Alex Marquez Rules Jerez: How the Gresini Star Found His Magic at the Spanish GP

April 28, 2026

It was a day of mixed fortunes for the Marquez family at the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix, but by the time the chequered flag dropped in Jerez, it was Alex Marquez standing on the top step. The Gresini Ducati rider put in a commanding performance to secure both his and Ducati’s first Grand Prix win of the season, while his brother Marc suffered a nightmare afternoon.

Alex Takes Charge as Marc Crashes Out

Alex Marquez didn’t waste any time getting into the mix. Starting from fifth, he lunged into third immediately at the start. By the end of the first lap, he’d already worked his way past the championship leader, Marco Bezzecchi. He then set his sights on his brother, Marc Marquez, pulling off a move for the lead at the famous Dry Sack (now known as the Pedrosa corner).

The drama peaked just five corners later. Marc, who was looking to build on his “fortuitous” win from Saturday’s sprint, lost the front end through the Criville right-hander. The high-speed crash was a massive blow for the reigning champ, completely wiping out the points advantage he’d gained the day before.

Bezzecchi Settles for Second

With Marc out of the picture, the race at the front settled down. Marco Bezzecchi, aboard his Aprilia, looked like he might threaten Alex for a moment, but the gap soon widened. Bezzecchi eventually finished 1.903s behind the Gresini man, a solid result that keeps him at the top of the standings.

Further back, Fabio Di Giannantonio claimed the final podium spot. Jorge Martin had a cracking start, jumping six places to fourth and briefly holding third after Marc’s crash, but “Diggia” relegated him to fourth on lap four. Martin brought his Aprilia home in fourth, 9.229s off the lead.

Mid-Pack Battles and Technical Woes

The battle for the top five was a highlight of the afternoon:

Ai Ogura and Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Aprilia) had a proper scrap, with Ogura eventually clearing Fernandez to take fifth.
Johann Zarco put in a brave ride for LCR Honda, holding fifth for a good chunk of the race before fading to seventh.
Enea Bastianini finished eighth as the lead KTM rider, surviving a tussle with Pedro Acosta.

It was a tough day for the works Ducati squad. Pecco Bagnaia was running in ninth when he was forced to retire with an apparent technical issue. Meanwhile, Pedro Acosta, struggling with a damaged fairing after a clip with Fernandez, managed to hold off team-mate Brad Binder for 10th.

The Final Standings and Retirements

Down in the pack, Fabio Quartararo was once again the sole points-scorer for Yamaha, finishing 14th, roughly 29.5s off the winner. He managed to fend off Joan Mir, who was hampered by a double long-lap penalty carried over from Saturday.

Aside from the works Ducatis and Marc Marquez, the only other retirement was Aprilia tester Lorenzo Savadori, who seemed physically limited after a collision with Toprak Razgatlioglu the day before.

The championship table is looking very interesting now. Bezzecchi still leads, with Jorge Martin trailing by 11 points. For Ducati, the picture is a bit more brutal; Di Giannantonio is their lead rider in the standings, sitting 30 points back from the top, while Marc Marquez finds himself 44 points adrift.

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