Marco Bezzecchi won the MotoGP Tissot Sprint race Saturday afternoon at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino. Riding his Aprilia RS-GP25 on Michelin control tires, the Italian won the 13-lap race by over one second.

Alex Marquez was the runner-up on his BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP24.

Fabio Di Giannantonio placed third on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP25.

His teammate, Franco Morbidelli got fourth.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pedro Acosta finished the race fifth.

Six-time MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez was leading when he crashed his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25 out of the race at turn 15. His teammate, Francesco Bagnaia was 13th.

Marc Marquez leads the championship with 487 points, 173 ahead of Alex Marquez who has 314 points. Francesco Bagnaia is third with 237 points.

More from a press release issued by Dorna:

Bezzecchi completes perfect Saturday as Marc Marquez crashes. A rare mistake from the #93 is capitalised on by the Italian on home turf as Alex Marquez and Di Giannantonio earn Saturday podiums. 

Simply the Bez. Saturday well and truly belongs to Marco Bezzecchi and Aprilia Racing at the Red Bull Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera after the Italian clinches his first gold medal in two years with a sublime ride on home territory. Bezzecchi and title race leader Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) engaged in battle in the Tissot Sprint, but a rare mistake saw the #93 crash as Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) complete the medal honours list at Misano.

HOLESHOT FOR BEZ, MM93 GET A GREAT START

The run into the first corner in terms of the holeshot was a hotly contested one and hanging it around the outside through Turn 1 and into Turn 2 was Bezzecchi, as Marc Marquez got aggressive to get past Alex Marquez to earn an early P2. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) lost one place and was P4 at the end of Lap 1, as Bezzecchi held off Marc Marquez on the opening lap.

On Lap 2, Bezzecchi and Alex Marquez traded fastest laps of the Sprint, which meant Quartararo sit 0.4s away from the latter’s rear wheel. Lap 3 passed by and it was a very good one from leader Bezzecchi, a 1:30.970 meant his advantage was up to 0.4s over Marc Marquez and Alex Marquez.

QUARTARARO AND THEN MARC MARQUEZ CRASH

Quartararo’s Sprint then came to a premature end on Lap 5 as Turn 2 bit. The Frenchman slid out of P4 to promote the Pertamina Enduro VR46 duo into P4 and P5 – Fabio Di Giannantonio leading Franco Morbidelli.

Bezzecchi’s lead then vanished on Lap 5 and on Lap 6, the #93 pounced at Turn 6 following a small error at Turn 4 from Bezzecchi that opened a door. So, what did the title chase leader have in his pocket, and what did Bezzecchi have in response?

Well, it wouldn’t be long until a potential battle between the two ended dramatically. Marc Marquez, at Turn 15, crashed out of the lead. His first big Saturday blunder of the season unfolded and despite his best efforts to dig in his elbow and pick his Ducati up, that was his Sprint over. 

Now, it was Bezzecchi vs Alex Marquez for the gold medal. At the start of Lap 9, Bezzecchi led by 0.5s and in the chase for what was now the bronze medal, Di Giannantonio was just under half a second clear of teammate Morbidelli.

BEZ HOLDS ON FOR SPRINT GOLD

With three to go, Bezzecchi had stretched his lead to just under a second now and it looked like the home hero had this one covered. Di Giannantonio didn’t have P3 under control though because Morbidelli began to swarm, the latter setting his best lap of the Sprint on Lap 11.

Last lap time! Bezzecchi led by 0.8s at the beginning of it, and the Italian held his nerve to bring his RS-GP home to back up his pole position into a Sprint win, as Alex Marquez and Di Giannantonio brought their Ducatis over the line in P2 and P3.

YOUR SPRINT POINT SCORERS

Morbidelli didn’t quite have enough to get the better of his teammate in the closing stages, so it’s P4 for the Italian on Saturday. Fifth went to Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) as he and rookie Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) came home a tenth apart, as Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) and Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) collect the final Saturday points.

COMING UP: GRAND PRIX SUNDAY

After Marc Marquez’s crash and Francesco Bagnaia’s (Ducati Lenovo Team) disappointing P13, it was a rare Saturday afternoon to forget for the factory Ducati squad. On the other hand, Aprilia will be delighted. Can they double up with victory on Sunday? The fight for Grand Prix honours looks set to be a phenomenal watch, so make sure you tune in. 

