Marquez masters Misano in the wet

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) took his fourth win of the year in a high-stakes duel at Misano.

The race was staged in torrential rain with the top three in the title fight lining up for the challenge on the front row. But as the spray cleared, it was Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Racing) just ahead of the reigning champion on track as the two dueled – and Marquez pounced on the last lap for another 25-point haul. That gives the No. 93 rider the championship lead once again as Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) came home third, with the two rivals equal on points and equal on wins – but Marquez ahead by virtue of more second places.

Despite the challengers on the front row, it was Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) who got away best from Row 2, taking the lead through the first two corners after tussling with Marquez (pictured above) and shooting away into the distance. Marquez slotted into second and Dovizioso in third, with Petrucci then slicing around the outside of Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) at the start of the second lap to begin his charge. After Vinales, the Pramac rider then shot past Dovizioso, beginning to hone in on Marquez and then taking over in second.

After setting the timesheets alight and clear in the lead, drama then struck the head of the race as Lorenzo suddenly highsided out at Turn 6 – rider OK – leaving Petrucci in the lead and a long game of high-speed chess to set in: Petrucci, Marquez, Dovizioso, and nothing between them.

As the laps ticked on and the stakes seemed to get higher and higher, Dovizioso began to fade and the trio became a duo in the battle for the win. The ring of the Honda getting louder and louder behind him, Petrucci held firm but Marquez chose his moment well to pounce: heading through at Turn 1 on the final lap. He was then able to keep a small margin as the spray kicked up behind him, holding his nerve to take the win.

That meant Petrucci took second and his fourth premier class podium, 1.1 seconds off the win after Marquez fired in the fastest lap of the race on the final lap. Dovizioso took a safe third place – his first podium finish at Misano – and another good haul of points, with Vinales able to similarly avoid mistakes, taking fourth to keep himself very much in the title fight.

Behind the front four, Michele Pirro (Ducati Team) made steady progress and once again impressed as a wild card for the Borgo Panigale factory, completing the top five. Jack Miller (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) put in a signature stunner in the wet from way down on the grid, for some time threatening Vinales for the top four before eventually crossing the line in sixth. Seventh over the line was a strong comeback from Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Racing), ahead of a quality ride from rookie Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar).

Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) shot through the field from P16 on the grid to take ninth, with an impressive double act behind him for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, as Bradley Smith took his first top 10 with the Austrian factory and teammate Pol Espargaro crossed the line in 11th.

Alvaro Bautista (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) took points in P12 and kept out of trouble, ahead of Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) in P13 – who crashed in the early stages and remounted. It was a tough day at the office for Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team), as the Spaniard struggled to find grip and get heat into the tires, crossing the line in P14. Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) supplied some late drama as he had a problem on the final lap, but managed to push the bike over the line for the final point.