Bezzecchi dodges Silverstone chaos to take first Aprilia Victory

Despair for Bagnaia, heartbreak for Quartararo, and a lucky break for Marquez mark a drama-filled British GP

If the Silverstone MotoGP was a movie script it would be laughed off as implausible, such were the incredible plot twists and turns. But when the curtains came down Marco Bezzecchi had delivered a stunning victory in a performance that capped off one of the most unpredictable MotoGP races since, well, the last race in Le Mans.

It began with fireworks right from the first corner. Alex Marquez pulled off a rocket start to snatch the holeshot from Fabio Quartararo, but his glory was short-lived as he lost the front and crashed out before completing a single corner. Not long after, Franco Morbidelli and Aleix Espargaró also went down, the early carnage hinting at the treacherously cool, windy conditions. The drama wasn’t finished though, as Marc Marquez then crashed out while holding an early lead. A red flag was then thrown on the race—not due to his spill but rather due to fluid from Morbidelli’s stricken Ducati leaking onto the track.

That stroke of fortune saw both Marquez brothers eligible for the restart, lining up in their original grid positions thanks to the race not having completed three full laps. After a scramble in the pits to throw on fresh leathers and prepare second bikes, the Marquez brother plus Morbidelli took to the grid for the restart.

This time Francesco Bagnaia took the early lead, only to be quickly deposed by Quartararo as Marc Marquez aggressively surged forward. Jack Miller and Johann Zarco, both running the soft front tyre, started to make big moves, and it became immediately clear that tyre choice was paying big dividends compared to the riders stuck on the medium front, who were struggling mightily for grip and feel. Quartararo, with both pace and confidence, began building a gap at the front. With a 1.2-second buffer by the end of Lap 2 and over four seconds by Lap 5, he looked every inch the winner-in-waiting.

Behind him, there was chaos and brilliance in equal measure as Zarco and Bezzecchi carved through the field, while Bagnaia and Marc—both on medium front tyres—began to suffer. Both riders ran wide into Copse, with Pecco crashing out completely not long later. Suddenly, for the first time in recent memory, there wasn’t a single Ducati in the top four.

Bezzecchi passed Zarco and began cutting into Quartararo’s lead, which had extended to near five seconds. Marc, forced into a furious recovery ride, was back into the top five by Lap 11, engaging in a gritty battle with Miller and later Morbidelli for podium contention.

Quartararo stabilised the gap back to Bezzecchi and was looking untouchable for the victory, until disaster struck. A faulty ride-height device meant Fabio had to roll forlornly to the side of the track despite his commanding lead, visibly devastated as he watched his dream win evaporate before his eyes.

Bezzecchi inherited the lead with around five laps to go and never looked back. Zarco, riding superbly, held strong in second while behind them a three-way tussle unfolded for the final podium spot. Marc Marquez, Morbidelli, and a resurgent Alex Marquez jostled for position, swapping places in a breathtaking final lap sequence. Morbidelli dived under Marc into Copse, only for the elder Marquez to respond masterfully. Another late lunge by the Italian forced Marc wide, but he timed his retaliation perfectly through the final complex of corners to clinch a spectacular third place. From crashing out to flying the flag on the rostrum—Marquez’s Silverstone ride was a rollercoaster indeed.

Morbidelli took fourth ahead of Alex Marquez, making it a remarkable treble of Ducati riders who all initially crashed out but somehow finished top 5. Pedro Acosta led KTM’s charge in sixth ahead of the gritty Miller, with Luca Marini, Fermin Aldeguer, and Fabio Di Giannantonio rounding out the top ten.

Bezzecchi’s win couldn’t have come at a better time for Aprilia as speculation continues to swirl around Jorge Martin’s future. Perhaps this will give the Noale factory a morale boost and show Martin there’s potential yet in their project. For Ducati, this marked the first time they’ve been beaten in successive races in three years – the first time in a long time they’ve looked anything other than dominant.

In the updated championship standings, Marc Marquez’s podium puts him further ahead in the title race with a total of 196 points. Alex Marquez holds strong in second with 172 points, while Francesco Bagnaia’s crash leaves him stuck at 124. Franco Morbidelli is fourth on 98 points, while Zarco’s second placing vaults him to fifth with 97 points.

Quartararo deserved that victory. He chose the right tyre, his riding was sublime and his pace unequalled, but fate had other ideas. El Diablo must be starting to wonder what he’s done to annoy the motorsport gods after this robbery and the chaos at his home GP two weeks ago. Marc Marquez, on the other hand, dodged the Silverstone bullets like he was in a Matrix movie, and with the next track in Aragon being one of his favourites he’ll be feeling fortunate indeed.

Silverstone MotoGP Race

MotoGP World Standings