MotoGP Round 8 2025 report | Marc Marquez delivers Aragon masterclass

MotoGP Round 8 2025 report | Marc Marquez delivers Aragon masterclass | The #93 became the first rider to top every session of a weekend since 2015, as Alex Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia grabbed Sunday podiums in Aragon. Report: Ed Stratmann/MotoGP

Friday Practice and Saturday Qualifying
MotoGP

It was a case of catch me if you can for World Championship leader Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team #93) at the end of Friday’s running in Aragon. The #93’s 1:46.397 was plenty good enough to see him finish 0.204s clear of title rival Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP #73), as Maverick Viñales (#12) stuck his Red Bull KTM Tech3 machine inside the top three to sit 0.556s adrift of Marc Marquez heading into Saturday.

Was it ever in any doubt? Not really. MotorLand Aragon specialist Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) set a new all-time lap record to fend off the challenge of brother and title rival Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) to clinch his seventh Aragon pole position. That 1:45.704 was 0.260s quicker than the #73’s best effort, as Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team #21) earned a first front-row start of 2025 to also sit within three tenths of the World Championship leader.

Read our previous MotoGP news here…

Moto2

After the disappointment of the British GP, a fightback at Aragon began from the off for Manuel Gonzalez (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP #18), with the Championship leader P1 straight away on Friday at the end of play. Leading the charge into Q2, he’ll once again be the favourite, but the gap isn’t too big, so there’s still work to be done throughout the rest of the weekend.

Thanks to a 1:49.940 in Q2, Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team #10) became the first Brazilian ever to claim a pole position in Moto2, continuing an impressive run of form in his sophomore season in the class. Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego #7) lined up in the middle of the front row in P2, as the Belgian was 0.222s adrift of Moreira in qualifying ahead of Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo #53).

Moto3

Top in Free Practice 1 and top in Practice signalled a great day at the office for Moto3 World Championship leader Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo #99) at the GoPro Grand Prix of Aragon – but it wasn’t perfect. A late crash at Turn 7 put a slight dampener on the Spaniard’s Friday, but the #99’s 1:57.338 was good enough to see him beat David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP #64) by 0.078s, with David Almansa (Leopard Racing #22) rounding out the top three.

Leading the Championship, winning at home, aiming to make it four in a row – it’s record after record for Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – and he smashed the Moto3 lap record for a third pole of 2025 at the GoPro Grand Prix of Aragon. He headed Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse #58) and Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team #28) on the grid, with Quiles fighting his way through from Q1.

Saturday
Tissot Sprint

93 territory? Not without a fight; it may have been a lap record in qualifying, but it wasn’t as straightforward as Championship leader Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) would have hoped. A blistering start from his rivals meant he may have had to work hard, but eventually, the six-time MotoGP title winner took a seventh Sprint victory of 2025 ahead of his brother Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) whilst a fighting third went to Alex’s teammate Fermin Aldeguer.

The opening lap was a corker as Marc bogged down before he collided in the braking area with a fast-starting Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing #37), pushing him back to fourth briefly. Marquez recovered and got back ahead of Acosta and was in third, but it was Alex Marquez who snatched the holeshot and broke free ahead of Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team).

Further back, there was plenty of battling as rivals Aldeguer (#54) and Acosta then battled over P4, initially going the #37’s way. Behind, big drama for Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP #43) and Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol #36), with the latter running off track and then falling. Miller was issued a Long Lap Penalty, the latest incident in a long story of the rivalry.

Further up the road, and Marc had now got Franky for P2 and set off after his brother. This left Morbidelli in the clutches of Acosta, who had now moved within striking distance by Lap 4. He tried up the inside at Turn 1, but Franky retaliated, with the Italian holding firm.

A lap later and Acosta was back to try again but this time ran deep into Turn 1, putting him in a battle with Aldeguer once more. The #54 struck at Turn 12, holding firm until Turn 16 when Acosta went ahead again, but once more, he was wide, paving the way for Fermin to bag P4 and charge after the podium places.

Meanwhile, another battle was brewing as Marc had closed down brother Alex for the lead and, by the start of Lap 6, got the job done at Turn 1. The younger Marquez brother was still with him for half a lap, but by Turn 7, Marc had got into his stride and was now the pacesetter at the front. Whilst one factory Ducati was enjoying their time at the front, another was having a nightmare as Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team #63) dropped down early on and then made a mistake at Turn 7, dropping him to 13th.

