Marc Márquez will not be able to win the world title this weekend on the home turf of Valentino Rossi, but he could take a big step towards a title in Motegi, Japan, in two weeks. Fourth on the grid, the Catalan will have to manage to clear the front row starting in front of him, made up of Marco Bezzecchi, Álex Márquez and fabio quartararo.

Hostilities begin at 14 p.m. for this sixteenth sprint race of the year!

MotoGP – San Marino GP
The sprint race in live text

15h30 – Thank you for following us for this live text, we will meet again tomorrow at 14 p.m. to follow the San Marino Grand Prix!

San Marino GP – