Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) emerged victorious in an epic battle with home favourite Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) to claim his sixth consecutive Sprint win at the 2025 Michelin® Grand Prix of France. The thrilling on-track action left fans on the edge of their seats, setting the stage for an exciting main event on Sunday.
Marquez grabbed the holeshot but ran wide at Turn 2, allowing polesitter Quartararo to take the lead and pull away in the early stages. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), third in the standings, suffered an early exit after crashing at Turn 3 on Lap 2, despite a strong start that saw him climb from sixth to fourth. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) also faced a setback, running off into the gravel and rejoining the race well outside the points.
On Lap 6, Marquez made his first attempt to overtake Quartararo at Turn 3 but ran wide, allowing the Frenchman to regain the lead on the cutback. However, Marquez successfully squeezed past Quartararo at Turn 8, taking the lead and preventing any immediate retaliation.
As the race entered its final third, Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) overtook Quartararo for second place at Turn 2 on Lap 8. Quartararo’s attention then shifted to Marquez’s teammate, rookie sensation Fermin Aldeguer. The Frenchman briefly moved ahead of Aldeguer for third at Turn 3 but was immediately challenged by the young Spaniard, resulting in contact between the two at Turn 6. Undeterred, Aldeguer responded with equal force, pushing Quartararo back to fourth at Turn 7.
In the closing stages, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) engaged in a last-lap battle for fifth, with Viñales attempting an unsuccessful pass at Turn 3. Drama struck on the final lap as Acosta fell at Turn 13, denying himself a first top-five finish in the Sprints this season.
At the front, Marc Marquez celebrated his sixth consecutive Sprint victory, becoming the first rider to achieve such a feat and reclaiming the Championship lead from his brother Alex by two points. Alex Marquez secured second place, with the brothers once again locking out the top two positions. Aldeguer claimed a remarkable first Sprint podium in third, showcasing his potential for the main race.
Quartararo finished a determined fourth, while Viñales completed the top five thanks to Acosta’s late fall. Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) delighted the home crowd with a sixth-place finish, having started 11th, while Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) climbed from 17th to seventh. Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) scored his first Sprint points since COTA in 2023, and Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) secured the final point, narrowly edging out Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) in 10th.
Reflecting on his victory, Marc Marquez said, “I’m happy. The feeling aboard the bike is always very positive and, step by step, I’m improving some more. I felt good today: I was patient enough and took my time in the first two-three laps, when it looked like Quartararo was pulling away, and this was a moment of the race in which it was key to manage tyre wear the best way. The important thing was to stay right up there without making any mistake, in a race that was characterised by very strong lap-times and frenetic pace.”
With the stage set for an exhilarating French GP, fans can tune in at 14:00 local time on Sunday to witness the main event unfold.
