Marc Marquez’s love affair with Sprint Races met its end at the British Grand Prix as the Ducati star accepted second best behind Alex Marquez of Gresini at Silverstone.
The 32-year-old set a new MotoGP record last time out at the French Grand Prix when Marc Marquez became the first rider to win six Sprints in a row at Le Mans. But he would not find any answer for the speed of Alex Marquez at Silverstone this Saturday, as he won by 3.511s.
Alex Marquez humbled Marc in Silverstone’s fast right-hand corners during the Sprint at the British GP as the 29-year-old pulled away with ease. A mistake by Marc into Village on Lap 2 opened a door for his brother and Alex did not give the six-time champion a chance to reply.
Saturday at Silverstone marked a much bleaker day for Francesco Bagnaia on the other side of the Ducati garage, though. The 28-year-old out-qualified Marc Marquez for the first time since becoming teammates in the 2025 MotoGP season, yet the Italian fell from P3 into P6.
MotoGP fans think Marc Marquez aimed a dig at Francesco Bagnaia after the Silverstone Sprint
Bagnaia appeared to have nothing left in his tyres at the end of the 10-lap Sprint Race at the British GP, as Aprilia ace Marco Bezzecchi and Johann Zarco of LCR Honda both passed him in the closing stages. VR46 star Fabio Di Giannantonio had also overtaken him to claim third.
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Managing the Michelin tyres was crucial to the outcome of the Silverstone Sprint, with Marc Marquez also ruining the right-hand side of the Spaniard’s front tyre trying to stick with Alex Marquez on Saturday. But Marc was not in the mood for excuses for his performance deficit.
“When you try four or five different set-ups and you’re still slow, the problem is you, not the bike,” Marquez said, via quotes by Simon Patterson after the Silverstone Sprint. “Not all the riders understand this. For tomorrow, I have to change my riding style.”
Many MotoGP fans took Marquez’s comment as a dig at his teammate, as Bagnaia has often claimed the Ducati GP25 does not suit his riding style. The two-time champion has struggled to find a positive feeling with the front-end of his bike and also now trails Marc by 56 points.
One fan said: “About time for the shots to start getting fired. He knows Bagnaia is too weak now to rival him and the Ducati Corse King title is his and, as things stand, uncontested.”
The idea that Marquez was aiming a dig at Bagnaia with his comments after coming second in the Silverstone Sprint compared to the Italian’s sixth-place finish was widely shared, with one fan suggesting: “Let the shots be shot!”
Another fan also said: “Clearly hitting the knife to Pecco’s heart.” While another fan claimed: “Must say, Marquez has a point. But, obviously, Pecco has already started trying to change his style, so this can be a joke. But it won’t be sarcasm towards his teammates.”
But while some fans felt Marquez has every reason to try to play mental games with Bagnaia after both struggled in the Silverstone Sprint, one fan questioned: “If it is a dig, why didn’t it start before he was 56 points ahead?”
Another fan also felt Marquez overstepped with his apparent dig at Bagnaia, noting: “What a cheap guy. You’re 56 points clear, why are you even bothered? Pecco has already admitted that it’s him who’s finding it difficult to adapt. And he has nothing but praise for Marc.”
Francesco Bagnaia suffers another blow to his confidence at the British Grand Prix
Alex Marquez’s Silverstone Sprint win cuts Marc’s lead in the 2025 MotoGP riders’ standings down to 19 points between the brothers ahead of the British GP on Sunday. Bagnaia is third, but he now has a deficit to his Ducati teammate larger than scoring two Grand Prix victories.
READ MORE: Everything to know about Francesco Bagnaia from net worth to race number
Starting in front of Marc after Bagnaia made an ‘unusual’ change to his Ducati for qualifying at Silverstone would have boosted the Turin native’s confidence. But any motivation he took in Q2 for the British GP was gone in the Sprint and the 28-year-old could fear the Grand Prix.
Another blow to his confidence was the last thing that the Italian needed, too, after Bagnaia endured a dismal time at the French GP with a crash in the Sprint and only P16 following an error-strewn Grand Prix. It was the first round in which he failed to score any points in 2025.
