Marco Bezzecchi took advantage of an uncharacteristic mistake by Marc Marquez to win the MotoGP Misano Sprint Race on Saturday at the San Marino Grand Prix. The Aprilia rider converted his pole position into victory, ending Marquez’s streak of eight consecutive sprint race wins.
This MotoGP Misano Sprint Race Victory marks Bezzecchi’s first sprint win since the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix and breaks Ducati’s dominant run of 29 straight sprint race victories that started at the Catalunya Grand Prix in May 2024, driven initially by Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro.
Race Dynamics and Key Performances
Starting from pole, Bezzecchi led the early laps while Marc Marquez quickly advanced from fourth to second at the first corner. Marquez overtook Bezzecchi for the lead on the sixth lap at Turn 6 but crashed at the penultimate corner shortly after, abruptly ending his record of 15 consecutive sprint race podium finishes in 2025 and halting his 14-win streak.
Bezzecchi maintained control thereafter, steadily pulling away to finish exactly one second ahead of Ducati rider Alex Marquez, who took second place. Another Ducati rider, Fabio Di Giannantonio, secured third, marking his third consecutive podium in sprint races.
Reflecting on his performance, Bezzecchi said,
“I’m very happy to grab the sprint win, I don’t even remember [when] was my last one. The race was not perfect because we had some issues during the race, but even having these problems I was able to have a good pace. I knew that Marc was on the limit.”
—Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Rider
Additional Race Details and Championship Implications
Bezzecchi extended his lead over the field by more than a second by the 12th lap out of 13, reinforcing his strong position in the world championship standings, where he holds fourth place. Meanwhile, Australia’s Jack Miller started from a season-low 21st but managed to finish 14th on his Yamaha, despite crashing twice during practice sessions. Miller improved by four positions in the opening lap but finished 16.727 seconds behind Bezzecchi.
The main 27-lap San Marino Grand Prix, which is the 16th round in a 22-race season, is scheduled for Sunday at 10 p.m. AEST, promising further intense competition for championship points.
Context Within This MotoGP Season
Marquez’s crash not only ended an undefeated sprint race streak in the 2025 season but also highlights the intense pressure riders face when pushing their limits. The interruption of Ducati’s winning momentum by Bezzecchi’s Aprilia signals a more competitive battlefield as the season approaches its final rounds. Riders like Fabio Di Giannantonio continue to build consistency, positioning themselves as key contenders in the sprint race format.
