MotoGP Catalan GP: Alex Marquez Beats Marc to End 15-Race Streak in Dramatic Barcelona Duel

Marc Marquez’s 15-race winning streak came to an end at the Catalan Grand Prix, where his younger brother Alex Marquez took victory in front of the home crowd. The pair controlled the race from the opening lap, trading positions as they built a gap over the rest of the field. For Marc, the result was more than the loss of his run, as it also delayed any chance of sealing the MotoGP at Misano. Marc made the quicker start, moving ahead of Alex into Turn 1 and setting the rhythm to manage his tyres. Alex, who had shown strong pace throughout the weekend, soon found his own speed and took control. Only Pedro Acosta and Enea Bastianini could stay close, but as the laps went by, the contest narrowed to a head-to-head between the brothers.

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Tyre decisions shaped much of the race. While most followed Michelin’s advice with medium rear tyres, Acosta chose the softer compound to push early. The choice gave him a brief advantage before his grip dropped, handing space to Bastianini. The Italian made his move and secured third, his first podium with KTM.

In the final laps, Marc stayed within striking distance, waiting for Alex to falter. But Alex, having made a mistake at Turn 10 during the Sprint race on Saturday, did not repeat it. He held his line throughout and crossed the line first. Fabio Quartararo finished fifth, rookie Ai Ogura finished sixth, and Francesco Bagnaia climbed from 21st on the grid to seventh.

Elsewhere, Luca Marini was the lead Honda rider by finishing eighth, Miguel Oliveira brought Yamaha ninth, and Jorge Martin salvaged tenth for Aprilia after a challenging weekend. Marco Bezzecchi retired after contact with Franco Morbidelli, who was also carrying a Sprint penalty.

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Brad Binder, Johann Zarco, and Alex Rins were among those who failed to finish the race. Maverick Vinales made his comeback after shoulder surgery, Somkiat Chantra returned from knee injuries, and Aleix Espargaro lined up as a wild-card alongside Lorenzo Savadori to round out a packed Barcelona event.