Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1534836
Sunday MotoGP Race Quartararo launched from pole, with Bagnaia moving into sec- ond from third on the grid. Marc Marquez didn't get the start he wanted and settled into third. Bagnaia pressured Quartararo early but backed off, while Alex Marquez nearly collided with his brother at turn six after getting sucked into the slipstream off the back straight but recovered to hold fourth. In the stadium section, Marc Marquez briefly passed Bagnaia at turn nine, only for Bagnaia to fight back at turn 10 with slight contact between the two Duca - tis, ultimately keeping second. Drama struck on lap three when Marc Marquez crashed out of third at turn eight, causing a massive roar from the stadium rious challenge, and Morbidelli dropped further back, setting the podium positions. No late mistakes emerged, and in front of more than 100,000 fans at Jerez, Marc Marquez claimed his fifth straight Tissot Sprint win. Alex Marquez finished second, while Bagnaia settled for third ahead of Morbidelli. Aldeguer impressed with fifth at home, followed by Fabio Di Giannanto- nio (VR46 Ducati), who held off Maverick Vinales (Red Bull KTM Ajo) for sixth. Vinales crossed the line seventh, ahead of Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) in eighth. Joan Mir (HRC Honda Castrol) secured ninth for Honda, with Pedro Acosta (Red Bull Factory KTM) rounding out the top 10. YAMAHA SEES V4 AS "THE WAY" While he has yet to test Yamaha's new V4 engine, Fabio Quartararo is already convinced that is the way of development the Japanese factory must follow for 2026 and beyond. Test riders Cal Crutchlow and Augusto Fernandez tested an early version of the new engine configuration at a private test in Valencia after the Qatar GP. And while it was much too early to assess its competitiveness, Quartararo feels he needs a V4 to compete with the Ducati domi- nance. "Already next year for me, the way is the V4," he said. "We're riding completely different to the others. There are five manufactur- ers. Four have the V4. The way it's affecting us, clearly we have to go with the V4." The French- man also mentioned his decision to stay with Yamaha beyond 2026 will depend on its speed. "For my future, it will be important to see how is the bike for next year." RIVOLA RAILS AT QATAR CURBS Massimo Rivola was critical of the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar after Jorge Martin suf- fered 11 fractures in his ribs in his comeback ride. The reigning champ faces another lengthy spell on the sidelines, and Rivola feels the curbs on the exit of turn 13, which are raised and brought in for Formula One's first race at the track, were to blame. "I think, hon- estly, when you race in the same track as Formula One, it's difficult. I remembered it was a nice battle in the past when I was in F1 with [ex-Race Director] Charlie Whiting because I felt that putting asphalt Briefly... ROUND 5 / APRIL 25-27, 2025 CIRCUITO DE JEREZ – ANGEL NIETO / JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA, SPAIN ROAD RACE I FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP P84