MotoGP has seen some great moments in Aragon over the years, whether it’s a classic battle with Valentino Rossi or Marc Marquez pulling off an impressive victory from fifth on the grid.
Motorland Aragon first hosted a Grand Prix in 2010, becoming the sixth different circuit that has been used for MotoGP racing in Spain, alongside Jerez, Catalunya, Jarama, Montjuich, and Valencia.
Designed by Hermann Tilke, the 3.1 mile track has 17 corners, while the Aragon Grand Prix features 23 laps on the current MotoGP calendar.
It has seen some classic races and MotoGP News has decided to take a look at some of the best out of the bunch.
1. Casey Stoner wins on the way to second title – 2011
Casey Stoner took an utterly dominant second win in a row at Aragon on the way to his second MotoGP title in 2011.
Despite being beaten off the line by Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa and Ben Spies, the Australian would come out of the first lap in the lead and stretched his advantage to over eight seconds on Pedrosa.
Stoner’s victory not only put him on his way in the title battle, but it was also the 100th win for Honda and main sponsor Repsol in the top class.
2. Dani Pedrosa vs Valentino Rossi – 2015
The late race scrap between Dani Pedrosa and Valentino Rossi has to be one of the most iconic MotoGP moments.
Pedrosa had led most of the race but came under pressure from Rossi early on in the race, with him having to hang on for 15 laps.
With five laps remaining, Rossi began to make a pass, but Pedrosa could respond defensively each time. The pair came close to exchanging position, before on the final lap, Rossi made a lunge for the lead and passed him for Turn 7.
The pair crossed the line separated by just 0.090 seconds, making it one of the closest finishes at the circuit.
3. Marc Marquez wins from fifth on the grid – 2017
Marc Marquez is known for producing masterclass rides and the 2017 edition of the Aragon Grand Prix was no different.
Recovering from a crash in qualifying, Marquez started from fifth on the grid. Despite having a slow start, he profited from polesitter Maverick Vinales running wide on the opening lap.
Six laps into the race and he made his way past Andrea Dovizioso, then would catch up to Jorge Lorenzo for good measure. Marquez would then cruise past Rossi and Lorenzo at Turn 12 with an audacious move around the outside.
It effectively sealed the victory for Marquez, for what would be his third victory out of six overall at the circuit.
4. Marc Marquez vs Andrea Dovizioso – 2018
The 2018 running would see another win from Marquez, but not without a fight from Dovizioso. Poleman Jorge Lorenzo crashed out in the opening laps in a nasty shunt, while Marquez chased Dovizioso when they restarted.
Both Andrea Iannone and Alex Rins got in on the action, but Marquez managed to pass the Yamaha rider and fend off both Suzukis.
They crossed the line with less than a second between them, with Marquez picking up his fourth win on the way to his second MotoGP title.
5. Francesco Bagnaia’s maiden win – 2021
Marquez would get himself into another battle in 2021, only this time with Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia. Under pressure from Marquez in the opening stages of the race, Bagnaia managed to fend off the Spaniard.
It turned into a great head-to-head scrap between the pair, with Marquez attacking Bagnaia in the final three laps of the race.
After a brilliant duel on the final lap, the Ducati rider was able to hang on to take his first MotoGP win with a gap of just 0.673s at the line.
