Marc Marquez secured a stunning victory at the San Marino and Rimini Riviera MotoGP on Sunday, marking his second consecutive win after a three-year drought in Grand Prix racing. Starting from ninth on the grid, the six-time MotoGP champion surged to the front, finishing ahead of pole-sitter Francesco Bagnaia at the Misano Adriatico circuit.
Marquez’s win has tightened the championship race, as he now sits just 53 points behind fellow Spaniard Jorge Martin, who had a disastrous day after taking a gamble that backfired. Martin, the current championship leader, pitted with 20 laps remaining to switch to rain tyres as light rain began to fall on the “Marco Simoncelli” circuit. However, the rain, expected to intensify, quickly eased, leaving Martin’s strategy in ruins as he struggled to 15th place, picking up just one point.
Martin’s gamble cost him dearly, especially after his dominant performance in Saturday’s sprint race, where he extended his championship lead. The rain tyre switch put him out of contention for the podium and significantly harmed his bid for a maiden MotoGP title.
The main beneficiary of Martin’s misfortune was Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia, who finished second behind Marquez and is now just seven points behind Martin in the championship standings. Bagnaia, racing on his home track, managed to close the gap despite being unable to match Marquez’s pace.
Bagnaia’s hopes of overtaking Martin in the standings are boosted by the upcoming Emilia Romagna GP, which will also take place at Misano later this month, replacing the canceled race in Kazakhstan. With two back-to-back races at a familiar circuit, Bagnaia has a golden opportunity to continue his charge towards the championship lead.
Marquez’s resurgence, Bagnaia’s consistency, and Martin’s strategic error have added significant drama to the championship battle, setting the stage for a thrilling conclusion to the MotoGP season.
