Exciting brotherly duel in Barcelona
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya was the scene of the eagerly awaited family duel between the Marquez brothers. After a strong start, Marc Marquez (Ducati) initially took the lead, but Alex Marquez (Gresini-Ducati) countered in turn 1 on the fourth lap. From then on, the younger of the two brothers set the pace at the front.
The first half of the race was characterized by tactical tire management—typical for the track-specific conditions in Catalonia with high abrasion. Nevertheless, Alex Marquez managed to significantly increase the pace after about two-thirds of the distance. Marc Marquez tried to keep up, but had to admit: “Alex was just faster. I gave it my all, but I struggled with grip problems in the final laps.”
In the end, Alex Marquez crossed the finish line with a lead of 1.740 seconds and celebrated his second victory of the season after his success in Jerez. This reduces his deficit in the overall World Championship standings to 182 points and prevents his brother from securing his first match point in Misano.
KTM on the rise: Podium for Bastianini
Enea Bastianini (Tech3-KTM) completed the podium. The Italian managed to prevail over Pedro Acosta (KTM) during the race, who was the only rider to start on soft rear tires. Bastianini said after the race: “For a moment, I even thought about winning, but when the Marquez brothers pulled away, I couldn’t keep up. Still, this is my first podium with KTM – it feels very good.”
Acosta had to reduce his pace in the second half of the race but managed to hold on to fourth place ahead of Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha). Behind them came Ai Ogura (Aprilia), Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati), Luca Marini (Honda), and Miguel Oliveira (Yamaha).
Bagnaia with a strong comeback
Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia showed a strong reaction after a disappointing Saturday. Starting from 21st on the grid, the Ducati factory rider fought his way up to seventh place. He was able to make up numerous positions, especially in the early stages. “I’m happy with the result. Of course, the tire was pretty worn out at the end, but the progress is encouraging,” said Bagnaia.
According to him, the technical difference from the previous day was marginal: “We used the same setup as yesterday, but with a larger tank. That helps me get out of the corners better.” Nevertheless, Bagnaia remained cautious about Misano: “I don’t want to be too optimistic too soon. The important thing is that we are competitive from Friday onwards.”
Numerous retirements – difficult conditions in Barcelona
A total of seven riders did not finish the race. Among others, Marco Bezzecchi, Johann Zarco, Alex Rins, Lorenzo Savadori, and Franco Morbidelli crashed. Brad Binder (KTM) slipped out of the race on lap seven in turn 7. Turn 10 in particular proved to be a trap for many riders. Johann Zarco was in fifth place at the time of his crash.
Marc Marquez had dominated Saturday’s sprint, finishing well ahead of Fabio Quartararo and Fabio Di Giannantonio. Alex Marquez, on the other hand, crashed in the short race and took revenge on Sunday.
World Championship standings: Marc Marquez still clearly in the lead
After 30 of 44 races, Marc Marquez continues to lead the overall standings by a clear margin with 487 points. He is followed by:
- 2. Alex Marquez – 305 points
- 3. Francesco Bagnaia – 237 points
- 4. Marco Bezzecchi – 197 points
- 5. Pedro Acosta – 183 points
In the constructors’ standings, Ducati is clearly ahead of Aprilia (239) and KTM (237) with 541 points. The Ducati Lenovo Team also dominates the team rankings with 724 points.
Outlook: Next race in Misano
The action continues this coming weekend at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli on the Adriatic coast. While Marc Marquez will have to wait to play his first match point, it remains to be seen whether Alex Marquez can maintain his momentum and close the gap further. KTM is also likely to arrive full of confidence after Bastianini’s podium finish and Acosta’s fourth place.
- Dunlop SP-MK4 TL FRONT 120/70ZR17 W 58
