MotoGP: The #93 was once again the rider to beat on Saturday afternoon but that doesn’t tell the story of an epic start to racing action in Italy
Mugello always delivers the goods and 2025’s Tissot Sprint was no different as racing fired up on Saturday afternoon. Having secured a 100th career pole, Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) was primed to stamp his authority on Italian soil and that’s exactly what he did – even if he did it a harder way than he’d have preferred. Coming in behind him, Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) was second whilst Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) took third after leading on the opening lap.
EARLY PROBLEMS: the #93 goes backwards
There was drama before the lights even went out for polesitter Marquez, who seemed to be distracted by something as the Sprint got underway, costing him places on the run down to San Donato. The holeshot was grabbed by Bagnaia, whilst Alex was now into second.
Further back, all kinds of drama as Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) fell after contact with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), leaving Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) nowhere to go as both fell. The incident was initially investigated but no further action was taken. There was another faller at the end of the first lap with Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crashing at Turn 15 before he completed the first lap.
BATTLE COMMENCES: three titans put on a show
Lap 2 was a real corker as Marc, now already back into P3, was alongside brother Alex and teammate Pecco into Turn 1, three abreast as they fought for the lead. The #93 initially hit the front but ran himself and his brother Alex wide as Mugello specialist Bagnaia had the inside for the exit. Getting their elbows out, the #63 and #73 went head-to-head into Turn 2, with the Gresini Racing Ducati coming out on top. Pecco was pushed back further at Turn 4 with Marc coming by, re-asserting his authority in the factory colours.
Elsewhere, there was a big battle for fifth place as both Di Giannantonio and teammate Franco Morbidelli duked it out with themselves and also a fading Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP). Quartararo began dropping back further when Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) and Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) came through.
MOVE FOR VICTORY: Marc gets ahead of Alex
On Lap 4, the #93 made his move to lead ahead of his brother, both now a second clear of Pecco in third but it wasn’t all done as both initially seemed to latch back on to the #93. However, with just 4 laps to go, it was looking like a battle for P1 as Alex homed in on Marc and then another for P3, as Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) began to close down double Champion Bagnaia. The gap was just three tenths going into the penultimate lap but in the end, it was to remain the same. Further back and Quartararo’s challenging Sprint was made worse as Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) came through to steal the last point.
At the front, Marc Marquez converted his 100th GP pole to strike in his teammate’s backyard. Another Marquez 1-2 with Alex in second whilst Bagnaia’s run of wins at Mugello draws to a close. Viñales showed great pace but couldn’t quite snatch a podium in the closing stages but a solid fourth will give him encouragement for tomorrow, whereas Di Giannantonio was fifth.
Bezzecchi didn’t have the easiest of races as first lap contact with Pedro Acosta saw him with wing damage, but still, a hearty performance brought him home in sixth. Morbidelli had to settle for seventh ahead of Fernandez who bagged his first Sprint points of the season, ahead of Aldeguer, edging out Quartararo for the final point.
Marc Marquez does the double on Saturday at Mugello, can Alex, Pecco or maybe some like Viñales stop the #93 from clinching a famous double win? We’ll find out at 14:00 local time tomorrow
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