Marc Marquez secured his 90th career win at the 2025 Argentina MotoGP, narrowly edging out his younger brother Alex Marquez in a nail-biting finish.
The race, held at the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit on March 16th saw the Marquez brothers dominate the proceedings, with Marc ultimately emerging victorious after a hard-fought battle that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the very end.
The 2025 Argentina MotoGP weekend started with Marc Marquez showcasing his exceptional form by qualifying on pole position, setting a new all-time lap record at the Argentine circuit.
The impressive performance shattered his previous benchmark set back in 2014, demonstrating the eight-time world champion’s continued prowess on two wheels.
Marc’s dominance also extended to the sprint race, where he managed to keep his younger sibling at bay, winning by just under a second. However, Sunday’s main event proved to be a far more challenging affair for the elder Marquez.
Despite starting from pole position and being the overwhelming favorite to complete a 2025 Argentina MotoGP weekend hat-trick, Marc found himself in a fierce battle with his brother Alex Marquez, who was determined to claim his first MotoGP grand prix win.
Marquez brothers battle for 2025 Argentina MotoGP victory
The drama unfolded early in the race when Marc Marquez made an uncharacteristic error on the fourth lap, dropping out of the lead and allowing Alex to take control of the proceedings. This mistake set the stage for an intense sibling rivalry that would last for the majority of the 25-lap race.
Alex, riding for the Gresini Ducati team, showcased his own considerable talent by leading for an impressive 16 laps, keeping his more experienced brother at bay and demonstrating that he is a force to be reckoned with in the premier class.
As the laps ticked away, the tension mounted, with Marc Marquez relentlessly pursuing his younger brother. The factory Ducati rider’s determination paid off on lap 21 when he finally managed to reclaim the lead.
Once in front, Marc’s experience and speed came to the fore as he quickly established a gap, crossing the finish line to win the 2025 Argentina MotoGP, 1.3 seconds ahead of Alex.
This victory was particularly significant for Marc Marquez, as it marked his 90th career win across all classes, placing him joint-third on the all-time Grand Prix winners list alongside the legendary Angel Nieto.
Only Giacomo Agostini and Valentino Rossi now stand ahead of Marquez in terms of total victories, further cementing his status as one of the greatest motorcycle racers in history.
The win also extended Marc’s lead in the 2025 MotoGP World Championship standings, with his advantage over second-placed Alex Marquez now stretching to 16 points.
Morbidelli ends podium drought
While the Marquez brothers stole the show, the battle for the final podium position provided plenty of excitement further down the field. VR46 Ducati’s Franco Morbidelli claimed an impressive third place, marking his first grand prix podium finish since the 2021 Spanish GP.
Morbidelli’s performance was particularly noteworthy given his challenging qualifying session, which saw him start from eighth on the grid after coming through Q1.
Morbidelli’s clever tyre management played a crucial role in his podium finish. Opting for the soft rear tyre while most of the grid chose the medium compound, the Italian rider was able to maintain a strong pace throughout the race.
Although his speed began to fade at mid-distance, Morbidelli had done enough to secure a comfortable third place, holding off the advances of factory Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia.
Bagnaia on the other hand endured a somewhat disappointing 2025 Argentina MotoGP weekend. Despite showing flashes of his usual speed, the Italian was unable to mount a serious challenge for victory and had to settle for fourth place.
This result sees Bagnaia slip to 31 points behind his new teammate Marc Marquez in the championship standings, adding an intriguing dynamic to the Ducati garage for the remainder of the season.
Meanwhile Fabio Di Giannantonio rounded out the top five, securing a solid result for the Pertamina VR46 Ducati team. The Italian rider’s performance, combined with Morbidelli’s podium, highlights the strength of the satellite Ducati squads in the 2025 MotoGP season.
Zarco marks Honda’s return
One of the surprise packages of the weekend was Johann Zarco, who gave Honda its best result in over a year.
Riding for the LCR Honda team, Zarco’s sixth-place finish provided a much-needed boost for the Japanese manufacturer, which has struggled to match the pace of its rivals in recent seasons.
Meanwhile Joan Mir rounded out the top ten on the factory Honda. While this result represents a step forward for the 2020 world champion compared to recent performances, there is still a sense that Mir is yet to fully unlock the potential of the RC213V.
With Honda showing signs of improvement, Mir will be hoping to build on this result and challenge for podium positions in the near future.
The impressive result suggests that Honda’s development efforts may finally be bearing fruit, offering hope for improved performances in the coming races.
More trouble for KTM
KTM’s Brad Binder finished in seventh place, leading the charge for the Austrian manufacturer. However, the overall performance of the KTM team in Argentina left much to be desired, with both factory and satellite riders struggling to make an impact at the sharp end of the field.
The disappointing showing will undoubtedly spur KTM to redouble their efforts as they seek to close the gap to the front-running teams.
The race also saw an impressive performance from rookie Ai Ogura, who initially crossed the line in eighth place. However, the Japanese rider’s joy was short-lived as he was later disqualified due to a technical infringement.
The unfortunate turn of events overshadowed what had been a promising 2025 Argentina MotoGP weekend for the newcomer, who had shown flashes of real potential throughout the practice sessions and the race itself.
Pedro Acosta, another rookie making waves in the premier class, secured a commendable ninth place finish. The young Spaniard continues to adapt well to the demands of MotoGP, consistently scoring points and gaining valuable experience with each passing race.
Yamaha not out of the woods yet
The Yamaha camp endured a challenging 2025 Argentina MotoGP weekend, with both factory riders struggling to make an impact.
Alex Rins and Fabio Quartararo could only manage 12th and 15th places respectively, highlighting the work that still needs to be done to bring the M1 back to the front of the grid.
The team will be looking to regroup and find improvements as the 2025 MotoGP season progresses, with both riders eager to return to the podium-challenging form they have shown in previous years3.
As the MotoGP circus leaves Argentina, attention now turns to the Americas Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
Scheduled for March 28-30, the fourth round of the 2025 MotoGP campaign promises to deliver more thrilling action as the world’s best motorcycle racers continue their battle for supremacy.
2025 Argentina MotoGP Race Results
