MotoGP: Alex Rins beats Alex Marquez at Aragon to become eighth different winner in 2020

Alex Rins overcame the challenge of Alex Marquez to secure his first victory of the 2020 MotoGP season at Aragon.

Rins not only becomes the eighth different winner of this spectacular campaign, but he’s also the eighth different winner in the last eight races. 

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The Suzuki rider made a fantastic start from 10th on grid and was fourth by the end of the opening lap. On lap eight he passed Maverick Vinales for the lead of the race and looked to pull the pin.

Unable to get away, Rins had to contend with the threat of teammate Joan Mir and Marquez. The former would close right in on Rins but was unable to put a move on him. Marquez could turn his Honda much tighter around the double apex last corner with the medium front tyre but was given a warning with a couple of laps remaining when he was almost thrown out of his seat. Rins crossed the line first to take his third MotoGP victory by 0.2s.

For Marquez it was another fantastic weekend. The Spaniard secured back-to-back podiums and his best-ever result in the premier class. He can now say that he has achieved a podium in wet and dry conditions. 

Mir completed the podium and now leads the championship for the first time – the first Suzuki rider to do so since Kenny Roberts Jr in 2000. Despite not winning a race, Mir has been the most consistent rider overall. He’s taken five podiums in the last seven races and has a six-point advantage over Fabio Quartararo – who endured a nightmare weekend.

The Frenchman suffered two massive crashes, hurting his hip in the process, before struggling with his medium front tyre in the race. Quartararo started from pole but would drop down the order, crossing the line in 18th. 

Vinales finished the race in fourth and is now 12 points adrift of Mir in the standings. Takaaki Nakagami continued his fantastic run of form in fifth for LCR Honda. The Japanese rider is the only rider to have finished inside the top 10 at every race.

Franco Morbidelli was sixth, with Andrea Dovizioso ending the race seventh on the Ducati. After a tough weekend, seventh was a decent result for the Italian. Remarkibly, after all of his problems this season, Dovizioso is only 15 points behind Mir in the title fight. 

Cal Crutchlow was eighth, whilst Jack Miller and Johann Zarco completed the top 10 on their respective Ducati machines. Brad Binder led Red Bull KTM teammate Pol Espargaro home in 11th, with Aleix Espargaro crossing the line in 13th. Iker Lecouna and Danilo Petrucci were the final point scorers. Francesco Bagnaia crashed out of the race on the third lap.

MotoGP returns to Aragon this weekend for the Teruel Grand Prix.