Marc Marquez Shines Under Lights in Lusail to Win MotoGP 2025 Qatar Sprint. Franco Morbidelli snatches third as Alex Marquez finishes runner-up in intense Saturday showdown.
Marquez vs Marquez: Battle for Glory Begins Early
The MotoGP 2025 Sprint at the Lusail International Circuit saw a sensational showdown as Marc Marquez stormed to victory ahead of brother Alex Marquez, reclaiming the lead in the championship standings. The eight-lap Sprint was nothing short of electric, featuring wheel-to-wheel action, bold overtakes, and a final-corner thriller for the final podium spot.
Starting from pole, Marc Marquez seized the holeshot into Turn 1, with Alex and Fabio Quartararo close behind. Franco Morbidelli and rookie sensation Fermin Aldeguer initially battled for fourth, but Aldeguer was quickly shuffled back by Maverick Viñales and Johann Zarco.
Pecco Bagnaia made modest early gains, moving from P11 to P8 after the opening lap, but soon fell behind Pedro Acosta, Ai Ogura, and Jorge Martin in quick succession—raising serious questions about his pace and setup.
Sprint Pace Unmatched as Podium Battle Intensifies
Marc Marquez remained in control at the front, gradually stretching a gap of over one second to his younger brother Alex. Morbidelli maintained a strong P3 but came under increasing pressure from Quartararo and Aldeguer in the closing stages. A late charge from Aldeguer saw him dispatch Viñales and close in on the podium contenders.
Marc’s clinical consistency saw him claim his fourth Sprint win in as many rounds this season, while Alex finished a solid second, continuing his own impressive run of Sprint form. In a dramatic final corner, Quartararo’s small mistake gifted Aldeguer a fourth-place finish, while Morbidelli clung onto third.
Points and Position Shifts as Championship Heats Up
Aldeguer’s P4 highlighted his growing threat in the field, followed by Quartararo in fifth and Di Giannantonio in sixth. Ai Ogura impressed for Aprilia in P7, while Bagnaia’s struggles culminated in a subdued eighth-place finish.
Marco Bezzecchi grabbed the final point in P9 as Viñales’ soft tyre gamble backfired, causing him to slip to P10. Reigning World Champion Jorge Martin, returning from injury, crossed the line in P16, gaining valuable track time after his absence.
MotoGP 2025 Qatar GP (Lusail) Sprint Results:
- Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo) : 20:38.304
- Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Ducati) : +1.577s
- Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina VR46 Ducati) : +3.988s
- Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Ducati) : +4.369s
- Fabio Quartararo (Monster Yamaha) : +4.593s
- Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina VR46 Ducati) : +5.099s
- Ai Ogura (Trackhouse Aprilia) : +10.199s
- Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo) : +10.334s
- Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) : +11.300s
- Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) : +12.554s
- Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM) : +13.676s
- Alex Rins (Monster Yamaha) : +14.273s
- Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) : +14.408s
- Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) : +15.459s
- Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) : +15.587s
- Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) : +15.775s
- Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Aprilia) : +16.317s
- Augusto Fernandez (Pramac Yamaha) : +17.922s
- Jack Miller (Pramac Yamaha) : +20.274s
- Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda LCR) : +31.106s
- Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) : DNF
- Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) : DNS
As the sun sets in Qatar, the championship race is heating up. The big question: can anyone stop Marc Marquez in Sunday’s Grand Prix?
Tune in for the Grand Prix on Sunday at 20:00 local time (UTC +3).
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