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Marc Márquez and Pol Espargaró top the podium with a one-two at Misano
Following his commanding win at the US MotoGP™, Marc Márquez made back-to-back wins in Misano, and team-mate Pol Espargaró made it a Honda one-two.
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Marc Márquez’s win at the Emilia Romagna MotoGP™ – his third of the season – was very different to the comfortable run at the Circuit of the Americas. The eight-time world champion was lining up seventh well behind an all-Ducati front row, but the Spaniard took third place, breaking away in a pack with Francesco Bagnaia and Jack Miller.
Márquez kept the throttle down to put pressure first on Miller, who crashed out of second place on lap four. Márquez set his sights on Bagnaia and steadily chased him down, forcing a mistake, and the Italian crashed at the same corner as Miller and Márquez took the lead with four laps to go. That crash also cleared the way for Fabio Quartararo to claim the world championship and give Yamaha their first champion since Jorge Lorenzo in 2015.
Marc Márquez chases Jack Miller around Misano
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Pol Espargaró followed Márquez through to finish second, not putting a foot wrong on his way to the chequered flag at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.
The day had started very differently for Bagnaia, who looked like he'd be able to keep his world championship bid going until at least the next round in Portimão. In tricky conditions in Qualifying, he'd beaten his team-mate Miller, who had been class of the field in practice, to pole by 0.025 seconds, equalling Casey Stoner's record of four consecutive pole positions set back in 2008.
Meanwhile, world championship leader Fabio Quartararo was starting 15th, his worst showing so far in the premier class. But as Pecco Bagnaia tumbled out, the Frenchman battled through the field to finish fourth and wrap up the 2021 MotoGP™ World Champion.
It was also an emotional day because this was the last time Valentino Rossi would race on home soil. The cold and wet conditions in Qualifying poured cold water on Rossi’s ambitions as the Doctor struggled to get his bike to come to life and ended up qualifying in last place.
Triumphant Marc Márquez hoists the winner's trophy at Misano
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But his brother Luca Marini will continue the family legacy by making it an all-Ducati front row. His team-mate Enea Bastianini’s podium ensured an Italian presence in the final celebrations, having muscled out Quartararo to take third place.
French rider Johann Zarco claimed fifth position, while KTM's Brad Binder had a dramatic start to the race, crashing on the way to the grid and was forced to start in last place from pit lane as a result. He was quick on his KTM but then picked up a long lap penalty for track limits. Digging deep again, the South African worked his way up to 11th, finishing just behind Rossi.
Japanese rider Takaaki Nakagami was 15th, while his team-mate Álex Márquez, Pramac’s Jorge Martin, Red Bull KTM Factory rider Miguel Oliveira and Red Bull KTM Tech 3 duo Iker Lecuona and Danilo Petrucci all failed to finish the race.
Marc Márquez and Pol Espargaró score a Honda one-two at Misano
© Gold & Goose/Red Bull Content Pool
Emilia Romagna MotoGP™ result (top five)
MotoGP™ World Championship standings (top five)
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