Marquez wins San Marino GP to take championship lead after Bezzecchi crashes out

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/marquez-marc/UPhfij2b/"]Marquez[/a] claimed his fifth victory of the campaign to move level ‌with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martin-jorge/zBBka6dR/"]Jorge Martin[/a] on 274 points, but the seven-time champion tops the standings having won more races than ‌the Aprilia rider, whose sole win this season came in France.[/p][p]Marquez finished ahead of ‌his brother [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lowes-alex/CAui0vJF/"]Alex[/a] of Gresini Racing while KTM's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/acosta-pedro/KrGeaHq5/"]Pedro Acosta[/a] completed the podium. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/aldeguer-fermin/rJIs1ByA/"]Fermin Aldeguer[/a] was ‌fourth, pushing Martin down to fifth as five Spaniards finished in the top ‌five.[/p][p]Leading the championship seemed a distant prospect earlier this season, with Marquez trailing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bezzecchi-marco/EXzAZEse/"]Bezzecchi[/a] by 102 points after the Italian Grand Prix in May.[/p][p][b]"It feels unreal but I never give up. I will push ‌until the end. This is not done, we are there ⁠in the championship fighting against very good ‌riders, especially Martin and Bez," Marquez said.[/b][/p][p][b]"But as we see today, we are riding at the ​limit, and a small mistake can cost a lot of points."[/b][/p][embed guid="1861019d-d3b7-4bc4-a06a-0a117186f8e8" url="https://x.com/MotoGP/status/2099123745428283805" social-type="twitter" /][p]Marquez had overtaken Bezzecchi at turn one to win Saturday's sprint, but the Italian went on ​the defensive in the race, taking the lead as the Aprilia - sporting a special white livery at their home track - surged ahead.[/p][h2]Heartbreak for Bezzecchi[/h2][p]But Bezzecchi's attempt to ⁠build an early lead backfired dramatically ​when he lost control at turn 12, sending his bike cartwheeling across the gravel to the utter shock of the Italian fans.[/p][p]Marquez moved into the lead while his teammate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bagnaia-francesco/nahP9n9q/"]Francesco Bagnaia[/a] also crashed at his home track to retire for the fourth time in ‌five races, with Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali unable to hide his disappointment as he doubled over in disbelief.[/p][embed guid="450b672b-d5ba-447b-ba53-c06fd2324165" url="https://x.com/MotoGP/status/2099109125112152164" social-type="twitter" /][p]Martin, starting fifth, had briefly seized control by overtaking Marquez on lap seven with a daring overtake on the inside at turn four.[/p][p]But the Aprilia rider's dreams of victory evaporated when Marc struck back on lap 12 with a dive into turn six, before Alex also swept past.[/p][p][b]"After Bezzecchi's mistake, I was a bit too confident, and then Martin attacked me," Marquez said.[/b][/p][p][b]"But then I regained the confidence again. I kept the pace, and I'm happy because 37 points here means a lot."[/b][/p][p]Aprilia's home race ‌then turned into a nightmare as Acosta also overtook Martin, knocking him off the podium ​positions, before Aldeguer also got past.[/p][p]Once Marc reclaimed the lead, there was no ‌stopping him, despite Alex's relentless pursuit.[/p][p][b]"With Marc, it's true that it was really difficult to attack him because the last sector from him was unbelievable," Alex said.[/b][/p][p]As the Ducati rider took the chequered flag ahead of his brother, a stone-faced Bezzecchi watched on from the Aprilia garage as he fell 33 points behind the ⁠leading pair having led the championship earlier ⁠this season.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandez-raul/dIyisVJD/"]Raul Fernandez[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/di-giannantonio-fabio/pI4o388M/"]Fabio Di Giannantonio[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bastianini-enea/ht1WUmo9/"]‌Enea Bastianini[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/marini-luca/pC7cTZiQ/"]Luca Marini[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/quartararo-fabio/UsfVoiLM/"]Fabio Quartararo[/a] completed the top 10.[/p]