Alex Marquez takes back-to-back victories at the Spanish Grand Prix ending Marco Bezzecchi’s winning run

It was sunny conditions in Jerez De La Frontera for the Spanish Grand Prix, much better compared to the Tissot Sprint. Marc Marquez looked to take his first Grand Prix victory since Misano following his sprint victory, Johann Zarco started in second with Fabio Di Giannantonio in third. Marco Bezzecchi who had a disastrous sprint due to spinning on the grid due to Alex Marquez’s tear off and crashing out after swapping bikes headed the second row alongside Alex Marquez and Pedro Acosta. Jorge Martin started from tenth due to impeding in Practice promoting sprint podium finisher Francesco Bagnaia onto the third row.

The lights went out and Marc Marquez took the holeshot into turn one ahead of Bezzecchi and Alex Marquez. Alex Marquez went through on Bezzecchi at turn nine to take second place. The Italian’s run of leading Grand Prix’s finished at the end of the opening lap. Martin had worked his way up to fourth place by the end of lap one.

Alex Marquez then block passed his brother Marc into turn six to take the lead of the race, the two Factory Aprilia’s were trying to hold onto the back of the Ducati’s.

Marc Marquez lost the front at turn 11 and was out of the race! A huge mistake from the reigning champion.

Fabio Di Giannantonio made a move on Martin to move into the podium spots, Zarco was holding onto fifth place and keeping pace with Martin.

Enea Bastianini overtook Acosta into the final corner to take sixth but the Italian out-braked himself into turn one and the Spaniard was able to retake the position.

The TrackHouse Aprilias then joined the battle with the KTMs as he went through on Bastianini at turn eight then on Acosta at the final corner.

Acosta nearly ran into the back of Fernandez at turn two clipping his front right winglet, but was able to avoid the RS-GP and Bastianini was able get back through and Ai Ogura then went through on Acosta into turn seven.

At the front Bezzecchi was keeping Marquez honest at half a second from the moment the championship leader inherited second place.

Acosta was going backwards as Pecco Bagnaia then went through at the final corner on lap eight to move into ninth.

Di Giannantonio was closing in on Bezzecchi who was being gapped by Marquez.

Fermin Aldeguer was the next rider to overtake Acosta at turn 13. Pecco Bagnaia sat up at turn one with some issue on the front of the bike and retired from the race at the end of lap 13.

Ogura went up the inside of Bastianini at turn nine but the Japanese rider went a bit wide allowing Bastianini back through.

Ogura tried again at turn six but again went wide, he tried again at turn nine and was able to make it stick.

Fernandez overtook Zarco at turn nine to move inside the top five and the Frenchman was quickly caught by Ogura and overtaken at turn six.

On the final lap Ogura pulled off a block pass at turn six on his teammate Fernandez to take fifth place.

Alex Marquez crossed the line to win the Spanish Grand Prix for a second year in a row, Bezzecchi extended his championship lead in second with Di Giannantonio in third. Martin finished in fourth equalling his best finish at Jerez in the premier class, Ogura was fifth ahead of Fernandez in sixth, Zarco was seventh with Bastianini in eighth, Aldeguer ninth and Acosta rounded out the top ten.

Bezzecchi leads the championship on 101 points, Martin is second 11 points beind and Di Giannantonio moves into third as Acosta drops to fourth, Marc Marquez is in fifth 44 points back.

Featured Image: Ksc Photography Services.