KTM's Pedro Acosta secured his maiden sprint victory at the Thailand Grand Prix. The win came after race stewards ordered Ducati's Marc Marquez to cede the lead following a late-race collision.
The intense 13-lap sprint saw polesitter Marco Bezzecchi crash out early, setting the stage for a fierce battle between Marquez and Acosta. The two Spaniards exchanged positions multiple times.
On the penultimate lap, Marquez made an aggressive move, nudging Acosta off the racing line. Race officials intervened, issuing a penalty to Marquez and allowing Acosta to cross the finish line first. Acosta expressed mixed feelings about the win, stating he didn't feel like a true winner as Marquez had allowed him to pass.
Marquez accepted the penalty, noting it was part of the sport's rules, and was pleased to secure nine points in his first race back from injury. However, Ducati boss Davide Tardozzi criticized the decision as unfair.
Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez finished third in the sprint, with teammate Ai Ogura fourth and Aprilia's Jorge Martin fifth.