Marc Marquez Fights Back to Win Mugello Sprint as Fireworks Fly in Opening Laps

Marc Marquez proved once again why he’s still the benchmark in MotoGP by storming to victory in Saturday’s Tissot Sprint at Mugello — but the final result only tells half the story. The Italian crowd was treated to a thrilling early battle as sparks flew right from the start, with drama unfolding before the race even hit full throttle.

Having just secured the 100th pole position of his Grand Prix career, Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) looked poised to dominate. And while the win did eventually come, it didn’t arrive without a fight — or a few tense moments along the way. Joining him on the Sprint podium were younger brother Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) in second, and Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) in third, after leading the opening lap.

Rough Start for Marquez After Pole

The drama began before the field had even reached the first corner. Marquez appeared momentarily unsettled as the lights went out, possibly distracted by a pre-start issue, and he was quickly swamped into Turn 1 at San Donato. Bagnaia seized the holeshot, with Alex Marquez jumping into second.

Further back, things got chaotic. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was clipped by Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing), causing both Binder and an unfortunate Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) to hit the deck. Race Direction reviewed the incident but deemed it a racing incident, taking no further action.

There was more carnage to come at the tail end of the opening lap, when Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) lost the front at Turn 15, ending his Sprint before it had really begun.

The Brothers and Bagnaia Go to War

The second lap ignited one of the day’s fiercest exchanges. With Marquez surging back into third, the front trio — Marc, Alex, and Bagnaia — went three-wide into Turn 1, each elbowing for supremacy. Marc briefly grabbed the lead but ran himself and Alex wide on corner exit, allowing Mugello specialist Bagnaia to sneak back through on the inside.

What followed was a physical and relentless scrap. Bagnaia and Alex Marquez diced through Turns 2 and 3, with the Gresini rider emerging ahead. But it wasn’t long before Marc Marquez reasserted himself, diving past Pecco at Turn 4 and reclaiming second, then hunting down his younger sibling once more.

Behind them, a heated mid-pack fight developed between Di Giannantonio, Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing), and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP). The Yamaha rider, despite an encouraging start, faded rapidly as Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) and Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) joined the fray and overtook him.

Marc Seals It With a Bold Move

Lap 4 saw Marc make his decisive move on Alex Marquez, snatching the lead with clinical precision. The pair had already built a gap over Bagnaia, who now began slipping back toward a charging Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3). The double World Champion from Spain had been methodically working his way through the field and was now eyeing the final podium spot.

Viñales closed the gap to just 0.3 seconds heading into the penultimate lap, but Bagnaia held firm, denying the KTM rider a rostrum finish. In the meantime, Quartararo’s miserable Sprint continued as Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing) came through to snatch the final point on offer.

Up front, Marc Marquez crossed the line to claim victory, converting his landmark pole into a hard-earned win — and doing so on Ducati’s home turf. His brother Alex made it a Marquez one-two, with Bagnaia completing the podium and seeing his winning streak at Mugello come to an end.

Viñales had to settle for fourth but will take confidence from his late charge heading into Sunday’s Grand Prix. Di Giannantonio secured fifth after a gritty ride, with Bezzecchi recovering to sixth despite winglet damage from early contact with Acosta.

Morbidelli took seventh, while Fernandez scored his first Sprint points of the year in eighth. Aldeguer held off a disappointed Quartararo to claim ninth, rounding out the points.

What’s Next?

Saturday belonged to Marc Marquez — pole position and a Sprint victory. But can he do the double and take the full Grand Prix win on Sunday? With Alex Marquez, Bagnaia, and a resurgent Viñales all lurking, the race at 14:00 local time promises to be another Mugello classic.

Moreira Secures Second Consecutive Moto2 Pole Despite Late Q2 Chaos

Diogo Moreira continues his impressive run of form in Moto2™ as he clinched a second straight pole position on Saturday — but it wasn’t without a dose of late-session drama. The Italtrans Racing Team rider posted a best lap of 1:49.745 at Mugello to top the timesheets, narrowly edging out Aron Canet (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego) in a tense and chaotic Q2 session. Rounding out the front row is Albert Arenas (ITALJET Gresini Moto2), who earns his first top-three qualifying result of the season.

A Tumultuous Q2: Crashes, Collisions, and a Pole-Winning Lap

The second qualifying session was far from smooth sailing. What began as a tactical shootout quickly descended into mayhem. Filip Salač, the fastest rider during free practice, suffered a high-speed crash in the closing moments aboard his ELF Marc VDS Racing Team machine. His fall created a ripple effect through the final minutes of the session, as several riders were on their flying laps when the yellow flags came out.

Among them was pole contender Diogo Moreira, who had already banked what would become the session’s fastest lap. But just moments later, his Kalex-Triumph bike was clipped by the fallen Boscoscuro of Salač, ending his session abruptly. Fortunately, Moreira’s earlier lap remained intact — and good enough to secure him pole despite the premature conclusion to his run.

Canet’s Lap Reinstated, Ramirez Shuffled Down

Adding to the drama, Aron Canet initially had his best time scrubbed due to yellow flag infringement — a result of the Salač crash. However, after further review, Race Direction opted to reinstate Canet’s lap, elevating him back to second on the grid. That late adjustment proved costly for Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing Team), who had briefly looked set to join the front row before being bumped down to fourth.

Still, Ramirez’s second-row start marks another strong qualifying performance in what has been a breakout season.

Gonzalez Penalized, Öncü and Vietti Move Up

Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) originally qualified fifth, but his afternoon took a turn when officials handed him a three-place grid penalty. The infraction? Riding too slowly on the racing line during the critical final moments of Q2 — a common but heavily scrutinized issue in Moto2. As a result, Gonzalez will now line up eighth, rather than on the second row.

