Marc Marquez once again demonstrated his strategic brilliance to clinch victory in the inaugural Tissot Sprint at Brno, outsmarting the field in a race that saw two KTMs on the podium for the first time this season.
The Ducati Lenovo Team rider triumphed ahead of Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3), with the trio delivering a thrilling Saturday showcase.
The Sprint marked a significant milestone for Francesco Bagnaia, who secured his first pole position of the 2025 season. He launched cleanly and snatched the holeshot, but it was his teammate Marquez who made the decisive move at Turn 3 on the opening lap, slicing past to take control of the race.
Behind them, Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) endured a disastrous start, tumbling down to 19th by the end of Lap 1. Meanwhile, drama unfolded early when Augusto Fernandez (Yamaha Factory Racing) lost the front at Turn 3 on Lap 2 and took out Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR), forcing both out of the race.
Further up the order, Pedro Acosta charged into third by Lap 2, muscling ahead of Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), who was in the thick of battle with Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) at Turn 10. Reigning World Champion Jorge Martin, returning from injury, had climbed to P7 in the early stages.
By the end of Lap 4, Bastianini continued his impressive weekend form by moving into fourth, passing Quartararo. However, the pivotal moment came at Turn 4 as Bagnaia dramatically slowed, allowing Acosta, Bastianini, and Quartararo to sweep past. Just a lap later, Marquez mirrored his teammate’s move, easing off and letting Acosta through to take the lead in his Brno debut.
The synchronized slowing of both Ducati riders hinted at strategic tyre pressure management, a subtle but crucial element in modern MotoGP. Despite the brief setbacks, both riders swiftly regained their rhythm, setting up a tense four-way shootout in the final three laps involving Marquez, Acosta, Bastianini, and Quartararo.
Bezzecchi, known for his late-race charge, overtook Bagnaia at Turn 11 to move into the top five, with Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) in close pursuit. On the penultimate lap, Bezzecchi surged past Quartararo for fourth, continuing his push forward.
But the decisive move came at the front. On the change of direction between Turn 8 and Turn 9, Marquez pounced on Acosta with a perfectly-timed attack—a Sprint-winning pass from the #93. The win extends Marquez’s championship lead and marks yet another masterstroke from the veteran Spaniard.
Acosta celebrated his first Sprint podium since Aragon 2024, with Bastianini securing his first rostrum of the season—a major breakthrough for both KTM outfits and a testament to their historical strength at Brno. Although Marquez’s win briefly came under scrutiny due to a tyre pressure investigation, the result stood, further cementing his dominance.
Bezzecchi crossed the line in P4, followed by Quartararo in P5. Raul Fernandez clawed his way into sixth on the final lap, edging out polesitter Bagnaia, who had to settle for seventh. Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) and stand-in rider Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Tech3) rounded out the points scorers.
Jorge Martin, in his return from injury, finished 11th—just behind Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)—while Alex Marquez ended a difficult day in 17th, scoring no points and losing further ground in the title chase.
Twelve more points slipped from Alex Marquez’s grasp, but with the main race still to come, Sunday offers another shot at redemption.
Credit Photo : MotoGP
