Acosta takes fifth in Phillip Island MotoGP Sprint as Binder charges to sixth for Red Bull KTM
Pedro Acosta held on for fifth in a dry 13-lap MotoGP Sprint at Phillip Island after a day of showers, with Red Bull KTM team-mate Brad Binder rising from 13th to sixth.
- 5th (+3.689s)
- 6th (+7.433s)
- 13 laps
- 18 of 22
What Happened
Pedro Acosta finished fifth in the MotoGP Sprint at Phillip Island on the second day of the Australian Grand Prix, round 18 of 22. The Red Bull KTM rider started from seventh and reached the top five on the first lap before the lead pack pulled away in the 13-lap dash. Team-mate Brad Binder made an even stronger start from 13th and took sixth. Enea Bastianini came home 11th, while his Red Bull KTM Tech3 team-mate Maverick Viñales withdrew with left-shoulder discomfort. The sweeping circuit 140km from Melbourne first hosted the world championship in 1989.
Warm and sunny first practice sessions; Acosta and Bastianini went directly through to Q2.
Q1 and Q2 left Acosta 7th, Bastianini 11th, Binder 13th and Viñales 15th on the grid; Binder narrowly missed progressing out of a wet Q1.
After overnight and daytime showers the Sprint was declared dry; Acosta finished 5th, Binder 6th, Bastianini 11th and Viñales retired.
Moto3 runs 21 laps first, Moto2 covers 23 laps, and the Australian Grand Prix starts at 14:00 local time (04:00 CET) with more rain forecast.
- 7th on the grid to 5th in the Sprint
- 13th on the grid to 6th in the Sprint
- 11th on the grid to 11th in the Sprint
+3.689seconds
Marc Marquez won the 13-lap Sprint in 19:09.411, ahead of Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio; Binder was 7.433 seconds back in 6th.
- Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was the highest KTM in Moto3 qualifying with 12th, 0.622 from pole.
- Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) qualified 13th, 0.678 off pole, and will serve a Long Lap penalty on Sunday after contact with another rider in practice.
- Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) took 14th on the grid.
- Rico Salmela (Red Bull KTM Tech3) was 18th on his first visit to the circuit.
- Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) qualified 13th in Moto2, only 0.3 from pole in damp conditions.
- Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was 20th fastest in Moto2 qualifying.
“Not much more I could do today. Good start and good first laps and that was pretty much the only card I had in my pocket. I tried to burn the tire a bit to go with the guys but their pace was better. Then there was nothing to gain in front of me and nothing to lose behind. We are shaking quite a lot in sector three. We brought the bike home and we know it was working quite well in the wet so let's see for tomorrow.”
“We survived the challenging conditions quite well here today. The dry track on Friday was tricky for us but also quite solid and today we managed the mixed conditions. A steady race from both Pedro and Brad and I think we have good pace for tomorrow's Grand Prix.”
Previously from KTM AG
At the previous round in Indonesia, Pedro Acosta also finished fifth, fighting through punishing Mandalika heat. On that same weekend KTM wrapped up the 2026 Moto3 constructors' title, with Maximo Quiles crowned champion. Acosta's Phillip Island Sprint result therefore continues a run of Saturday top-five finishes for the Spanish rider.
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of KTM AG's official releases.
Why this matters
Acosta's fifth place is his fifth Saturday top-five result of 2026, and Binder's sixth earned four points, so both factory riders take something from the Sprint. Rain is forecast for Sunday's Grand Prix, and Viñales's shoulder trouble leaves the Tech3 side uncertain. The team now waits on a wet race that could change the order.
Terms in This Story
- Sprint
- A shorter race held on the Saturday of a Grand Prix weekend, separate from the main race on Sunday, that awards points to the leading finishers.
- Long Lap penalty
- A penalty in which a rider must ride through a longer, slower line at a designated corner, costing time.
- DNF
- Did Not Finish, used for a rider who starts a race but does not complete it.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.