Author Archives: PressBox

Álex Rins apologized after a confrontation with marshals during Friday practice at the Indonesian Grand Prix on Oct. 9, 2026, saying the incident was a misunderstanding and that his reaction was wrong. Rins crashed and was trying to get back to the garage when he said a marshal told him to get on a scooter, which he believed would take him back to the paddock.

Rins said marshals then argued over who would take him back, leaving him on the main straight instead of taking him to the box. He said the situation made him frustrated and that, in the stress of the moment, he gave a marshal the middle finger. Rins apologized for the gesture and said the incident was not a good example for young fans.

Rins said he spoke briefly with FIM stewards after the incident and that they were surprised by the unusual situation. He was not penalized. Rins also said he received death threats on social media, including references to death and violence, and said abuse and threats are unacceptable.

Marc Marquez’s sprint win at Mandalika briefly put him atop the 2026 world championship standings for the first time this season, but Jorge Martin’s podium in the Indonesian Grand Prix later returned the title lead to him by two points. Marquez won the 13-lap sprint on Saturday, with Ai Ogura second and Fabio di Giannantonio third, while Martin finished fourth after leading much of the race. The sprint also featured a controversial first-corner incident involving Marquez, Di Giannantonio, Raul Fernandez and Marco Bezzecchi, with Fernandez and Bezzecchi crashing.

Fernandez had taken pole for the Indonesian MotoGP, his first pole of the 2026 season, while Marquez qualified fourth and Martin fifth. Bezzecchi had led Saturday practice and warm-up at Mandalika, and Fernandez, who fractured his right index finger in the sprint clash, struggled to brake during warm-up.

Bezzecchi then won the Indonesian Grand Prix after passing Fernandez on lap 19 of 27 and finishing 4.260 seconds ahead of him. Aprilia swept the top four places, recording its first 1-2-3-4 finish in MotoGP, with Fernandez second, Martin third and Ogura fourth. Marquez finished sixth in the grand prix.

Maximo Quiles clinched the 2026 Moto3 world title on Sunday morning after winning the race at Indonesia’s Pertamina Mandalika Circuit, becoming the first rider in Moto3 history to secure the championship with five rounds remaining. Quiles took the 20-lap race by 2.994 seconds on his CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team KTM, and the victory was his 10th of the season.

David Almansa finished second on his Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP KTM, 2.994 seconds behind Quiles, and Brian Uriarte took third for Red Bull KTM Ajo, 5.156 seconds back. Uriarte had started from pole after a 1:36.861 lap, while Quiles qualified sixth. After the race, Quiles led the standings with 351 points, ahead of Almansa on 219 and Uriarte on 203. Quiles is set to move to Moto2 in 2027 while remaining with Aspar.

Aleix Espargaro did not take part in the Indonesian Grand Prix after Honda HRC Castrol and the rider decided to withdraw from the event. Honda said he needed more recovery time after a big testing crash earlier in the season and cited the physical demands of the Mandalika circuit.

Honda also said Espargaro was still dealing with physical discomfort from injuries suffered earlier in 2026. He crashed in practice at Mandalika, finished Saturday’s Sprint in last place and said afterward that he had no strength in his arm. Espargaro also said he had arm pump. Honda was considering whether to rest him before a two-day test of its 850cc MotoGP prototype in Sepang, where he was due to travel.

Espargaro had been in Lombok as a replacement for Joan Mir, who was sidelined by an undisclosed illness. Honda said it would later decide whether Mir could return at Phillip Island. Takaaki Nakagami was also unavailable because of a collarbone injury from the Japanese Grand Prix.