The younger Márquez sibling exorcised his Sprint demons in spectacular fashion, holding off his legendary brother Marc to seal a memorable win on home soil. Behind them, Enea Bastianini completed the Catalan GP podium with his first Sunday rostrum aboard KTM machinery.
Saturday had been a day to forget for Álex Márquez. A crash in the Sprint left him empty-handed and searching for answers. Fast forward 24 hours and the turnaround could not have been greater. Riding with composure, grit, and confidence, the #73 of BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP carved his name into Catalan folklore, denying the relentless charge of Marc Márquez (Ducati Lenovo Team). For Marc, second place brought valuable championship points and a continuation of his remarkable consistency, but his unbeaten Sunday run finally came to an end. Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) added to the occasion by claiming his maiden Sunday podium in orange, confirming his steady resurgence.
Lightning Start: Marc Grabs the Early Advantage
From pole position, Álex’s getaway was solid, but it was Marc who made the decisive move into Turn 1, surging from third on the grid to lead immediately. Behind the brothers, rookie sensation Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) launched brilliantly from the second row to secure third, while Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) slotted into fourth. Bastianini, sitting close behind, rounded out the top five.
The drama struck almost immediately. On Lap 2, Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) attempted a tight inside move on VR46 Academy teammate Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team). The two touched, sending Bezzecchi into the gravel. Fabio Di Giannantonio, also riding for VR46, had no room to react and tucked the front of his GP25, crashing out alongside his stablemate. Both riders walked away unharmed, but any hopes of a podium ended instantly.
Álex Strikes Back
The momentum shifted on Lap 4. Into the first corner, Álex Márquez executed a textbook move on Marc, seizing control of the race. Marc suddenly had to watch his mirrors, with Acosta and Bastianini close behind.
Further back, Quartararo was fighting tooth and nail to hold onto fifth against Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) and Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR). At this point, the front quartet had already opened a one-second cushion, dictating the rhythm of the race.
Elsewhere, Brad Binder’s (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) weekend ended prematurely on Lap 7 after he slid out at Turn 7 while running inside the top ten. Behind him, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) was carving through the field in determined fashion. Starting from a disastrous 22nd on the grid, the two-time World Champion was already into ninth and lapping with serious intent. Within another lap, he picked off Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) to secure eighth, showcasing his trademark recovery rides.
Bastianini Moves Into Podium Contention
By Lap 10, the leading four riders had established a commanding 2.1-second gap over the chasing pack. That group was now headed by Zarco, but the attention remained firmly at the front. Bastianini chose this moment to attack, slipping past Acosta to climb into third. The Italian’s pace immediately signaled he might have more in reserve, as he set his sights on Marc Márquez ahead.
Zarco’s promising run ended abruptly a lap later with a crash at the notoriously difficult Turn 10, handing Marini fifth position. At this point, Álex Márquez was holding a slender half-second advantage, but Bastianini was now the fastest man on track, consistently lapping in the low 1:40s.
Acosta’s soft rear tire appeared to be fading rapidly. By Lap 14, he had dropped nearly a second off the podium fight, and over the following laps, the gap ballooned to more than three seconds. The battle for the win was now strictly a three-man contest.
Márquez vs. Márquez: A Family Duel for Victory
With Bastianini beginning to lose touch, the Barcelona crowd prepared for what everyone wanted to see: a Márquez vs. Márquez showdown for home glory. Both brothers were relentless, pushing a full second faster than anyone else on track as the laps ticked away.
On Lap 20, a pair of small mistakes from Marc widened the gap to eight-tenths. Though he quickly clawed a tenth back, Álex was riding like a man reborn, controlling the race with precision. With three laps remaining, his advantage crept back toward a full second.
By the penultimate lap, the margin was over a second, and the nerves in the Gresini garage turned into cautious optimism. Would history repeat itself with another costly mistake at Turn 10, the same corner that had claimed Álex the day before? Not this time. He negotiated the section flawlessly, and from there, nothing was going to stop him.
Crossing the finish line 1.7 seconds clear of Marc, Álex Márquez secured his second career MotoGP victory — a redemption ride in front of his home fans. For Marc, second place still delivered crucial points and a proud 1–2 finish for the Márquez family. Bastianini, meanwhile, was able to celebrate his first podium since switching to KTM, a just reward for his persistence.
Barcelona’s Point Scorers
Acosta held on to fourth despite his tire struggles, while Quartararo dug deep to win the battle for fifth. Ogura impressed late, climbing to sixth and earning his best result since Thailand. Bagnaia’s charge ended in seventh — not ideal for a title contender, but a highly respectable recovery from the back row.
Marini crossed in eighth, continuing Honda’s signs of steady improvement. Miguel Oliveira (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) gave Yamaha a double top-ten finish by taking ninth, ahead of reigning World Champion Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing), who rounded out the top ten.
Beyond them, points were collected by Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team), Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol), Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP), and Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP).
| MotoGP Barcelona – Race Result | ||||
| Pos | Rider | Team | Time/Diff | |
| 1 | Alex Marquez | BK8 Gresini Ducati (GP24) | 40m 14.093s | |
| 2 | Marc Marquez | Ducati Lenovo (GP25) | +1.740s | |
| 3 | Enea Bastianini | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +5.562s | |
| 4 | Pedro Acosta | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +13.373s | |
| 5 | Fabio Quartararo | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +14.409s | |
| 6 | Ai Ogura | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP25)* | +15.055s | |
| 7 | Francesco Bagnaia | Ducati Lenovo (GP25) | +16.048s | |
| 8 | Luca Marini | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) | +16.372s | |
| 9 | Miguel Oliveira | Pramac Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +16.937s | |
| 10 | Jorge Martin | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP25) | +18.492s | |
| 11 | Raul Fernandez | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP25) | +19.489s | |
| 12 | Joan Mir | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) | +20.159s | |
| 13 | Maverick Viñales | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +22.792s | |
| 14 | Jack Miller | Pramac Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +24.351s | |
| 15 | Fermin Aldeguer | BK8 Gresini Ducati (GP24)* | +24.592s | |
| 16 | Somkiat Chantra | Idemitsu Honda LCR (RC213V)* | +37.393s | |
| 17 | Aleix Espargaro | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) | +43.202s | |
| Franco Morbidelli | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP24) | DNF | ||
| Lorenzo Savadori | Aprilia Factory (RS-GP25) | DNF | ||
| Alex Rins | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | DNF | ||
| Fabio Di Giannantonio | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP25) | DNF | ||
| Johann Zarco | Castrol Honda LCR (RC213V) | DNF | ||
| Brad Binder | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | DNF | ||
| Marco Bezzecchi | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP25) | DNF | ||
Looking Ahead: Misano Beckons
The Catalan GP ensured Marc Márquez cannot mathematically clinch the championship at Misano, extending the suspense in the 2025 title chase. The paddock now shifts to Italy for another iconic race weekend — and one that counts as a home round for many of the stars. With Álex Márquez back on top, Marc still leading the standings, and KTM celebrating fresh success, the stage is set for another thriller on the Adriatic coast.
2025 Monster Energy GP of Catalonia: best-attended in Barcelona since 2008
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