News Summary
- Marc Márquez passed Marco Bezzecchi at the start and led every lap to win the MotoGP Sprint at Misano.
- Bezzecchi closed on the Ducati late on but eventually finished 1.068s behind in second.
- Championship leader Jorge Martín fought through to third, limiting the damage to Márquez in the title race.
Marc Márquez repeated his Aragón Sprint formula at Misano on Saturday, beating Marco Bezzecchi away from the line and leading every lap to win the San Marino GP Sprint.
Bezzecchi had produced the first sub-1:30 lap in Misano history to take pole with a 1:29.982, beating Márquez by 0.198s in Q2. MotoGP described it as a new outright lap record, with Fermín Aldeguer completing the front row.
The qualifying advantage disappeared almost immediately, however. Márquez launched better from second, drew alongside the Aprilia and completed the move into Turn 1.
From there, the reigning world champion controlled the 13-lap Sprint. Bezzecchi threatened to bring himself back into contention during the closing stages, but Márquez responded and crossed the line 1.068s clear.
Championship leader Jorge Martín recovered to finish third for Aprilia after passing Fabio Di Giannantonio, while Álex Márquez completed the top five.
The result continued Márquez’s recent momentum after he swept both the Sprint and Grand Prix at Aragón.
Márquez beats Bezzecchi into Turn 1
Conditions remained hot at Misano, with air temperature at 27°C and the track at 39°C. Every rider selected the medium front tyre, while the soft rear was the preferred choice for most of the grid.
Bezzecchi started from pole after his record-breaking qualifying lap, but Márquez immediately put the Ducati alongside the Aprilia and took first place at Turn 1.
Martín also made progress at the start, moving past Aldeguer for fourth as the Gresini rider dropped to sixth.
Márquez ended the opening lap in front, but Bezzecchi initially remained within around three tenths. Further back, Álex Márquez and Franco Morbidelli received track-limits warnings.
The first crash came on lap 3. Fabio Quartararo attempted to pass Diogo Moreira in the fight around tenth, made contact and went down. The Yamaha rider was able to rejoin.
At the front, Márquez began to stretch the gap. His advantage over Bezzecchi quickly approached eight tenths, while Di Giannantonio had Martín applying pressure in the fight for third.
By lap 6, Márquez had pushed the margin beyond one second. Bezzecchi remained comfortably ahead of the battle between Di Giannantonio and Martín, but the Aprilia rider was no longer close enough to attack the leader.
Martín finally made his move on lap 7, diving through at Turn 4 to take third from Di Giannantonio.
Bezzecchi closes in, but Márquez responds
Bezzecchi refused to let Márquez escape completely.
The Italian increased his pace during the final phase of the Sprint and cut the gap to around six tenths with five laps remaining, briefly raising the possibility of a late fight for victory.
Márquez responded. The gap stabilised before the Ducati rider began pulling away again, while Martín remained almost two seconds behind the leading pair.
By the penultimate lap, Márquez had rebuilt an advantage of more than one second. From there, the Spaniard managed the final kilometres and crossed the line 1.068s ahead of Bezzecchi.
The victory also extended the pattern established two weeks earlier at Aragón: Bezzecchi again found himself trying to chase Márquez after the Ducati rider seized control at the start.
Martín completed the podium in third after his recovery through the field, with Di Giannantonio fourth and Álex Márquez fifth. Pedro Acosta finished sixth, followed by Raúl Fernández, Aldeguer and Luca Marini in the remaining points-paying positions.
The Sprint result also tightened the championship picture. Martín arrived at Misano with 256 points, 19 ahead of Márquez and 24 clear of Bezzecchi. Márquez’s victory therefore cuts Martín’s advantage before Sunday’s Grand Prix, keeping the possibility of a change at the top of the MotoGP standings alive at Misano.
MotoGP returns on Sunday for the San Marino and Rimini Riviera Grand Prix at Misano.
MotoGP 2026: San Marino GP Sprint results
| Pos. | Rider | Team/Engine | Laps/Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | M. MÁRQUEZ | Ducati | 13 laps |
| 2 | M. BEZZECCHI | Aprilia Racing | +1.068s |
| 3 | J. MARTÍN | Aprilia Racing | +3.538s |
| 4 | F. DI GIANNANTONIO | VR46 Ducati | +3.968s |
| 5 | Á. MÁRQUEZ | Gresini Ducati | +4.348s |
| 6 | P. ACOSTA | KTM | +6.944s |
| 7 | R. FERNÁNDEZ | Trackhouse Aprilia | +7.707s |
| 8 | F. ALDEGUER | Gresini Ducati | +8.832s |
| 9 | L. MARINI | Honda HRC | +11.712s |
| 10 | J. ZARCO | LCR Honda | +14.534s |
| 11 | D. MOREIRA | LCR Honda | +17.043s |
| 12 | F. MORBIDELLI | VR46 Ducati | +17.405s |
| 13 | F. BAGNAIA | Ducati | +17.763s |
| 14 | B. BINDER | KTM | +18.181s |
| 15 | E. BASTIANINI | Tech3 KTM | +18.476s |
| 16 | P. ESPARGARÓ | Tech3 KTM | +18.752s |
| 17 | J. MILLER | Pramac Yamaha | +21.113s |
| 18 | T. RAZGATLİOĞLU | Pramac Yamaha | +21.213s |
| 19 | Á. RINS | Yamaha | +22.255s |
| 20 | J. MIR | Honda HRC | +22.569s |
| 21 | F. QUARTARARO | Yamaha | +24.934s |
FAQ
Who won the 2026 San Marino MotoGP Sprint?
Marc Márquez won the Sprint at Misano after passing pole-sitter Marco Bezzecchi at Turn 1. Márquez led every lap and finished 1.068s ahead of the Aprilia rider.
Where did Jorge Martín finish in the Misano Sprint?
Championship leader Jorge Martín finished third. He recovered during the race and passed Fabio Di Giannantonio for the final podium position.
Can Marc Márquez take the MotoGP championship lead at Misano?
Yes. Márquez entered the weekend 19 points behind Martín and reduced the deficit by winning Saturday’s Sprint while Martín finished third. Sunday’s Grand Prix therefore gives Márquez another opportunity to challenge for the championship lead.
