2025 Australian MotoGP: Marco Bezzecchi wins sprint despite seagull strike

Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi dominated the MotoGP Australian Grand Prix sprint despite striking a seagull at the start, as Ducati’s sprint podium streak comes to an end.

Showing great speed on Friday through practice, Marco Bezzecchi will have a double long lap penalty to serve in the grand prix for a collision with Marc Marquez in Indonesia.

Starting from second on the grid, Bezzecchi converted that to a dominant sprint win over Aprilia stablemate Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse) by 3.149s.

But Bezzecchi’s race wasn’t straightforward, as a seagull got stuck on the front of his RS-GP after he struck one on the warm-up lap before the start.

Fernandez led for much of the sprint, before being overhauled by Bezzecchi on lap 10 of 13.

KTM’s Pedro Acosta completed the podium, bringing to an end Ducati’s streak of scoring a rostrum in sprints since this era began.

Fabio Di Giannantonio was the brand’s top representative in fifth for VR46, while factory Ducati rider Pecco Bagnaia was 32.408s off the lead in second-to-last.

Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez grabbed the lead from sixth on the grid at the start of the sprint, though was quickly overtaken by Trackhouse’s Fernandez.

Bezzecchi ran third after the opening corners, while polesitter Fabio Quartararo slid down the order due to a poor launch on his factory Yamaha.

A mistake for Marquez at Turn 4 allowed Bezzecchi through to tail an Aprilia 1-2 behind Fernandez.

This pair quickly broke away from the pack behind, with Fernandez given a lead of over a second on lap six when Bezzecchi ran wide at Turn 10.

But the factory Aprilia rider instantly rallied to get back on terms with Fernandez and launched a successful raid on his lead at Turn 2 on lap 10.

Bezzecchi proceeded to put 3.149s between himself and Fernandez to score his third sprint win in the last four rounds.

KTM’s Acosta took the final podium spot after an intense fight with Marquez, Pramac Yamaha’s Jack Miller and Di Giannantonio.

Acosta denied Miller third by 0.066s on the run to the line, with Di Giannantonio a further 0.040s adrift.

Marquez was sixth for Gresini, while Quartararo faded to seventh from Honda’s Luca Marini and KTM test rider Pol Espargaro.

Pecco Bagnaia’s struggles at Phillip Island continued, with the factory Ducati rider dropping down the order to 19th to head only temporary team-mate Michele Pirro.

Gresini's Fermin Aldeguer and KTM's Brad Binder crashed out in separate incidents. 

Full 2025 MotoGP Australian Grand Prix sprint results