The Red Bull Ring witnessed another decisive chapter in Marc Márquez’s remarkable season, as the Spaniard powered to his sixth consecutive Sprint victory in the 2025 MotoGP championship. The Gresini rider held off his younger brother Álex in a tense battle, while Pedro Acosta secured a home-soil podium for KTM. But the biggest storyline was the collapse of defending champion Francesco Bagnaia, who retired after a disastrous start.
Sprint Chaos at the Start
The race erupted in drama the moment the lights went out. Álex Márquez launched flawlessly from the front row, with Marc Márquez settling in behind him. Pole-sitter Marco Bezzecchi spun up the rear tyre and lost ground, but avoided being swallowed completely thanks to Bagnaia’s catastrophic launch.
Bagnaia’s Ducati lurched sideways off the line, cutting into the path of several riders — including Enea Bastianini, Franco Morbidelli, and Joan Mir — before plummeting down the order. Struggling for grip and control, the Italian limped into the pits and retired, compounding his title woes.
Márquez Brothers Battle
That left the Márquez brothers free to dictate the pace. Álex controlled the opening half of the 14-lap race with a composed ride, but Marc began applying pressure once tyre wear set in.
On lap 10, Álex ran slightly wide on the Turn 2 exit kerb, leaving just enough room for Marc to pounce into Turn 3. Despite a spirited attempt from Álex to retaliate on corner exit, Marc shut the door and quickly built a one-second cushion. He ultimately crossed the line 1.2 seconds clear, taking his 12th Sprint win in 13 rounds and his first-ever victory at the Red Bull Ring.
“This time I waited a bit, because I knew Álex was strong,” Marc explained post-race. “Once the tyres dropped, I tried to push — and it worked.” He dedicated the victory to late JuniorGP rider Pau Alsina, adding emotional weight to his triumph.
🔄 @marcmarquez93 makes his move and LEADS #AustrianGP 🇦🇹 pic.twitter.com/5D3vuB8qOt
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) August 16, 2025
Podium & Points
Behind the Márquez brothers, Pedro Acosta secured third — his third straight podium across Sprints and Grands Prix — after dispatching Bezzecchi early and consolidating a strong ride for KTM at home.
Bezzecchi salvaged fourth place, while Brad Binder charged through the field to take fifth. Fermín Aldeguer earned a fighting sixth for Gresini Ducati after a duel with Bastianini.
Further back, Fabio Di Giannantonio picked up eighth for VR46 Ducati, and Johann Zarco — the only rider opting for a medium rear tyre — clung to ninth ahead of reigning champion Jorge Martin, who continues to struggle on the Aprilia.
Bagnaia’s Bitter Blow
For Bagnaia, the Sprint was a nightmare. After qualifying third and eyeing redemption following a string of missed opportunities, his botched start left him with zero points on Saturday. Ducati later confirmed they would investigate clutch and launch control systems overnight.
The reigning champion now sits 57 points behind Álex Márquez and a massive 180 points adrift of Marc, whose commanding form has turned the 2025 title fight into a family affair.
