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Marc Marquez Stuns Crowd at Mugello, Wins Sprint at Italian GP
Mar 30, 2025; Austin, TX, USA; Marc Marquez (93) of Spain and Ducati Lenovo Team rides during the 2025 Grand Prix of the Americas at Circuit of The Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Mugello, known for its challenging layout and fast corners, is a favorite among MotoGP riders. The track gives riders the ability to open the bikes up and push top speeds, and 2025 was no different for the grid.
Marc Marquez ( Ducati Lenovo Team) enters the Grand Prix dominating the entire MotoGP field. Only Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Francesco 'Pecco' Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) are the only riders who can remotely keep up.

Marc is on a historic run in the 2025 season, and Mugello was no different. Grabbing his 100th career pole, Marquez is showing no signs of slowing down. Coming off the first perfect weekend, Marc Marquez proved that he remains in top form. Marquez took top honors in the Tissot Sprint for Ducati on home turf. The beauty of Mugello is that Marc had to fight to win this Sprint, something that's only happened once before in the 2025 season.

Marc Marquez Wins Sprint at Italian MotoGP

What is the difference between winning and losing? A split second. Marc Marquez jostled with something under his bike right before the race started and almost missed the green light. He looked up and put his body into the starting position at the perfect moment, though the distraction could have cost him the Sprint.

The distraction did cost him the holeshot, as Pecco Bagnaia launched into position, with Alex Marquez on his heels in P2. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) washed out after contact with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), and took Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) with him.

Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crashed in Turn 15 on Lap 1.

The shining sequence in the entire race was Lap 2. Marc Marquez worked himself into P3, and pulled up alongside his brother, Alex, and Bagnaia at Turn 1. All three riders fought for the lead. Marc almost claimed the lead, but Pecco shot out front, much to the excitement of the Italian crowd.

The three riders fought through the turn with Alex Marquez grabbing the lead in turn 2, as he and Pecco rubbed against each other. Alex battled for the inside line, forcing Pecco wide in turn 3, securing P1. Pecco and Marc screamed through Turn 4, side-by-side. It was racing at its best. You can see the action in the clip below.

Di Giannantonio and teammate Franco Morbidelli face off for P5, with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) trailing not far behind. Quartararo then fell further back as Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) and Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) passed him up.

It didn't take long for Marc Marquez to pass Alex. On Lap 4, Marc slid in front of Alex, both a full second ahead of Pecco. Alex and Pecco challenged the lead once again with four laps to go. Alex pushed Marc as Pecco fell into P3 again. Then Pecco was pressed in the P3 by Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3). Pecco led by only three-tenths of a second, but held firm.

Quartararo was struggling to hold onto the last point position, but Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) shot through at the last second. Marc Marquez held on to win the Sprint, with Alex in P2, Bagnaia in P3, as Maverick Viñales nabbed P4. Di Giannantonio grabbed the P5, Bezzechi held on to finish P6, despite suffering wing damage.

The final point positions were Morbidelli in P7, Fernandez in P8, Aldeguer in P9, and Quartararo finished in P10. It was a fantastic day of racing, igniting rivalries that will surely bleed over into Sunday's Grand Prix.


This article first appeared on Outdoors on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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