Marquez outshines champion brother to win #StayAtHomeGP

Alex Marquez got one over on his MotoGP™ champion brother Marc Marquez with a resounding victory in Sunday's Virtual #StayAtHomeGP.

This year will be Alex Marquez's first in the MotoGP™ ranks, after winning last season's Moto2™ championship, but racing on the track is on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Yet star riders scratched a competitive itch while hunkering down at home by taking part in the console simulation of a six-lap grand prix at Mugello.

The Italian circuit is one where both Marquez brothers have tasted success, with Alex winning in Moto2™ last year and Marc landing a MotoGP™ triumph in 2014 - as well as previous Moto2™ and 125cc victories.

The Marquez siblings are teaming up this year with Repsol Honda, after Jorge Lorenzo's retirement, and will hope to soon be engaging in wheel-to-wheel action.

Sunday's race was every rider for himself nevertheless, and 23-year-old Alex Marquez left his 27-year-old brother standing.

Pramac Ducati rider Francesco 'Pecco' Bagnaia was second, Maverick Vinales took third, and Fabio Quartararo finished fourth, with Marc Marquez down in fifth position.

Dubbed the #StayAtHomeGP by MotoGP™ organisers, the virtual race began dramatically with Quartararo taking out Vinales at the first corner.

Quartararo had started from pole position and he also produced the fastest lap of the race - one minute and 44.454 seconds.

However, at one stage he sat last of all 10 riders and had to settle for a finish just short of the podium places after a surge through the field.

Marquez's margin of victory was an imposing 7.093 seconds.