During the intense opening laps of Sunday’s Italian MotoGP at Mugello, Alex Marquez MotoGP race highlights unfolded as he closely observed the fierce battle between factory Ducati riders Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia. Positioned third, Marquez stayed alert behind the gripping contest between the two leading Ducatis, capitalizing on every opportunity that emerged from their high-stakes fight.
Dangerous Contact Between Marc Marquez and Bagnaia Threatens Race Stability
The early tension escalated when Bagnaia’s front wheel clipped Marc Marquez’s rear at the exit of Turn 3, creating a perilous moment that forced Alex to react swiftly. Marquez recounted this risky incident in detail, describing his surprise and quick reflexes necessary to avoid crashing amidst the chaos of their collision.
“I started in a really good way, I was trying to manage the tyres as Marc did, then he started to fight with Pecco.”
— Alex Marquez
“Really close, it was so risky because I was not expecting that collision between Pecco and Marc. At that moment I saw, especially Pecco, stopping really fast. I picked up the bike and saved the contact. I was also able to overtake Pecco.”
— Alex Marquez
“Luckily, nothing happened – that is the most important thing.”
— Alex Marquez
Strategic Timing Enables Alex Marquez to Take the Race Lead
As Marc Marquez and Bagnaia continued to clash, Marquez identified a chance to advance, seizing the front spot on lap six. He deliberately stayed out of the intense duel at first, conserving energy and watching for the best moment to attack. The strategy paid off when Bagnaia faltered in the last corner, letting Alex capitalize on a slipstream along the main straight.
“I said, I don’t want to go in that fight, I want to wait a little bit to save some energy. But when I saw that the pace was quite slow because of the overtakes, I had the opportunity.”
— Alex Marquez
“Until then, I didn’t have a really clear moment to attack them. But when Pecco made a mistake in the last corner, they were parallel on the straight and I took a really good slipstream. For me, I don’t know why, but it was difficult to overtake them.”
— Alex Marquez
“I said, now is the time. You have the opportunity. Try to go for it. When I saw that it was a clear move, I did it.”
— Alex Marquez
Maintaining a Strong Pace in Clean Air, But Marc Marquez Reclaims Lead
After overtaking Bagnaia again at Turn 3, Alex pushed ahead, setting a robust speed in clear air while balancing tyre management. Despite his efforts, Marc Marquez eventually reclaimed the lead with a decisive maneuver, ultimately winning the race.
“I knew I should maybe save my pace for the last laps, but in that moment it was my strategy to push and be in front, also for the tyre. I did it quite well, but Marc was better than us.”
— Alex Marquez
“Before coming here, I knew it was a good opportunity to take more points than him, but he was better than us.”
— Alex Marquez
“But for the world championship, also we were better than Pecco, and we have more points in the championship.”
— Alex Marquez
“So we took second in the championship in a really good way. But we need to keep focused – it was a really positive weekend for us.”
— Alex Marquez
Championship Standings Shift Ahead of Dutch GP at Assen
Despite finishing second in Italy, Alex Marquez remains 40 points behind his brother Marc at the top of the world championship standings. However, his podium result has extended his lead over Francesco Bagnaia to 70 points as the season moves next to the Dutch MotoGP at Assen, presenting a crucial opportunity to consolidate his position.
