Marc Marquez has taken control of the MotoGP championship after a dramatic San Marino Grand Prix, winning at Misano as key rivals Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin suffered costly setbacks.
The victory moved Marquez level with Martin on 274 points, but his greater number of wins puts him ahead in the championship standings with the season entering a crucial stage.
Marquez’s path to victory became clearer on the opening lap when polesitter Bezzecchi crashed out at Turn 12. The Aprilia rider had started strongly and was determined to keep Marquez behind, but lost control while pushing to defend his position.
The mistake ended Bezzecchi’s race and handed Marquez a major advantage in the title fight.
Martin initially looked capable of challenging for the win. The Aprilia rider moved into second before making an aggressive move on Marquez into Turn 4 to briefly take the lead.
However, his pace soon began to fade. Martin eventually dropped to fifth after struggling with severe arm pump, preventing him from maintaining the pace needed to fight at the front.
While Marquez capitalised on the chaos, his brother Alex Marquez produced one of the performances of the race. After a difficult Saturday, the Gresini Ducati rider fought his way through the field to finish second, giving the Marquez brothers a memorable 1-2.
Source: Motorsport Week
It was the first time the brothers had finished first and second in a race this season and added another memorable chapter to their MotoGP rivalry.
Pedro Acosta completed the podium for KTM after starting seventh, continuing his strong form despite another difficult weekend for the Austrian manufacturer. Fermin Aldeguer finished fourth for Gresini, while Raul Fernandez claimed sixth for Trackhouse.
Fabio Di Giannantonio and Enea Bastianini followed in seventh and eighth, with Luca Marini and Fabio Quartararo completing the top 10.
For Aprilia, however, its home race ended in disappointment. Bezzecchi’s early crash and Martin’s fifth-place finish meant none of the manufacturer’s four bikes reached the podium. It was only the second time this season that Aprilia failed to score a podium finish across its four entries.
Francesco Bagnaia also retired from the race, while only 14 riders reached the chequered flag.
The result leaves Marquez with the momentum in the championship battle. After starting the weekend level with Martin, he now holds the advantage thanks to his superior win tally.
With Martin facing questions over his arm pump problem and Bezzecchi losing valuable points at Misano, Marquez has emerged from a chaotic weekend in Italy with more than just another race victory. He now has the championship lead and the psychological advantage heading into the final stages of the season.
