Lenovo Ducati
Marc Márquez and the Ducati Lenovo Team enjoyed the perfect day at the Misano World Circuit ‘Marco Simoncelli’ by winning the 27-lap Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera in front of a sea of Ducatisti. Francesco Bagnaia crashed out of the encounter while in tenth place.
Márquez had a good start from second place on the grid before moving up to first place after a few corners following Bezzecchi’s crash. After dropping down to second during lap six, Marc took back the lead on lap twelve with an overtake on Martín at turn six. In the closing stages, Marc successfully defended first place from his resurgent brother Alex. Bagnaia had a great launch from row five and moved into the top ten on the opening lap. Pecco then crashed on lap six at turn two.
As the fourteenth Grand Prix of the season comes to a close, Marc Márquez leads the championship standings with 274 points. Francesco Bagnaia is ninth, 131 points adrift of his teammate. The Ducati Lenovo Team is second in the teams’ standings (417 points), while Ducati sits atop the Constructors’ Championship (412 points).
The Ducati Lenovo Team will resume proceedings already on Friday, September 18th, for the opening day of the Grand Prix of Austria at Spielberg.
Marc Márquez (#93 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1st
“We had a good race and I’m happy, especially since Misano is the home race for Ducati, but it was a tough one. When you race with this kind of pace, it’s easy to make a mistake. This is the reason why, when I saw Bezzecchi’s crash, I planned the race in a different way and maybe I relaxed a bit too much. Little by little, I went back to my best pace and recovered the feeling I had yesterday. In the second part of the race, I tried to manage my lead and when Alex got closer, I started to push again. At this track, if you aren’t a lot faster than the rider ahead, it is hard to overtake.”
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – DNF
“I’m really sorry for the crash, because my crew is working really hard to put me in the position to do well. There are still eight events left and I hope we’ll be able to change the momentum of the season. I’m pushing hard, especially during the race, but unfortunately the lack of feeling leads to mistakes any time I try something different. It’s a difficult situation to digest, but we need to face the reality of things and continue – despite everything – to do our best. I hope things will be a little better in Austria.”
Luigi Dall’Igna – Ducati Corse General Manager
“It’s been another great weekend after Aragón and obviously even more special as this is the home event for Ducati, and it was important to score a good result in front of our fans. Marc had an extraordinary race, as good as he is making us used to as of late. I think he has learned how to manage everything, including his body. As I said at the start of the season, time plays in our favour and I hope we can continue this way. It’s true that we are on top of the standings but we have done nothing yet: we must keep both feet on the ground and keep working the same way we did in the last races. A pity for Pecco, who had put together a good opening part of the race. I hope we can turn things around soon, because he deserves a very different type of results.”
KTM Factory Racing
The 33rd Grand Prix event to mark the black Misano asphalt was busy, competitive and engaging. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Red Bull KTM Tech3 filled slots in P7 (Pedro Acosta), P12 (Pol Espargaro), P16 (Enea Bastianini) and P19 (Brad Binder) on the grid for the 27-lap distance.
Acosta, who was 6th in the Sprint on Saturday, made a strong start and then patiently built his rhythm to draw up to the rear wheel of Jorge Martin in 4th place. Pedro studied his rival, made a well-judged move and then shadowed leaders Marc and Alex Marquez. Acosta remained in striking distance of his countrymen and only eased off on the last lap; crossing the line 2.3 seconds from the winner.
Bastianini and Binder began their trawls through the pack with effective rate of progress. Enea rallied all the way up to 8th and was very close to nailing 7th. Brad tried a late lunge on Fabio Quartararo into Turn 4 to try for 10th but was denied and rested in 11th. Espargaro began the race brightly and was on the fringe of the top ten until he had to manage his stamina through the full 27-laps. Pol scored points for the second time with 14th place.
Acosta is now top five in the championship standings with 8 rounds still to come. Bastianini is 12th and Binder holds 14th.
Red Bull Ring and home territory next. The Grand Prix of Austria will start on Friday 18 September.
Pedro Acosta, 3rd and 5th in the championship: “It’s clear the motivation doesn’t go away! I’m happy! The pace was good, the bike was working quite good but we are still missing a bit in the fast sectors. Anyway, we have to be happy and the boys really deserve it.”
Enea Bastianini, 8th and 12th in the championship: “The same [scenario]. We can go fast on Friday but many times on Saturday we don’t find the same sensation on the bike and then Sunday we are competitive. We saw it today. I did some good lap-times and I’m not surprised about it because when I have confidence and support on the front of the bike then I can do it. We need to work because we are not on top and we need to find a solution.”
Brad Binder, 11th and 14th in the championship: “11th. I tried my best from the beginning until the end but I was just not fast enough. The second half of the race was better but in the first I just didn’t have the speed. All weekend I’ve been battling to find the extra I need. It would have been nice to be a bit more competitive but next week we have Austria and it’s a track that I think will suit my style a bit more and the bike too. I hope it goes better than here. Some work to do, for sure.”
