Marquez closes gap on Martin with San Marino GP victory

Jorge Martin’s championship lead is down to seven points after Marc Marquez made it back-to-back wins with victory at the San Marino Grand Prix.

Marquez, a six-time championship winner, triumphed again after ending a three-year winless run in Aragon, Spain last weekend.

Martin picked up just one point in Misano – allowing Francesco Bagnaia, his closest title challenger, to cut his points lead to single figures by finishing second. Enea Bastianini was third.

Starting ninth on the grid in Misano, Marquez was an outsider but he excelled in the wet conditions to close the gap between himself and Martin to 53 points.

“For me, the most important was the speed after that rain – it gave me the possibility to lead the race,” said Marquez.

“Then when I was leading I say: ‘Now I will try to find the same pace as the practice.’

“The emotions were super high when we crossed the line, I was super happy.”

Light rain hit the circuit during the early parts of the race, making for tricky conditions.

Spain’s Martin saw his gamble to swap bikes when it rained backfire as the weather cleared up, and was 15th.

The 26-year-old had pitted with 20 laps remaining to switch his bike, banking wrongly on the forecast of more rain to come.

The title race returns to Misano in late September, as the course is being used for the Emilia Romagna GP as a replacement for the cancelled race in Kazakhstan.