Spaniard takes maiden MotoGP sprint win as all-time speed record smashed at Mugello

Spaniard Raul Fernandez sealed his first MotoGP sprint victory at Mugello, anchoring Aprilia’s historic day at the Italian Grand Prix. He surged from second on the grid to take the lead on the opening lap and never relinquished it, beating factory teammate Jorge Martin by 1.289 seconds as Aprilia locked out the front row for the first time in MotoGP history. The result left Fernandez with his 66th sprint start, and he became the fifth different winner in seven sprints this season. Bezzecchi, the championship leader, set an all-time Mugello qualifying lap of 1:43.921 but finished fourth, ensuring Martin heads into Sunday 12 points behind his teammate.

Marc Marquez, back on track after injuries, slipped to fifth despite an earlier strong start, finishing nine seconds adrift. Enea Bastianini and Franco Morbidelli were the only riders to crash during lap five, while Bezzecchi’s teammate Martin threatened but could not overcome Fernandez. The Sunday Grand Prix at Mugello will shape the championship, with Aprilia now in a dominant position as the team pursues a rare double bid. The sprint results underscored Aprilia’s rise on the long, technical Italian circuit and set high expectations for race day.