The Italian makes a huge statement at Jerez, locking horns with Marquez as Martin crashes out and sees his lead slashed to just 17 points
Any questions? Reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) made a serious statement on Sunday at the Gran Premio Estrella Galicia 0,0 de España, following up two tougher race weekends with an all-time great at Jerez. But it takes two to create a true clash of the titans, and home hero Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) more than obliged, resulting in one of the greatest showdowns Jerez has ever staged. Won by Bagnaia in front of a partisan, sold-out crowd and one of the best atmospheres in the sport, it also brings him to within 17 points of the Championship lead as Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) crashed out. Just behind the duel for the win, Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) made a return to the podium in third after getting his fair share of elbows out early on.
As the lights went out, Marquez took the holeshot – just – as Martin got incredibly close to the rear of the #93. But the Championship leader was forced to settle for second as Bezzecchi and Bagnaia slotted into third and fourth in the aftermath. Fourth wasn’t enough for the #1 though, even in the early stages, as Bagnaia went for an incredible 2-for-1 move at the end of the back straight… round the outside.
By the final corner on the same lap, Marquez was just wide enough on the exit to open the door. Bagnaia sliced through to lead, but by Turn 1 the #93 was heading back up the inside, both were slightly wide, and Martin was trying to pick their pocket. Bagnaia shot back into the lead though, now with the #89 on his tail and Marquez relegated to third.
By the final corner next time round it was all change again, with Bagnaia the rider in hot – letting both Martin and Marquez through but the latter temporarily as the #1 hit back at Turn 1. The next key move came from Bezzecchi at the final corner as he got through on Marquez, and then came the big title drama.
With Bagnaia right on his tail but a potential huge points lead up for grabs, Martin then suddenly slid out from the front as the Championship took an instant twist. Rider ok, but leaving key rival Bagnaia to lead Bezzecchi and Marquez in the chase for 25 more points, and letting that home GP win go begging.
Up ahead, the race pounded on. Bagnaia led the way as the tension rose on his tail, with the #93 inching closer to Bezzecchi ahead. When the VR46 machine went very slightly deep at the final corner, the Gresini was glued to him. Later that lap he struck, kept it, and then set off after Bagnaia. The duel was taking shape.
The gap hovered around a second, but by just under ten to go, Marquez was three tenths quicker. Bagnaia responded, and then Marquez responded, with the two not yet sharing the same bit of track. But the distance back to Bezzecchi growing and growing.
By five to go, the first mission was complete for the #93. The Gresini was tagged onto the rear tyre of the Ducati Lenovo machine, and he didn’t stalk his prey for long. Marquez went for it at Turn 9, but Bagnaia responded immediately into 10, slicing straight back alongside the #93 as the two bashed into each other and jostled over the racing line. The #93 was ahead but as Bagnaia sliced through into the next apex, Marquez had no choice but to concede. Something not many have ever made him do. It was as you were, the tension left to build again.
A lap later, the stadium section got another show. This time Marquez divebombed it instead, and the door for the cutback was left a little more open. Bagnaia needed no second invitation, back in the lead, slicing straight through. As you were. Three to go. The #93 was forced to regroup, but over the line to start the next lap, Bagnaia had found even more – setting a new best race lap as the #1 put the pedal to the medal, and then through the floor.
Both on the absolute limit, the crowd on their feet. Two laps, four tenths, two riders, one win. The #1 pounded on. The #93 cut back into the gap, centimetre by centimetre. But the tarmac left to race at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto was disappearing in metres and kilometers, not centimetres, and Bagnaia was holding strong. The final chance for Marquez to create his fairytale was the final corner… but he just wasn’t close enough. So Bagnaia completed his.
0.372 is a small margin to be part of such a big statement, but it was a mammoth race win for the reigning Champion after a touger run – and it brings him to just 17 points off Martin in the Championship. Second overall after his second GP win of the season. Marquez takes his first dry weather podium since 2022, but that win will likely be on his mind as the paddock arrives at Mugello. The opposite home turf. But more on that later, we're sure.
Bezzecchi, meanwhile, was back on the rostrum for the first time since his incredible Indian GP win in 2023, making his own statement after a performance to remember. Behind, Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) took fourth to just deny Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) by the flag, the two with some tenths in hand over Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) took P7 and held off top Aprilia Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing), with COTA winner Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) just tenths off in P9. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) crashed earlier in the race with Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR), both riders ok.
Superstar rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) had a mammoth crash in Warm Up, rider ok but race day seeing him come home in P10 at the flag. Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) held off Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) in a near photo finish just behind, with Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) completing the points.
There was drama as Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) collided with Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and both crashed out earlier in the race, and MotoGP™ Legend Daniel Pedrosa’s Red Bull Factory Racing wildcard came to an early end with a crash too.
After the drama for some, glory for others, and scores to be settled noted down for many on the grid, the record-breaking Spanish GP comes to an end. But that duel, that defeat, and that win will not be forgotten. Next up it’s Le Mans, with another huge crowd assured. And another chance for the world’s most exciting sport to prove that’s far more than a tagline.
