Winners and losers from MotoGP’s returning Brazilian Grand Prix

March 23, 2026 · Yahoo Sports

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MotoGP’s first visit to Brazil in more than two decades delivered plenty of action, but the on-track spectacle was overshadowed by a series of incidents.

The layout of the newly-renovated Goiania track proved to be a hit with the riders, but the constant changes in grip levels, intermittent rain and worsening track conditions kept them guessing throughout the weekend.

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Crashes became a common theme during the weekend, while safety concerns grew as multiple issues with the track emerged over the weekend.

Here are the winners and losers from the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Winner: Aprilia

Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing

If the 1-3-4-5 finish at Buriram brought a smile on Massimo Rivola’s face, then the Brazilian Grand Prix result would have tasted even sweeter for the Aprilia boss. Not only was Marco Bezzecchi at his very best form in Sunday’s race, but Jorge Martin also built momentum throughout the weekend to deliver his most impressive performance since winning the MotoGP title in 2024.

This wasn’t a flawless weekend for the Noale factory, and Bezzecchi’s poor start in practice and subsequent crashes on Saturday led to some tense races in the garage. Even after Martin scored his first comeback podium in the sprint, there was still a sense that Aprilia didn’t have an answer to Ducati’s pace. But overnight improvements, combined with changes in track conditions after the Moto2 and Moto3 races, swung things back in Aprilia’s favour.

Bezzecchi’s execution of the race was near-perfect, while Martin’s charge after dropping to fifth behind Pedro Acosta was equally impressive. The Spaniard’s double move on Marc Marquez and Fabio di Giannantonio was a reminder of the speed and racecraft that made him a world champion.

Once Martin is fully fit, he and Bezzecchi could form a lethal combination in the 2026 season. Aprilia may be playing down its prospects at the moment, but it may not be long before it has to accept it's a bonafide title contender.

Loser: KTM

Maverick Vinales, Red Bull KTM Tech 3, Pedro Acosta, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

The Brazilian GP acted as some sort of a reality check for KTM after its brilliant sprint win and podium finish at Buriram. Acosta could qualify only ninth after falling early in Q2, leaving him with a mountain to climb for the remainder of the weekend. The sprint came and went without any progress, and while a switch to the soft rear tyre boosted Acosta early in the grand prix, he quickly faded to seventh place.

Perhaps more concerning for KTM was the form of its other three riders. While pre-season testing had suggested that the KTM could have depth in its line-up this year, the opening two rounds have done little to confirm that view. Seeing three KTM riders qualifying at the back of the grid will have been very difficult to ignore for Pit Beirer and the rest of the management.

Brad Binder, who was the most impressive of the trio in testing and Buriram, simply lacked pace all weekend and crashed out early on Sunday. Enea Bastianini admitted that he was “unable to ride the bike”, and whatever changes he made didn’t pay dividends.

Maverick Vinales’ nightmare start to the season continued at Goiania as he finished dead last in Sunday’s race, six seconds behind the next-best bike of Pramac rookie Toprak Razgatlioglu. The Spaniard conceded that the “intelligent” thing to do would be to switch to the same-spec RC16 used by other KTM riders, instead of continuing in his own direction.

Winner: Fabio di Giannantonio

Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team

Di Giannantonio may be regretting the mistake that cost him victory in Saturday’s sprint, but the Goiania weekend marked his most complete performance in years.

The VR46 rider came through Q1 to put his Ducati on pole position in a chaotic qualifying session, even with a late crash at Turn 4. Later in the day, he held his own against Marquez for much of the race, and ultimately, it was only a small error that allowed the world champion to pass him for the lead. Still, the Italian did not give up hope and followed Marquez until the chequered flag, keeping the world champion honest in a tense finish to the sprint.

Ducati was a clear step behind Aprilia on race day so victory was out of reach, but di Giannantonio avenged his sprint defeat and bested Marquez in a straight fight to finish on the podium. The two traded positions multiple times over the course of the race, but when the factory Ducati rider had a major moment at Turn 12 with four laps to go, di Giannantonio snuck through to grab third position.

The timing of the performance couldn’t have been any better, as it was in Goiania where Fermin Aldeguer agreed a deal with Ducati to race for VR46 next season. With Franco Morbidelli finishing only 12th, di Giannantonio certainly strengthened his case as the team’s long-term bet.

Loser: Ducati

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Ducati had been bracing itself for a tougher fight this season, but it may not have expected such a painful defeat at the Brazilian GP. Pole position and a 1-2 in the sprint had suggested that the Borgo Panigale marque was very much in the game at Goiania, but the conditions shifted overnight, and it couldn’t put up a fight against the Aprilias on race day.

The track offered a lot less grip than the previous day, likely due to Moto2 and Moto3 riders leaving ‘marbles’ on track, which appeared to hurt Ducati more than its rivals. Both Marquez and di Giannantonio were overtaken by Martin in one corner, showing how the competitive picture is shifting in MotoGP.

Perhaps more worrying is the inconsistency across Ducati’s rider roster. For instance, Alex Marquez was one of its most dependable riders last year, but he is yet to break inside the top five this year. Similarly, Francesco Bagnaia hasn’t done much to prove that his 2025 struggles were one-off. And with Aldeguer needing time to fully recover from a training injury and Morbidelli leaving much to be desired, Ducati appears to be firing on just two cylinders this year.

Winner: Brazilian fans

Marc Marquez, Ducati Team

Brazil’s passionate motorsport fans had been patiently waiting for MotoGP to return to their country. So, when the gates opened on Friday for the first grand prix in Brazil in two decades, they showed up in force to enjoy the sight of 22 bikes racing at the heavily renovated Goiania circuit.

Nearly 150,000 fans attended the race over the weekend, with more than 60,000 turning up on Sunday alone. Even Friday practice drew 40,000 spectators, creating a vibrant atmosphere at the track even as heavy rain dampened the show.

Goiania is one of the largest cities in Brazil, and its close proximity to Brasilia makes it easily accessible to international travellers. Considering that MotoGP has come under criticism for some of the other venues it has added to the calendar recently, Goiania was a welcome addition to the championship.

Loser: Brazilian GP organisers

Officials repair a sinkhole on the start-finish straight.

For an organisation that has successfully conducted multiple Formula 1 races, putting together a MotoGP event should have been a relatively easy task. But MotoGP’s first visit to Brazil since 2004 left a lot of unanswered questions.

A late agreement to host the race meant limited time to resurface the track and upgrade facilities. Combined with the rainy season, it left organisers battling against the clock from the outset.

Early flooding at Goiania dominated the build-up to the grand prix, leaving circuit workers working through the clock to ensure the track was dry in time for first practice. The sinkhole that was discovered after qualifying disrupted the schedule further, but the most serious issue came on Sunday.

The asphalt started breaking up between Turns 11 and 12 after the Moto2 and Moto3 races, leading to the race being shortened by eight laps. Even then, several riders reported being hit by debris, while Marc Marquez said he lost third place after going wide at the affected section.

There are also longer-term concerns, with riders noting that bumps became progressively worse over the weekend. MotoGP will most certainly have to move the race outside the rainy season next year, while the organisers will have to do more than just patchwork to ensure the track is safe for international competition.

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