MotoGP Sprint results!

Valentin Perrone earned pole position during Moto3 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in Italy. Riding his Red Bull KTM Tech3 on Pirelli control tires, Perrone topped the 27-rider field with a lap time of 1:40.328.

Joel Kelso was the best of the rest with a 1:40.353 on his LevelUp MTA KTM, and Perrone’s teammate, Jacob Roulstone claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:40.420.

Row-two qualifiers included Red Bull Ajo KTM’s Jose Antonio Rueda (1:40.438), David Muñoz on his Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP KTM (1:40.440) and Adrian Fernandez on his Leopard Racing Honda (1:40.508).

More from a press release issued by Dorna: 

Perrone on pole at Misano ahead of Moto3™ battle. A second pole of the season for the Argentinean who leads a mixed grid into Sunday. 

Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Ajo) took pole position at Misano in Moto3™, the second of his rookie season after the Red Bull Ring in Austria. Perrone left it late to fly up the order, whilst it’s a KTM front row lockout, as Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) took P2 and Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), who makes a first appearance on the front row.

Moving up from Q1, Ruche Moodley (DENSSI – BOE Motorsport) headed Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and teammate Stefano Nepa joined the pole shootout. The Q2 tactics were out in force straight away the riders hit the track all together but did just one lap, going straight back into pitlane. Meanwhile, those who stayed out got their bankers in. With eight minutes remaining, there was drama for David Almansa (Leopard Racing) as he crashed on the approach to Turn 2, with his bike bringing down Guido Pini (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP).

It was all to play for with two minutes remaining; David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) was looking good for pol,e but it wasn’t over yet as Valentin Perrone rocketed up the order to bag pole position, ahead of Australian duo Kelso and Roulstone, making it two Tech 3 KTMs on the front row. For Roulstone, it’s a career first front row whilst Kelso makes it back-to-back front rows. Championship leader Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) leads the second row of the grid from fourth ahead of Muñoz and Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) who secured top Honda honours.

The third row of the grid features Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) ahead of Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) and Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team), the latter of whom made a mistake on his final flying lap. Coming through Q1, Carpe completed the top ten. Second in the Championship, Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) was only 11^th, whilst after their falls, Almansa was 13^th and Pini 16^th.

Check out the full qualifying results from Moto3 at the San Marino GP!

Marco Bezzecchi claimed pole position during MotoGP qualifying Saturday at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in Italy. Riding his Aprilia Racing RS-GP25 on the 2.63-mile (4.23 km) track, Bezzecchi turned a 1:30.134 to top the 23-rider field.

Alex Marquez was the best of the rest with a 1:30.222 on his BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP24, and Fabio Quartararo claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:30.228 on his Monster Energy Yamaha YZR-M1.

Row-two qualifiers included Marc Marquez on his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25 (1:30.352), Franco Morbidelli on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Ducati Desmosedici GP24 (1:30.383) and Luca Marini on his Honda HRC Castol RC213V (1:30.390).

Marc Marquez’s teammate, Francesco Bagnaia, qualified 8th with a lap time of 1:30.414.

More from a press release issued by Dorna:

Brilliant Bezzecchi bags Misano pole, Marc Marquez off the front. The Italian puts his Aprilia at the spearhead of the grid as Alex Marquez and Quartararo earn front rows at the San Marino GP. 

Misano, you have a home hero on pole thanks to Marco Bezzecchi’s (Aprilia Racing) late run in a fascinating MotoGP Q2. The Italian landed a 1:30.134 on his penultimate flying lap to beat Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) by just 0.088s, while Q1 graduate Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) also got within a tenth of a Saturday morning P1. Championship leader Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) will launch from P4 ahead of a quartet of hungry Italians. 

Q1: Quartararo and Aldeguer gain Q2 promotion

At the end of the opening efforts in Q1, Quartararo led the way with a 1:30.842, as Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) slotted into an early P2 thanks to a lap that was just 0.010s slower than the Frenchman.

Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Barcelona’s P3 podium finisher, needed a lap in the latter stages of Q1 but on his out-lap, ‘The Beast’ crashed at Turn 15 with five minutes to go, and that was session over. At best, it would be a P17 grid slot on home soil for Bastianini.

