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Marc Marquez Triumphs in Thrilling Qatar Grand Prix
Marc Marquez returned to the winner’s circle with a compelling victory at the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday. His win was marked by a dramatic first-lap clash with his brother, Alex Marquez, but he managed to overcome the challenge to secure the top spot at Losail.
Emerging as a surprise contender, Maverick Vinales, riding for Tech3 KTM, interrupted Alex’s sequence of second-place finishes. Vinales led a significant portion of the race before ultimately yielding to Marc’s competitive edge.
Teammate Francesco Bagnaia, who had an uphill battle starting from 11th position following a mishap in qualifying, make a notable comeback to claim third on the second factory Ducati.
After many riders encountered difficulties with soft rear tires during the previous day’s 11-lap sprint, Sunday’s 22-lap race saw the entire grid opt for medium tires on both front and rear. Although Michelin had indicated that tire wear should not be a major concern, predictions from riders like Marc and Alex Rins suggested that front tire management would be crucial.
As the race began, Marc got off to his customary strong start, but Alex was closely trailing him, positioning himself for a potential challenge into Turn 2. Their proximity resulted in contact, allowing Franco Morbidelli of VR46 Ducati to seize an unexpected early lead.
As the race progressed, Marc and Alex occupied second and third respectively, while Morbidelli tried to establish a lead. However, Marc quickly adapted to the situation despite sustaining damage to his bike’s bodywork, while Alex’s race took a downturn when he was overtaken by Fabio Di Giannantonio on lap three.
Following a collision with Di Giannantonio while attempting a comeback, Alex found himself off the track and was penalized with a long-lap penalty.
Morbidelli managed to hold the lead until lap 10, when the dynamic shifted. The lead did not fall to Marc, but instead to Vinales, who skillfully maneuvered past the VR46 Ducati on the main straight. Marc followed closely behind, capitalizing on Vinales’ surge.
The decisive moment for Marquez came on lap 16 when he assumed the lead after a mistake by Vinales at Turn 6. Once in front, Marc maintained his lead, crossing the finish line 1.8 seconds ahead of Vinales.
Bagnaia capitalized on the commotion between Alex and Di Giannantonio to work his way up the ranks, finding himself in contention until Morbidelli lost the lead. He ultimately passed Marc for two laps before Marc regained the advantage and overtook Morbidelli as well.
Despite a minor tussle to get past Morbidelli, Bagnaia managed to secure a comfortable ride to finish third. Following Morbidelli, Johann Zarco from LCR Honda finished fifth, demonstrating a strong performance compared to the previous day’s sprint, while Gresini Ducati’s Fermin Aldeguer came in sixth.
Alex Marquez rebounded from his earlier challenges to finish seventh, breaking a streak of second-place finishes throughout the season’s races. Rounding out the top ten were Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo, KTM’s Pedro Acosta, and April’s Marco Bezzecchi, who all engaged in an intense battle in the midfield.
Notably, reigning world champion Jorge Martin made his return to the track after an extended injury hiatus but fell on lap 10, marking a disappointing outing.
Qatar GP Results
Photos from Qatar GP – Race
Source
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