Marc Marquez lifts lid on incredible 300km/h Bezzecchi overtake
Marquez is back in the title fight and Aprilia have responded (Credit: Apex Agency)
14:30, 31 Aug
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Connor Andrews is Formula 1 and MotoGP writer for GPblog and various outlets. Having worked in motorsport for 15 years for leading companies, he has interviewed the sports biggest names and attended multiple Grands Prix.
Marc Marquez staged arguably the overtake of the season at the Aragon Grand Prix, and it was far closer than even he expected.
The nine-time champion won both the sprint and feature race in Spain to jump up to second in the MotoGP standings, warding off the threat of Marco Bezzecchi.
It was the Grand Prix that gave us one of the moments of the season, though, with Marquez passing the Italian on lap six out of turn 15.
The Ducati and Aprilia pair duelled through the chicanes on the back straight and then almost touched repeatedly at 300km/h in stunning scenes.
On first glance, it looked as though both riders may have overstepped the mark at such high speeds, but they’ve both since explained what really happened.
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Marquez explains bizarre aerodynamic effect at 300km/h
Speaking post-race, Marquez said: “Even on the bike, it was a very strange moment because with all the aerodynamics, there was one moment there at 300 km/h that our bikes were sucking each other in.
“I tried to go on the right side, but my bike was sucking to him, and I think his bike was sucking to my bike, so it’s something that, if you see it on the replay, there was some small wheelies in sixth gear.”
Bezzecchi reveals his view of spectacular Marquez battle
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Bezzecchi added: “We were close, and it was a strange feeling. With the air, I was going close to him, but I didn’t want to go too close, so the air was sucking me and pushing me away, the same three or four times, then I lost a bit the place to go and Pedro [Acosta] passed me as well.”
He continued: “We had an amazing straight battle with the aerodynamic effect; the bikes were like moving all of the straight, and I was like this [looking to his side] saying ‘where is he going to brake, I want to brake later’ but f*** I was too much on the left, and I lost the place also to Pedro.
“I wanted to cross the line. I heard Marc’s bike, so I knew he was going to try a move on the chicane, so I said, ‘OK I try to cut [back] and go out super quick and at least have a battle for a couple of corners’, but yeah, his bike accelerated really well; my bike too.”
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Acosta’s move also proved crucial, with the KTM rider holding out for second, further increasing Marquez’s points haul on his rivals.
It comes as a huge boost for the Ducati rider who struggled last time out at Silverstone both competitively and physically.
Marquez could clearly be seen struggling with right-hand turns while Aprilia were dominant at one of the season’s fastest circuits.
The 33-year-old expected as much, and it now picking his opportunities to attack, with Aragon being one of them.
This is my only chance to fight for the championship.- Marc Marquez
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He explained: "At tracks where I feel strong, like this one, I can ride how I want and try to give it my all. This is my only chance to fight for the championship.
“Today, I made a big mistake at the start: I forgot to deactivate the lowering device, and I took turns 2, 3, 4, and 5 with the device active. I'm focused on managing myself. Otherwise, Ducati is doing a great job, and today we saw that the bike works."
Bezzecchi is also struggling with pain from a knee injury and a collarbone break, and was similarly pragmatic at a circuit where he wasn’t expecting to be competitive.
The Aprilia rider said: "It was a fantastic weekend. We struggled a lot here last year; I knew it would be a tough track, but we worked really hard. Two races where I gave it my all and managed to bring home the best."
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Friday 04.09.26
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