Bagnaia Claims First 2025 Win at Chaotic COTA

Ducati drama unfolds as Marc crashes from the dominant lead while brother Alex takes the championship lead in a wild race featuring an aborted start.

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Francesco Bagnaia secured his maiden victory of the 2025 MotoGP season in a dramatic Grand Prix of the Americas, capitalizing on Marc Marquez’s crash from the lead. The race was overshadowed by an aborted start that saw riders scrambling to switch bikes as rain threatened the Circuit of the Americas.

Marquez, who had dominated Saturday’s sprint race, looked poised to extend his perfect 2025 record after building a two-second lead. But his race unravelled on Lap 9 when he clipped too much curb at Turn 4, sending his factory Ducati into the gravel. The mistake handed Bagnaia a clear path to victory, which he secured by 2.089 seconds over Alex Marquez – who now leads the championship by one point over his brother.

The pre-race chaos began when light rain prompted most riders to start on wets, though Brad Binder, Enea Bastianini and Ai Ogura gambled on slicks. Pole-sitter Marc Marquez then triggered mass confusion by abandoning his grid position to switch to a dry bike, forcing race officials to abort the start.

When the shortened 19-lap race finally got underway, Marquez initially stretched his lead before Bagnaia fought past Alex Marquez for second. The Italian’s patience paid off when Marquez’s uncharacteristic error gifted him the win.

Alex Marquez held off Fabio Di Giannantonio for second, with Franco Morbidelli completing the top four. Jack Miller earned Yamaha’s best result in fifth, while Marco Bezzecchi charged from 13th to sixth. 

The race proved costly for several contenders, including Pedro Acosta and Fermin Aldeguer who crashed out, while Maverick Viñales was forced to start from pit lane after a technical issue. Marc Marquez briefly rejoined after his fall but retired with damage on Lap 13. 

With Alex Marquez now leading the standings and Bagnaia closing the gap, the championship battle takes an intriguing turn as MotoGP heads to Europe. The COTA weekend will be remembered for its unprecedented start procedure and the rare sight of Marquez surrendering a commanding lead – proving even legends aren’t immune to Texas’ unpredictable nature.