Sometimes, strange coincidences catch our attention, and the most fortuitous of them even lead to conspiracy theories. Today, I wanted to talk to you about a kind of anomaly that has been occurring in MotoGP since 2023, and which links two friends, Marco Bezzecchi and Pecco Bagnaia. Indeed, as incredible as it may seem, every time "Bez" won on Sunday, his compatriot crashed!
Together, we'll revisit all the races where this happened, and there are quite a few, actually! Indeed, it would be rather insignificant if Bezzecchi only had one or two victories, but with six wins, he ranks among the most frequently victorious drivers of the 21st century. The strangeness of this coincidence is underscored by the relationship between the two drivers: more than friends, they are practically brothers. who grew up together on the benches of the VR46 Academyand who have always maintained very good relations even when they were teammates at VR46 in Moto2.
The decisive pass
The first of these occurrences dates back to Marco Bezzecchi's first victory in MotoGP, during the 2023 Argentine Grand Prix. Then at Ducati VR46, the Italian made short work of the competition, but if you remember that wet race, Pecco Bagnaia, third, was climbing back up the standings before crashing. A small assist that facilitated Bezzecchi's victory, and he wasn't going to complain about it.
Marco Bezzecchi has aged well since then. Photo: Michelin Motorsport
A controversial clash
What makes this topic even crazier is that all of Bagnaia's crashes that I'm about to mention are significant, both for him personally and for the world championship. During the 2023 French Grand Prix, while battling for the world title with Brad Binder and Marco Bezzecchi, Pecco Bagnaia had a violent collision with Maverick Viñales in the Esses Bleus. In hindsight, it was a racing incident, but it frankly helped Bezzecchi to clinch the victory because Bagnaia was a threat on French soil.
The fall that should not have been committed
Well, for the third time, there was no debate: in India, on the Buddh circuit, which we haven't visited since 2023, Marco Bezzecchi was far superior. Perhaps it was a question of setup or adapting to the hot conditions, but "Bez" wasn't playing in the same league as his rivals that weekend. After crashing in the Sprint – hit by his teammate Luca Marini at the start –, Bezzecchi took his revenge on Sunday by winning one of the most dominated races in MotoGP history – + 8,6 s at the finish. Behind, then in the thick of the battle for the world title, Pecco Bagnaia crashed, giving Jorge Martin, who also performed very well in this Indian meet, another chance.
Bezzecchi and Bagnaia, two sides of the same coin
Fate is cruel, in MotoGP as elsewhere. For these two brothers, this has rarely been truer than at the 2025 British Grand Prix. Bagnaia, who could still dream of a title fight, seemed to be in a good position following the crash of the two Marquez brothers in the opening laps. But the appearance of red flags at the side of the track dampened his enthusiasm: a restart, he had to begin all over again. And, you guessed it, in the second race, he was the one who crashed, with no chance to recover. On the other side, Bezzecchi seemed headed for a certain second place, while Fabio Quartararo was cruising towards his first victory since the 2022 German GP. But fate decided otherwise: the Frenchman's Yamaha betrayed him, handing the victory to Bezzecchi. Marc Marquez finished third. Bagnaia now had no chance of competing for the crown.
It must be said that among world champions, Pecco Bagnaia has one of the highest rates of falls.
By forcing it too much
The 2025 Portuguese Grand Prix was forgettable, I grant you that. However, it was one of Marco Bezzecchi's best performances of his career, as he managed to hold off Alex Marquez and Pedro Acosta after being dropped the previous day during the Sprint. Basically, the "Bez" escaped and never looked back.Behind him was Bagnaia, pushing hard to secure fourth place in what has been a disappointing end to the season. Once again, he ended his race prematurely, in the gravel.
Definitely
A week later, the 2025 Valencian Community Grand Prix, the last of the year, took place. Pecco Bagnaia, who had one of the best races of his life here in 2023, He had no hopes, his end of the year was so disastrous. He just wanted it to be over. His wish came sooner than expected, as Johann Zarco took him down in the opening moments. Season over, and that was just as well for a rider exhausted by a nightmarish season. On the other side, Bezzecchi dispatched his main rivals – notably Alex Marquez and Pedro Acosta – and won quite comfortably on Sunday.
Did you notice this strange coincidence? Tell me in the comments!
Marco Bezzecchi gave a real lesson in France during the 2023 season. Photo: Michelin Motorsport
Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport
