Marc Marquez’s MotoGP dominance continued as he edged out Marco Bezzecchi to claim victory at Misano.
The Spaniard claimed victory by over half a second on Bezzecchi’s home turf, disrupting the Aprilia rider’s hopes of securing the double.
Polesitter Bezzecchi led into Turn 1 after a fast start, but Marc Marquez was soon up to second, just like in the Sprint.
Honda endured a torrid start as Joan Mir and Johann Zarco both crashed out on Turn 4 on the opening lap.
Alex Rins and Augusto Fernandez were both handed a double long-lap penalty after being caught jumping the start.
Marc Marquez showed his trademark aggression in an attempt to take the lead, but Bezzecchi held firm and fended him off in the early laps.
The factory Ducati rider thought an opening existed into Turn 6, but his Aprilia rival slammed the door shut and gained a half-second advantage by the end of Lap 3.
Gresini’s Alex Marquez waited patiently in the wings in third, looking for an opportunity to overtake his older brother.
Although no move arrived early on, Pedro Acosta was at the forefront of the action as he overtook Franco Morbidelli and Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo on Lap 4 and Lap 6, respectively.
The KTM rider continued his strong form to slot himself into fourth place, with 1.5s separating him and Gresini’s Marquez.
Maverick Vinales and Ai Ogura both crashed out on the same lap, with neither able to maintain the strong form they showed earlier in the season.
Bezzecchi continued to control and dictate the pace out front, but the championship leader steadily mounted the pressure.
Acosta’s race ended abruptly on Lap 8 when his ride height device failed to disengage, forcing him out of contention after climbing up to fourth.
Factory Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia retired from the race while running in eighth as his difficulties with the GP25 persisted.
Meanwhile, his team-mate Marquez closed in to just 0.2 seconds, the closest gap between him and Bezzecchi on Lap 11.
Bezzecchi made a mistake and ran wide at Turn 7, allowing Marquez to take the lead for the first time.
More riders’ races ended early as both Rins and Enea Bastianini crashed out prematurely in the gravel traps.
Unlike in previous races, when Marquez managed to control the lead and even extended his advantage midway through, this time Bezzecchi closed in on him.
Bezzecchi spent Lap 16 through Lap 19 figuring out the best overtake opportunity, but no move arrived as the factory Ducati rider found an extra gear.
The championship leader extended his advantage to 0.6s, but out of nowhere, the Italian set the fastest lap of the race with three laps to go.
Marquez sensed Bezzecchi’s rapid pace in the closing stages and responded with the fastest lap of his own, but held on to take yet another victory.
The Spaniard posted his 11th Grand Prix win of the year, setting up the opportunity to seal a seventh MotoGP title at Motegi next time out.
Bezzecchi’s second place puts him closer to third in the championship standings, though he showed Aprilia’s jump in competitiveness.
Gresini’s Alex Marquez secured a lonely third place, finishing more than seven seconds adrift of the leading duo.
Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Di Giannantonio secured fourth and fifth for VR46 Ducati, followed by the second Gresini rider of Fermin Aldeguer.
Luca Marini finished a strong seventh after Honda’s woes on the opening lap, while Fabio Quartararo and Miguel Oliveira finished eighth and ninth for Yamaha.
Brad Binder ended the race as KTM’s sole finisher in tenth place, after Acosta retired early and both Bastianini and Vinales suffered crashes.
Raul Fernandez posted 11th for Trackhouse, followed by Jack Miller and Jorge Martin.
Augusto Fernandez and Somkiat Chantra secured the final two points despite the former crashing out early on.
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