Marc Marquez delivers masterclass to claim Hungarian Grand Prix sprint win

[p]The Ducati rider, ‌who recently recovered from double surgery on his shoulder and foot last month, controlled the ‌race from pole position to finish 1.548 seconds clear of KTM's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/acosta-pedro/KrGeaHq5/"]‌Pedro Acosta[/a].[/p][p]The victory also saw [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/marquez-marc/UPhfij2b/"]Marquez[/a] tie [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martin-jorge/zBBka6dR/"]Jorge Martin[/a]'s record of 18 sprint victories ‌in MotoGP, capping a remarkable turnaround from his modest pre-race expectations ‌on Thursday.[/p][p][b]"If you're starting on the front row, it's a big help, and then the strategy was to push in the beginning. That is when I'm feeling fresh and ‌I survived in the end," [/b]Marquez said after ⁠his third sprint victory of the ‌season.[/p][p][b]"So the strategy works in a better way. Tomorrow will be a longer race; ​let's see how we can manage."[/b][/p][p]Aprilia's championship leader, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bezzecchi-marco/EXzAZEse/"]Marco Bezzecchi[/a], finished third after starting sixth on the grid, while Trackhouse rider [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandez-raul/dIyisVJD/"]Raul ​Fernandez[/a] came in fourth.[/p][embed guid="ab87532e-e74d-499f-90b7-ef502ef7cd57" url="https://x.com/MotoGP/status/2063254333207023731" social-type="twitter" /][p]When the lights went out, Marquez shot away from pole to lead into turn one ahead of Acosta, ⁠while Bezzecchi made a superb ​start to jump from sixth on the grid to third.[/p][p]Marquez wasted no time implementing an aggressive strategy, streaking away to build more than a second's advantage in just two laps.[/p][p][b]"It was amazing, the pace that he put from ‌the beginning,"[/b] Acosta said.[/p][p][b]"I take like some laps to be ready for the push, but anyway, we have to be happy... We have to just try to improve for (the race) tomorrow."[/b][/p][embed guid="aa93178e-24cd-4956-a1db-c2b51d3a40a1" url="https://x.com/MotoGP/status/2063260047518343320" social-type="twitter" /][p]Behind the leading duo, Bezzecchi was fighting to hang on to third as Gresini Racing's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/aldeguer-fermin/rJIs1ByA/"]Fermin Aldeguer[/a] stayed glued to his rear tyre.[/p][p]But Bezzecchi was able to breathe a sigh of relief when Aldeguer nearly lost control on a chicane before he regained balance and rejoined in fifth place behind Fernandez.[/p][p]With Marquez in cruise control up front ‌and Acosta unable to mount a challenge as he cut his losses, ​Bezzecchi secured the final podium spot despite struggling with grip and ‌tyre issues.[/p][p][b]"It was a very tough sprint. Very, very difficult because the track was pretty strange, the grip at the beginning, especially, was very low,"[/b] Bezzecchi said.[/p][p][b]"So it was difficult for me to find the rhythm. Fortunately, the start was good... I started to really have ⁠troubles with the rear (tyre), so very ⁠happy with this result. It ‌came with a lot of tough moments."[/b][/p]