The World Today
BARCELONA, 14 (EUROPA PRESS)
Spanish rider Marc Márquez (Ducati) faces the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend, the thirteenth round of the 2025 MotoGP World Championship, with the intention of extending his current winning streak upon his return to action after the summer break, with the possibility of making another move and getting closer to the title, although to do so he will have to look for a first victory at the Red Bull Ring, on a weekend in which Jorge Martín (Aprilia) is confident, like the KTMs, of being in the fight alongside the Ducatis.
Championship leader Marc Márquez arrives at a Red Bull Ring that has historically eluded him—he has yet to win at the Austrian track—while Jorge Martín (Aprilia) continues to fine-tune his skills after his return to racing at Brno, the previous round of the Czech Republic Grand Prix. The Spielberg track, with its straights and hard braking, has been a favorable territory for Ducati and KTM in recent years, but the Madrid native is confident he'll also be in the fight.
But it's the eight-time world champion—six in MotoGP—who is coming off a historic first half of the season before the summer break: five consecutive wins in long races and a series of perfect weekends with victories in the Sprint and on Sunday, including a final one-two in the Czech Republic. With this result, Márquez strengthened his lead with a 120-point advantage over his brother Álex Márquez (Ducati), with Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) in third, now 168 points behind the eldest of the Cervera brothers.
Austria opens the second half of the calendar with the '93' in dominant mode. The Red Bull Ring, however, has eluded him: he hasn't stood on the podium there since 2019 and has never won at a venue where Bagnaia has ruled the roost in the last three editions (2022, 2023, and 2024) and where KTM and Ducati also shone with victories such as those of Brad Binder (2021, Austrian GP) and Jorge Martín (2021, Styrian GP). A major challenge for the Cervera native, determined to close the circle at one of the few remaining strongholds.
Álex Márquez, still second in the championship, saw his race cut short early on in Brno when he crashed on the second lap in an incident with Joan Mir (Honda), while Pecco Bagnaia, who started from pole, lost his chances after falling out of the top positions and losing further ground in the standings. Both will try to make amends in Austria and leave the Red Bull Ring closer to Marc Márquez, as they share the goal of taking points off the current leader.
Jorge Martín, meanwhile, returned to the track in Brno after his long injury and finished inside the Top 10, a key step in regaining pace and confidence ahead of a Red Bull Ring where top speed and braking make the difference. Aprilia and the Madrid native, having reconciled, head into Austria with the goal of continuing their climb after his return.
On the medical front, Somkiat Chantra (Honda LCR) will remain out and will not start in Spielberg while he continues his recovery. The team will not have a replacement in Austria and plans to recruit Aleix Espargaró for the next round in Hungary, at Balaton Park. However, the Catalan did not arrive in time for the Austrian event after recently participating in the Getxo Classic with Lidl-Trek, in his other role as a professional cyclist, and was able to enjoy some well-deserved rest.
Meanwhile, KTM, with Brad Binder and Pedro Acosta, are aiming to establish themselves at home, bolstered by their track record and the Murcian's recent podium finish in Brno, while Ducati will seek to extend its dominance on a track tailored to its needs.
In Moto2, Manu González (Kalex) will try to consolidate his lead before the August tour. He arrives in Austria with 188 points, compared to Arón Canet's (Kalex) 163, with Barry Baltus and Diogo Moreira following behind. A Spanish duel at the top of the intermediate category heads into the second half of the season.
In Moto3, José Antonio Rueda (KTM), after winning in Brno, leads with 228 points, followed by fellow Spaniards Ángel Piqueras (143) and Álvaro Carpe (133). The Sevillian will be looking to further extend his already significant lead in the standings.
