Bezzecchi's lap-one error hands Marquez the lead
Marco Bezzecchi took pole at his home San Marino Grand Prix and looked set to lead it start to finish, but a lap-one mistake ended his race before it really began. Trying too hard to hold off reigning world champion Marc Marquez into Turn 12, Bezzecchi slid out and crashed, handing the lead straight to Marquez with 26 laps still to run.
A Marquez brothers one-two
Marquez controlled the race from there, but he didn't have it easy — his own brother Alex, riding a Marco Simoncelli tribute livery at Misano, mounted a serious late charge and closed right up before running out of laps. Marc crossed the line just 0.657 seconds ahead, giving the Marquez brothers their first one-two finish of the season together.
Martin's quiet collapse to fifth
Championship leader Jorge Martin briefly ran second after Bezzecchi's crash, but his pace fell away across the race — he was passed by both Marquez brothers and by Pedro Acosta, eventually finishing fifth, 14 seconds behind the winner. It capped a difficult home weekend for Aprilia, whose factory team had arrived at Misano hoping for the opposite result.
The title lead changes hands
Martin's off-day and Marquez's win swapped the top of the championship: Marquez now leads on 274 points, level on points with Martin but ahead on the tiebreaker of more race wins this season. Bezzecchi's crash cost him a shot at a lead of his own, and with the title now separated by a countback rather than a clean points gap, every remaining race win carries extra weight. See our complete guide to MotoGP for how the championship's scoring and tiebreak rules work.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the 2026 San Marino Grand Prix?
Marc Marquez, after pole-sitter Marco Bezzecchi crashed out of the lead on the opening lap. Marquez held off a late charge from his brother Alex Marquez to win by 0.657 seconds.
What happened to Marco Bezzecchi at Misano?
He crashed out at Turn 12 on the first lap while trying to defend the lead from Marc Marquez, ending his home Grand Prix immediately.
Where did championship leader Jorge Martin finish at San Marino?
Fifth, 14 seconds behind the winner, after running as high as second early on before fading and being passed by both Marquez brothers and Pedro Acosta.
Who leads the 2026 MotoGP championship after San Marino?
Marc Marquez, with 274 points — level with Jorge Martin but ahead on the tiebreaker of more race victories this season.
Pippa has followed open-wheel racing for 12 years, from Formula 1's turbo-hybrid era to IndyCar's short ovals, and has watched competitive sim racing grow from a niche hobby into a genuine motorsport discipline in its own right. She covers circuit and open-wheel racing, touring cars and esports for CNMOTOS.
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