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Marquez 1-2 as Marc extends lead in Aragon MotoGP stroll / Photo: LLUIS GENE - AFP
NYSE - LSE
Marquez 1-2 as Marc extends lead in Aragon MotoGP stroll
Six-time world champion Marc Marquez eased to victory over his younger brother Alex in the Aragon MotoGP on Sunday to extend his lead in this season's title race.
Marc Marquez led from start to finish on his Ducati to record his seventh win in this race from 11 starts and his fourth victory of the campaign.
He leads Alex by 32 points after eight of the 22 race programme with two-time world champion Francesco Bagnaia, who was third, 93 points adrift.
The two brothers got off their bikes halfway round the victory lap and jumped into each other's arms, though, unable to kiss as they still had their helmets on.
Marc Marquez got a great start leading Alex, but the other front row sitter Franco Morbidelli fell well back to seventh spot, whilst Bagnaia shot through from the second row to take third spot.
Bagnaia turned the pressure on Alex Marquez but after a while he dropped off and was trading third and fourth places with Pedro Acosta over the opening few laps.
Indeed the Marquez brothers opened a gap back to Bagnaia, Acosta, Brad Binder and Morbidelli, who had recovered a bit from his sluggish start.
With a third of the race gone Marc Marquez had opened a lead of over a second on his brother and it was Alex who was under pressure with three riders, Bagnaia, Acosta and Binder, queuing up behind him.
By halfway Marc Marquez posted the fastest lap thus far and extended his lead to over two seconds.
It was also the moment that South African rider Binder's hopes of recording his best result of a poor campaign were dashed as he slid off.
His KTM boss Aki Ajo jumped down from his vantage point and wrung his hands in frustration.
The race began to take its toll as 2021 world champion Fabio Quartararo also went off whilst contesting ninth spot.
His fellow French rider Johann Zarco's hopes of a third successive podium finish had ended a bit earlier.
Whilst up front was becoming a bit of a procession the more exciting tussle was between Morbidelli and rookie Fermin Aldeguer for fifth and sixth spots.
Both gave no quarter, rubbing elbows as they vied to get the better of each other and it was Morbidelli who eventually prevailed after a final dig into Aldehguer's ribs on the penultimate lap.
T. MacDonald--SMC
