Marquez Conquers Red Bull Ring at Last: Ends Winless Streak in Austria with Commanding Ride

Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) finally conquered the Red Bull Ring, ending his long-standing drought at the Austrian circuit with a dramatic victory in the bwin Grand Prix of Austria. The win marks his sixth straight Sunday triumph and extends his unstoppable march toward a seventh MotoGP crown. This was no straightforward runaway, however: Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) led for much of the race before fading late, while rookie sensation Fermín Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) nearly stole the spotlight with a blistering charge to second. In the end, though, it was Marquez who emerged victorious once again, sealing not only his own milestone but also MotoGP’s 1000th race in fitting fashion.

The Start: Bezzecchi Holds Firm, Marquez vs. Bagnaia Sparks Early

After botching the launch in Saturday’s Sprint, Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) made amends with a rocket start from the front row, momentarily threatening to steal the holeshot. But it was polesitter Bezzecchi who clung onto the lead through Turn 1, setting up a fierce opening lap. Behind them, the crowd was treated to a Ducati civil war as Marquez muscled his way down the inside of his teammate at Turn 3, only for Pecco to immediately fight back into Turn 4.

By Lap 2, though, Marquez made the same Turn 3 move stick, claiming second position and locking onto Bezzecchi’s rear wheel. Meanwhile, chaos unfolded in the midfield: Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) launched off the third row and hassled Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), while Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) snatched fifth before overshooting Turn 1. To add to the drama, Alex Marquez served his Long Lap penalty for earlier infractions, tumbling down the order to 11th.

Bezzecchi vs. Marquez: The Early Chess Match

By Lap 4, Bezzecchi was in command, setting the fastest time of the race and holding Marquez at bay with a 0.6-second buffer. Bagnaia clung to third, fending off an aggressive Acosta. For the next few laps, it looked like Bezzecchi might finally turn his blistering pace into a famous win. At one point, Marquez dropped nearly a full second back — an unusually large gap for the Spaniard, raising questions about whether he was cooling his front tire or whether Bezzecchi genuinely had the upper hand.

That illusion didn’t last. By Lap 8, Marquez had reeled the gap back down to two tenths, his Ducati glued to the Aprilia’s rear wheel. Further down, Aprilia’s day worsened when Jorge Martin, Bezzecchi’s teammate and title outsider, crashed out at Turn 7 on Lap 14, ending his chances of adding to the team’s success.

The Turning Point: Marquez Makes His Move

The decisive moment came on Lap 18. Marquez pounced at Turn 3, sliding past Bezzecchi, but the Italian wasn’t done yet. He immediately countered into Turn 6, regaining the lead to huge roars from the grandstands. Their duel raged for two more laps until Turn 1 on Lap 20, when Marquez dived up the inside and made the pass stick for good. From then on, it was his race to lose.

Behind them, the fight for the final podium position heated up. Acosta lunged past Bagnaia in the penultimate corner of Lap 18, a bold move that opened the door for Aldeguer to follow through. Within a heartbeat, Bagnaia had been demoted from third to fifth.

Aldeguer’s Lightning Charge

Once through, Aldeguer unleashed staggering pace. The 19-year-old rookie, who had already raised eyebrows all season, carved through the field with the composure of a veteran. By Lap 22, he was clocking times half a second faster than both Marquez and Bezzecchi, slicing the gap to the leaders with every corner.

In just two laps, Aldeguer was past Bezzecchi at Turn 3 and into second. The rookie now had one target: Marc Marquez. With four laps to go, the gap was just 0.9 seconds, and for a moment it looked as if the impossible might happen — the debutant toppling the six-time World Champion at Ducati’s most cursed circuit.

But Marquez, as he so often does, responded under pressure. He dug deep, stabilizing the lead back to nine tenths with two laps to go. Aldeguer’s late charge ran out of steam, and though he crossed the line in a sensational second place, it wasn’t enough to deny Marquez yet another historic win.

Bezzecchi Settles for Third, Podium Streak Intact

For Bezzecchi, the disappointment of surrendering the lead was softened by another podium finish. His third place marked back-to-back rostrums for the first time since 2023 — evidence that Aprilia’s decision to back him as their spearhead is paying off.

The Rest of the Top 10: KTM Impress at Home, Bagnaia Falters

Local heroes KTM had mixed fortunes but could still hold their heads high. Pedro Acosta finished a strong fourth, leading the manufacturer’s charge, while teammate Bastianini followed closely in fifth. Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) impressed with a gritty ride to sixth, his best result of the year, while Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) secured seventh after a string of wheel-to-wheel scraps.

The bigger surprise was Bagnaia. Having started in contention, the defending double World Champion faded to eighth, unable to keep pace with the front runners — another frustrating chapter in what has been a difficult 2025 campaign.

Rounding out the points were Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) in ninth, Alex Marquez salvaging tenth after his penalty, and Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) in 11th. Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR), Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol), Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team), and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) filled out the remaining points, with the Frenchman’s 15th place underscoring Yamaha’s struggles.

Championship Picture: Marquez in Total Control

The result not only secured Marquez’s first ever win at the Red Bull Ring but also added another 25 points to his already massive haul. With six consecutive victories and a commanding 142-point lead in the standings, the #93 looks untouchable as the championship heads to Hungary. For Aldeguer and Bezzecchi, however, their podiums signal two riders capable of keeping the season interesting — even if the title itself looks all but decided.

Marquez may have ended his Austrian curse, but more significantly, he reinforced an uncomfortable truth for the rest of the paddock: in 2025, stopping him looks almost impossible.