Alex Marquez 'the clear favourite' at MotoGP Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone after win over brother Marc in Sprint, says Michael Laverty
Published 24/05/2025 at 19:55 GMT+1
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Alex Marquez was in impressive form as he beat his older brother Marc to the Sprint race victory at the Grand Prix of Great Britain on Saturday afternoon, and Michael Laverty tipped the younger man to win Sunday's full-length race, too. Speaking to TNT Sports, Laverty suggested that Marco Bezzecchi may also emerge as a surprise rival to the in-form Spaniard.
'Alex is the clear favourite' - Laverty predicts Marquez to win Grand Prix Great Britain race
Video credit: TNT Sports
Alex Marquez is the "clear favourite" for Sunday’s Grand Prix of Great Britain, but Marco Bezzecchi is a surprise contender, reckons TNT Sports' Michael Laverty.
Gresini BK8 rider Marquez won the Sprint race on Saturday with another impressive display, denying his Ducati Lenovo rival and brother, Marc, a seventh victory in the abridged format this season.
The older brother ended in second spot, while Aprilia’s Bezzecchi finished strongly to grab fourth place.
Marc continues to lead the world championship standings, but the gap over his younger sibling has been reduced from 22 points to 19 ahead of Sunday’s race, shown live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the race, Laverty credited the winning rider for a measured performance.
He said: "He [Alex] been confident from the outset, but the composure he showed in the race, to have the pressure from Marc, and just keep chipping away at those lap times. You could see the gap going up on his pitboard.
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"He controlled it. In the end, a comfortable victory. Again, he won here comfortably in the wet. He was just so good, those fast right-handers [were] really working for him."
Alongside Laverty, Sylvain Guintoli thought the win was crucial for the younger man to lay down a marker in the race for the world championship.
He explained: "For Marc, it was a difficult race. He was aggressive at the start, but he paid for it at the end. Alex Marquez was really, really strong today.
"Such an important race for Alex. This is the first time he beat Marc. Basically, he was the faster rider today."
Guintoli added that Francesco Bagnaia, the other Ducati Lenovo rider, had similarly found it tough as he came in sixth despite starting on the front row.
He said "Yep, same again. Same as Marc, actually. Really dropping at the end of the race, dropping the pace. He became really vulnerable there.
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'Look at that!' - Marc Marquez runs wide as Alex takes lead of Grand Prix Great Britain Sprint
Video credit: TNT Sports
"At the end of the race, he had nothing left."
Laverty suggested that Bezzecchi’s late showing hinted that he could be in contention to rival Alex Marquez for full points on Sunday.
"If we get enough temperature tomorrow, Bezzecchi can use that hard front, he could have a real shot at the victory," he said. "He could challenge Alex Marquez."
However, when quizzed on who he was tipping as favourite, he backed Alex Marquez to repeat Saturday’s success.
He replied: "Yeah, I believe so. Yesterday, he crashed and then he put the medium back in. He was able to take a lap, activate it, and then really push on.
"I think he’s definitely able to use that tyre, and the speed he had today puts him as the clear favourite."
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