News Summary

Marc Márquez believes his choice of the medium rear tyre was a decisive factor in beating Marco Bezzecchi to victory in the San Marino GP Sprint, admitting the Aprilia rider could have made his life considerably more difficult had he made the same selection.

Márquez started second at Misano but launched better than pole-sitter Bezzecchi and took the lead at Turn 1. The Ducati rider remained ahead for all 13 laps, although Bezzecchi steadily reduced the gap during the second half of the race before Márquez responded in the closing stages.

Speaking after the Sprint, Márquez explained that his plan was to attack immediately because of the difference in tyre choice between the two leading riders. Bezzecchi had opted for the soft rear, while Márquez selected the medium.

Márquez felt the opening phase would be particularly important and deliberately pushed to create an early margin before attempting to manage the risk.

That strategy initially worked. Márquez opened enough of a gap to begin controlling the race, but Bezzecchi’s pace forced him to reconsider as the Aprilia began closing in.

The Ducati rider explained that he still had additional pace available and increased his effort again over the final laps rather than continuing to manage the advantage.

The tyre decision, however, was the part of the race Márquez highlighted most strongly afterwards.

Márquez acknowledged that Bezzecchi’s choice of the soft rear made the Italian particularly dangerous early on, but believed the situation could have been even more difficult over the full Sprint distance had his rival also selected the medium.

He told Bezzecchi “would have made my life harder” with the medium rear, an assessment that underlined how closely matched Ducati and Aprilia were at Misano.

Márquez’s own decision was not made in isolation. He revealed that feedback from his brother Álex Márquez helped convince him to use the medium after the Gresini rider had gathered information on the compound.

The choice ultimately allowed Márquez to combine enough performance at the start with greater consistency later in the Sprint.

Bezzecchi still managed to bring the gap down during the closing stages, forcing Márquez to raise his pace again before eventually winning by 1.068s. Jorge Martín finished third, 3.538s behind.

The result also transformed the championship picture. Márquez’s victory reduced Martín’s MotoGP lead to only 14 points, with the championship leader now on 263 points and the Ducati rider on 249. Bezzecchi is another eight points behind Márquez on 241.

Despite another Saturday victory following his Sprint success at Aragón, Márquez was reluctant to attach too much importance to the result.

The reigning champion stressed that Sunday’s Grand Prix remains the main objective and suggested Saturday’s success would mean considerably less if he failed to finish on the podium in the longer race.

That caution is understandable given Bezzecchi’s pace. The Aprilia rider was fastest in Friday Practice, took pole with the first-ever 1:29 MotoGP lap around Misano and remained close enough throughout the Sprint to prevent Márquez from simply controlling the race to the flag.

Sunday therefore presents another direct Ducati-Aprilia confrontation — but with tyre management likely to become an even more significant factor over the full Grand Prix distance.

FAQ

Why did Marc Márquez choose the medium tyre for the Misano Sprint?

Márquez believed the medium rear offered the best balance over the 13-lap Sprint and said feedback from Álex Márquez helped him make the final decision.

Which rear tyre did Marco Bezzecchi use in the San Marino GP Sprint?

Bezzecchi selected the soft rear tyre, while Márquez raced with the medium. Márquez later said the Aprilia rider could have made the race more difficult had he also chosen the medium.

How far is Marc Márquez behind Jorge Martín in the MotoGP championship?

Márquez is 14 points behind Martín after winning the Misano Sprint. Martín leads with 263 points, ahead of Márquez on 249 and Bezzecchi on 241.