With just four laps to go, it was Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP #20) vs Maverick Viñales at Turn 1, with the Spaniard passing the Frenchman but using all the track to do so; Quartararo had to sit up, allowing Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing #33) and Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing #72) to zip by.

In the final three laps, Aldeguer was ruffling more feathers; this time, it was Morbidelli who was forced to yield with a bold move at Turn 4, giving the Murcian rider P3. This left Morbidelli to fend off fourth place from Acosta on the final lap, but up at the front, Marc Marquez was in dreamland in his true stomping ground, easing to Sprint success, extending his lead in the standings to 27 points and thus guaranteeing that regardless of what happened tomorrow, he’d lead the standings to Ducati’s backyard at Mugello.

Alex Marquez was a hard-fought second ahead of Aldeguer, doubling up Gresini’s Aragon success and making it a second Sprint rostrum for himself in his rookie year.

“I had a small problem at the start because I spun the rear tyre, but I was able to manage and not lose a lot of positions,”Marc Marquez said.

“My plan was to try to lead from the beginning until the end, but I saw that Alex was pushing a lot in the first 2-3 laps. That was a bit my weak point with the soft rear tyre, but I was calm, and at the end of the race, my feeling was great, perfect. Let’s see if tomorrow we can keep the same rhythm.”

Tissot Sprint Race Results

1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo
2. Alex Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati (+2.080s)
3. Fermin Aldeguer BK8 Gresini Ducati (+4.630s)
4. Franco Morbidelli Pertamina VR46 Ducati (+5.944s)
5. Pedro Acosta Red Bull KTM (+6.095s)

Sunday
MotoGP

Sometimes, sport isn’t about watching a phenomenal fight for victory honours. Sometimes, sport is also about witnessing greatness and enjoying an athlete performing at the very top of their game – and that’s exactly what was seen this weekend at the GoPro Grand Prix of Aragon. Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team), for the first time since 2015, topped every session in a Grand Prix weekend to clinch a dominant seventh victory at MotorLand. Simply put: chapeaux.

On home turf, brother and title rival Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) took P2 ahead of an improving Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – the Italian looking somewhat back to the Champion we know and love on Sunday. As the saying goes, form is temporary, class is permanent.

Unlike the Sprint, Marc Marquez got a great launch and the holeshot belonged to the polesitter, with Alex Marquez and Bagnaia slotting into P2 and P3. Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) lost out at the start; the Italian was shuffled down to P7 on Lap 1 from the front row.

The two Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machines of Pedro Acosta and Brad Binder got away well, though, as they were shadowing Bagnaia in P3 as Acosta showed a wheel at Turn 1 on Lap 2 – but the Italian regained P3 at Turn 2. However, at Turn 12, the #37 did make a move stick on the #63 – but not for long! Bagnaia bit back at the penultimate corner to reclaim P3. This was great viewing for the fans, but it was costing the duelling duo, plus Binder and Morbidelli, time to Marc and Alex Marquez.

A mistake from Sprint podium finisher Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) meant the Spanish rookie was 1.2s behind the fight for P3, as his teammate Alex Marquez shadowed Marc Marquez. The gap was hovering around the half-second mark in the opening exchanges.

Heading onto Lap 7 of 23, the top five were split by 1.4s as both factory KTMs – Acosta and then Binder – set fastest laps of the Grand Prix. But on the next lap, was it time for Marc Marquez to put the hammer down? A 1:47.275 was set as the title race and Grand Prix leader stretched his lead to 0.8s. That lap was a good two tenths – plus a bit more – quicker than Alex Marquez, Bagnaia, Acosta and Binder.

Another fastest lap of the GP, a 1:47.180, saw Marquez’s advantage climb to 1.3s. His chief title rival, Alex Marquez, was the slowest of the top five and the #73 had trouble brewing. And speaking of trouble, back-to-back podium finisher Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR #5) crashed out at Turn 12. An unfortunate end to a great run of form for the Frenchman.

On Lap 12 of 23, a podium fight of four became three, as Binder’s promising Grand Prix came to a premature end at Turn 2. And then Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) crashed out too. El Diablo slipped out of contention at Turn 1, as his Aragon woes continued.

With nine laps to go, Marc Marquez’s lead was now just under two seconds as Alex Marquez continued to keep Bagnaia at bay by 0.5s. Acosta had dropped to 1.6s off the podium, but the KTM rider had three seconds of fresh air behind him to the Morbidelli-Aldeguer fight for P5. And what a battle it was between the yellow and blue Ducatis.

