Marc Marquez stretched his remarkable unbeaten run to 15 races in Saturday’s Catalan MotoGP Sprint after younger brother Alex threw away a 1.5s lead with just four laps remaining.
The Gresini rider had looked in control from pole and seemed set to end Marc’s dominance, only to slide out at Turn 10 – the same corner where Franco Morbidelli had earlier fallen while attacking Jorge Martin.
Marc, who admitted to a scare of his own, inherited the lead and duly converted it into another victory that also sealed Ducati’s 2025 MotoGP constructors’ title.
Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo fought hard throughout to secure second, while VR46’s Fabio di Giannantonio completed the podium. The pair fended off pressure from KTMs Pedro Acosta and Brad Binder, plus Enea Bastianini.
Behind them, Bagnaia’s nightmare weekend continued. The reigning champion started 21st and could only climb to 14th, extending a barren Sprint run for Ducati’s factory spearhead.
Aprilia’s misery deepened when rookie Fermin Aldeguer lost the front at Turn 5 and collided with teammate Marco Bezzecchi, leaving the Italian nursing an arm injury. Test rider Lorenzo Savadori later retired with a technical problem.
The Sprint DNF list was completed by Alex Marquez, Morbidelli and Martin.
Meanwhile, Tech3’s Maverick Vinales and LCR rookie Somkiat Chantra both continued their injury comebacks, while Honda wild-card Aleix Espargaro returned at his home event two years on from his famous 2023 Catalan GP win.
Marc now heads into Sunday’s main race with momentum firmly intact – and with Ducati already crowned constructors’ champions.
