Unstoppable Marc Marquez wins Aragon Grand Prix to complete perfect weekend
Spanish MotoGP rider Marc Marquez
Photo:
STIEFEL Udo / PHOTOSPORT
Marc Marquez proved once again that he was the master of the circuit at MotorLand as the Ducati rider won the Aragon Grand Prix from pole to extend his lead in the MotoGP championship.
Marquez's brother Alex finished second for Gresini Racing while Marc's teammate Francesco Bagnaia came third as Ducati bikes swept the podium.
Marc had completed the perfect weekend last year to win his first race in 1043 days at the same circuit and he repeated his feat as the polesitter and sprint winner claimed a record-extending seventh MotoGP victory at the track.
Such was Marc's dominance this weekend that he became the first rider in 10 years to lead every session - including warmups, practice and qualifying - since he did it himself at the German Grand Prix in 2015.
"It was an amazing weekend. Leading all the practices, full focus, just full concentration," said Marquez, who now leads Alex by 32 points in the championship.
"As I expected, the others got closer and closer every session. In the race, the pace of Alex and Pecco (Bagnaia) was super fast, but it was consistent. (I was) just controlling the race distance.
"And the celebration together with my brother was amazing. The best way to come back with full Ducatis in the top."
The two Marquez brothers also danced arm-in-arm in front of the home fans sitting in a special stand dedicated to Spain's fastest brothers on two wheels.
Heading into the race weekend, the Marquez brothers had also been involved in social media banter over who their mother would support and Marc had the last laugh when he handed her a red Ducati shirt at the winners' circle in the paddock.
Marc had broken the lap record to take his 99th career pole before claiming a seventh sprint victory of the season on Saturday despite a poor start, but this time he shot off the line with a perfect launch to lead into turn one.
Alex stayed in second place but behind them it was KTM's Pedro Acosta who sparred with Bagnaia for third as they constantly swapped positions, using each other's slipstream to overtake, but the more-experienced Bagnaia held on.
Up front, Marc continued to set fastest laps as he streaked away with Alex unable to match his pace, as his brother slowly but surely extended his advantage at one of his favourite circuits which has a corner named after him.
The younger Marquez sibling was soon looking over his shoulder to see Bagnaia eating up the distance between them while KTM's Brad Binder crashed in fifth place, leaving the crew chief of the struggling team fuming in the pit lane.
But Alex quickly found his rhythm to stay in second while Bagnaia fended off Acosta to prevent an all-Spanish podium. Bagnaia, who is third in the championship, now sits 93 points behind Marc.
-Reuters
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Otago Daily Times
Buchanan ‘super happy' with second top-10 finish
There are plenty of positives for Cormac Buchanan after his latest Moto3 World Championship finish. The Southland motorcycle racer clinched his second top-10 finish — just 1.7sec from the winner — yesterday to record his best performance of the season. The undulating challenges of Spain's Motorland Aragon proved a happy hunting ground for the Kiwi teenager, confirming his evolution in the sport in partnership with the Denssi Boe Motorsports team. "I'm really happy to finish in the front group and with the smart race I rode," Buchanan said. "Obviously, a bit disappointing because there was a lot more potential than 10th there. But I guess to not be over the moon with 10th place just shows how much we've progressed. "The weekend as a whole I was super happy with how we worked." Securing his second top-10 finish in a race marked by high temperatures and the demanding degradation of the tyres, Buchanan managed each phase with intelligence. Mid-race, when many began to struggle, Buchanan increased his pace, closing the distance with the head group until finally placing only 1.7sec from the Spanish winner, David Munoz. Buchanan planned to ease into the race to not wear his tyres out early after watching others opening with gas. " ... knew that would destroy the tyres before the end of the race". His patience paid off. "With about six laps to go, I saw that my tyres were good compared to the others around me so I knew that was my moment to go for it. "I got to the front of the second group then just tried to do my own pace. I had been practising all weekend and was able to bridge quite a big gap to the lead group. "I was in the front group with about four laps to go which was a pretty cool feeling to be there for the first time in the world championship. "I made my way up to about sixth or seventh, but unfortunately a bit of contact bumped me back again. We could have fought for the podium so it was a bittersweet feeling." Buchanan's performance was notable for his speed, racing at the same pace as the leaders and exceeding his classification time marked on Saturday. He walked away feeling "very positive" about the weekend. "We had a process that we wanted to work on which was focused on working alone without the slipstream or the reference to prepare for the race," he said. "We were riding every single session, including the qualifying, thinking about yesterday's race and doing laps alone to make sure I improve and develop a good feeling by myself." — Marc Marquez proved once again that he is the master of MotorLand as the Ducati rider won the Aragon Grand Prix from pole to extend his lead in the championship yesterday. Marquez's brother, Alex, finished second for Gresini Racing while Marc's team-mate, Francesco Bagnaia, came third as Ducati bikes swept the podium. Marc had completed the perfect weekend last year to win his first race in 1043 days at the same circuit, and he repeated his feat as the pole-sitter and sprint winner claimed a record-extending seventh MotoGP victory at the track. Such was Marc's dominance he became the first rider in 10 years to lead every session — including warmups, practice and qualifying — since he did it himself at the German Grand Prix in 2015. — APL/Reuters
