A Lap 2 crash for the impressive Frenchman sees the #93 capitalise for a record-equalling fifth straight Tissot Sprint win
Five Saturday victories in a row are something that only reigning World Champion Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) has been able to achieve before – until now. Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team), after polesitter Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) crashed out on Lap 2, delighted a magnificent Estrella Galicia 0,0 Grand Prix of Spain crowd by clinching a gold medal in Jerez as the World Championship leader beat Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) by just over a second in Jerez. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) took the chequered flag in P3 to pocket a decent haul of Tissot Sprint points, the Italian was just over three seconds adrift of Sprint King Marquez.
A SPRINT-DEFINING OPENING TWO LAPS
From a historic pole, Quartararo was beaten off the line by Marc Marquez but late on the brakes into Turn 1, the Yamaha star grabbed P1 back expertly to lead the pack around the opening lap. Alex Marquez was up to P3 from P4 on the grid, with Bagnaia holding off Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) – the Italians sat fourth and fifth.
Then, drama unfolded on Lap 2. Marc Marquez managed to get alongside Quartararo going into the Dani Pedrosa corner at Turn 6. The latter, hanging it around the outside on the dirtier part of the circuit and braking ultra hard, saw his Sprint cruelly end as the front end washed out from underneath him. A real shame after a stunning Saturday in Jerez for Quartararo.
BRINGING IT HOME
So, where did that leave us? Marc Marquez led Alex Marquez by half a second, with Bagnaia 0.8s behind the Gresini Ducati in third. Morbidelli was 0.4s away from Bagnaia in P4, rookie Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) was fifth after an early scare on Lap 1, with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) a close sixth.
With eight laps to go, Marquez’s lead over Marquez was up to a second, but that closed to 0.9s a lap later. However, the #93’s lead rose to 1.4s with five laps remaining and with three laps left, it was still hovering around that number. Bagnaia wasn’t attacking Alex Marquez, and Morbidelli was now a second off his compatriot, so it looked like no late challenges for the podium positions were coming unless a mistake was going to be made.
And those potential mistakes didn’t arise. To the tune of 100,000 Spanish supporters filling the famous Jerez hillsides, Marc Marquez held off Alex Marquez to clinch his fifth consecutive Tissot Sprint victory, as the #73 collects another Saturday silver medal. Bagnaia secured important points in P3, but the Italian will be searching for more in Sunday’s Grand Prix.
THE SPRINT POINTS SCORERS IN JEREZ
Morbidelli was P4 with Aldeguer impressing again to collect a Sprint P5 in front of his home crowd, as Di Giannantonio managed to hold off Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) to earn P6. Viñales crossed the line in seventh, 2.3s ahead of eighth place Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), as 2020 World Champion Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) picked up the final Saturday point in P9 ahead of tenth place Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). Find full results HERE.
COMING UP: GRAND PRIX SUNDAY
That sets us up nicely for Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix, right? Will Marc Marquez go back-to-back on home turf to banish the demons of 2020, or can the brilliant Quartararo and the likes of Alex Marquez and Bagnaia respond? We’ll find out at 2pm local time (UTC+2).
Talking points: Tissot Sprint Saturday
Sprint winner Marquez hails Quartararo and warns of a Bagnaia threat ahead of Sunday's Spanish GPForm is temporary, class is permanent - Quartararo talks phenomenal pole and Sprint "all in" tactic How does a home GP Saturday silver medal feel for the #73?
Turn 7 at Jerez named in honour of MotoGP CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta
Ahead of the Sprint at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto, a special ceremony for Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of MotoGP rights holder Dorna Sports, took place at Turn 7 as the corner was officially named Carmelo Ezpeleta corner.
The ceremony was attended by dignitaries from the circuit and city of Jerez, and took the covers off a statue in honour of the CEO located on the outside of the corner that now bears his name.
Gonzalez heads Arenas to make it a Spanish 1-2 in Jerez
Home is where the heart is and whilst some crack under the pressure, others rise to the occasion and that’s exactly the case for Manuel Gonzalez (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP Team) and Albert Arenas (ITALJET Gresini Moto2), who head a Spanish 1-2 in Moto2™ at Jerez. Both put in superb late laps to bag the first two grid slots and with both split by just 0.032s, it’s a mouthwatering prospect in the offing for Sunday’s Grand Prix. In third it's a first front row for Australian Senna Agius (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP), who is likewise close on the chase.
Q1 was always going to be a close-fought contest to scrape through. The likes of Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2), Zonta Van Den Goorbergh (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP), Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR-FRINSA-MSI) all booked their slot, although not without a potential late scare. Darryn Binder (ITALJET Gresini Moto2) was looking on course to move into the all-important top four but fell at the final corner, ending his hopes of moving up further.
In Q2 itself, there were surprises in store right the way through; Agius was the long-time session leader ahead of Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego) but it was a set of late laps by Gonzalez and Arenas that propelled them up the order into pole and P2 respectively. Agius remains third, making it a double front row for the LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt squad. Baltus heads up the second row ahead of Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo), so whilst it’s a Spain 1-2 on home turf, there’s an international flavour to the opposition behind.
There were costly crashes for Aron Canet (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego) and David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team), with the #44 crashing at Turn 6 on his final flying lap and the reigning Moto3™ World Champion at the final corner halfway through the session. Both came home in P7 and P8 respectively and Alonso improved on his last lap. Elf Marc VDS Racing Team duo Jake Dixon and Filip Salac complete the top ten. Two shocks outside the top ten in P13 and P14 were the Beta Tools SpeedRS Team duo of Celestino Vietti and Alonso Lopez, with work to do and a busy Sunday ahead.
For full results, click HERE – and tune in for more Moto2 on Sunday!
Rueda bounces back for home pole position in Jerez
Home hero Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) has been mighty all weekend at the Estrella Galicia 0,0 Grand Prix of Spain, and he bagged a first pole of 2025 as he aims to retake the Championship lead he relinquished in Qatar through no fault of his own with that late technical issue. Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) takes a third front row of the season in second, with David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) forced to settle for third. Championship leader Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) only just missed out, set to start fourth on home turf.
Having to fight through Q1, riders such as David Almansa (Leopard Racing), Riccardo Rossi (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power) were some of the big names in the hunt to move into Q2. Despite being provisionally inside the top four, late lap time cancellations meant Almansa, Ogden and Tatchakorn Buasri (Honda Team Asia) all missed out and instead, it was Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Dennis Foggia (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team), Cormac Buchanan (DENSSI Racing – BOE) and Vicente Perez (LEVELUP-MTA) who moved into Q2.
The fight for pole position in the opening stages of Q2 was tight too, with just 0.047s separating home heroes Rueda and Muñoz at the halfway point. Going into the second half, it was all to play for but Rueda, like he had been all weekend, was in a class of his own and secured pole by just under three tenths of a second. A late charge welcomed Kelso to a third front row of the season in second, pipping Muñoz, and Piqueras in P4 is primed for a good home GP as he looks to protect his lead. Top rookie Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) could be one to watch at a venue where he's got a wealth of experience, and he's just ahead of Lusail pole-sitter Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI).
There was drama late on for Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), who was held up on a fast lap by a touring Buchanan, before crashing on his final flying lap. He held onto P7 though ahead of Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) and Argentine star Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) who complete the top ten. Stand-out performances further down included super-sub Perez in P11 and South African rookie Ruche Moodley (DENSSI Racing – BOE) with a personal best of P15.
Find full results HERE and come back for more Moto3 on Sunday!