Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) stamped his dominance once again by claiming his ninth Tissot Sprint win of the season at the Motul Grand Prix of the Netherlands. The six-time MotoGP World Champion delivered a masterclass at Assen, leading the race from early on and fending off a fierce challenge from his brother Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), with the siblings crossing the finish line just 0.351 seconds apart.
Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) completed the podium in third, capping off a tight and intense 13-lap sprint race where the top three finished within 1.2 seconds of each other.
The race ignited from pole with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) launching superbly, engaging side-by-side into Turn 1 with Marc Marquez. However, a wide line forced Marquez over the curb, putting him under immediate pressure from teammate Francesco Bagnaia. Despite the close call, Marquez held onto second.
By the end of Lap 1, Marquez had seized the lead with a daring move on Quartararo at the GT Chicane. Alex Marquez and Bezzecchi wasted no time following through, demoting the polesitter rapidly.
The Sprint settled by Lap 5, but tension remained high. Alex Marquez looked increasingly aggressive, shadowing the #93, while Bezzecchi held P3. Behind them, Bagnaia, Quartararo, and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) jostled in a fierce midfield battle. Di Giannantonio, after clocking the fastest lap, sent a warning with a failed attempt on Bagnaia at Turn 5, but made it stick later at the GT Chicane.
Disaster struck for Quartararo on Lap 10 when he crashed out at Turn 10, moments after setting his fastest lap, handing Bezzecchi breathing room in third.
Heading into the final lap, just 0.2 seconds separated the Marquez brothers. Alex tried to pounce, but Marc held firm through every sector, denying any overtaking chance at the final GT Chicane. The #93 crossed the line to claim victory in what he described as “the toughest weekend” of his season.
Di Giannantonio finished a close fourth, just over a second behind Bezzecchi, while Bagnaia endured a subdued outing in fifth, leaving him with ground to cover on Sunday. Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) took top KTM honors in sixth, ahead of Fermin Aldeguer, who managed seventh despite a Long Lap Penalty on the final circuit.
Franco Morbidelli and Pedro Acosta rounded out the points in eighth and ninth, respectively.
Credit Photo : MotoGP