Pol Espargaro, 14th and 25th in the championship: “Very tired! I think the last eight laps were too much for me. If it was a Sprint distance then I would have been more competitive…but I was struggling. I could be fast over one lap – and Sprint – but then it was difficult. I’m 35 and I’m fighting guys that are 25! This is one of the hardest tracks. I think it will be easier for me if I am riding in Austria. We will see.”
Aki Ajo, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “A really great comeback for Pedro. Friday started well but then we didn’t have the Sprint race we wanted. As expected, the performance came back today with the harder tire option. We were stronger and Pedro showed his level. For me it is impressive how he is improving all the time. We know he has strong points but the adaptation to different conditions and different tracks is incredible. Good outings as well for Enea in 8th and Brad in 11th and Pol showed the high level of our test team. Overall, today is a big credit for all the group around who never stopped believing.”
Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing
The San Marino and the Rimini Riviera GP was a complicated but special round for the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team: despite the difficulties, Fabio Di Giannantonio crossed the finish line in seventh place in his 200th GP and Franco Morbidelli ended the race in thirteenth place in front of his fans.
At Misano, it was a special Sunday for Di Giannantonio, who celebrated his 200th GP in the world championship: a complicated start from the second row prevented him to celebrate. Fabio, who was tenth at the end of the opening lap, started his comeback right away, showing a great determination and gaining positions. The rider from Rome crossed the finish line in seventh place and he is now fourth in the World Standing with 223 points.
It was an emotional Sunday at Misano for Morbidelli, who raced for the last time in MotoGP in front of his fans: Franco started from the third row and managed to stay in the Top10 group from the opening lap. A Long Lap Penalty prevented him to progress and show his potential, so the Italian-Brazilian rider crossed the finish line in thirteenth place. Morbidelli is now sixteenth in the World Standing with 56 points.
The Misano and the Rimini Riviera GP is over after making the best attendance ever on this track with 184,051 spectators; but now the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team is going to Red Bull Ring, where the MotoGP Austrian GP will take place next week.
Fabio Di Giannantonio – 49
“Today’s goal was to be a little aggressive in the first laps, but there was some chaos at the first corner and I was at the outside after some contacts, so I lost places. I wanted to set my rhythm and recover positions, but the feelings with the front brake were not the best. It’s a pity, because we wanted to perform really well at Misano, but that’s part of the game. This weekend started very well, but we couldn’t materialize the result at the end. Now we focus race by race and we think on the next one, we want to recover the good feelings.”
Franco Morbidelli – 21
“Today in the race, I thought I would struggle more, but the level was better than I expected. It’s a pity about the Long Lap Penalty, which prevented us to fight for the Top7, that would have been nice. Overall, the weekend went more or less as I expected. But it was amazing to see all my friends in the grandstand and, in general, all the Italian fans. I had a chance to chat with some of the fans, and it was really nice. The most special thing about this Misano weekend was the end of the race, with my friends wearing my leathers. That was really nice.”
Pablo Nieto – Team Manager
“We always want to do well at our home race because all the fans are here and they give us extra energy. Overall, it was definitely a slightly more difficult weekend. Today in the race, it was a pity about Diggia’s start. We had the potential to fight for the podium as well. But now we already have to start thinking about Austria, which is coming straight away, and I think we are on the right path. Franky had a good home weekend and a good Qualifying. It’s just a pity about a small mistake that resulted in a Long Lap Penalty during the race, but I think we need to keep moving in this direction. If we continue like this, we are competitive.”
Honda HRC Castrol
A record-breaking crowd filled the grandstands and hills of the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli to witness what would turn out to be a pivotal San Marino GP for the 2026 MotoGP World Championship. Calm and productive in Warm Up, the Honda HRC Castrol were set for the 27-lap Grand Prix in front of an expectant crowd.
Sunday continued the momentum-building home weekend for Luca Marini, a stronger start than in the Sprint saw him immediately lock horns with Fabio Di Giannantonio – a battle which would rage for the majority of the race. With the leading pack escaping after just a handful of laps, the #10 focused his attentions on defending from the hard riding Di Giannantonio and made his Honda RC213V as wide as possible. The fierce fight would last until eight laps from the end when Marini’s tyres began to drop and he finally had to relent.
Earning seven points for ninth, Marini’s run of points on Sunday continues as he now sits nine points shy of Aldeguer in tenth place. If this consistency can remain until the end of the season, the top ten in the championship is a valid target.
Sapped of his strength again, Joan Mir’s San Marino GP would end after five laps as he withdrew after circulating at the back of the pack. Mir will now head for medical checks ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix to better understand why his physical condition did not allow him to compete.
The MotoGP World Championship paddock will now head directly to Spielberg, Austria for Round 15.
Luca Marini 10
Honda HRC Castrol
“We had a really good weekend overall, able to improve our pace and stay ahead of the other Honda riders. I gave everything today to keep Diggia behind me, I was closing the door constantly and I am sure he was getting frustrated. It was the only way I could keep him behind. Eight laps from the end the tyre dropped and my pace slowed which let him and then later Enea through – all my weapons were used! Austria is a really different track but we can exploit what we found on braking here at Spielberg. It’s a weekend which has the possibility to be a good weekend like here, but around this seventh to tenth position is our reality right now.”