While chasing Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) for P7, Maverick Viñales’ (Red Bull KTM Tech3) Aragon pursuit ended at Turn 12 in the closing stages, as Marc Marquez demonstrated his dominance by setting the fastest lap of the Grand Prix. Fair play.

Alex Marquez and Bagnaia’s late pace also saw them get into the 1:46s, but neither of them was a match for Marc Marquez at MotorLand as the home hero became the first rider to lead every session of a Grand Prix weekend since… Marc Marquez at the 2015 German GP. Supremacy.

Alex Marquez limited the damage and Bagnaia returned to the podium in what must be a massive injection of confidence for the double MotoGP World Champion.

Acosta couldn’t quite keep tabs on the podium chase, but a P4 was a job well done for the double World Champion, as Morbidelli eventually beat Aldeguer in a feisty fight for P5. P7 went the way of Mir as the 2020 World Champion picked up his best result since the 2023 Indian GP. Marco Bezzecchi’s (Aprilia Racing) impressive ride also deserved praise, for he came back from P20 on the grid to collect P8.

“It was an amazing weekend. All the practices, leading with full focus and concentration. As I expected, the others got closer and closer every session, and in the race, the pace of Alex [Marquez] and Pecco [Bagnaia] was super fast. But I was consistently controlling the race distance, and the celebration together with my brother was amazing,” Marquez explained.

MotoGP Race Results

1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo
2. Alex Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati (+1.107s)
3. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo (+2.029s)
4. Pedro Acosta Red Bull KTM (+7.657s)
5. Franco Morbidelli Pertamina VR46 Ducati (+10.363s)

Check out the full MotoGP race results here…

MotoGP Championship Points

1. Marc Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati – 233
2. Alex Marquez Ducati Lenovo – 201
3. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo – 140
4. Franco Morbidelli Pertamina VR46 Ducati – 115
5. Fabio Di Giannantonio Pertamina Enduro VR46 Team LCR – 99

Moto2

Three thousandths of a second. That’s all that separated winner Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and second place Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) in an all-time classic Moto2 thriller at the GoPro Grand Prix of Aragon – the closest finish in the new era of Moto2. Third place went the way of Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego), as the Belgian claimed his third podium in the last four races.

From a historic pole, Moreira pocketed the holeshot, but at Turn 7, Öncü led. The Turk was on a march as we then witnessed double CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team drama. Daniel Holgado (#27), out of control in the downhill braking zone at Turn 12, wiped out luckless teammate David Alonso (#80) as both crashed out on Lap 1.

Back at the front, Baltus was our new race leader on Lap 2. After a qualifying disaster, Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) was up to P14 at the same stage, one place ahead of 2024 Aragon GP winner Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team #96), as Aron Canet (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego #44) carved his way past Moreira on Lap 3 to demote the polesitter to P4. And on Lap 6, the top four of Baltus, Öncü, Canet and Moreira were locked together, with Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedRS Team #21) the chief chaser in P5, 1.4s adrift.

On Gonzalez watch, Lap 11 saw the #18 sit 0.7s away from the quartet of riders battling for P5 – those were Lopez, Filip Salač (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team #12), Silverstone winner Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP #81) and Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team #16). And further up the road, Öncü was getting a wriggle on. The Turk set the two consecutive fastest laps of the race on Lap 13 and 14 of 19, which put him 0.5s clear of Baltus. What did the Belgian, Moreira and Canet have in return? The answer from the Brazilian (Moreira) was a new fastest lap of the Grand Prix, but the gap – after a small fight with Baltus – was now 0.7s.

Moreira was coming, though, and fast. Heading onto the final lap, the gap was zero after another fastest lap of the race! Öncü vs Moreira, Turkey vs Brazil. Turn 5 saw Moreira take the lead, so what answers did Öncü have? It all came down to the final two corners. And what a finish it was. Öncü hung his Triumph-Kalex around the outside as the duo locked elbows on the run to the line. Two rising stars were gunning for their first Moto2 victory, and by the skin of his teeth, Öncü stole it by 0.003s! Wow.

Baltus didn’t quite have the pace in the closing stages, but it’s a third podium of the year for the Belgian, as Agius and Salač completed the top five ahead of Canet, who faded in the final laps.

