Aprilia's Sprint Breakthrough
Trackhouse Aprilia Secures Historic 1-2 Sprint Finish at Dutch MotoGP with Fernández Victory
Key Points
Aprilia locked out the top four in qualifying for the sprint at Assen (pole Martin, followed by Ogura, Bezzecchi and Fernandez), marking a historic qualifying performance for Trackhouse/Aprilia.
Ai Ogura set the fastest lap of the sprint, clocking a 1:32.003 on his final flying lap.
Bezzecchi extended his championship lead to nine points after finishing fourth, consolidating his advantage despite the weekend’s drama.
Jorge Martin started from pole but dropped to fifth by the end of the sprint after the early battles and pace from Fernandez.
Fabio Di Giannantonio finished third on a Ducati, helping the manufacturer remain on the podium in Assen sprints and underscoring Ducati’s continued consistency at the venue.
Raúl Fernández won the Dutch MotoGP sprint at Assen on Saturday, leading teammate Ai Ogura across the line to give Trackhouse Aprilia its first-ever 1-2 sprint finish. Headtopics reported Fernández took the lead on lap three and held on to win by 0.362 seconds, claiming his second sprint victory of the 2026 season.
The result came under new MotoGP rules banning front holeshot devices — systems that lower the bike's nose to improve launch traction — which took effect this weekend. Aprilia had already locked out the entire top four in qualifying, signaling a major shift in the competitive order at the TT Circuit Assen.
Fernández Passes Martin on Lap Three to Seal Win
Jorge Martin started from pole but could not hold the lead. Ai Ogura got into first place at Turn 1 off the line, and Martin reclaimed the spot by the end of lap one. Then on lap three, Fernández drove past Martin at the final chicane and never looked back, according to News.GP.
Ogura secured second place on the final lap by passing Fabio Di Giannantonio. He then set the sprint's fastest lap — a 1:32.003 — on his last flying lap. Fernández crossed the line 0.362 seconds ahead. Di Giannantonio finished third for VR46 Ducati. Martin faded to fifth by the end. Fernández was blunt about one sore point: "I was very angry after my pole lap was deleted," he said, per Crash.net, adding that "the stewards are sometimes making our sport boring."
Ogura Returns From Appendicitis to Podium Contention
Ai Ogura was only cleared fit to race on Thursday after a bout of appendicitis. He made the most of his return. His runner-up finish was a strong statement, and he set the fastest lap of the race to boot. "The race was really close," he said, per The Star. "It was a shame I lost spots early, but we know what to improve for tomorrow."
Readmotorsport noted that Ogura's surge in recent rounds had actually overshadowed Fernández within the team. Saturday's result flipped the script — with Fernández winning and Ogura completing the 1-2, Trackhouse now has both riders performing at the front of the field simultaneously.
Bezzecchi Extends Championship Lead Despite Finishing Fourth
Marco Bezzecchi, the championship leader riding for Factory Aprilia, finished fourth. That was still enough to extend his lead. He now holds 186 points, nine ahead of Jorge Martin in second. Fabio Di Giannantonio sits third in the standings with 164 points, followed by Marc Márquez on 144, according to Devdiscourse.
Francesco Bagnaia received a post-race track-limits penalty that dropped him a position, promoting Márquez to sixth. Di Giannantonio was the only Ducati rider on the podium. He was candid about the gap: "The Aprilias are technically superior here," he admitted, per Sky Sport MotoGP. "To stay with them I had to risk everything."
Holeshot Device Ban Reshapes the Sprint Race From Turn One
The Grand Prix Commission banned front holeshot devices effective this weekend, citing safety concerns and rising development costs. The devices lower a bike's nose at the start to improve grip and reduce wheelies. Without them, riders had to rely more on raw clutch feel and throttle control off the line. Readmotorsport noted that analysts from The Race flagged Ogura and Fernández as especially skilled at managing weight transfer without electronic aids.
The ban was originally set for 2027 but was moved forward after a series of heavy first-lap crashes at other circuits this season. The Assen sprint served as its live debut. With the rule holding and Aprilia dominating, calls are now growing to also ban rear ride-height devices before the 2027 deadline, per Devdiscourse.
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