Marc Marquez Matches Agostini with 68th Win After Beating Bezzecchi in Dutch GP Thriller

Marc Marquez claimed his 68th career MotoGP victory in a dramatic showdown at the TT Circuit Assen, holding off a relentless Marco Bezzecchi by just 0.6 seconds to level the great Giacomo Agostini’s record. While the #93 Ducati rider celebrated another historic milestone, the race was marked by misfortune for his main championship rival, Alex Marquez, who crashed out early and suffered a fractured hand.

Early Chaos and a Shake-Up at the Front

The Dutch Grand Prix got off to a lively start, with Francesco Bagnaia launching off the second grid slot to take the holeshot into Turn 1. Polesitter Fabio Quartararo immediately dropped to fourth, while the Marquez brothers — Alex and Marc — slotted into second and third, respectively. But that order didn’t last long.

By the start of Lap 2, Marc Marquez executed a clean overtake on Alex into Turn 1 to slot into second behind his factory Ducati teammate. Moments later, Bezzecchi also found a way past Alex Marquez before the lap ended, demoting the Gresini rider further down the order.

Quartararo’s troubles continued as he dropped to seventh, with Pedro Acosta and Franco Morbidelli making decisive passes. Alex Marquez, meanwhile, was visibly struggling to hold position as Acosta muscled his way through, making it clear that the younger Marquez was losing grip and pace early.

Major Blow for Alex Marquez’s Title Hopes

Just as Marc Marquez was making his move for the lead — passing Bagnaia at the end of Lap 5 — disaster struck for Alex. While battling Acosta coming out of Turn 5 and barreling down the back straight, the #73 machine abruptly slid out from underneath him. A puff of tire smoke and erratic front-end behavior hinted at a brake issue, though it was later confirmed that Alex had fractured his left hand in the fall, ending his race and delivering a potentially devastating blow to his title campaign.

Moments later, his teammate Fermin Aldeguer highsided out at Turn 11, collecting Joan Mir and forcing Quartararo wide and down to 13th. Mir also crashed out as a result. The mid-pack had turned chaotic, and contenders were falling fast.

Bezzecchi Closes In, Marquez Fights Back

With Marc Marquez now leading, the battle wasn’t over. On Lap 8, Bezzecchi slipped past Bagnaia for second and started breathing down Marquez’s neck. Acosta was right there as well, overtaking Bagnaia a lap later to take third. The top five, which included Maverick Viñales and Fabio Di Giannantonio, had closed into a tense train.

On Lap 13, Marquez dropped the hammer with a rapid 1:32.273 lap to extend a small buffer, only for Bezzecchi to immediately answer with the race’s fastest time. Bagnaia reclaimed third from Acosta and followed it up with another blistering lap, challenging the front duo as the laps ticked down.

But Pecco’s momentum stalled just as quickly. After gaining two-tenths on Marquez, he lost three-tenths the following lap, showing just how much the pace was fluctuating at the front.

The Final Push: Precision vs Pressure

By Lap 20, the top four were locked in a tactical battle. Marquez held a slender 0.2s lead over Bezzecchi, who was glued to his rear tire but couldn’t find a way past. Bagnaia sat half a second further back, with Acosta also within striking distance.

Two laps later, the status quo remained unchanged. Bezzecchi tried everything to close the gap, but Marquez was inch-perfect — not a wheel out of place. Bagnaia had fallen nearly a second behind his fellow Italian, while Acosta was losing touch with the podium fight.

Heading into the penultimate lap, the gap from Marquez to Bezzecchi had widened to 0.7s — a crucial margin. That might have been the deciding moment. With clean exits and faultless braking, Marquez held firm through Assen’s fast final sector. Bezzecchi had no answer.

And with a powerful drive out of the last chicane, Marquez sealed victory — matching MotoGP legend Giacomo Agostini’s tally of 68 top-class wins. A monumental feat for one of the sport’s greatest-ever riders, achieved on a track that fittingly celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.

Bezzecchi Shines, Bagnaia Back on the Box

Bezzecchi’s second-place finish delivered Aprilia a huge result — a double podium weekend at one of the sport’s most iconic circuits. Bagnaia, meanwhile, returned to the rostrum with a solid third, bouncing back from a tough home race the previous weekend.

Pedro Acosta just missed out, finishing a strong fourth for KTM after being in the mix throughout. Maverick Viñales added to the Austrian manufacturer’s success with fifth, while Di Giannantonio and Morbidelli followed close behind in sixth and seventh. Morbidelli had to serve a Long Lap penalty for shortcutting the chicane during a battle with his teammate, but still salvaged decent points.

Points Finishers and Key Takeaways

Raul Fernandez made it three top-10s in a row with eighth place, while Enea Bastianini and Quartararo completed the top ten. It was a disappointing end to the race for Quartararo, who started from pole but couldn’t stay in the top group.

Brad Binder, Johann Zarco, Alex Rins, Jack Miller, and Somkiat Chantra rounded out the final points positions. Chantra’s ride gave Thailand its first-ever MotoGP point, a historic achievement for both rider and country.

Thank You, Assen – On to Sachsenring

The Dutch Grand Prix delivered another thrilling chapter in a season that continues to defy expectations. From drama, crashes, and comebacks to historic victories and record-matching rides, Assen had it all. As the paddock packs up and prepares for Round 11 at the Sachsenring, the championship battle tightens — and Marc Marquez once again reminds everyone that he’s not done rewriting the record books just yet.

Record crowd: 2025 sees Assen welcome more than 200,000 fans for the first time

Official MotoGP Press Release