Bezzecchi Shines in San Marino Sprint as Marc Marquez Crashes Out

Posted : 14 September 2025

Marco Bezzecchi delighted the Italian crowd on Saturday by winning the San Marino MotoGP sprint race at Misano after Marc Marquez crashed out from the lead. The Aprilia rider enjoyed a perfect outing at the Marco Simoncelli Circuit, securing victory from pole position before celebrating with MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi and Formula One driver Lando Norris.

Bezzecchi marked the moment in style, stepping onto the podium with a wooden leg gifted by a fan, a playful nod to the cult Italian comedy Three Men and a Leg, which he also paid tribute to with his helmet design. The 26-year-old collected the maximum 12 points, aided by Marquez’s mistake on lap six, only moments after the six-time world champion had surged into first place.

Marquez had made a blistering start, charging from fourth on the grid to pass Fabio Quartararo and his younger brother Alex Marquez. His pace suggested another sprint win was imminent, but a slip at Turn 15 sent him into the gravel, ending his streak of 14 sprint wins in 15 races this season. It was also his first sprint crash in over a year.

“I was riding well, but I went slightly wide at Turn 15 and pushed too much,” Marquez said. “With this bike, once the front goes, you cannot save it. It’s my first sprint mistake of the year, but the pace is there, so tomorrow we’ll keep pushing.”

Bezzecchi admitted the race was not entirely smooth, but the home win was still special. “It was a fantastic Saturday. We had some issues, but I kept the pace strong and gave my all,” he said, recalling that his last sprint win came in Assen in 2023.

Alex Marquez benefitted most from his brother’s crash, finishing second and trimming the championship gap to 174 points. He also extended his advantage over Francesco Bagnaia to 77 points, with Bezzecchi now only 28 points behind the struggling Ducati rider, who could only manage 13th.

“I lost the race at the start by not being aggressive enough,” Alex Marquez reflected. “Marco and my brother were quicker, but I kept my rhythm constant, and second is still a good result. Tomorrow, I’ll try to do even better.”

The crash brought mixed reactions from the Misano crowd, many of whom still hold grudges against Marc Marquez over the 2015 clash with Rossi in Malaysia, which they believe denied the Italian an eighth world title. Rossi himself has previously called Marquez “dirty” for his role in that incident, fueling a rivalry that continues to shape fan sentiment.

Despite the setback, Marc Marquez maintains a commanding 173-point championship lead with six rounds remaining. The Ducati rider could wrap up the title as early as the Japanese Grand Prix in two weeks, potentially equaling Rossi’s tally of seven world championships.

Bezzecchi Shines in San Marino Sprint as Marc Marquez Crashes Out

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