Bezzecchi Triumphs as Marquez Crashes Out in Misano Sprint

Marco Bezzecchi claims first Sprint win in two years at home, while Marc Marquez’s rare mistake hands Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio podium finishes.

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Saturday at the Red Bull Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera belonged to Marco Bezzecchi and Aprilia Racing. The Italian converted pole position into a memorable Sprint victory at Misano, marking his first gold medal in two years in front of the home fans.

The battle for victory looked set to be a thriller as Bezzecchi went head-to-head with title leader Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team), but the #93 crashed out from the lead at Turn 15 – his first big Saturday mistake of the season. That opened the door for Bezzecchi to control the race and secure the win, while Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) completed the podium.

Fast Start and Early Drama

Bezzecchi snatched the holeshot, fending off a determined Marc Marquez, with Alex Marquez slotting into third and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) in fourth. By Lap 3, Bezzecchi had carved out a slim gap, setting the fastest time of the Sprint.

Quartararo’s challenge ended early on Lap 5 when he crashed out of P4 at Turn 2, promoting the VR46 duo of Di Giannantonio and Franco Morbidelli into the top five.

Moments later, Marc Marquez capitalised on a small mistake from Bezzecchi to grab the lead at Turn 6. But the drama didn’t last long – just a lap later, Marquez lost the front at Turn 15, sliding out and leaving Bezzecchi back in control.

Bezzecchi Holds Nerve

With Marc Marquez gone, Bezzecchi kept Alex Marquez at bay, gradually extending his lead to nearly a second with three laps to go. Behind them, Di Giannantonio held firm under late pressure from Morbidelli to secure third place.

At the chequered flag, Bezzecchi crossed the line 0.8s clear of Alex Marquez, with Di Giannantonio completing the top three. Morbidelli settled for fourth, ahead of Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) in fifth and rookie Fermín Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) in sixth. The final points went to Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) and Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team).

What’s Next

It was a disappointing Sprint for factory Ducati, with Marquez crashing and Francesco Bagnaia only managing P13. Meanwhile, Aprilia celebrated a famous home victory with “Simply the Bezz”.

All eyes now turn to Grand Prix Sunday, where Bezzecchi will be aiming to double up and Marquez will be looking to bounce back. With the title fight heating up, fans can expect another explosive showdown at Misano.