Marc Marquez wins Argentina MotoGP sprint as Zarco shines for Honda

Marc Marquez dominates the Argentina MotoGP sprint, while Johann Zarco gives Honda hope with a strong fourth-place finish.

Marc Marquez of Spain and Ducati Lenovo Team celebrates his first-place finish in the sprint race for the MotoGP of Argentina at Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo on March 15, 2025, in Rio Hondo, Argentina. Photo by Gold & Goose/LAT Images

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

Marc Marquez continued his impressive start to the 2025 MotoGP season by winning the Argentina Grand Prix sprint race. The Ducati-Lenovo rider, fresh from his victory in Thailand, secured pole position and controlled the 12-lap sprint from start to finish at the Termas de Río Hondo Circuit. His dominant performance underlined his status as the championship favorite.

Meanwhile, Johann Zarco gave Honda a much-needed boost by qualifying third, marking the manufacturer’s first front-row start since the 2023 Italian Grand Prix. The LCR Honda rider showed strong pace throughout the weekend, raising hopes that Honda could be competitive again in MotoGP after struggling in recent seasons.

A dramatic start in mixed conditions

The sprint race began in tricky conditions as a light drizzle made the track slippery. Marquez took full advantage of his pole position, launching into the lead at the first corner, followed closely by his younger brother, Alex Marquez, on the Gresini Ducati. Francesco Bagnaia, the reigning champion, slotted into third, while Zarco struggled off the line and dropped to sixth.

Behind the leading group, Pedro Acosta and Fabio Quartararo battled fiercely, while Brad Binder suffered an early crash that ended his race. The KTM rider’s exit was a blow to his team’s hopes of challenging Ducati at the front.

Zarco fights back as Marquez extends his lead

Despite losing ground at the start, Zarco quickly found his rhythm. By mid-race, he had fought his way back to fifth, overtaking Acosta with a clean move. At the front, Bagnaia was closing in on Alex Marquez, hoping to mount a challenge for second place, but Marc Marquez had already built a comfortable gap.

Drama unfolded on lap five when Fermin Aldeguer and Miguel Oliveira collided, both crashing out at high speed. Aldeguer was able to continue, but Oliveira was taken to the medical center with a suspected collarbone injury.

With three laps remaining, Marc Marquez held a 0.7-second lead over his younger brother, while Bagnaia remained in third. Zarco, now in fourth, set the fastest lap of the race as he tried to reel in Bagnaia and secure a podium finish.

Marquez triumphs as Zarco impresses

In the final laps, Marc Marquez controlled the pace to cross the finish line first, securing his second consecutive sprint race victory. Alex Marquez finished second, making it a double podium for the Marquez family, while Bagnaia defended third place against Zarco’s late charge.

Despite missing out on the podium, Zarco’s fourth-place finish was a significant achievement for Honda. His strong qualifying and race pace signaled that the Japanese manufacturer is beginning to recover after two difficult seasons.

Behind Zarco, Fabio Di Giannantonio secured fifth place, followed by Marco Bezzecchi and Franco Morbidelli. Joan Mir recovered from a slow start to finish eighth, ahead of Acosta and Quartararo, who endured another tough race on his Yamaha.

Jack Miller and Alex Rins completed the top 12, while Ai Ogura and Maverick Viñales finished outside the points.

Honda takes a step forward in MotoGP 2025

With Zarco’s strong performance and Mir’s solid recovery, Honda moved up to third in the manufacturer standings, behind only Ducati and Aprilia. While the team still has work to do to consistently fight for podiums, the Argentina Grand Prix sprint showed that progress is being made.

The main race on Sunday presents another opportunity for Zarco to challenge for a podium and potentially give Honda its first top-three finish in MotoGP since 2022. As the season progresses, Honda’s revival could add another layer of competition to an already thrilling championship battle.