Marquez reveals brake issue behind Austrian GP struggles
By Lee Seng Foo1 day ago
(Luca Gambuti/MotoGP)
Marc Marquez revealed a front brake issue was behind his difficult Austrian Grand Prix as the reigning MotoGP champion lost the championship lead to Jorge Martin.
The Ducati rider started second at the Red Bull Ring on Sunday but struggled from the opening laps before eventually finishing fifth, more than seven seconds behind race winner Pedro Acosta.
Marquez dropped several positions early on and later ran well off the track at Turn 1, falling as low as seventh before recovering in the closing stages.
Speaking after the race, the 33-year-old revealed he was struggling with an inconsistent feeling from the front brake throughout the opening part of the race.
“Today, since the start, I felt like I had an issue with the front brake,” Marquez said.
“I was struggling a lot in the first part of the race, and for that reason, that big mistake in Turn One, because it was impossible.
“Every braking point was a different feeling on the brake lever. It was quite dangerous, but we saved the day with fifth place.”
Marquez’s struggles also proved costly in the championship, with Martin’s Sprint victory and second place in the Grand Prix enough for the Aprilia rider to retake the lead in the riders’ standings with 306 points, 12 ahead of Marquez.
The title battle now moves to Motegi for the Japanese Grand Prix, where Marquez will look to respond after surrendering the championship lead.
With the 2026 MLB regular season entering its final week and the postseason just around the corner, attention will soon turn fully towards the race for the World Series.
Set to be shown live on SPOTV NOW, the 2026 postseason will begin with the Wild Card Series on September 29, followed by the Division Series from October 3.
But before the playoffs begin, the regular season has produced plenty of memorable moments away from the diamond too, with stars from football, basketball, Hollywood and other industries making special guest appearances at ballparks across the league.
Here are some of the notable ceremonial first pitches from the 2026 MLB regular season.
Ferran Torres
Fresh from helping Spain win the 2026 FIFA World Cup by scoring the winning goal, Ferran Torres swapped football for baseball when he visited Yankee Stadium in August.
The then-Barcelona forward wore a Yankees No. 7 jersey before throwing the ceremonial first pitch to shortstop Jose Caballero ahead of New York's game against the St. Louis Cardinals on August 4.
The United States men's national team received a special welcome at T-Mobile Park during their memorable World Cup campaign on home soil.
The entire squad were introduced on the field ahead of the Seattle Mariners' game against the Toronto Blue Jays on July 3, just days before the USMNT faced Belgium in the World Cup round of 16.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino was given first-pitch duties and delivered a strike to Mariners manager Dan Wilson.
Tony Hawk
Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk made a hometown appearance at Petco Park late in the regular season.
The San Diego native, widely regarded as one of the most influential skateboarders of all time, threw the ceremonial first pitch before the Padres faced the Miami Marlins on September 18.
Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart arrived at Yankee Stadium with some new silverware to celebrate after helping the New York Knicks end their 53-year wait for an NBA championship.
They received a standing ovation before both threw ceremonial pitches ahead of the Yankees' 10-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox on June 17.
Their appearance came on the eve of the Knicks' championship parade in New York following their Finals victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
One of basketball's biggest young stars made her MLB appearance just days after taking the next step in her career.
Azzi Fudd, an NCAA champion and the 2025 NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player, was selected first overall by the Dallas Wings in the 2026 WNBA Draft.
Fudd then headed to Globe Life Field on April 28 to throw the first pitch before the Texas Rangers hosted the New York Yankees.
Hollywood also made its way onto an MLB mound when Academy Award-winning actor Ke Huy Quan visited Dodger Stadium.
Best known for roles in Everything Everywhere All at Once, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Goonies, he threw the ceremonial first pitch before the Dodgers hosted the Pittsburgh Pirates on August 23.
K-pop met MLB when IVE visited Citi Field during the New York Mets' series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Jang Won-young, one of the six members of the South Korean girl group, was given the honour of throwing the ceremonial first pitch before the game on July 26.
UFC star Alex Pereira showed off a different kind of throwing power during a visit to Yankee Stadium.
The former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight champion stepped onto the mound to throw the ceremonial first pitch before the Yankees faced the Texas Rangers on May 5.
Myles Garrett wasted little time embracing Los Angeles following his blockbuster move to the Rams.
Just days after arriving from the Cleveland Browns, the NFL defensive star visited Dodger Stadium and fired a strike from the mound before the Dodgers faced city rivals the Los Angeles Angels on June 6.
