Martin snatches dramatic Austin sprint win to claim lead in MotoGP standings

[p]The Aprilia rider came from seventh on the grid to win a dramatic sprint in which [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bezzecchi-marco/EXzAZEse/"]Marco Bezzecchi[/a] crashed out, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/marquez-marc/UPhfij2b/"]Marc Marquez[/a] also slid off the track, taking pole-sitter [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/di-giannantonio-fabio/pI4o388M/"]Fabio Di Giannantonio[/a] with him.[/p][p]Bezzecchi, who led [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martin-jorge/zBBka6dR/"]Martin[/a] by 11 points in the riders' standings heading into the weekend, was running in second place before crashing.[/p][p]Martin edged one point ahead of his teammate heading into Sunday's main race at the Circuit of the Americas, which is hosting a MotoGP race for the first time.[/p][embed guid="3698497a-f1e2-4418-9750-d330d0cb57ae" url="https://x.com/MotoGP/status/2037992126890303966" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]"I'm so happy, it's the first time I've won here in MotoGP, it's fantastic,"[/b] said Martin after a record-extending 17th sprint win in MotoGP, but first with Aprilia.[/p][p][b]"It was risky to choose the medium tyre, but it paid off. This victory means a lot to me. Thank you so much to my team, who did a great job."[/b][/p][p]Reigning world champion Marquez, starting from sixth place, crashed on the opening lap and took out Di Giannantonio.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bagnaia-francesco/nahP9n9q/"]Bagnaia[/a] led for most of the sprint but failed to close it out as Martin, the 2024 world champion, scythed his way through the field.[/p][embed guid="490e193d-3fa3-45ff-9e69-3be22d63d9f3" url="https://x.com/MotoGP/status/2037997939130298451" social-type="twitter" /][p]Bezzecchi, who has won the last four MotoGP main races dating back to last season, failed to finish for the second time in three sprint races this campaign.[/p][p]Spanish youngster [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/acosta-pedro/KrGeaHq5/"]Pedro Acosta[/a] stayed out of trouble to finish third.[/p]