Do Not Say Sprint; Say Marc Márquez

Six sprints contested in 2025 and six victories for Marc Márquez. A short race format where the Cervera rider is making a difference thanks to his explosive style and incredible speed. However, it wasn't until he donned the official red Ducati that he dazzled on Saturdays. Marc Márquez now holds the best streak in the short history of sprints, previously shared with Jorge Martín, with five consecutive victories, and he now stands alone. In Le Mans, at the end of the thirteen laps, a cycling legend like Mark Cavendish, the greatest sprinter of all time, waved the checkered flag. It couldn't have been more fitting.

Before that moment, a much more contested sprint than expected unfolded, thanks to a highly motivated Fabio Quartararo who had already surprised the Ducatis in Q2, securing an unexpected pole at his home circuit. The Frenchman held the lead at the start, after Marc went wide at the first corner. The Le Mans crowd went wild, cheering their idol in those early laps, where he even opened a slight gap over the Cervera rider. However, Ducati's key was more in the pace, and he gradually closed in until he reached him on the sixth lap.

"In the first few laps, I saw he was attacking a lot, and I remembered the mistake I made in Jerez with new tires, so I decided to wait because I sensed the last laps would be mine. In the third or fourth lap, I started to feel more comfortable and began to pick up the pace. We caught up with him at the end of the fifth and prepared the overtaking," Marc highlighted. There were two decisive moves. The first, in the initial chicane, but Quartararo held firm. Then came the second in turn 9, and there was no response from the Frenchman. Eight laps remained, and Marc Márquez had a clear path to his sixth sprint victory.

With only a one-point advantage between Álex and Marc, the elder brother's victory returned him to the MotoGP lead, which he had only lost after crashes in Austin and Jerez. Until now, of the three title contenders, Marc was the only one who had faltered, but this Saturday in Le Mans, Pecco Bagnaia made his first mistake. An unexpected crash at the start of the second lap while running fourth behind the Márquez brothers. "It hurts more because it came without warning," said the Italian, who now trails by more than 30 points from the MotoGP leader.

Bagnaia's crash opened up a podium spot that seemed destined for the Italian and allowed Álex Márquez to focus on what lay ahead rather than defending his position. Thus, it took him a couple more laps than his brother to pass Quartararo and secure second place. Sixth second place in a sprint for Álex, which he considered satisfactory after a weekend where he struggled more than expected: "After seeing Marc's pace, the best I could do was finish second. So, mission accomplished, and although we lose the lead, we widen the gap with those behind." The triumph of Álex Márquez's consistency, who is now the only rider on the grid to have scored in every sprint and race contested.

Quartararo ended up paying for the impressive start to the race, and his tires gave way in the final laps. An opportunity not missed by rookie Fermín Aldeguer. The Murcian smelled blood and went after the Frenchman, who defended his position. Sparks flew in a battle where they even touched, but there was little the Yamaha rider could do to hold off the second Ducati from the Gresini team, and Aldeguer claimed his first podium in the premier class. "Since the beginning of the year, we've been making good progress. No one is putting pressure on me, neither Ducati nor the team. I only put pressure on myself, and I'm managing it well because I know I have a lot to gain and little to lose," commented Aldeguer, who, during the victory lap, went down in slow motion after his bike collided with Marc Márquez's.

Fifth should have been Pedro Acosta, but the Mazarrón rider inexplicably crashed on the last corner of the last lap, leaving him with zero points. This gifted the position to his teammate Maverick Viñales, with whom he had an intense duel for much of the sprint. Sixth crossed the second Frenchman, Johann Zarco, being the best of the Hondas, seventh Fabio Di Giannantonio with the Ducati, eighth Álex Rins with the second Yamaha, and ninth Joan Mir, who closed the points positions.

The official practice sessions in the smaller categories also took place, with Spanish prominence, as usual. Moto2 leader Manu González took pole ahead of Belgian Barry Baltus and Brazilian Diogo Moreira, while his rival Arón Canet will start fifth on the grid. In the smaller cylinder category, debutant Máximo Quiles took his first pole in what is his second world championship race, beating category 'veterans' like Ángel Piqueras, fourth, and Moto3 leader José Antonio Rueda, who will start eighth.