Marc Marquez’s Aragon strategy: this plan secured him the sprint victory

Marc Márquez once again demonstrated his strength in the MotoGP Sprint at Aragon. The Ducati factory rider started from second on the grid and took the lead as early as the first corner with a determined manoeuvre against pole-sitter Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia). From there, the Spaniard controlled the race and celebrated a commanding victory.

After 11 laps, Márquez crossed the finish line 1.140 seconds ahead of his brother Alex (Gresini-Ducati). Bezzecchi was unable to quite keep up with the pace of the two Ducatis and finished third, 2.089 seconds behind.

“I knew Marco was on the soft tyre. That’s why the first corner was my only chance to take the lead,” explained Márquez immediately after the race in the Parc Fermé. “A good start always helps, of course. After that, I was able to maintain a decent race pace. I could see, though, that the group behind me was also quite fast, especially Alex.”

The manoeuvre in Turn 1 was planned

The fact that Márquez went on the attack immediately after the start was not a spontaneous decision. “My actual start wasn’t that good. But it was my plan to attack in the first corner. That’s a corner where I feel strong. From then on, I was able to control the race well.”

Marc Marquez führte im Sprint eine Dreiergruppe an

Foto: Gold & Goose

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30.08.2026 - 08:45

The 33-year-old explained his approach with his usual pragmatism: “At the end of the day, it’s simple: if the rider in front brakes, you just brake a bit later yourself. If you make a mistake, there’s the run-off area. It’s risky, of course, but that’s part of racing. You can’t do that in a big group, of course, but you can if you’re starting at the front.”

Bezzecchi and Aprilia had opted for a different strategy in the sprint, using the soft rear tyre, whereas the leading Ducati riders all used the medium tyre. For Marquez, there was no alternative to the decision against the softer compound.

“There was no chance for the Ducati riders; we had to use the medium tyre. The soft tyre is the one from Silverstone. With this tyre, we had the same problems this morning as we did at Silverstone. That’s why there was no reason to take that risk. Graining costs you half a second or a full second per lap.”

Why missing out on pole doesn’t bother the Aragon series winner

A close battle between Bezzecchi and Marquez had already developed during the morning qualifying session. The Aprilia rider ultimately edged out the win and secured pole position. Marquez was nevertheless happy with second on the grid.

“It was a good lap. I can’t say I made a mistake. My first lap was already pretty good, but Marco was quicker. They were very fast when it came to setting times,” acknowledged the Ducati star. “I wasn’t disappointed. Of course, I would have liked to have taken pole. But when someone is faster and you feel you’ve done a good job yourself, you can’t be disappointed.”

Thanks to his sprint victory, Marquez also continued to make up ground in the World Championship. Championship leader Jorge Martin could only manage fifth place on his Aprilia. As a result, Marquez has reduced his deficit to the Spaniard to just 33 points.

Marquez’s thoughts on Sunday’s Grand Prix

On Sunday, the Ducati star will have his next chance to put pressure on Martin. The duel with Bezzecchi from the sprint could well be repeated. Marquez already knows where a decisive opportunity might arise.

“The first corner will be important again. Perhaps Marco will defend differently. I feel comfortable in that corner. A lot depends on the actual start. From there, I’ll have a better idea of what I can do in the race.”

Despite his commanding sprint victory, Marquez still sees room for improvement for the Grand Prix. “Let’s see if we can improve a bit more for tomorrow and then be just as consistent as we were today.”