Bezzecchi suspension shakes up MotoGP title chase as Ogura grabs pole for Czech GP at Brno
The 2026 MotoGP championship fight tightens as leader Marco Bezzecchi sits out the Czech Grand Prix at Brno following a suspension for pushing a race official. Ai Ogura took a surprise pole, while Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez look to capitalize on the title leader’s absence.
Pole position and grid
Ai Ogura secured his first career MotoGP pole position at the Brno circuit, putting his satellite Aprilia-Trackhouse bike at the front. The Japanese rider heads Fabio Di Giannantonio (Ducati-VR46) and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) on the opening row. Marc Márquez, fourth on the grid, starts from the second row alongside Diogo Moreira, while championship contender Jorge Martín lines up ninth.
- Bagnaia wins sprint race; Bezzecchi pushes a race official
- Bezzecchi handed one-race suspension, will not start Sunday’s GP
- Czech Republic Grand Prix starts at Brno
Bezzecchi sidelined after official clash
Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi will not start the race after pushing a race official during Saturday’s sprint, earning a one-race suspension. The Italian Aprilia rider leaves Brno scoreless, blowing the title fight wide open with no points added to his 180 tally this weekend.
Championship standings
Jorge Martín sits second, 20 points behind Bezzecchi on 160 points, and can take the lead with a victory. Fabio Di Giannantonio is third with 138 points, followed by Pedro Acosta (132) and Marc Márquez (108). Martín, however, carries two long-lap penalties from the previous round in Hungary, complicating his path to the top.
- Bezzecchi
- 180
- Martín
- 160
- Di Giannantonio
- 138
- Acosta
- 132
- Márquez
- 108
Sprint and Márquez’s form
Francesco Bagnaia won Saturday’s sprint race, while Marc Márquez arrives in Brno buoyed by his 100th grand prix victory in Hungary. Márquez won both the sprint and Sunday race at this circuit in 2025, although Pedro Acosta pushed him hard. With Bezzecchi absent, a strong result could propel Márquez back into the title conversation.
Broadcast and schedule
The race starts at 14:00 local time, live on Sky Sport, Sky Go and Now, with a free-to-air delayed broadcast on TV8 at 16:00.
