‘70/30’ blame after Aprilia riders collide in Sepang MotoGP race

November 2, 2026

A tense collision between Aprilia’s Ai Ogura and Marco Bezzecchi marred the Malaysian MotoGP at Sepang, with both riders involved in a high-speed tangle at Turn 1. Ogura, who had trailed Bezzecchi for most of the race, seized his chance in the final laps to overtake for fourth place, proving Aprilia had no team orders in play.

The incident saw Ogura take the majority of blame, admitting to misjudging Bezzecchi’s line as he attempted an aggressive pass. Despite the contact, both riders continued without serious injury, though Bezzecchi later faced further drama on the final lap, nearly crashing and dropping to fifth after a brake-induced error handed Enea Bastianini the position.

Ogura’s late charge brought him within a second of a podium finish, though he ultimately fell just short of the top three. Bezzecchi’s mixed race—highlighted by a third-place Sprint finish but a sixth-place Grand Prix—further widened the gap to title leader Marc Márquez, leaving him third in the championship standings, 23 points behind injured teammate Jorge Martín ahead of the Qatar round.