Martin wins British GP sprint, extends MotoGP lead

Jorge Martin extended his MotoGP world championship lead with a dominant lights-to-flag victory in the sprint race at the British Grand Prix on Saturday, August 8, 2026. The Spanish rider led from pole position to the checkered flag at Silverstone, securing his first win since Le Mans and opening a 17-point gap over his closest rival, Ai Ogura.

Martin, who had earlier set a new lap record of 1 minute 56.160 seconds in qualifying, controlled the 10-lap contest from the front. He managed tire degradation in the closing stages to finish 1.530 seconds ahead of fellow Aprilia rider Ogura, with Martin's teammate Marco Bezzecchi completing an all-Aprilia podium in third. The result marked the first time the manufacturer has locked out the top three positions in a sprint race.

"I tried to be as fast as possible, trying to manage. At the end, I had no rear tyre grip," Martin said. "So I thought Ai would catch me, but I was able to manage the distance and another sprint victory is always amazing."

The race was a significant setback for reigning world champion Marc Marquez. The Ducati rider started sixth on the grid but struggled with severe tire wear, dropping to ninth at the finish. He...