Marc Marquez nears seventh MotoGP title after San Marino win

Marc Marquez is on the verge of winning his seventh MotoGP world title after triumphing in Sunday’s San Marino Grand Prix.

Ducati rider Marc Marquez is 182 points ahead of his brother Alex Marquez, who finished third, with six race weekends remaining and will have a chance to draw level with motorcycling icon Valentino Rossi at the Japan MotoGP later this month.

The 32-year-old claimed the 99th GP win of his career after starting fourth on the grid and then winning a brilliant battle with Marco Bezzecchi.

Just as during Saturday’s sprint race Marc Marquez charged past Fabio Quartararo and his brother Alex Marquez at the green light to nestle in behind Bezzecchi.

But unlike on Saturday, when the Spaniard slid off the track after overtaking Bezzecchi, he made no such mistake once he snuck into the race lead during lap 12.

He pounced on a slip from Bezzecchi who went wide on a corner during lap 12 and from there rode expertly to seal his 11th GP win of a phenomenal season in which he has also won 14 sprints.

It was another disastrous weekend for Bezzecchi’s countryman Francesco Bagnaia who started in eighth, his lowest placing ever on the grid at Misano, and then slid off the track during the 10th lap.

Joan Mir, who missed all of Saturday’s action due to a neck injury suffered on Friday, crashed out in the first lap alongside France’s Johann Zarco.