Latest news with #ArgentinaMotoGP
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Brothers in arms as Marc Marquez chases treble in Texas
Brothers in arms: Marc Marquez (R) with brother Alex after finishing first and second at the Argentina MotoGP (Luis ROBAYO) Marc and Alex Marquez, who have turned the 2025 MotoGP world championship into a family monopoly, aim to extend their domination at the Grand Prix of the Americas in Texas this weekend. Six-time elite class world champion Marc, on a factory Ducati, has a perfect four wins this season after romping to victory in the sprint races and Sunday showpieces in Thailand and Argentina. Younger brother Alex, on a satellite Ducati, has been second on all four occasions. Advertisement Marc Marquez, at 32 and four years older than Alex, is also chasing a seventh world elite class title in this 22-race season. That would take him level with Italian icon Valentino Rossi who retired with seven in 2021 and just one behind the all-time mark of eight held by Giacomo Agostini. "We're coming to Austin on the heels of two near-perfect weekends," said Marc Marquez. "Austin is a track where I've always been fast." He added: "It's a physically demanding circuit, but I've won a lot there." Marquez has already won seven times at Austin's Circuit of the Americas, sweeping six in a row between 2013 and 2018 and again in 2021. Advertisement The younger Marquez is comfortably enjoying his best season in MotoGP where he led in Thailand and pushed his sibling hard in Argentina. He has led more laps than Marc has on the two Sundays of racing so far. "It was another great Sunday (in Argentina), maybe the first one in which I really thought I could win," said Gresini Racing's Alex, who is 16 points off the lead. "I knew where I was faster and where I was losing to Marc, but it didn't go as planned and we know we gave our best. "Four second-place finishes in the first four races are easier said than done and never in my wildest dreams I would have imagined that." Advertisement - Bagnaia playing catch-up - In contrast to the Marquez brothers' early season dominance, it has been a darker time for two-time world champion Francesco Bagnaia, who is Marc Marquez's teammate at the factory Ducati team. The 28-year-old Italian has yet to mount a challenge on the track and currently sits third in the championship, already 31 points behind the leader. Bagnaia was third in both events in Thailand before a third in the Argentine sprint was followed by a fourth-place finish in the main race. The Turin native has also never won the Grand Prix of the Americas showpiece since its debut at the Austin circuit in 2013. Advertisement "In 2023, I won the sprint race, but last year I struggled more," admitted Bagnaia. Reigning world champion Jorge Martin of Spain will be absent again this weekend. Injured during the off-season, he has yet to compete in the championship this year after switching to Aprilia. His return to Qatar in mid-April is still uncertain, which is a significant handicap for the Italian team. KTM, for their part, are also having a difficult start to the season. None of their riders have yet managed to reach the podium and 20-year-old Pedro Acosta, considered one of MotoGP's brightest prospects, has just a sixth-place sprint finish in Thailand to show for his efforts. jld/gk/dj/mw
Gulf Today
17-03-2025
- Sport
- Gulf Today
Marc Marquez wins Argentina sprint ahead of brother Alex
Marc Marquez won the battle of the brothers when beating Alex Marquez in the Argentina MotoGP sprint race on Saturday. The six-time world champion was continuing his dream start to life riding a factory Ducati. After wins in the sprint and race in the season-opener in Thailand a fortnight ago the Spanish star will be hot favourite for Sunday's main event at the Termas de Rio Honda circuit. If successful it will be the first time the 32-year-old has won the opening two races since the 2014 season. Marquez has looked imperious at this second leg of the 22-race season, topping the times in practice and nailing pole - a career 96th - earlier Saturday with a track record. This was his first back-to-back poles since 2019, the season he won the last of his six MotoGP titles. And he led the 12-lap dash from start to finish to cement his position at the top of the fledgling riders' title race as he goes in search of a seventh MotoGP crown. As in Thailand he was followed across the line by Alex, who inherited the elder Marquez's seat on Ducati's satellite Gresini bike. 