MotoGP British GP: Alex Marquez Shatters Marc’s Sprint Streak

Alex Marquez ended his brother’s run of perfect sprint race wins in MotoGP by taking victory at the British Grand Prix sprint at Silverstone on May 24, 2025. Starting from behind, Alex rode his Gresini Ducati to first place, while Marc Marquez, who had won every sprint so far this season, made an early mistake that cost him the lead.

Marc still collected enough points with a second place finish to keep his world championship edge at 19 points over Alex as the main race on Sunday approached. Fabio Quartararo began from pole position for the third weekend running after another fast qualifying lap, but race pace again proved difficult for him and his Yamaha team.

While he led over the first few corners, Marc Marquez quickly overtook Quartararo using the strong acceleration of the Ducati on Silverstone’s Hangar Straight. Early on, Marc looked in control, but the eight-time world champion went wide at Village on lap two.

That opened the door for Alex, who had already moved past Quartararo, to take the front spot. Once at the front, Alex managed the pace of the race confidently.

Marc followed closely but never truly pressured his younger brother for the win. Within the last few laps, Marc seemed to settle for a safe finish rather than risk everything chasing down Alex.

Quartararo struggled to stay with the lead group after losing the top spot and dropped behind several rivals as the laps clicked away. Francesco Bagnaia started next to Quartararo and Marc on the front row but lost ground early on.

He passed Quartararo for third by the end of lap three but could not keep up as the race progressed. Fabio di Giannantonio, starting seventh for VR46 Racing, battled through the field and overtook Bagnaia in the closing stages.

Di Giannantonio’s strong ride earned him the final spot on the podium and was a strong recovery after a tough weekend in France earlier in May. Marco Bezzecchi finished fourth on the Aprilia, just ahead of Johann Zarco who brought his LCR Honda home in fifth.

Bagnaia crossed the line sixth, struggling for grip and pace in the final laps but still narrowly holding off Quartararo, who finished seventh. Pedro Acosta and Jack Miller picked up the last points, taking eighth and ninth positions respectively.

Acosta rode for KTM, while Miller was on the Pramac Yamaha. After ten laps, Alex Marquez’s winning time put him 3.511 seconds ahead of Marc. Di Giannantonio finished another 1.561 seconds back.

The sprint race offered 12 points to the winner, nine to second, and seven for third. One point went to the rider in ninth.

This result marked Alex Marquez’s first sprint win of the season and established a new dynamic between the brothers as the championship heated up. With the main British Grand Prix race just a day away, focus shifted to how Marc Marquez would answer back and whether anyone could break Ducati’s hold at the top.

Fans and teams will be watching the next contest closely as the battle for the MotoGP world title continues. For more details on MotoGP regulations and race formats, you can visit the official Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) website. Additionally, Silverstone Circuit’s history and layout can be explored further on their official page. To understand Ducati’s dominance in recent seasons, check out this analysis by the University of Padua’s Motorsport Research Group.