MotoGP Round 13 | Marc Marquez prevails at Aragon | The elbows come out at the front as the #93 took the spoils and the title fight twisted once more at MotorLand. We now head to Misano with a genuine three-way title fight on our hands! Report: BikeReview/MotoGP Press

Friday Practice and Saturday Qualifying|
MotoGP

An electric Friday at Aragon saw the lap record shattered on three occasions as Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing #72), Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP #73) and Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team #93) all traded paint in the closing stages. In the end, it was Bez’s 1’45.455 that was unbeatable to stop the perfect homecoming for the Marquez brothers on what has historically been Marquez territory.

Not one, but two 1:44s from a bruised but brilliant Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) ensured the Italian beat reigning World Champion Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) to pole position at the Michelin Grand Prix of Aragon. Bezzecchi’s new all-time lap record, a 1:44.962, was 0.089s quicker than the #93’s best effort as the duo treated us to a Q2 bout to remember at MotorLand. Joining the pair was Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP).

Moto2

Another Friday in Moto2, another lap record broken. And this time it went the way of in-form Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – Reverte – MSI #4) as the Spaniard’s 1:49.791 saw the #4 narrowly beat Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team #96) by 0.058s. Third place on Friday went to Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP #81), with the Australian acting as the only other rider to get within four tenths of Ortola’s lap record.

Moto2 returned to action in Aragon as they locked in their Grand Prix grid positions in a thrilling Q2. Alonso Lopez (Italjet Gresini Moto2 #21) ended a 1162-day wait for pole position with a late 1:49.405. The Spaniard went fastest on his penultimate lap, holding off Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 #28) by 0.179s after the latter was caught by yellow flags following a huge crash for Ayumu Sasaki (Momoven Idrofoglia RW Racing Team #71), who escaped unhurt.

Moto3

Fast from the start and flawless throughout, David Almansa (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP #22) was in mighty form to lead the way under the Aragon sun. The 13th round of the 2026 Moto3 season also saw the return to action of Championship leader Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team #28) after his British GP collarbone break.

Talk about leaving it late. David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) snatched pole in Moto3 for the Michelin Grand Prix of Aragon despite having only a couple of valid laps in Q2 as he beat the all-time lap record for his fifth pole of the year. It had looked like Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team #97) would claim pole from teammate Maximo Quiles right at the end of the 15-minute session, but Almansa came out on top, as just 0.043s separated the top three.

Saturday
Tissot Sprint

Another twist in the title fight seemed likely at MotorLand Aragon, and Saturday delivered another stunning shake-up as Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) took his third Tissot Sprint win at the venue. He was followed home by Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), with polesitter Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) completing the Saturday rostrum after losing the lead early doors.

It was a good start for Bezzecchi from pole, but the metres of advantage were eaten away in the braking zone at Turn 1 as Marc Marquez slammed it up the inside and took over in the lead, with Alex Marquez then able to take advantage round the outside and grab P2. The trio remained locked together as the battle for fourth lit up, with Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) vs Raul Fernandez (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team #25) vs Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing #37) seeing the standings shuffle.

Acosta emerged at the lead of the group and then pulled away from it, leaving the #89 some moves to do to get back on the tail of the KTM, as Fernandez, Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR #11) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team #49) trailed behind. Martin dug in, and by Lap 3, he was back past Acosta.

At the front, Marc Marquez had the hammer down, but the gap was hovering just under a second back to Alex Marquez, with Bezzecchi half a second off the rear wheel of the #73, as no one was seemingly able to find anything more to make an attack.

Just behind, Martin had had a moment on Lap 5 round the final corner and ceded the position to Acosta again. Moreira was holding P6 and Fernandez had dropped to P7, but a battle between Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP #54) and Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR #5) was giving the Trackhouse rider some respite. Once Aldeguer was past Zarco and locked in, however, it became a three-way fight for sixth as Moreira, Aldeguer and Fernandez all converged in the final two laps.

Acosta was also converging on the podium fight late on, appearing ominously behind Bezzecchi as the #37 left Martin behind. But over 11 laps it wasn’t to be, as Marc Marquez crossed the line for an ominous third Sprint win at the track, with Alex Marquez second and Bezzecchi just holding on for third ahead of Acosta.

“I knew that Marco was with the soft tyre, so the chance for the race was the first corner. A good start helped a lot, and I was riding at a good pace, but I saw the group was quite fast, especially Alex. Let’s see if tomorrow we can improve a bit and try to be as constant as today,” Marquez said.