Joan Mir 36
Honda HRC Castrol
“Sadly today was the same as yesterday and I had no energy or power on the bike. I tried to ride by myself but there was nothing to be achieved and I thought staying out on track would only make the situation worse. It’s a really difficult moment to be in. Now we head for some checks before Austria and see what we can do to get my physical condition back to normal ASAP.”
Aprilia Racing
The weekend at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli ended with two RS-GP26 machines in the top six positions.
Starting from fifth on the grid, Jorge Martín had a good start, which allowed him to move up two positions straight away. The Spanish rider maintained a good pace, moving into the race lead on the seventh lap. However, he was subsequently forced to back off a bit due to a presumed compartment syndrome problem in his right arm, ultimately finishing fifth.
On the other hand, it was a tough Sunday for Marco Bezzecchi, who crashed out on the first lap at turn 13 after a good start which had allowed him to maintain the lead in the opening stages. Although avoiding injury, the Italian rider was forced to retire.
Rounding out the results of the day was also the sixth-place finish by SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team’s Raúl Fernández, allowing Aprilia to close out the Sunday in Misano with two RS-GP26 bikes in the top ten.
JORGE MARTÍN
“I’m happy with my speed and with the way I managed the race for as long as I was able. I started strong and felt comfortable on the bike. Unfortunately, my arm then began to bother me. I felt like I couldn’t brake well and be as fluid as I wanted. As the laps went by, I had increasingly less strength in my forearm and in the end, I was no longer able to control the bike. Now we need to focus on Austria and then decide, along with the team, what the best solution will be to solve this presumed compartment syndrome. I’ll definitely try to recover as best as I can to be competitive in Spielberg.”
MARCO BEZZECCHI
“The day did not go the way I would have liked. On the first lap, I hit a small bump before braking between turns 12 and 13, so I was unable to close the trajectory perfectly and, when I tried to take the bike into the corner, the front end closed up on me. In any case, there are several positive aspects that I’ll be taking away from Misano, such as my speed, outstanding qualifiers, a sprint race that was just as good, and an improved start compared with yesterday’s. Fortunately, we have another race in Austria straight away, so we’ll try to leave this episode behind us, get back to work, and strive to give our best.”
MASSIMO RIVOLA
“It certainly was not the Sunday we had dreamed of, especially with Marco starting from pole position and the fact that he had demonstrated a particularly competitive pace on the medium tyre. It’s a real shame about Jorge too, betrayed by arm pump problems, presumably due to compartment syndrome. Now we have another two tracks where our rivals are favoured, but if there is one thing I have absolutely no doubt about, it’s that in Noale and on every track, each one of us will give one hundred percent of everything we have all the way to the end. Full speed ahead.”
Monster Energy Yamaha
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo recovered from a difficult Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera MotoGP Sprint yesterday to finish tenth in Sunday’s Race. Álex Rins was unable to reach the finish due to feeling unwell and returned to the garage on lap 17.
Quartararo started from P12 and moved up the order as two crashes and a long lap penalty occurred ahead of him and was running in ninth place by lap 6. Despite an issue with fuel throughout the race, the Frenchman was defending his position from a charging Johann Zarco and Enea Bastianini. He stood firm but had to let Bastianini through on lap 14. He ultimately took the chequered flag in P10 after fighting determinedly in the closing stages, crossing the finish line 23.229s after the winner.
Rins commenced the Race from P20 and lost a position but still completed the opening lap in 20th as race leader Marco Bezzecchi had crashed. Incidents and retirements of other rivals helped the Spaniard climb to 16th place by lap 6. The number 42 spent much of the race following Franco Morbidelli but was unable to close the gap enough to mount an attack. On lap 17, Rins retired from the race due to not feeling well.
After today’s Race, Quartararo remains 15th in the championship standings with 61 points, while Rins stays 20th with 24 points. Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP are 10th in the team classification with 85 points, and Yamaha hold 5th place in the constructor standings with 84 points.
The team will now travel to the Spielberg track for the Grand Prix of Austria, which will take place from 18-20 September.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team Director
“Today’s race had a mixed outcome for us. Fabio already showed he had good pace in yesterday’s Sprint and today he took the chance of a do-over with both hands. He had to manage the fuel during this race, but he was determined to maximise today’s result and managed to still fend off multiple riders to secure a top-10 finish. Unfortunately, Álex’s race ended early because of him not feeling well. Of course, it’s disappointing for him not to be able to finish the race because of this, but safety always has to come first, especially in this sport. We now head straight to Austria for next week’s GP at the Spielberg track.”
FABIO QUARTARARO
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Rider
“I would say I was in more than ‘a decent position’ in this race. I was not so far from P6, I think. We had difficulties with the fuel during this race, I’m not sure why. But I think we still maximised our potential. I was feeling worse than yesterday, but we got the best result possible for us today.”
ÁLEX RINS
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Rider
UPDATE:
Álex Rins was unable to give a comment due to a migraine and severe nausea. He is currently undergoing medical checks and will prioritise his recovery for the Austrian GP.
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