Alex Marquez Clinches Victory, Calls It ‘Best Birthday Present’

JEREZ: Alex Marquez celebrated his first MotoGP victory at the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday, overtaking his brother Marc in the championship standings after Marc crashed early and finished in 12th place.

After numerous close calls and seven second-place finishes, Alex finally achieved a win on his home turf, thrilling over 100,000 spectators at the Jerez circuit.

He encouraged the crowd to cheer even louder on the final lap, relishing the excitement of the moment.

Fabio Quartararo secured second place, marking Yamaha’s first podium appearance since the 2023 Indonesian Grand Prix, while Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati finished third.

The race began with intense competition. Quartararo, who started in pole position, quickly took the lead, while Marc Marquez initially had a strong start but then dropped to fourth.

Alex attempted to pass several riders early in the race but braked too late, causing him to lose positions. Meanwhile, Marc and Bagnaia collided while competing for position.

Marc’s race took a negative turn when he crashed at turn seven, rejoining the race in 22nd place with a damaged motorcycle.

Alex, in contrast, was performing exceptionally well. He overtook Bagnaia and began to narrow the gap with Quartararo.

On lap 11, Alex’s increased pace allowed him to pass the Yamaha rider, and from that point onward, he extended his lead, ultimately winning the race by a considerable distance.

In a touching scene, Marc Marquez navigated through the crowd to congratulate Alex on the podium, representing the first instance in MotoGP history of two brothers winning races.

Alex Marquez, who recently celebrated his 29th birthday, hailed the victory as ‘the best birthday present’ and conveyed his excitement about his triumph at Jerez.

“I can’t ask for more,” Alex stated. “It was a race where I was really clever in all the movements,” he added.