Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) completes a weekend of stunning retaliation at MotorLand Aragon, taking the 25-point haul on Sunday after outpacing Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) as the #37 emerged as his closest challenger at the front. Acosta made good on his promise to attack for the podium on Sunday with a stunning ride to second, with Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) completing the rostrum for double podium finishes at MotorLand.
After a near-disastrous British GP, 37 points of Aragon revenge for Marc Marquez boost him up to second in the standings, now 19 behind Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing), as Bezzecchi also closes the gap on his teammate despite now sitting third overall.
LIGHTS OUT TAKE TWO
At lights out it seemed a replay of the Tissot Sprint as Marc Marquez once again attacked at Turn 1, but the #93 admitted in parc ferme he’d left the rear ride height device engaged and then found himself dropping back as Bezzechi sliced back through to lead around Turn 3. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) had to sit up slightly in that shuffle and Martin then attacked Marc Marquez too, shouldering the Ducati out the way, making it an Aprilia 1-2 ahead of Marc Marquez and Acosta after the first few corners.
At the end of Lap 1 however, the elbows were out from the #93 as he sliced past Martin, with the #89 then also losing out to Acosta as he was forced off line in the move. Bezzecchi’s lead was up to around six tenths, but now it was Marc Marquez and Acosta on the chase as Martin found himself picked off by Alex Marquez too. By Lap 5, Marc Marquez was homing in on Bezzecchi – but Acosta remained close company for the #93.
ATTACK MODE ENGAGED: all change at the front
On Lap 6 at Turn 15, Marc Marquez attacked and made it through, setting in motion a stunning set of fireworks in the battle at the front. Bezzecchi remained side by side with the #93 down the back straight, millimeters apart at over 300km/h, but into the final corner complex the #72 was forced to cede. The #93 was free in the lead but out of nowhere, Acosta then swept round the outside of the Aprilia too.
The break wasn’t complete yet. The #37 was absolutely glued to the rear of the #93, and he stayed so as the laps ticked off. Lap 9 saw the wick turned up as Marc Marquez put in a fastest lap, but the KTM remained in touch. Lap 10 saw both set the exact same laptime – and Bezzecchi was even faster in third. At half distance, the race remained on a tightrope. Marc Marquez led Acosta who led Bezzecchi, with no gap over a second. Alex Marquez was holding fourth but had faded off the lead trio, with Martin also holding fifth in some clear air.
THE WICK TURNS UP: the lap records come in and title fight twists
As the laps ticked on, however, the lap records started coming in from the lead – and this time Acosta and Bezzecchi struggled to find an answer. The pin was pulled and Marc Marquez eked out the gap, those 25 points shaking up the standings once again. Pushing on to cross the line in a little breathing space to complete the stunning double, the #93 moves up to second overall – now just 19 points off Martin’s lead.
Acosta roasted himself on Saturday night after missing his grid slot and explaining he’d had a messy day, but the #37 was near perfect on Sunday to put up the best resistance possible and take a stunning second. Bezzecchi completes a commendable weekend of two podiums, both ahead of his points-leading teammate, with third place from pole.
Alex Marquez wasn’t able to make any inroads up from P4 and remained there for some solid points on Sunday, with Martin finding P5 to be his limit at MotorLand this weekend – taking the same on Sunday to see that lead drop to 19 points.
BATTLE IN THE PACK: duels to the finish
Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) took sixth on his return to action, ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) as the fluo yellow #49 took some solid points after crashing out of the Sprint. Behind, there was a huge battle. Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) was holding eight for much of the race ahead of a train of riders, but a late push from Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) saw the former Aragon winner catch the Honda-riding rookie with five to go as two duels lit up MotorLand on the final two laps.
Moreira vs Bastianini saw the Italian make an attack stick on the final lap to nab P8, just ahead of Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) vs Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) to complete the top ten. The South African just pipped the Australian, relegating Miller to 11th.
Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) and Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) were close company next up, ahead of Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) and Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) completing the points. Raul Fernandez (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) had been homing in on Martin for fifth in the first few laps but was forced to retire at about third distance, disappointment for the Silverstone winner, and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) crashed out early on, rider ok.
That’s a wrap on Aragon and another twist in the title fight. As Marc Marquez takes the full 37 points he moves up to second and Martin’s double P5s see his lead cut to 19. Bezzecchi’s two podiums cut his deficit to the top, however, as it closes up once more. And now? Italian turf. Aprilia turf? Clockwise Misano awaits – and all but one of Marc Marquez’s only Grand Prix podiums so far this season are at anti-clockwise circuits, although they have all been wins. Will the pendulum swing again? Join us in two weeks to find out!
