Marc Márquez accidentally hands over the lead to his brother.

BarcelonaEverything seemed set for Marc Márquez's sixth consecutive victory. He had made a great start, escaped his rivals, and was leading the Grand Prix of the Americas alone. But a mistake in the intersecting corners ruined everything, and it couldn't be more appropriate. The Cervera rider fell at Turn 4. Although he was able to get back on track, his Ducati had suffered too much damage and he ultimately had to retire. This was great news that paved the way for Pecco Bagnaia to victory and allowed Àlex Márquez, second in the standings, to lead the MotoGP World Championship for the first time.

Everything could have been different if rain had made an appearance during the race. It conditioned the Moto2 race, and then stopped. The asphalt was soaked beforehand and was drying out. The riders had to choose whether to start with intermediate tires and change them after a few laps or take the risk with ready-made tires. Just as the race was about to start, Marc Márquez started racing and decided to change bikes to compete on the dry track. Many followed him. The marshals saw the grid almost empty and cancelled the start procedure. A few minutes later, the lights went out, the track drier, and everyone with slicks.

Marc Márquez's unforced error changes everything

With Marc Márquez leading and a comfortable lead of over a second, it looked like it would be a placid race and that Bagnaia and Àlex Márquez would have to settle for fighting for the second step of the podium. The crash changed everything. It was an unforced error for the six-time premier-class champion. He was aware of it, and the sour face he had when he came back into the pits after retiring was evidence of it.

Thus, MotoGP was preparing for a new winner. Until now, Álex Márquez had kept Pecco at bay, but in Austin things were different. The Italian had the better pace and, after a few unsuccessful attempts, managed to achieve a lead that would prove decisive. In the end, with Bagnaia crossing the finish line alone, Álex Márquez was able to defend second place against the threats of Fabio Di Giannantonio.

Alex Marquez (Ducati Desmosedici GP24) thus becomes the new leader with 87 points, one more than his brother Marc (Ducati Desmosedici GP25), who has 85. The winner is Bagnaia (Ducati5) Qatar.