Alex Marquez stakes his claim on 2025 title with emotional first victory

Fabio Quartararo drags Yamaha back to the podium as Marc Marquez makes another Jerez howler

Jerez delivered one of the finest MotoGP spectacles in recent memory, with breathtaking racing, shocking twists, and a history-making first premier class win for Alex Marquez. In a thrilling and chaotic Spanish Grand Prix, Alex emerged as victor and new championship leader.

The drama started early, with Marc Marquez seemingly struggling to engage the holeshot device as he lined up on the grid. A scrappy launch into Turn 1 followed, though he still managed to slot into third behind polesitter Fabio Quartararo and brother Alex. As the field piled into Turn 6 ,Alex Marquez missed his breaking marker, barely avoiding a collision with Marc and Pecco Bagnaia, though he was able to pull his Gresini Ducati up in time to avoid the gravel trap and sweep back into 4th position.

Marc Marquez then attacked Bagnaia into Turn 7 but Pecco was having none of it, retaking Marc at the next corner. The pair exhanged blows for the next few turns before making contact going into the fast right handers, with Bagnaia refusing to back down. It was pure, gloves-off racing — easily the most electrifying action we’ve seen all year.

By Lap 2, Quartararo had pulled a small gap over the battling pair, but Bagnaia was setting about reeling him back in. However, the biggest twist came on Lap 3, with Marc Marquez losing the front at high speed at Turn 8. He remounted at the back of the field, 20 seconds behind the leaders — a familiar refrain for the #93 at this circuit.

Up front, Alex Marquez was now clear of Bagnaia and beginning to hunt down Quartararo. Alex finally made his move on lap 11, diving past Fabio into Turn 1 and immediately stretching the gap. Quartararo fought valiantly to keep Bagnaia at bay while Maverick Viñales, riding brilliantly on the KTM, emerged as a podium threat after Fermin Aldeguer’s crash while running fourth.

Viñales consistently posted the fastest laps but despite closing onto Bagnaia’s rear wheel several times, he couldn’t quite get close enough to force a move. Behind them, Marc Marquez staged a mini comeback, setting fastest laps to claw back from last to 15th by Lap 16.

Alex Marquez, meanwhile, was completely in control at the front, maintaining a two-second cushion to confidently ride to his first-ever MotoGP race win. He pumped his fist through Jerez’s stadium section to the roar of the Spanish fans — the celebrations fitting for a rider who has emerged as a serious title contender. The senior Marquez had a strangely engrossing battle with Espargaro for 14th, with the Honda test rider seemingly finding something extra when Marc caught him, before the number 93 was able to get by and reel in Alex Rins at the final corner to salvage a few points in 12th.

It’s a stunning turn of events: not Marc, but Alex Marquez leading the championship at the quarter point of the season. The win wasn’t inherited — it was seized with courage, consistency, and sheer speed.

Behind him, Fabio Quartararo’s emotional second-place finish — his first podium since 2022 — signals a massive turnaround for Yamaha. Quartararo not only led laps but beat Bagnaia fair and square in a dry race, suggesting the Iwata factory could challenge for more victories this year – something that seemed unthinkable before the season started.

Pecco Bagnaia, finishing third, continues to score solid points, though he’ll no doubt be disappointed to lose out to a Marquez brother as well as a Yamaha. His consistency keeps him well and truly in the title race though, and his aggression on the opening lap shows that the gloves are off for the rest of the season.

Maverick Viñales backed up his Qatar performance with a spirited fourth place, proving that in his hands at least, KTM is making strides. Fabio Di Giannantonio secured fifth place for Ducati, ahead of Brad Binder who brought his KTM home in sixth. Pedro Acosta claimed seventh after a consistent ride, with Ai Ogura finishing eighth on the Aprilia. Enea Bastianini took ninth place for KTM, and Luca Marini rounded out the top ten as Honda’s top points scorer after Mir crashed out yet again.

Jack Miller made a promising start but was forced to drop out of 11th position with an electrical issue.

Alex Marquez now leads the MotoGP World Championship standings by a single point over brother Marc, with Francesco Bagnaia holding steady in third as the 2025 title race heats up.

Jerez MotoGP Race

MotoGP World Standings