SCARPERIA E SAN PIERO, Italy - Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez claimed his first MotoGP sprint win at the Italian Grand Prix on Saturday, holding off a late charge from Aprilia's Jorge Martin.
Starting second on the grid, Fernandez surged into the lead on the opening lap and never looked back. He beat Martin by more than a second after the factory rider cut the gap with three laps remaining.
VR46 Racing's Fabio Di Giannantonio completed the podium. Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi finished fourth, ahead of Ducati's Marc Marquez in fifth.
The victory was redemption for Fernandez, who collided with Martin at the Catalan Grand Prix earlier this month, sparking a heated confrontation. But Aprilia boss Massimo Rivola was all smiles as he came over to congratulate their satellite team.
Fernandez moved up to fifth in the championship standings, while Martin cut Bezzecchi's lead to 12 points ahead of Sunday's race.