Marquez wins Czech MotoGP, cuts Bezzecchi's title lead to 40 points after Italian's ban

Marquez claims back-to-back wins at Brno

Marc Marquez delivered a controlled performance at Autodrom Brno on Sunday, overtaking Ducati teammate Francesco Bagnaia on lap 16 and holding off polesitter Ai Ogura to win by 0.421 seconds. It was Marquez's second consecutive victory after the Hungarian GP two weeks ago and his 75th career MotoGP win. The seven-time MotoGP champion started from fourth on the grid, shadowed Bagnaia for much of the race, then struck decisively late in the contest.

“This is a very important victory, special. I never gave up, even though in the last laps I suffered a lot, I felt empty. Those were the six longest laps of the year.”

Bagnaia, who had hoped to convert Saturday's sprint win into a double, was passed by Ogura on lap 18 and held third place under pressure from Fabio Di Giannantonio. KTM's Pedro Acosta retired on the final lap with a bike problem.

Bezzecchi suspended after sprint altercation

Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi did not start the race after being suspended for slapping a track marshal in the face following a crash during Saturday's sprint. The Italian's factory Aprilia team therefore scored no points in the main race, although Bezzecchi remained top of the standings with 180 points. His teammate Jorge Martin, who had to serve two long-lap penalties for causing a multi-rider crash in Hungary, crossed the line ninth and closed to within eight points of Bezzecchi.

Championship standings tighten

Marco Bezzecchi180

Jorge Martin172

Fabio Di Giannantonio157

Marc Marquez140

Ai Ogura134

Pedro Acosta132

Francesco Bagnaia127

Marco Bezzecchi

180 points

Jorge Martin

172 points

Fabio Di Giannantonio

157 points

Marc Marquez

140 points

Ai Ogura

134 points

Pedro Acosta

132 points

Francesco Bagnaia

127 points

Data from the article text

The top of the MotoGP rankings compressed after Brno. Fabio Di Giannantonio sits third on 157 points, while Marquez's win vaulted him to fourth with 140 points, 40 behind Bezzecchi. Ogura (134) and Acosta (132) follow, with Bagnaia seventh on 127. Marquez was 102 points adrift after the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, but 62 points have been clawed back in just two rounds.

Aprilia still leads team and rider contests

Despite Bezzecchi's absence and Martin's penalty, Aprilia Racing tops the team standings with 352 points. Ducati Lenovo moved into second at 267 points, while the satellite Aprilia-Trackhouse squad sits third on 240. Honda's Joan Mir finished a strong fifth, holding off Fermin Aldeguer and Raul Fernandez. The championship now heads into the final two rounds before the summer break.