Moto2™: Aldeguer reigns Jerez, Roberts second to take the Championship lead
Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) was pre-season favourite for many after his storming end to the 2023 season, and came into the year with a 2025 Ducati contract in his pocket to boot. But the first three Grands Prix were a mixture of bad luck and trouble, a run he put to an end at Jerez on home turf, and in some style. After stunning duel with Manuel Gonzalez (QJMotor Gresini Moto2™) in the early stages, he was able to put the hammer down at the front and take that win. Behind, a charge from Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing) saw the American slice up the order to duel Gonzalez over the final laps, coming out on top and those 20 points for second putting him in the Championship lead as the #18 was forced to settle for third.
It's the first time an American has led a World Championship since Nicky Hayden in 2006, the first time an American has taken three podiums in a row since the very same campaign, and Roberts' score at the top of the table is 69 points.
Once the lights went out, Gonzalez pounced to steal the lead, setting the fastest lap early on and holding off Aldeguer on the opening lap. Americas GP winner Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets - MSI) also had a strong start, looking like he'd defend or extend his Championship lead coming into the race.
It was a dramatic start further down the field for Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), however, as he and Zonta Van Den Goorbergh (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP) collided, the Dutchman then handed a LLP for the incident.
Back at the front, as the race progressed there were fireworks, with Aldeguer executing a heroic overtake on lap four only to be met with Gonzalez’s response to fight back immediately, kicking off a stunning early race duel. However, once Aldeguer had a clear track in the third sector, the #54 began to build a gap and the Gresini didn't have an answer.
Roberts was the rider with the pace in the middle stage of the race, stealing the fastest lap after setting a 1:41.020 on lap 10. The American had worked his way up and pulled off an unbelievable move to steal third from Garcia, who had no response as Roberts continued to lap in the low 1:41 bracket.
On the final lap of the race, Aldeguer had even time in hand to celebrate with the crowd throughout the last lap. However, the battle for second continued, with Roberts having arrived at Gonzalez and attacked, then able to just hold on.
Further down the order, Garcia held onto fourth – losing time in the latter stages of the race but staying ahead of Albert Arenas, who capped off a great weekend for the QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™ squad in the top five. Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) was sixth, ending the Spanish GP with a solid point-scoring finish after a charge up the order, ahead of Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), who claimed his best finish of the season so far in seventh. Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team’s Jeremey Alcoba was eighth a further 0.143 after a tense battle against the #14. Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was ninth ahead of Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia), who rounded out the top 10.
Turn 13 claimed a handful of victims in the opening stages of the race, including Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika GAS UP Team), Xavier Artigas (KLINT Forward Factory Team), and Dennis Foggia (Italtrans Racing Team), and Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp) and Jake Dixon (CFMoto Aspar Team) were two high profile additions to the DNF list later in the race, too.
After that twist in the tale, the French GP will surely write another. Next up is Le Mans in two weeks where Aldeguer will aim to steal the Championship lead from Roberts... but with everything still to play for, make sure you tune in for more!
Moto3™: Veijer puts in a stunner for Spanish GP glory
Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Huqsvarna Intact GP) is back on the top step! The Dutchman put in a perfect final lap to hold off David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) at the Gran Premio Estrella Galicia 0,0 de España, taking his second Grand Prix win in style. Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) completed the podium on home turf, with a shock early crash – rider ok and remounting – for polesitter David Alonso (CFMoto Gaviota Aspar Team).
Muñoz got the start and then banged bars with Alonso, pushing the number 80 down to second. But the Colombian hit back later that on Lap 1 before he and Muñoz started to make a small gap, but the dream was over by the end of the very first. The number 80 slid off at the final corner, rider ok and able to rejoin but the freight train of riders disappearing into the distance. The race was on.
That had left Muñoz in the lead, but Veijer soon attacked and made his way through. Veijer, Muñoz, Ortola, Joel Esteban (CFMoto Gaviota Aspar Team), Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) and Joel Kelso (BOE Motorsports) were the leading group of six in the early stages as Dani Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) tried to move his way through the second group on his fight back from P18 on the grid.
On Alonso watch, the fight back was also on. The Colombian was on the move and by eight laps to go was homing in on the points. By five to go, he was well within them in P12, trying to make up the gap to the next group. But it was some distance up the road.
Meanwhile, the fight at the front was now a four-rider group, with Esteban and Kelso fading slightly into their own private duel for fifth. Veijer led Muñoz led Ortola led Yamanaka, before another few laps later it became a trio as Yamanaka also started to lose ground. Three riders, three places on the podium, and one win. It was going to the wire.
Onto the final lap, Veijer led Muñoz, with Ortola at a few bike lengths. The fight for victory seemed set to be a duel. The #64 looming but the Dutchman held strong – and his unbelievable pace through the fast final right handers was enough to avoid getting attacked into the final corner. It all went down to the drag to the line as Muñoz tucked in behind the #95, but Veijer kept the edge to take his second Grand Prix win 0.045. Ortola was forced to settle for third, not quite able to get back in that battle.
Yamanaka takes what became a lonely fourth place to equal his best GP result so far, just like COTA. Kelso came out on top in what became a big group fight just behind, the Australian heading Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), Championship leader Holgado, Nicola Carraro (LEVELUP – MTA and Stefano Nepa (LEVELUP – MTA) after last corner heartbreak for rookie Esteban as he crashed out unaided.
Angel Piqueras (Leopard Racing) completed the top ten, with Alonso’s comeback seeing him make it up to P11. With Holgado taking P7, that puts the Colombian six points off the Spaniard’s lead, with Veijer moving into third overall – 22 points off Alonso. Can he make up more ground at Le Mans? Tune in in two weeks to find out!
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