for tactical variety
-
New Zealand and Tonga meet for place in Rugby League World Cup final
-
Italy face unbeaten South Africa in Turin Nations Championship match
-
Reports of unsafe AI-toy responses renew calls for child-safety rules
-
ChatGPT interactive interface feature tested across six custom tools
-
Juneau food network combines difficult supply routes with deep sharing traditions
-
Freshways milk-price cut deepens pressure on UK dairy farms
-
India climbs green-transition ranking after first emissions decline in 25 years
-
Labour and National remain virtually tied as New Zealand vote count advances
-
Trump names Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff after midterm losses
-
The Good Daughter adapts Karin Slaughter thriller with Rose Byrne and Meghann Fahy
-
Restored Albanian tower houses anchor new rural tourism trail
-
Heavy-lift drone evacuates wounded Ukrainian soldier from frontline kill zone
-
Sonia Gandhi reflects on family tragedy and reluctant political career
-
Morrison says West Brom recovered after pressure from successive derby losses
-
Pope Leo begins three-country South American tour in Uruguay
-
Britain considers 2027 state visit for Ukraine’s Zelensky
-
Khawaja says entire Australia camp knew of 2018 ball-tampering plan
-
Udinese Falls to Last Place in Serie A After Loss to Venezia
-
Arizona Voters Ban Speed Camera Expansion Amid Vandalism Crisis
Marquez wins Portuguese MotoGP sprint race
Spaniard Alex Marquez put his crash in qualifying behind him to win the the Portuguese MotoGP sprint race on Saturday at the Portimao circuit.
The Ducati-Gresini rider -– guaranteed to finish second in the championship behind his brother Marc –- finished ahead of compatriot Pedro Acosta (KTM), and Italian Marco Bezzecchi riding an Aprilia.
After a superb start from pole position, Bezzecchi could not hold off Acosta, who was in excellent form and then Marquez, who had started fifth on the grid.
The day's winner overtook Acosta with four laps to go.
The 21-year-old is still waiting for his first victory in the premier class, which he joined in 2024.
Starting third on the grid, the 2021 world champion, Frenchman Fabio Quartararo, finished fourth on his Yamaha, well ahead of former two-time champion, Italian Francesco Bagnaia who was eighth for Ducati.
With the world championship and runner-up titles already secured by the Marquez brothers, the battle for third place in the championship is still wide open.
At the end of this 12-lap race -- compared to 24 laps for Sunday's main event -- Bezzecchi remains third and now has a 10-point lead over Bagnaia, who is fourth overall.
Injured Marc Marquez and his compatriot, 2024 world champion Jorge Martin of Aprilia, did not make the trip to Portugal.
O.Krause--BTB