Winners and Losers: MotoGP 2026 USA Grand Prix
- Isha Reshmi Mohan
- 59 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Written by Isha Reshmi Mohan, Edited by Dhara Dave
The USA Grand Prix often brings the unexpected, and this race weekend saw several shake-ups among the usual front-runners right up until race day. Jorge Martín secured his first Sprint victory with Aprilia, while Francesco Bagnaia joined him on the podium.
Overall, it was an entertaining session to conclude the weekend before the upcoming three-week break. So, here are the winners and losers from the US Grand Prix.
Winner: Marco Bezzecchi
As expected, Marco Bezzecchi makes the list after taking home his fifth consecutive race win. He has officially broken Jorge Lorenzo’s record for the most consecutive laps led in MotoGP, surpassing the previous mark of 103 laps by reaching a total of 121.
Although he briefly lost the championship lead to Martin after the Sprint on Saturday, this Sunday's victory puts him back on top. With the gap between the two teammates now at just four points, a solid head-to-head battle is expected when the season returns in three weeks.
Winner: Jorge Martín
Martin finished P2 once again, and this time he managed to close the huge gap to his teammate Bezzecchi compared to his performance in Brazil.
He stuck around the 1.5-second range throughout the race, gaining the momentum he deserved after his 2024 championship title. COTA was extra special because he also got his first sprint win in the bag with Aprilia on Saturday.
Winner: Ai Ogura
Although Ogura unfortunately dropped positions with only a few laps to go, it would be unfair to put him on the losers' list and dismiss his fight from P10 to P4. He even looked ready to challenge for a podium spot before the setback. His performance included a battle with Àlex Márquez for P6, claiming P5 from Bagnaia, and smoothly passing Fabio Di Giannantonio before technical issues forced him down to P14.
Ogura may not threaten the championship contenders, but it would be great to see him remain injury-free for the rest of the season to see exactly how far he can go.
Loser: Joan Mir
Bad luck continued for Joan Mir as he crashed in sector 2 on lap 6. This followed a long lap penalty he was given for taking a shortcut while in the heat of a battle for position.
It was a repeat of his Saturday performance, where he lost out on a potential podium spot during the final lap of the sprint. According to statistics from TNT Sports, Mir has now crashed in over 50% of his races since joining the Honda HRC team.
Loser: Yamaha
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu passing Quartararo as the leading Yamaha rider is a clear win for the rookie on the Pramac bike, but it is not a good look for the factory team. Quartararo has been vocal about his struggles for a long time, and expectations were high when Yamaha moved to the new V4 engine this season.
Since Yamaha is not restricted by engine concession rules, the team still has a chance to bring the bike up to standard midway through the season. However, even the occasional podium battle from Quartararo seems like a long shot now, especially after all four Yamaha bikes finished below P15 at COTA.
Loser: Marc Márquez
While it may be a harsh assessment, his return from injury has been difficult up to this point. On a positive note, he did complete a full race distance for the first time since his Mandalika crash, given that the Brazilian round was shortened. That progress was balanced by multiple crashes over the weekend, specifically a sprint collision with Di Giannantonio that earned Marc a long lap penalty.
He also shared that he is experiencing discomfort in his right shoulder, and it is clear that the bike is not performing at the same level as last season. Hopefully, the break gives him time to recover and challenge the front-runners again next month.
Don’t miss the next race at Jerez on the 26th of April at 12 noon GMT!
