Quick Read
- Marco Bezzecchi won the COTA MotoGP race, extending his winning streak to five consecutive grands prix.
- Aprilia secured a 1-2 finish with Jorge Martin taking second place behind Bezzecchi.
- Bezzecchi is the first rider since Marc Marquez in 2014 to win the opening three races of a season.
AUSTIN (Azat TV) – Marco Bezzecchi continued his dominant start to the 2026 MotoGP season on Sunday, claiming a commanding victory at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA). The Aprilia rider led all 20 laps of the race to secure his third consecutive win of the year, a result that extends his personal winning streak to five races dating back to the conclusion of the 2025 season.
Dominance in the 2026 World Championship Standings
Bezzecchi’s performance in Austin, where he crossed the finish line 2.036 seconds ahead of his teammate Jorge Martin, has vaulted him into a clear lead in the world championship standings after the first three rounds. The Aprilia 1-2 finish marks a significant shift in the competitive landscape, as the Italian manufacturer continues to outperform its rivals. By winning the first three grands prix of 2026, Bezzecchi became the first rider to achieve such a feat since Marc Marquez in 2014.
Chasing MotoGP Legends
The victory places Bezzecchi in elite company, as he becomes only the third Italian rider in history to win five consecutive grand prix races, joining the ranks of Hall of Famers Valentino Rossi and Giacomo Agostini. Reflecting on the result after a challenging sprint race on Saturday, Bezzecchi noted the importance of his recovery. “I wasn’t expecting a day like this after yesterday, because it wasn’t easy, and I made a mistake, and it was important to bounce back,” Bezzecchi stated following the podium ceremony.
Aprilia’s Strategic Shift
The race saw Pedro Acosta take third place, while pole-sitter Fabio Di Giannantonio finished fourth. Defending Austin champion Francesco Bagnaia struggled to maintain pace, finishing in 10th position. As the series prepares for the European leg of the tour, the focus remains on whether any rival team can disrupt the current technical and tactical momentum established by the Aprilia garage.
The sustained winning streak by Bezzecchi, combined with Aprilia’s current 1-2 dominance, indicates that the team has successfully addressed the reliability and handling issues that previously hampered their championship consistency, effectively turning the early 2026 season into a defensive battle for every other manufacturer on the grid.