MotoGP: – Marc Marquez beats Acosta to gold despite strategy intrigue in Brno Sprint
MotoGP:The #93 wins strategically on Saturday as Bastianini makes it two KTMs on the Tissot Sprint rostrum.
It was the first ever Tissot Sprint at Brno and a first pole start of 2025 for Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) so right from lights out, there was lots on the line. In an intriguing afternoon, what seemed like a tyre pressure battle led to both Pecco and teammate Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) slowing up, but the #93 soon pushed his way to the front to make it another Sprint success. He took gold ahead of Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) after a late charge from the ‘Beast’, making it two KTMs on a podium for the first time this season.
FIRST STAGES: battles through the pack
Snatching the holeshot, Pecco lead the way until Turn 3 when teammate Marc Marquez attacked and took over at the front. Elsewhere, a poor start from Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) left him down in 19th on Lap 1 whilst at Turn 3 on Lap 2, Augusto Fernandez (Yamaha Factory Racing Team) slid off and collected Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR), ending both their Sprints. Into P3 on the second lap, Acosta got himself ahead of Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) whilst the Frenchman was rubbing fairings with Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) at Turn 10. Meanwhile, Bez’s returning teammate, World Champion Jorge Martin, was up into P7 in the early stages.
TYRE PRESSURE CONCERNS? Pecco and Marc slow from leading positions
At the end of Lap 4, Bastianini was capitalising on his strong weekend so far and into fourth and ahead of Quartararo, but the drama was further up the road. On the exit of Turn 4, Bagnaia slowed down and was passed by Acosta, Bastianini and Quartararo. A lap later and it could have been a replay – this time for Marc Marquez; the #93 likewise slowing down and letting Acosta through to let the #37 lead in his first outing at Brno.
Both the Ducatis slowing down but getting straight back into the pace suggested that tyre pressures needed controlling but whatever it was, the last three laps had Acosta, Marc Marquez, Bastianini and Quartararo all in victory contention. Behind, Bezzecchi clambered ahead of Pecco at Turn 11, now into the top five, with Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) next up.
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LATE CHARGES: Bezzecchi and Fernandez move up, Marc retakes P1
On the penultimate lap, Bezzecchi worked his way into fourth ahead of Quartararo as his trademark late pace came to the fore. Up at the front and on the direction change from Turn 8 into Turn 9, Marc Marquez pounced in what would prove to be a Sprint-winning pass on ‘El Tiburon’. Another success in the Sprint for the Championship leader who extended his Championship advantage, with a first Sprint podium for Acosta since Aragon 2024. Two KTMs on a Sprint podium underline their previous happy memories at Brno and it’s a first rostrum of the year for Bastianini. There was a small caveat on top of the podium with Marquez’s tyre pressure under investigation but that was soon over, the win standing for Marc.
ROUNDING OUT THE ORDER: Bezzecchi just off the podium, Martin 11th
Bezzecchi claimed P4 with Quartararo behind him. On the final lap, Fernandez pushed his way into sixth place ahead of polesitter Pecco, whilst Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) and super-sub Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) completed the points-paying positions. On his comeback ride, Martin finished in 11th, just behind Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). Alex Marquez, meanwhile, was forced to settle for P17 and zero points after the nightmare start. That’s 12 more lost to Marc Marquez in the championship chase… but Sunday is another day.
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