Alex Marquez Apologizes After Two Crashes at Le Mans: Detailed Explanation of the Mistake

The 2025 French MotoGP at Le Mans proved to be a pivotal and punishing weekend for Alex Marquez, who not only saw his points-scoring streak come to a dramatic halt, but also suffered a double crash that reshaped the championship dynamics. After a brilliant run of consistency across the early part of the season, the Gresini Ducati rider was the last man standing in terms of scoring in every round—until Sunday’s chaos intervened.

French MotoGP turns treacherous at Le Mans

The sprint race on Saturday had already delivered a plot twist when Francesco Bagnaia crashed out, relinquishing vital championship points and breaking his own streak. This left Alex Marquez as the only rider to have scored in every round leading into the French Grand Prix. However, even that admirable run wasn’t immune to the unpredictable weather and race conditions that plagued Sunday’s main event.

Following the sprint, where Marc Marquez pipped Alex to second place and reclaimed the championship lead, both brothers found themselves in the thick of strategy calls and bike swaps as the weather turned volatile during Sunday’s main race. They were among the 13 riders who opted to dive into the pits for their dry bike setups during the sighting lap of the race restart—an aggressive call that eventually backfired.

Risk vs. reward: The pit lane strategy gamble

Alex Marquez stood by his and the team’s decision to switch to dry bikes early, even though it ultimately cost him a better finish and championship points. “We did the best strategy for our championship,” he told MotoGP.com. “The winner did another strategy that worked out better, but it was too risky in the moment that we are in.”

His approach, focusing on minimizing risk rather than chasing outright victory in unstable conditions, was logical in the broader scope of a long championship. Yet, in the end, fortune didn’t favor the cautious. As rain intensified once again, a second round of bike swaps was required, forcing Alex to serve a double long lap penalty for the earlier change and compromising his position.

The first crash: A costly highside from podium contention

Despite the setbacks from pit lane strategy, Alex clawed his way back into podium contention and was running a comfortable third behind runaway leader Johann Zarco and his brother Marc. However, with just over half a dozen laps to go, disaster struck.

“The two crashes, especially the first one, hurts me a little bit,” Alex admitted. “I was really comfortable in third position. Maybe I relaxed a little bit, I went in slower and put a little bit more lean angle to turn the bike and suddenly, I lost the rear.”

The highside at Turn 11 was sudden and brutal. Though he quickly got to his feet, his Ducati was visibly damaged, missing aero components and a shattered windscreen. Despite this, he rejoined the race in sixth place—a gritty effort that showed his resilience.

Second fall ends Alex’s day in heartbreak

Any hope of salvaging decent points vanished just a few laps later. Riding an impaired bike, Alex Marquez suffered another crash as he attempted to defend sixth. “The second crash, I just need to say sorry to the team,” he reflected. “I went in too hot with a bike that was really damaged.”

He added: “The positives are many this weekend, but we cannot lose points like this.” His frustration was clear—not just over the fall itself, but the missed opportunity to consolidate his strong championship start.

How the Turn 11 crash unfolded

Expanding on the incident, Alex explained how a mix of optimism and poor communication contributed to the mistake: “I did two laps in easy mode and when I tried to push a little bit, to secure that sixth position, I was a little bit too hot.”

With no front winglets and a compromised chassis, the bike wasn’t offering the same feedback or grip. “I rode a bit too optimistic for how the bike was, with no wings,” he said. “So we need to control in that moment, we need to be clearer also with the team with the board.”

It’s a learning moment for the Gresini squad—fine margins in wet-dry conditions, combined with real-time decisions, can make or break a weekend.

Championship picture shifts yet again

Despite the disappointment, Alex remains firmly in the hunt. His misfortune was offset by Francesco Bagnaia’s own crash on Sunday, meaning the reigning champion lost even more ground. Alex now finds himself 29 points clear of the factory Ducati ace and still within striking distance of the leaders.

However, Marc Marquez strengthened his position by scoring a second place in the sprint and a resilient ride on Sunday, despite not winning either race. Alex’s 22-point deficit to his brother remains manageable, but the younger Marquez knows he’ll need clean weekends from here on out to keep his title hopes alive.

Fermin Aldeguer makes headlines with podium finish

While the drama unfolded around the Marquez brothers, rookie sensation Fermin Aldeguer capitalized in stunning fashion. With late-race pace and smart tire management, the Boscoscuro graduate surged past Pedro Acosta to claim a well-earned third-place finish—his first podium in the premier class.

Aldeguer’s performance highlighted the growing depth of talent in MotoGP’s current field, and while the spotlight was largely on the chaotic strategies and falls, his late pass didn’t go unnoticed.

Alex Marquez: Resilience and responsibility

Although the double crash cost him dearly, Alex Marquez remains upbeat about his future prospects and more focused on long-term growth than short-term loss. “All this will make us stronger for the future,” he emphasized, signaling that despite the heartbreak at Le Mans, the season is far from over.

Riding with both aggression and maturity, Alex has proven that he belongs in the conversation for this year’s title fight. With Gresini Ducati giving him competitive machinery, and if he can fine-tune his race management and communication under pressure, there’s no reason why he can’t bounce back stronger at the next round.

Looking ahead: Recovery and redemption

The next few rounds will be critical for Alex Marquez. As the series heads to circuits with less weather uncertainty and more technical demands, his ability to regroup and stay mentally strong will be tested. He’ll need clean, mistake-free weekends, not just to stay in the championship conversation, but to rebuild the momentum that had made him one of the early revelations of the 2025 season.

Despite the heavy fall at Le Mans—both literally and in the standings—Alex Marquez has every reason to remain confident. He has the pace, the team support, and the growing experience to make this year his most successful yet.

Conclusion: One bad weekend doesn’t define a season

The 2025 French MotoGP may go down as a missed opportunity for Alex Marquez, but it also serves as a reminder of the fine margins that define this championship. In just one race, fortunes shifted dramatically—Bagnaia crashed again, Marc made gains, Aldeguer stepped onto the podium, and Alex learned hard lessons about risk and resilience.

With 29 points now separating him from Bagnaia, and only 22 points to make up on Marc, the Gresini rider is still very much in the fight. The challenge now is to turn heartbreak into hunger, and return to the kind of consistent form that made him the season’s most dependable scorer—until Le Mans.