His misfortune benefits Deniz Öncü, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider who won last time out in Aragon. The Q1 graduate now slots into fifth after a solid performance and consistent pace throughout the weekend. Mugello local Celestino Vietti (Beta Tools SpeedRS Team) will join him on row two, giving Italian fans plenty to cheer for with the #13 leading the home charge in sixth.

Highsides and Hard Knocks: Baltus Walks Away

There was another scare late in Q2 when Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego) suffered a spectacular highside crash with just a few minutes remaining. The Belgian rider was immediately taken to the medical center for evaluation but was fortunately declared fit. Despite the fall, his earlier time was enough to secure seventh place on the grid — an impressive result given the circumstances.

The final spots inside the top ten are filled by the penalized Gonzalez in eighth, followed by Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO European Privilege Aspar Team) in ninth, and Tony Arbolino (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) rounding out the group in tenth. Arbolino narrowly edged out Holgado’s teammate David Alonso, who will start just outside the top ten in P11.

Starting Grid – Top 10 Moto2 Q2 Qualifiers (Post-Penalties)

1. Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) – 1:49.745
2. Aron Canet (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego)
3. Albert Arenas (ITALJET Gresini Moto2)
4. Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing Team)
5. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo)
6. Celestino Vietti (Beta Tools SpeedRS Team)
7. Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego)
8. Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP)
9. Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Aspar Team)
10. Tony Arbolino (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2)

Moreira’s pole not only marks another milestone in his rapid rise through the ranks but also positions him perfectly to challenge for victory on Sunday. With Canet breathing down his neck and the likes of Ramirez, Öncü, and Vietti lurking just behind, the Mugello Moto2 showdown promises to be a must-watch.

Alvaro Carpe Grabs First Career Pole with Daring Last-Lap Mugello Masterclass

Rookie sensation Alvaro Carpe made his mark on Saturday at Mugello, snatching his first-ever Moto3™ pole position in a breathtaking late-session display. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider waited until the dying moments of Q2 to deliver a statement lap — and he did so with flair, sweeping around the outside of a fellow front-runner to cap off a bold charge. His 1:54.733 was not only enough to top the timesheets but put him more than two-tenths clear of teammate and current Championship leader Jose Antonio Rueda.

Rounding out the front row is Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power), who continued his strong weekend by qualifying third — marking his first front-row start since Silverstone last season and building on his strong FP2 showing earlier in the day.

Q1 Survivors Battle into the Spotlight

Before the Q2 fireworks, a dramatic Q1 saw Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Aspar Team), Dennis Foggia (2021 Mugello winner), David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), and Vicente Perez (GRYD MLav Racing Team) all claw their way into the pole shootout. However, Quiles’ afternoon turned into a race against time as his crew scrambled to repair his machine following a late crash in Q1, leaving him idle as Q2 got underway.

The first half of the session was steady, with most riders opting for a calm build-up. Carpe emerged as the early benchmark-setter, logging the best lap on his opening run. Meanwhile, Quiles’ session began on a sour note — his initial flying lap was deleted for a track limits violation, and he was still time-less as the clock dipped below five minutes remaining.

Red Sectors Light Up as Carpe Delivers the Hammer Blow

In the final minutes, the pace exploded. The circuit lit up with red sectors as riders made their final pushes. Rueda managed to hit the top temporarily, just edging out Ogden. But it was Carpe — showing the poise of a veteran — who had one more lap to give.

He made it count, delivering a stunning lap that not only reclaimed top spot but also saw him muscle around the outside of Angel Piqueras (FRINSA MT Helmets – MSI) in a gutsy move that underscored his growing confidence. It was a decisive moment — one that secured his maiden pole position and solidified his rising-star status in the Moto3 ranks.

Piqueras, the unwilling participant in Carpe’s dramatic pass, still managed a strong P4, while Carpe’s teammate Jacob Roulstone equaled his best-ever qualifying result with fifth.

Muñoz, Perrone, and Penalties Shake Up Row 2

Aragon GP winner David Muñoz continued to build on his momentum with a solid lap to secure sixth on the grid, rounding out the second row. Originally, Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Ajo) looked set to claim his best qualifying result of the season, but a back-of-the-grid penalty for dawdling on the racing line — after posting his personal best — saw his effort wiped from the grid order. The rule, designed to prevent slow riders from becoming hazards or disrupting flying laps, cost the Argentine dearly.

In the reshuffled order, Maximo Quiles, despite all the chaos of the afternoon, recovered well enough to qualify seventh. He’ll start on the third row alongside Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) in eighth and David Almansa (Leopard Racing) in ninth.

Big Names Mired Mid-Pack

There are plenty of fast names who’ll have some work to do on Sunday. Almansa’s teammate Adrian Fernandez will line up in 13th, just ahead of a frustrated Dennis Foggia, who qualified 15th in his return to the site of a memorable 2021 victory. Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI), meanwhile, struggled with mechanical issues that sidelined him for the final moments of Q2. He starts down in 16th — a disappointing outcome after showing promise earlier in the weekend.

Moto3 Mugello Q2 – Top 10 Grid Positions

1. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – 1:54.733
2. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo)
3. Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power)
4. Angel Piqueras (FRINSA MT Helmets – MSI)
5. Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Ajo)
6. David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP)
7. Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Aspar Team)
8. Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA)
9. David Almansa (Leopard Racing)
10. Vicente Perez (GRYD MLav Racing Team)

With Mugello often a track that rewards daring overtakes and late braking, Carpe’s confident outside lunge was a fitting preview of what fans can expect in Sunday’s race. The rookie has laid down a marker — now all eyes will be on whether he can convert pole into a first Grand Prix victory, or if the likes of Rueda, Ogden, or Muñoz have something special planned for race day.

Official MotoGP Press Release