Moto2 Race Results

1. Deniz Oncu Red Bull KTM Ajo
2. Diogo Moreira Italtrans Racing Team (+0.003s)
3. Barry Baltus Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO (+1.949s)
4. Senna Agius Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (+5.146s)
5. Filip Salac Elf Marc VDS Racing (+5.926s)

Moto2 Championship Points

1. Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 118
2. Aron Canet Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO – 118
3. Diogo Moreira Italtrans Racing Team – 90
4. Barry Baltus Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO – 89
5. Jake Dixon Elf Marc VDS Racing – 85

Moto3

Leaving it until the last lap to take a first win is one thing, but the last corner is another. Still, David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) finally got the job done in style at the GoPro GP of Aragon, taking a first win after a final corner attack on rookie sensation Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team). In P3, it was another rookie who continues to impress, as Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo #83) came strong late on, whilst teammate and Championship leader Jose Antonio Rueda made a last-lap mistake to cost him late on and crossed the line in P8.

Grabbing the holeshot, Rueda was able to get through the opening sector cleanly, but behind, a fast-starting Quiles had got into P2 at Turn 3, passing Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse). Quiles wasted no time by getting straight onto the back wheel of the #99 ahead of him as the usual early freight train in Moto3 took shape. Further back down the field, a tricky weekend for Stefano Nepa (SIC58 Squadra Corse #82) continued when he was taken out by Vicente Perez (LEVELUP-MTA #32) at Turn 9.

On Lap 4, there was a clear established group of four at the front, as joining Rueda and Quiles was Muñoz and David Almansa (Leopard Racing), both with great pace all the way through the weekend. However, just three laps later, it was all one big group again but down one rider, as Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech 3 #12) was forced to retire with a technical problem.

Into the second half of the 17-lap encounter, and it was Almansa making moves back into the podium places. But Sunday specialist Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia #72) was right there too, ahead of Carpe, Championship challenger Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmet – MSI #36), his teammate Ryusei Yamanaka (#6) and Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA #66).

On Lap 12, the lead changed for the first time, with Lunetta and Muñoz getting ahead of Rueda, who was down to sixth place. Soon, it was Almansa who had got to the head of the field, showcasing his weekend pace when it mattered.

Into the last two laps, Quiles headed the group of ten riders, but Muñoz was right there with him and hit the front to lead onto the last lap. Quiles retaliated, and behind there was also a costly error for Rueda, with the Championship leader getting it all wrong into Turn 1 and costing himself a load of places. It was all boiling down to a final slipstream battle, but the #28 of Quiles looked to have it sorted until Muñoz made a bold move into the final corner, keeping it clean and making it stick. Quiles tried to hit back on the drag to the line but came up just short as Muñoz became the latest winner in Moto3. Quiles missed out by just 0.050s, as Carpe could only watch on at the duel for glory, but nevertheless took a second rostrum of his rookie year.

It was a career-best P4 for Almansa, who continues to edge closer to a first podium, ahead of Lunetta and Piqueras, with the latter taking a couple of points out of Championship leader Rueda. Kelso managed to come through for P7 ahead of Rueda, who rued his last-lap mistake.

Moto3 Race Results

1. David Munoz Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP
2. Maximo Qulies CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team (+0.050s)
3. Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo (+0.381s)
4. David Almansa Leopard Racing (+0.459s)
5. Luca Lunetta SIC58 Squadra Corse (+0.636s)

Moto3 Championship Points

1. Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo – 149
2. Angel Piqueras FRINSA – MT Helmets – 97
3. Joel Kelso LEVELUP – MTA – 86
4. Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo – 85
5. Taiyo Furusato Honda Team Asia – 67

How Did the Aussies Do?

Despite receiving a long-lap penalty following an incident on the second lap with Joan Mir, Jack Miller admirably finished 13th in the Aragon Sprint race. Then for the Sunday bout, the Australian made a strong start, as he climbed from 14th to 10th on the opening lap. While he fought hard, he would eventually finish 14th after tyre wear forced him to slow in the later stages.

While Senna Agius was disappointed with his 13th in qualifying at Aragon, he rebounded impressively to secure fourth in the main dance. Managing the race maturely, this was a fine result considering he battled tyre issues.

Although Joel Kelso stated it was a tough weekend for him at Aragon, where he faced many challenges throughout as he struggled to find his rhythm, he still deserved credit for clinching seventh. With this in mind, expect the Aussie ace to come out swinging at Mugello.

Banking an excellent P6 in qualifying at Aragon, this was a brilliant way for Jacob Roulstone to begin his weekend. But sadly his race ended early due to a technical issue beyond his control, which meant he had to retire on lap five when he was running near the front.

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