Silverstone 2025: Bezzecchi came out on top after mistakes and technical problems

Are you finding it hard to remember the details of last year’s British Grand Prix? That’s probably because the races on the island in 2025 were already scheduled for the end of May, following the French GP – and thus at a relatively early stage in the annual calendar. Almost 15 months ago, Marc Marquez had already made his intentions clear, but there was still no talk of the title at Round 7.

It had already become apparent during practice and qualifying that ‘MM93’ was competitive, but not significantly ahead of the field. With fourth place, the championship leader secured a solid starting position on the second row. He left the battle for pole position to his brother Alex. But even the younger member of the family couldn’t lap the fast circuit as quickly as Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo. On one occasion, ‘El Diablo’ had shown who reigned supreme over a single lap.

The heroes of the day were unassuming at first – Marco Bezzecchi and Johann Zarco. The Frenchman, hero of the French Grand Prix, had taken the customer Honda to ninth place. Bezzecchi was frustrated and even had to start both races from row 4.

Sprint-Asse: Alex und Marc Marquez

Foto: Gold and Goose

It was during the sprint race on the island that the pole-setter’s nerves were tested for the first time. Quartararo stood no chance against the Ducati pack spread out behind him. Lap after lap, he was pushed back. Even with a bike that was working properly, he couldn’t manage better than 7th place. At the front, Alex Marquez showed how it’s done. ‘AM73’ didn’t even engage in a duel – the Gresini rider pulled away by almost four seconds over the short distance. It was one of the best races ever for the eventual World Championship runner-up. Remarkably, behind Marc Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio, Bezzeechi and Zarco had already been waved off in the sprint. Acosta was the best KTM rider, finishing 8th.

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MotoGP World Championship

07.08.2026 - 10:55

On Sunday, there was plenty of action in the full-length race. The GP was barely 500 metres old when, having won the start, Alex Márquez crashed out at Turn 1 – the front starting device had not retracted to its starting position. Marc Márquez had capitalised on this and pulled away at the front ahead of Fabio Quartararo. Still on the first lap, a collision between Franky Morbidelli and Honda wildcard Aleix Espargaró sparked heated debates in the gravel – and a red flag, following which fluids had leaked onto the track.

Der Silvestone-GP musste zweimal gestartet werden

Foto: Gold and Goose

When the red flag was waved, Marc Marquez was also lying face-down on the track after pushing too hard. But the Ducati factory rider was lucky. As the race was abandoned before Lap 3, all riders were allowed to set off again for a second attempt.

Start 2 was then all about Fabio Quartararo. The Yamaha rider, still on the M1 with its inline four-cylinder engine, achieved the seemingly impossible and pulled away from the field with superior pace. After a third of the race, number 20 had built up a lead of over five seconds over the field – everything pointed to Yamaha’s first victory in years.

Schwere Niederlage für Fabio Quartararo nach Technik-Versagen

Foto: Gold and Goose

‘El Diablo’ was also able to pull away because there was considerable disarray amongst his pursuers. Nobody had reckoned with Jack Miller. The Pramac rider had so much pace on soft tyres at the start that he pushed his way up to second place. Marc Marquez, Bagnaia, Alex Marquez and then the rapidly closing Bezzecchi and Zarco battled it out with the Australian for quite some time.

Lap 12 brought a shock for Yamaha. The leader was getting slower and slower and eventually came to a halt. The bike’s rear height adjustment had jammed. It was game over and deep frustration for the 2021 champion. This cleared the way for a maiden victory on an Aprilia. Bezzecchi, who had started from 11th on medium tyres, was unstoppable after a third of the race. ‘Bezz’ pulled away from Zarco and the Ducati riders Marc and Alex, and kept up the pace right to the chequered flag – it was the first triumph on the RS-GP, which was all the more important for Aprilia because Jorge Martin wasn’t even on the grid due to injury.

Dreikampf um Platz 3 in England: Marc Marquez setzte sich durch

Foto: Gold and Goose

Things got lively once again in the LCR Honda pit. Following his home victory, Zarco briefly established himself as the new MotoGP dark horse with his second-place finish. The Frenchman crossed the line comfortably ahead of Marc Márquez, who was locked in a fierce battle with Franco Morbidelli right down to the very last metre. Sprint winner and crash victim at the start, Alex Márquez, fared well in fifth place. Jack Miller finished seventh, behind Pedro Acosta, who was once again clearly the fastest KTM rider.