RNZ News
2 days ago
- RNZ News
Unstoppable Marc Marquez wins Aragon Grand Prix to complete perfect weekend
Spanish MotoGP rider Marc Marquez Photo: STIEFEL Udo / PHOTOSPORT Marc Marquez proved once again that he was the master of the circuit at MotorLand as the Ducati rider won the Aragon Grand Prix from pole to extend his lead in the MotoGP championship. Marquez's brother Alex finished second for Gresini Racing while Marc's teammate Francesco Bagnaia came third as Ducati bikes swept the podium. Marc had completed the perfect weekend last year to win his first race in 1043 days at the same circuit and he repeated his feat as the polesitter and sprint winner claimed a record-extending seventh MotoGP victory at the track. Such was Marc's dominance this weekend that he became the first rider in 10 years to lead every session - including warmups, practice and qualifying - since he did it himself at the German Grand Prix in 2015. "It was an amazing weekend. Leading all the practices, full focus, just full concentration," said Marquez, who now leads Alex by 32 points in the championship. "As I expected, the others got closer and closer every session. In the race, the pace of Alex and Pecco (Bagnaia) was super fast, but it was consistent. (I was) just controlling the race distance. "And the celebration together with my brother was amazing. The best way to come back with full Ducatis in the top." The two Marquez brothers also danced arm-in-arm in front of the home fans sitting in a special stand dedicated to Spain's fastest brothers on two wheels. Heading into the race weekend, the Marquez brothers had also been involved in social media banter over who their mother would support and Marc had the last laugh when he handed her a red Ducati shirt at the winners' circle in the paddock. Marc had broken the lap record to take his 99th career pole before claiming a seventh sprint victory of the season on Saturday despite a poor start, but this time he shot off the line with a perfect launch to lead into turn one. Alex stayed in second place but behind them it was KTM's Pedro Acosta who sparred with Bagnaia for third as they constantly swapped positions, using each other's slipstream to overtake, but the more-experienced Bagnaia held on. Up front, Marc continued to set fastest laps as he streaked away with Alex unable to match his pace, as his brother slowly but surely extended his advantage at one of his favourite circuits which has a corner named after him. The younger Marquez sibling was soon looking over his shoulder to see Bagnaia eating up the distance between them while KTM's Brad Binder crashed in fifth place, leaving the crew chief of the struggling team fuming in the pit lane. But Alex quickly found his rhythm to stay in second while Bagnaia fended off Acosta to prevent an all-Spanish podium. Bagnaia, who is third in the championship, now sits 93 points behind Marc. -Reuters
NZ Autocar
15-05-2025
- NZ Autocar
Defending the Women's Rugby World Cup Trophy
A special Defender 110 will help to fire the enthusiasm of rugby fans by taking the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 trophy on a nationwide tour ahead of the tournament. With 100 days until the first game, the unique 4×4 made its premiere at Battersea Power Station in London. It is delivering the trophy for a public display ahead of its tour. The one-off Defender features extended rear glazing and bespoke lighting to give onlookers the best possible view of the trophy. It will show up at each of the eight tournament locations. Defender is the Principal Partner of the event, having ties with rugby that reach back through the decades. The Brit was a Worldwide Partner of Rugby World Cup 2023 in France. This particular Defender 110 Trophy Vehicle features two-tone matte and gloss black bodywork. There's also gold detailing on its alloy wheels, grille and Defender bonnet script. Mark Cameron, Managing Director, Defender, remarked: 'We are very proud to demonstrate our support of the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 with this custom-built Defender 110. Creating an individual commission for the trophy was a mission we were very pleased to undertake.' Land Rover built the one-off vehicle in Coventry, England, and it features plug-in electric hybrid propulsion. Sarah Massey, Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 Managing Director, said: 'Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 promises to be an unforgettable tournament for the sport. It is only enhanced by the Defender partnership and our shared value of driving the visibility and awareness of the tournament. The bespoke Defender 110 acts as the perfect vehicle for the newly created trophy. Its appearances across the UK will ignite excitement and intrigue for new and existing fans.' The Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 trophy tour begins in various site around London and finishes on 6 June in Sunderland. The Defender 110 and its precious cargo will visit cathedrals, cross the famous Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, and appear at Silverstone for the British round of the MotoGP championship. Fair enough, but this link to rugby is tenuous. However, who wouldn't want to attend MotoGP at Silverstone? Trophy Tour itinerary: 14-16 May, London 17-19 May, Brighton and Hove 20-22 May, Exeter 23-24 May, Bristol 26-27 May, Northampton 29-31 May, Manchester 1-3 June, York 4-6 June, Sunderland
