MotoGP Sprint, Aragon: Marquez brothers overtook Bezzecchi, a masterclass from Marc

MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez counts MotorLand Aragon amongst his most familiar venues. In 2025, ‘MM93’ won both races – the Marquez brothers train in Aragon almost every week. And yet, he hadn’t quite managed to secure pole position in qualifying. Aprilia hero Marco Bezzecchi had pipped the champion by a few hundredths of a second on his home turf. Another familiar sight in third place was Alex Marquez.

The second row was once again filled with two Aprilia riders – Raúl Fernández (4th) and Jorge Martín (5th). KTM ace Pedro Acosta had squeezed into the second row, just ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio in P7. Johann Zarco impressed on his comeback after a good three months. As the top Honda rider, the Frenchman lined up in 9th place for the first of the two races at Aragon.

When the 22 riders, including stand-in riders Lorenzo Savadori (replacing Ogura at Trackhouse) and Pol Espargaro (replacing Tech3 rider Viñales), lined up for the eleven-lap sprint, the track temperature was measured at a good 50 degrees. Never before had a MotoGP sprint taken place here in such hot conditions. Notably, unlike in England – where the Ducati riders had struggled in the sprint on the soft rear tyre – they were now also opting for the medium compound. Raul Fernandez (Aprilia) was also on the starting grid with a medium tyre. Pole-sitter Bezzecchi and Martin, on the other hand, started on ‘soft’ tyres.

The big question ahead of the 13th sprint of the year: how much risk will Marc Marquez be willing to take – and will he ride for victory on home soil to reduce the 40-point gap to championship leader Jorge Martin?

Marco Bezzecchi (3.) konnte kein Manöver gegen die Marquez-Brüder starten

Foto: Gold & Goose

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Aragon: International Livestream

MotoGP World Championship

30.08.2026 - 08:45

The race got off to a flying start thanks to Marc Marquez. Although Bezzecchi had won the start, the champion pushed his way to the front with fierce determination at Turn 1. Caught off guard by the attack, Alex Marquez also overtook the Italian. A one-two for the Marquez brothers after the first lap!

Things were just as frenzied further back in the field. Jorge Martin was overtaken by Acosta, whilst Fernandez and Moreira also attacked the championship leader. Things went disastrously for Luca Marini, who crashed out in Turn 7. Just one lap later, Fabio Di Giannantonio was also out of the race following a crash in the final chicane.

At the front, Marc Marquez tried to pull away. With his brother Alex acting as a buffer, the number 93 rider was around seven tenths ahead on lap 4. Behind him, Jorge Martin had recovered and fought his way back to P4 from Acosta. Behind the KTM rider was the first significant gap – followed by Honda rookie Diogo Moreira.

Toprak Razgatlioglu got off to a good start. Starting from 21st, he moved up to 13th, but after a mistake in the final corner, ‘El Turco’ dropped back to 15th. On lap 6, at the halfway point, Fabio Quartararo’s broken Yamaha briefly caused yellow flags.

Sensational – Johann Zarco. On his comeback, the LCR rider was in 8th place at the halfway stage, ahead of Fermin Aldeguer – and seconds ahead of Ducati factory rider Pecco Bagnaia.

With five laps to go, Marc Marquez had pulled a second clear of Alex, four tenths behind Gresini rider Marco Bezzecchi. Jorge Martin had fallen back behind Acosta again and was already four seconds off the lead. In 9th place, the last points-scoring position, Jack Miller was the best-placed Yamaha rider heading into the final stages of the sprint.

With two laps to go, the positions were finally settled. With Marc in the lead, the Marquez brothers had pulled a one-second gap on their Italian challenger. Acosta held on comfortably to fourth place ahead of championship leader Martin. Meanwhile, a thrilling battle for sixth place was raging between Moreira, Aldeguer and Fernandez.

Alex Marquez (2.) kam 1,140 Sekunden hinter seinem Bruder ins Ziel

Foto: Gold & Goose

At the front, the champion was not to be denied his home victory. Marc Marquez won with a one-second lead over Alex – Spain’s MotoGP fans celebrated the finish as if it were a World Championship victory. Marco Bezzecchi finished third, two seconds behind the winner. Fermin Aldeguer beat Moreira and Fernandez in the final stages to take sixth place. The combative Johann Zarco was also rewarded, taking the final World Championship point. A lacklustre performance from Pecco Bagnaia in P11. Toprak Razgatlioglu finished a creditable 13th, ahead of all the other KTM riders and Joan Mir.

The situation in the World Championship standings after the Aragon Sprint: Jorge Martin remains World Championship leader ahead of Marco Bezzecchi. Marc Marquez moved up to third place in the absence of Ogura – the champion is now 33 points behind Martin. Overall, the top three have closed the gap on one another.