Garrett also paid tribute to Los Angeles sporting icon Kobe Bryant by wearing a T-shirt featuring the late Lakers legend for his first pitch.
WWE stars Rey Mysterio and Rey Fenix received first-pitch duties on a fitting stage as MLB returned to Mexico.
The two Mexican wrestlers threw ceremonial first pitches ahead of the opening game of the Mexico City Series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu on April 25.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have matched an all-time MLB record after securing a place in the postseason for a 14th consecutive season.
The reigning World Series champions booked their playoff ticket with a 4-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, extending a remarkable run that stretches back to 2013.
That saw the Dodgers equal the Atlanta Braves' record set between 1991 and 2005.
Los Angeles have since clinched the National League West for a fifth straight season and the 13th time during their 14-year playoff streak.
The only season during that run in which the Dodgers failed to win the division was 2021, when they recorded 106 victories but finished behind the San Francisco Giants before qualifying as a Wild Card team.
Their sustained success has also produced three World Series titles, with Los Angeles winning in 2020 before claiming back-to-back championships in 2024 and 2025.
The Dodgers will now attempt to become the first team to win three consecutive World Series titles since the New York Yankees completed a three-peat from 1998 to 2000.
The Dodgers are one of six teams to have already secured a place in the 2026 postseason, alongside the Milwaukee Brewers and Atlanta Braves in the National League.
The Tampa Bay Rays, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have qualified from the American League, leaving six postseason places still to be decided heading into the closing stages of the regular season.
The 2026 MLB postseason begins with the Wild Card Series on September 29, before the Division Series gets underway on October 3.
Watch the 2026 MLB postseason live on SPOTV NOW.
Pedro Acosta paid tribute to KTM's recovery from financial troubles after claiming his long-awaited maiden MotoGP victory at the Austrian Grand Prix.
The Spaniard bounced back from crashing out of Saturday's Sprint to beat Jorge Martin at the Red Bull Ring, finally reaching the top step of the premier-class podium.
The victory was made even more significant by coming at KTM's home race and in Acosta's final season with the Austrian manufacturer before joining Ducati in 2027.
For Acosta, it also ended a wait stretching back to the 2023 Indonesian Grand Prix, where he claimed his final Moto2 victory shortly after his promotion to MotoGP with Tech3 had been confirmed.
“Finally! I was even remembering my last [Moto2] win in Indonesia 2023. It was also exactly the moment that Tech3 said I was going to join their MotoGP team,” he said after the race.
“It's more emotional to do it in KTM’s home and Red Bull’s house. Super happy for them and myself.”
Acosta's breakthrough came after a turbulent period for KTM, whose parent company entered insolvency proceedings in late 2024 before undergoing a major restructuring.
The 22-year-old also endured a difficult 2025 campaign as KTM struggled to consistently challenge at the front, but both rider and manufacturer have made significant progress this season.
“[KTM] were struggling a lot last year even to keep competing in the championship. And finally, how they came away from bankruptcy, and us recovering the potential of our bike was quite awesome.
“For this, I just can say thanks. It was a long way to get here, but we will enjoy it for sure,” he added.
The result gave KTM their first MotoGP victory since Miguel Oliveira won the 2022 Thai Grand Prix and their first on home soil since Brad Binder's memorable wet-weather triumph at the Red Bull Ring in 2021.
Cristiano Ronaldo's international career is set to continue after the Al Nassr star was named in Portugal's squad for their upcoming UEFA Nations League matches.
The 41-year-old was included in new head coach Jorge Jesus' first 25-man squad as Portugal prepare to face Wales, Norway and Denmark over the next two weeks.
Ronaldo's inclusion comes amid continued speculation over his future after hinting last month that the current season would "probably" be his final year as a professional footballer.
Reports had also suggested Ronaldo could make his final Portugal appearance against Wales at the Estadio Jose Alvalade on September 24, but no retirement date has been confirmed by the forward.
Instead, he remains part of Portugal's plans under Jesus, who replaced Roberto Martinez following their last-16 exit to Spain at the World Cup.
The appointment reunites Ronaldo with his former Al Nassr coach after the pair helped the Saudi club win their first Saudi Pro League title since 2019 last season.
Meanwhile, CR7 continues to lead Al Nassr's title defence in what could be his final club campaign, but the champions have made an inconsistent start to the new season.
Ronaldo has scored three goals in seven league appearances so far, while Al Nassr's latest league outing ended in a 1-1 draw against Al Khaleej.
Watch selected matches from the 2026/27 Saudi Pro League live on SPOTV NOW.
