Marquez moves top with MotoGP win in San Marino
Marc Marquez won the San Marino Grand Prix at Misano, moving to the top of the MotoGP drivers' standings as the season heads into its final stretch. The result is significant because it hands the seven-time champion the outright lead on countback after he closed a substantial points gap on rival Jorge Martin over recent races, setting up a tighter title fight with eight rounds remaining.
Marquez, 33, beat his brother Alex by 0.657 seconds, with Pedro Acosta third, after pole-sitter Marco Bezzecchi crashed out on lap two of his home race. Martin, the previous points leader, could only manage fifth on his Aprilia. Marquez and Martin are now level on 274 points after 14 races, but Marquez leads by virtue of his five wins this season to Martin's one, having recovered 203 points in the last seven grands prix despite missing part of the season through injury. The championship continues in Austria from 18 to 20 September.
- Marc Marquez wins San Marino GP, takes MotoGP points lead
- Level on points with Jorge Martin but ahead on wins
- Next round is the Austrian Grand Prix, 18-20 September
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Marc Marquez is one of the most successful riders in MotoGP history, having previously won six premier-class titles before a long run of injuries disrupted his career. This season he has been fighting his way back towards the top, chasing Jorge Martin, the reigning champion, for the lead in the drivers' standings as the calendar nears its final rounds.
MotoGP is the top tier of motorcycle grand prix racing, run over a series of races at circuits around the world, with points awarded based on finishing position. The rider with the most points after the final race becomes world champion, so results in the closing stages of the season carry extra weight for the title race.
The San Marino Grand Prix is held at the Misano circuit in Italy and is one of these rounds. A strong result there for Marquez has brought him level on points with Martin and given him the lead in the standings, tightening what was already a closely watched contest as the season heads towards its conclusion.