Cool, calm and gold medal-collected: Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) returned to winning ways in his second weekend back in MotoGP and keeps up his 100% winning record on Hungarian soil. Lights to flag and never looking back, the reigning World Champion held on ahead of Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), whilst it was P3 for Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), who extends his lead to 20 overall.
Holeshot from pole, Marquez held position to lead the opening lap ahead of Acosta, whilst Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi had leapfrogged his way from sixth on the grid to P3. Aldeguer was trying hard to move through on the Aprilia rider, hustling and pushing but finding no clear or clean way ahead of the #72. On Lap 2, Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) made a mistake under braking as he attempted to pass Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) at Turn 9 but outbraked himself and ran wide – but lost sufficient time so no penalty was necessary.
Still trying to find a way into third, Aldeguer had a big front-end moment at Turn 9 on Lap 3, gathering it all up but dropping to fifth behind Raul Fernandez (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team). Two laps later at the same corner, Martin tried again on Moreira and this time made it stick, with the 2024 World Champion moving up into sixth. Elsewhere, at the front of the field, Marquez had pulled out a lead of two seconds over Acosta but there was still half of the Sprint to go.
With three laps to go, it was till all to play for over third with Bezzecchi resisting Fernandez so far – even if the Spaniard had been handed a track limits warning. Still trying to salvage something after his Lap 3 moment, Aldeguer was close to Fernandez – too close in the braking zone for Turn 5 as he went wide. Fifth at best for the #54, still a personal-best Sprint of the season.
Dream land, cruise control, a Saturday stroll for Marquez who returned to winning ways with an 18th-career Sprint win, matching Martin for all-time Sprint wins. Acosta managed the Sprint to take home nine World Championship points whilst Bez took his second Sprint podium of the year. A valiant fourth from Fernandez, just 1.2s back from the podium whilst it was a Sprint of ‘what could’ve been’ for Aldeguer who had to settle for fifth.
Martin, Moreira and Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) were next up, ‘The Beast’ P8 from P14. The final point went to Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), with the double World Champion denying Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) in P9. Further back, Ai Ogura (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) was 11th whilst top Yamaha honours went to Toprak Razgatlioglu (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) in 13th.
Saturday done, Grand Prix Sunday awaits: lights out in MotoGP at 14:00 Local Time (UTC +2).
MotoGP Sprint results from Balaton Park!