Ducati's Marquez seizes MotoGP championship lead after Indonesia sprint win

[p]Ducati's reigning seven-time world champion took the chequered flag in a dramatic 13-lap sprint to go four points clear of his fellow Spaniard in the standings.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martin-jorge/zBBka6dR/"]Martin[/a], who had led the race on his Aprilia at the halfway point, finished fourth in blistering hot and dry conditions at the Mandalika International Circuit.[/p][p]Japan's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ogura-ai/A3AtM47b/"]Ai Ogura[/a] and Italy's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/di-giannantonio-fabio/pI4o388M/"]Fabio Di Giannantonio[/a] were second and third.[/p][embed guid="82ed733e-49d0-4025-97e1-3b757f331258" url="https://x.com/MotoGP/status/2108821067426877506/video/1" social-type="twitter" /][p]There was mayhem at the start as Spain's debutant pole-sitter [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandez-raul/dIyisVJD/"]Raul Fernandez[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bezzecchi-marco/EXzAZEse/"]Marco Bezzecchi[/a] collided and crashed out on the first corner.[/p][p]Martin took full advantage to seize the lead, with championship rival [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/marquez-marc/UPhfij2b/"]Marquez[/a] second, both having started from the second row.[/p][p]With his compatriot breathing down his neck, Martin held his nerve to streak 1.5 seconds ahead at the halfway stage.[/p][p][b]But the former world champion, having been cruising, then abruptly slowed up and surrendered the lead to Marquez, possibly because of tyre pressure issues.[/b][/p][p]That gifted the lead to Marquez, who romped home for his first win in Indonesia.[/p][p]The Grand Prix is on Sunday.[/p][p]There are just five race weekends after this, starting in Australia in a fortnight.[/p]