Marquez needed stitches on his chin and suffered bruising after a crash on Friday Marc Marquez extended his lead in the MotoGP world championship standings with victory in the Dutch MotoGP despite starting on the second row in Assen. The Spaniard, 32, who also won Saturday's sprint race after recovering from two crashes in practice, finished clear of Aprilia's Marco Bezzecchi. His Ducati team-mate Francesco Bagnaia, who had been chasing a fourth consecutive win at the Dutch track, was third. Marquez's younger brother Alex, who is his closest rival in the standings, fractured his hand in a crash with Pedro Acosta. The 29-year-old, who is now 68 points behind his older brother, jumped back to his feet but was gingerly holding his wrist as he was biked back to the pit lane and was taken to the medical centre for a check-up. "I am sorry for Alex, my father says he injured a finger, but racing is like this," said Marc. "Of course I am super happy with the job the team did on Friday [after the crashes] and all weekend, amazing weekend. "Assen is not one of my best tracks." Although it was Bagnaia who made the best start, Marquez moved into second on the second lap and passed his team-mate on the fifth lap. He set the fastest race lap at the halfway mark of the 26-lap race and went on to claim his sixth victory of the season to move him level with the legendary Giacomo Agostini on 68 elite wins, but still 21 adrift of Valentino Rossi. The next race weekend is in Germany on 12-13 July and will mark the mid-point of the 22-race season.
Marc Marquez wins in Assen as brother Alex crashes
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"Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch MotoGP as Brother Alex Suffers Injury"
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TruthLens AI Summary
Marc Marquez secured a significant victory at the Dutch MotoGP in Assen, extending his lead in the MotoGP world championship standings. Despite starting from the second row, the 32-year-old Spaniard showcased his resilience after recovering from two crashes during practice, which left him with stitches on his chin and some bruising. Marquez's performance was outstanding, as he not only won the main race but also claimed victory in the sprint race held on Saturday. He finished ahead of Marco Bezzecchi from Aprilia, who took second place, while his Ducati teammate Francesco Bagnaia, who was aiming for a fourth consecutive win at the Dutch track, finished in third place. This victory marked Marquez's sixth win of the season, putting him level with the legendary Giacomo Agostini for elite wins, though he remains 21 victories behind Valentino Rossi.
The race was marred by a crash involving Marquez's younger brother, Alex, who is also his closest rival in the championship standings. Alex suffered a hand fracture after colliding with Pedro Acosta, leaving him 68 points behind Marc in the championship. Although he managed to get back on his feet following the incident, he was seen gingerly holding his wrist as he was taken to the medical center for examination. Marc expressed his concern for his brother, acknowledging the risks involved in racing. He praised his team's efforts throughout the weekend, particularly after the challenges faced during practice. Looking ahead, the next race weekend is scheduled for July 12-13 in Germany, which will serve as the midpoint of the 22-race season, with Marquez continuing to build on his lead in the championship standings.
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