Tissot Sprint Race Results

  1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo
  2. Alex Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati (+1.140s)
  3. Marco Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing (+2.089s)
  4. Pedro Acosta Red Bull KTM (+2.648s)
  5. Jorge Martin Aprilia Racing (+6.237s)

Sunday
MotoGP

Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) completed a weekend of fierce retaliation at MotorLand Aragon, taking a full 25‑point haul on Sunday after outpacing Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), who emerged as his closest challenger. Acosta delivered on his promise to fight for the podium with a superb ride to second, while Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) secured third to wrap up a double‑podium weekend.

After the near‑disaster of the British GP, Marquez’s 37‑point Aragon rebound launched him to second in the standings, now 19 behind Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing). Bezzecchi also closed the gap on his teammate and sits third overall.

The race began with echoes of the Sprint as Marquez attacked into Turn 1, though he later admitted he’d mistakenly left the rear ride‑height device engaged, allowing Bezzecchi to slice back through at Turn 3. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) was forced to sit up in the shuffle, and Martin then muscled past Marc Marquez to form an early Aprilia 1‑2 ahead of the #93 and Acosta.

By the end of Lap 1, Marquez struck back, diving past Martin, who then lost further ground to Acosta after being pushed off line. Bezzecchi held a six‑tenth advantage, but Marquez and Acosta quickly formed the chasing duo as Alex Marquez also moved ahead of Martin. By Lap 5, Marquez was closing in on Bezzecchi with Acosta on his rear wheel.

Lap 6 produced the first major flashpoint as Marquez attacked at Turn 15. Bezzecchi fought back down the back straight, the pair millimetres apart at over 300 km/h, but the Aprilia rider was forced to yield in the final corner. Acosta then swept around Bezzecchi to slot into second.

The trio remained locked together through half distance, with Marquez leading Acosta and Bezzecchi in a tight formation. Lap times were nearly identical, and Bezzecchi even set the fastest lap at one stage. But as the race wore on, Marquez began to edge clear, dropping lap records and finally breaking Acosta’s resistance. The #93 crossed the line with breathing room to complete a stunning double and move to second in the championship.

Acosta, frustrated after a messy Saturday, delivered a near‑perfect Sunday to take a brilliant second. Bezzecchi capped his strong weekend with another podium, finishing ahead of his points‑leading teammate. Alex Marquez held fourth for solid points, while Martin settled for fifth, seeing his championship lead trimmed to 19.

“As I said yesterday, the key point was the first corner. I did it again, but I made a huge mistake because I forgot the rear device. When I got out of turn one to turn two, the rear device was activated, and I was super slow on turns 2-3, and two riders overtook me. From that point, I just built the pace. It was a nice fight, but then I was trying to control the race, open the gap and just manage,” Marquez reflected.


MotoGP Race Results

  1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo
  2. Pedro Acosta Red Bull KTM (+1.754s)
  3. Marco Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing (+3.629s)
  4. Alex Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati (+8.687s)
  5. Jorge Martin Aprilia Racing (+12.572s)

Check out the full MotoGP race results here

MotoGP Championship Points

  1. Jorge Martin Aprilia Racing – 256
  2. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo – 237
  3. Marco Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing – 232
  4. Fabio di Giannantonio Pertamina VR46 Ducati – 208
  5. Ai Ogura Trackhouse Aprilia – 203

Moto2

Alonso Lopez (ITALJET Gresini Moto2) returned to winning form at MotorLand Aragon with his first victory since the 2024 Qatar GP, completing a flawless weekend from pole to dominate the 19‑lap race. The Spaniard controlled proceedings throughout, beating Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) by 0.8s, while David Alonso (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team #80) snatched third after a tense last‑lap fight to secure an important 20 points.

From his first pole in three years, Lopez launched perfectly to grab the holeshot, with Guevara, Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) and Manuel Gonzalez behind. Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo #95) moved past Alonso for fifth, while Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP #81) and Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – Reverte – MSI) surged forward from deeper on the grid to slot into seventh and eighth.

The early laps settled into a tight rhythm, with the top nine covered by just over two and a half seconds by Lap 5. Lopez then began to stretch his advantage, setting the fastest lap to push his lead over Guevara beyond half a second.

By mid‑race, the action intensified. Veijer made a clean move on Holgado for third at Turn 16, while Alonso attacked Gonzalez at Turn 1, forcing the championship leader wide and allowing Agius to slip through. Alonso repeated the Turn 1 move a lap later to demote Holgado again, and Agius followed suit with a decisive pass at Turn 13 to take fifth. Gonzalez eventually cleared Holgado too, but the top four of Lopez, Guevara, Veijer, and Alonso were now over a second clear of the chasing group.

The podium battle shifted dramatically when Veijer crashed at Turn 4 after losing third to Alonso. Further back, Gonzalez dropped positions after a near‑contact moment with Agius at Turn 1, leaving the title contender seventh with five laps remaining.

