Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) clinched his ninth Tissot Sprint win of the 2025 MotoGP season with a clinical performance at the Motul Grand Prix of the Netherlands, holding off a spirited challenge from his younger brother Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) by just 0.351 seconds. Completing the Saturday podium was Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), who returned to the top three for the first time this season.
Sprint Recap: Fast Start, Fierce Fights, and a Family Face-Off
From the moment the lights went out, the race had the hallmarks of a classic. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) got a lightning launch from pole position, but Marc Marquez was right alongside him into Turn 1. Things got tight fast. Marquez, stuck on the outside line, ran slightly wide and rejoined over the curb, nearly colliding with Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia in the process. Even so, he maintained his second position behind Quartararo.
But by the time the riders hit the GT Chicane at the end of the opening lap, Marquez had already dived up the inside of Quartararo to snatch the lead. Alex Marquez quickly followed his brother through into second, while Bezzecchi made a clean move to demote the polesitter to fourth.
By Lap 5, the leading pack had begun to settle, but the tension was rising. Alex Marquez was closing in on his brother, clearly eyeing a move. Bezzecchi kept within a few tenths in third, while Quartararo found himself under pressure from Bagnaia and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), who had just posted the fastest lap of the race. On Lap 6, Di Giannantonio launched an attack on Pecco into Turn 5. Though it didn’t stick, it was a sign of what was to come.
Half a lap later, Di Giannantonio made it count, executing a sharp overtake on Bagnaia into the GT Chicane. At this point, just 1.5 seconds separated the top six — a tightly packed group led by a focused Marc Marquez.
Then, drama struck. Quartararo, who had just clocked his best lap, went down at Turn 10, the front of his YZR-M1folding under him and ending his charge. That handed Bezzecchi breathing room in third, with Di Giannantonio unable to close the gap.
Final Lap: All Eyes on the Marquez Duel
As the final lap began, Alex Marquez was within 0.2 seconds of his brother, the two Ducati riders locked in a silent, tense duel. Bezzecchi trailed by 0.7s but was too far to capitalize. Alex shadowed Marc through every sector, searching for a weakness, especially heading into the final GT Chicane — but the six-time World Champion held firm. With pinpoint precision, Marc Marquez sealed a gritty victory — perhaps his toughest and most emotional of the season so far.
Top Finishers and Points Scorers
Behind the podium trio, Di Giannantonio crossed the line in fourth, just over a second behind Bezzecchi. Bagnaia, who never found his rhythm, settled for a muted fifth-place finish — far from his title-contending form.
Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) was the fastest KTM on the day, securing sixth place. Fermin Aldeguer, despite incurring a Long Lap Penalty for track limits on the final lap, managed seventh for the Gresini team.
Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) claimed eighth, with rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) rounding out the points in ninth.
Sunday Preview: Can Marquez Repeat?
Marc Marquez walks away from Saturday with another Sprint trophy, but Sunday promises even more unpredictability. With Quartararo seeking redemption and Bagnaia hungry for more, the Grand Prix race at Assen is poised to deliver another unforgettable chapter in the 2025 season.
Moto2: Moreira Secures Third Straight Pole Amidst Drama
Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) continued his blistering qualifying form with a third consecutive pole position, setting a new lap record at Assen. The Brazilian rider will once again look to convert Saturday speed into Sunday success — something that’s eluded him so far.
Joining him on the front row is impressive rookie Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – FRINSA – MSI), just 0.072s behind. Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) completes the front row after a clean, consistent run.
There was late-session chaos as Aron Canet (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego) — who had briefly taken provisional pole — was forced to settle for fourth after getting caught up behind a dramatic incident between Alonso Lopez and Filip Salač. Salač was taken to the medical center for checks, while Lopez continued after running wide into the gravel.
The second row features Albert Arenas (Italjet Gresini Moto2) in fifth, followed by Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing). Senna Agius, Joe Roberts, and Dani Holgado round out the third row.
Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completes the top ten, narrowly keeping Jake Dixon outside the first five rows in eleventh.
Moto3: Rueda Nabs Pole in Ultra-Close Qualifying
In an electrifying Moto3™ session, Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) seized pole position in the final moments, leading a Red Bull KTM Ajo 1-2 with Alvaro Carpe just behind. David Almansa (Leopard Racing) clinched third — all three within 0.066 seconds of each other.
The session stayed dry despite threatening clouds overhead. Q1 graduates Maximo Quiles, Ryusei Yamanaka, Taiyo Furusato, and Carpe all made big gains in Q2. Rueda jumped to provisional pole with a blinding lap, so fast he missed his braking at Turn 1 and ran wide.
Crashes from Guido Pini and Luca Lunetta in the closing minutes brought out yellow flags but didn’t affect the front row. Furusato’s late push landed him fourth — his best qualifying of the year — with Yamanaka in fifth.
Quiles starts sixth, followed by Pini, who despite crashing, managed to lead row three. Joel Kelso took eighth, with Dennis Foggia and Valentin Perrone rounding out the top ten.
Further down the order, David Muñoz and Angel Piqueras have serious work ahead of them, starting 14th and 16threspectively.
Looking Ahead: The Cathedral Promises More Action
With all three classes delivering fireworks in qualifying and sprints, Sunday at Assen promises high drama, tight racing, and potentially crucial shifts in all three championship battles. Don’t miss a moment — the Cathedral of Speed is once again living up to its name.
Official MotoGP Press Release