'Very difficult victory as Alex was pushing a lot,' beamed the sprint winner. 'I just kept pushing and pushing, I think he (Alex) slowed down a bit towards the end. Tomorrow (Sunday) will be tough with him,' added Marquez senior. The man of the moment sped away from pole to put daylight between his Ducati and the chasing pack led by Alex. Brad Binder was an early casualty, the South African parting company with his KTM on the opening lap after a minor knock from Franco Morbidelli's Ducati VR46. Halfway through the 12-lap dash Alex Marquez was closing in on the leader, this pair around two seconds clear of Francesco Bagnaia on the second factory Ducati. But the elder brother was never properly tested and took the flag just under one second clear. 'With Marc in front, it was like being back in the training camp,' said the runner-up. 'At the end I relaxed a bit as the gap was too big. Super happy.' Bagnaia, the 2022 and 2023 champion, completed the podium almost four seconds back after setting off from fourth on the grid. Agence France-Presse
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Record-breaking Marc Marquez on top in Argentina MotoGP practice
Six-time world champion Marc Marquez was fastest in practice for the Argentina MotoGP on Friday, continuing the blistering form which saw him storm to victory in the season-opener in Thailand. The Spanish star, a three-time winner in Argentina, clocked a new lap record of 1min 37.295sec on his factory Ducati on a drying track at Termas de Rio Hondo, the small spa town situated 1,100km north-west of Buenos Aires. Just as they had done in Thailand, Ducati again dominated with Fabio Di Giannantonio and Marquez's younger brother Alex filling out the top three. Alex Marquez, who was second in the season-opener two weeks ago, took pole in Argentina when the track last staged a MotoGP in 2023. He went on to finish third that weekend in another Ducati podium sweep. "I immediately felt comfortable. We obviously put more work on the bike compared to Thailand, as it was a long time since I last rode at this track, and it was also my first time here on a Ducati," said Marc Marquez. "It's true that there are some rivals who are very close, so we'll see if we can improve some more. The goal for tomorrow morning is to qualify on the front row." Double world champion Francesco Bagnaia, on the second factory Ducati, just squeezed into the top 10 -- and a direct place in the second qualifying session on Saturday -- despite crashing in the closing minutes on Friday. "Unfortunately, I crashed at the beginning of my second time attack and it's a pity, because I wanted to ride strong," said Bagnaia. "I felt I could have been three and a half tenths quicker; we're still in the top ten and that's good, all things considered." The Argentina MotoGP, round two of the 22-race season, will be missing world champion Jorge Martin. The Spanish Aprilia rider has still not recovered from the injuries which sidelined him in Thailand. Martin said Thursday that he will also sit out the third round in Texas at the end of March and may still not be ready by the time the Qatar MotoGP rolls around in mid-April. Practice times (top 10 go straight into 2nd qualifying session on Saturday): 1. Marc Marquez (ESP/Ducati) 1:37.295 (Q), 2. Fabio Di Giannantonio (ITA/Ducati-VR46) at 0.135 (Q), 3. Alex Marquez (ESP/Ducati-Gresini) 0.201 (Q), 4. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA/Aprilia) 0.215 (Q), 5. Brad Binder (RSA/KTM) 0.251 (Q), 6. Alex Rins (ESP/Yamaha) 0.296 (Q), 7. Johann Zarco (FRA/Honda-LCR) 0.390 (Q), 8. Fabio Quartararo (FRA/Yamaha) 0.523 (Q), 9. Pedro Acosta (ESP/KTM) 0.532 (Q), 10. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA/Ducati) 0.539 (Q), 11. Ai Ogura (JPN/Aprilia-Trackhouse) 0.560, 12. Franco Morbidelli (ITA/Ducati-VR46) 0.636, 13. Joan Mir (ESP/Honda) 0.680, 14. Jack Miller (AUS/Yamaha-Pramac) 0.763, 15. Luca Marini (ITA/Honda) 0.841, 16. Maverick Vinales (ESP/KTM-Tech3) 1.020, 17. Fermín Aldeguer (ESP/Ducati-Gresini) 1.052, 18. Miguel Oliveira (POR/Yamaha-Pramac) 1.354, 19. Somkiat Chantra (THA/Honda-LCR) 1.356, 20. Raul Fernandez (ESP/Aprilia-Trackhouse) 1.451, 21. Enea Bastianini (ITA/KTM-Tech3) 1.490, 22. Lorenzo Savadori (ITA/Aprilia) 1.781 bur/dj
