Marc Marquez claimed a hard-fought victory in the MotoGP San Marino Grand Prix sprint at Misano on Saturday, using an alternate tyre strategy to hold off Marco Bezzecchi in a tense 13-lap race.
Starting from second on the grid, the Ducati rider grabbed the holeshot into Turn 1 and never looked back, though he had to resist late pressure from Aprilia’s Bezzecchi. The win marks Marquez’s sixth sprint victory of the season and the 21st of his career.
Marquez opted for the medium rear tyre while Bezzecchi went with the soft, a decision that proved crucial. “I think the medium was the right choice for this race,” Marquez said. “I could control the gap and respond to the pressure.”
Bezzecchi finished second, his best sprint result of the season, and now sits just 22 points behind his Aprilia teammate Jorge Martin, who completed the podium in third. Martin also chose the medium rear and had to work his way past VR46 Ducati’s Fabio Di Giannantonio on lap seven.
Di Giannantonio was fourth ahead of Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez and KTM’s Pedro Acosta. Raul Fernandez was seventh on the Trackhouse Aprilia, while Fermin Aldeguer, who started third, dropped to eighth. Luca Marini scored the final point in ninth for Honda, with LCR’s Johann Zarco completing the top ten.
There was drama further back as Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo crashed out while attempting to pass LCR’s Diogo Moreira at Turn 14 on lap three, finishing last. Pecco Bagnaia’s difficult weekend continued with a 13th-place finish.
With the result, Marquez now trails championship leader Martin by just 14 points, setting up a thrilling main race on Sunday.
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Marc Marquez wins the 2026 San Marino MotoGP sprint at Misano after passing Marco Bezzecchi into Turn 1 and holding off late pressure to take the flag.
Marc Marquez wins Misano Sprint, cuts Jorge Martin's lead to 14 points. MotoGP 2026 standings heat up as Bezzecchi closes in. Full report.
Marc Marquez wins MotoGP Misano Sprint 2026, cutting Jorge Martin's lead to 14 points. Check the latest standings and analysis.
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