In the closing laps, the question was whether Guevara or Alonso could reel in Lopez. The polesitter showed no signs of tyre fade, maintaining a steady buffer of around 0.7s. Alonso, the fastest of the trio, launched a last‑lap assault on Guevara. The pair traded blows at Turn 8, then again through the final sector. Alonso dived up the inside at Turn 15 but ran slightly deep, allowing Guevara to cut back and secure second in a crucial championship result.

Up front, Lopez completed a faultless lights‑to‑flag victory. Zero mistakes, maximum reward and a sweet return after recently fracturing his hand.


Moto2 Race Results

  1. Alonso Lopez ITALJET Gresini Moto2
  2. Izan Guevara BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 (+0.800s)
  3. David Alonso CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team (+0.881s)
  4. Senna Agius LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP (+2.887s)
  5. Ivan Ortola QJMOTOR – Reverte -MSI (+3.262s)

Moto2 Championship Points

  1. Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 207.5
  2. Izan Guevara BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 – 175
  3. Senna Agius LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP – 149
  4. Ivan Ortola QJMOTOR – Biolec – MSI – 144.5
  5. Daniel Holgado CFMOTO Azul Marino Aspar Team – 137

Moto3

Broken collarbone three weeks ago, shattering the opposition’s hopes three weeks later, not even injury could slow Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team). The Championship leader delivered win number seven of 2026 at MotorLand Aragon, resisting a late charge from polesitter David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), who missed out on a weekend sweep and settled for second. Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team) completed the podium.

Almansa launched perfectly from pole, leading Quiles and Morelli as the front row held formation. By the end of Lap 1, a six‑rider lead group had formed: Almansa, Quiles, Morelli, Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo #51), Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo #83) and rookie Adrian Cruces (CIP GreenPower #11). Behind them, Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3 #73) and Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing #31) headed the second group.

The front pack splintered as Almansa, Quiles and Carpe traded blows, while Morelli worked to regain ground after slipping back. Uriarte served a Long Lap Penalty on Lap 4, dropping to eighth before recovering to fifth. A lap later, Jesus Rios (Rivacold Snipers Team #54) suffered a heavy highside at Turn 16, ending his race but escaping injury.

Quiles shadowed Almansa until Lap 11, when he struck at Turn 1 to take the lead. Almansa immediately faced pressure from Carpe and Morelli, and the pace lifted from mid‑1’57s into the 1’56s. Carpe attacked Almansa at Turn 1 but was swiftly repassed at Turn 2, allowing Quiles to stretch his advantage to 0.6s.

Almansa responded with a superb Lap 13, reeling Quiles in and capitalising on a Turn 14 mistake from the #28 to retake the lead. The front four regrouped, and at the start of Lap 14 Quiles and Morelli dived past Almansa at Turn 1, pushing him wide and dropping him to fourth. Carpe briefly climbed to second before running wide at Turn 7, handing the place back to Almansa. Quiles attempted to break clear again, but Almansa cut the gap from 0.9s to 0.3s with two laps remaining.

They began the final lap separated by just 0.108s. Almansa chased a first Moto3 double, while Quiles aimed to mark his injury comeback with a statement victory. Despite Almansa’s best efforts, Quiles delivered a flawless final lap to secure his seventh win of the season. Almansa claimed his fifth podium of 2026 and closed in on second overall, while Morelli took a strong third ahead of Carpe.


Moto3 Race Results

  1. Maximo Quiles CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team
  2. David Almansa Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (+0.264s)
  3. Marco Morelli CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team (+0.715s)
  4. Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo (+2.900s)
  5. Brian Uriarte Red Bull KTM Ajo (+6.040s)

Moto3 Championship Points

  1. Maximo Quiles CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team – 256
  2. Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo – 159
  3. David Almansa Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 154
  4. Brian Uriarte Red Bull KTM Ajo – 138
  5. Marco Morelli CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team – 131

How Did the Aussies Do?

Jack Miller looked competitive early at Aragon, with him as high as sixth on Friday, but a late crash disrupted his momentum and forced a bike swap, leaving him 19th by session’s end. The Aussies then managed the Sprint Race smartly to secure his first top 10 of the season, which was a fine reward for all his hard work. More positives could be extracted from Miller’s race, as he pushed forward from 13th and ran inside the top 10 for most of the GP before late tyre wear dropped him to 11th. Senna Agius began his Aragon weekend solidly, qualifying 10th after showing strong pace in every session.

The #81’s race saw him charge ahead from the fourth row to surge into the podium fight, as he was one of the fastest riders on track. Despite late tyre fade, he still deserves immense credit for turning a 10th in qualifying into an excellent fourth. Joel Kelso endured a tough Aragon at the office, for he qualified below expectations in 14th before an early race incident and slow opening laps left him fighting to ultimately salvage 13th.



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