Acosta Secures Maiden MotoGP Podium in Dramatic Portuguese Grand Prix
In a thrilling race at the Portuguese Grand Prix, Jorge Martin of Pramac Racing took the holeshot and led all 25 laps to secure his first victory of the season. But behind him, chaos ensued as Enea Bastianini of Ducati overtook Maverick Vinales of Aprilia on the final lap, only to crash out and hand third place to rookie Pedro Acosta of Tech3 GasGas.
The race was full of drama, with multiple collisions and retirements. One of the most notable incidents was between Marc Marquez of Gresini and Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati, as they collided while battling for fifth place. Both riders were able to remount, but Bagnaia retired and Marquez finished 16th.
The incident will be reviewed by the stewards after the race, adding to the already intense atmosphere of the race.
Meanwhile, Martin, Vinales, and Bastianini quickly emerged as the breakaway group, with Bagnaia falling back into fourth. Marquez, starting from eighth on the grid, also made his way up the ranks and battled with KTM’s Jack Miller.
But it was Acosta who stole the show, making his way from seventh on the grid to secure a well-deserved third place finish in just his second MotoGP race. He battled with Bagnaia and Marquez before finally overtaking them and setting his sights on the leaders.
At the front of the pack, Martin maintained a steady lead, while Vinales and Bastianini fought for second place. But on the final lap, Vinales suddenly slowed and crashed, promoting Bastianini to second and Acosta to third.
Martin crossed the finish line 0.882 seconds ahead of Bastianini, with Acosta 4.480 seconds behind in third. Brad Binder of KTM and Jack Miller of KTM rounded out the top five.
The race also saw impressive performances from Marco Bezzecchi of VR46 Ducati, Fabio Quartararo of Yamaha, and Aleix Espargaro of Aprilia, who finished sixth, seventh, and eighth respectively.
The Portuguese Grand Prix also saw some disappointments, with home hero Miguel Oliveira of Trackhouse Racing Aprilia finishing ninth and Franco Morbidelli of Pramac crashing out on the first lap.
With this victory, Martin now leads the championship by 18 points, followed by Binder and Bagnaia.
In a race full of twists and turns, it was Acosta who stole the show and secured his first MotoGP podium. The young rookie has proven himself as a force to be reckoned with and will surely be one to watch in the upcoming races.