Miguel Oliveira (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) and Trackhouse MotoGP duo, Raul Fernandez and Ai Ogura, threatened to penetrate that top two in the closing stages, but a rapid Quartararo – who set a blistering 1:30.481 – and Aldeguer were the two sailing into Q2.

Q2: Pole scrap goes down to the wire

And then, it was pole position shootout time at Misano – and one that would be underway without Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) after the Spaniard and the team decided to sit out Saturday’s action following his crash in Practice.

On track, Marc Marquez sent the initial benchmark, a 1:30.624, but chasing him on the road was his younger brother Alex Marquez. The #93 sat up and out of his second flying lap but the #73 didn’t – and it was a time that sent the Catalan GP winner to the summit. A 1:30.222 was now the provisional pole time, the fastest lap of the weekend so far, as Bezzecchi slotted into P2 ahead of Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing).

After the small mistake, Marc Marquez dropped to P7, with Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) currently occupying the second row.

Bagnaia, Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) all got Turn 1 wrong on their opening second run laps, as Marc Marquez had Acosta for company – and both were setting red splits through the first two sectors. Then, Acosta crashed at the tight Turn 14, while the championship leader leapt to P2, 0.130s away from Alex Marquez.

Bagnaia got his next lap right and jumped from P6 to P4, as Bezzecchi and Quartararo then lit up the timing screens. First across the line was the latter, and it was a belter – the #20 leapfrogged Marc Marquez to go P2, 0.096s off Alex Marquez, before Bezzecchi delighted the Italian faithful to grab provisional pole.

However, this wasn’t done. Quartararo strung together another brilliant lap but it wasn’t quite enough. 0.094s was the gap between Bezzecchi and third place Quartararo, and with no more improvements coming, Misano pole position did land in Bezzecchi’s hands as the #72 leads Alex Marquez and Quartararo on the front row.

YOUR SPRINT AND GRAND PRIX GRID

Marc Marquez will launch from P4 at the San Marino GP, with Morbidelli starting fifth and a late lap from Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) saw the Italian earn a late P6 – his best qualifying result with HRC.

Di Giannantonio spearheads the third row in P7 ahead of Bagnaia and Acosta, with Aldeguer only 0.4s away from pole, but such is the competitiveness in MotoGP this weekend, that was only good enough for P10. Meanwhile, Martin had to settle for P11.

COMING UP: IT’S SPRINT TIME IN MISANO

Bezzecchi, Alex Marquez, Quartararo – three manufacturers, three nationalities, and a mouthwatering front row. Marc Marquez is lurking, as 13 laps of Tissot Sprint action await.

MotoGP qualifying results!

Marco Bezzecchi led MotoGP World Championship Free practice 2 Saturday morning at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in Italy. Riding his Aprilia RS-GP25 on spec Michelin tires, the Italian turned a lap time of 1:30.624 to lead the 23-rider field.

Franco Morbidelli was the best of the rest with a 1:30.914 on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Ducati Desmosedici GP24. 

Luca Marini was third at 1:31.194 on his Honda HRC Castrol RC213V.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pedro Acosta finished the session fourth with a 1:31.201.

Six-time MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez got fifth on his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici GP25 with a lap time of 1:31.206 and his teammate, Francesco Bagnaia was 8th with a time of 1:31.344.

Celestino Vietti was quickest during Moto2 World Championship Free practice 2 Saturday morning at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in Italy. Riding his Pirelli-shod Beta Tools SpeedRS Boscoscuro on the 2.63-mile (4.23 km) track, the Italian recorded a 1:34.624 to lead the field of 30 riders.

Jake Dixon was the best of the rest with a 1:34.685 on his ELF Marc VDS Racing Boscoscuro.

Tony Arbolino was third-fastest with a 1:34.855 on his BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 Boscoscuro, making it three Boscoscuro in the top three.

American Joe Roberts finished Saturday morning’s practice session 23rd with a best time of 1:35.607 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.

David Muñoz led Moto3 World Championship Free Practice 2 Saturday morning, at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in Italy. Muñoz used his Pirelli-shod LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP KTM to lap the 2.63-mile (4.23 km) track in 1:40.587 to lead the field of 27 riders. 

Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jose Antonio Rueda was second-best with a time of 1:40.593.

Angel Piqueras, piloting his Frinsa – MT Helmets MSI – KTM, claimed the third and final spot on the front with a lap time of 1:40.718.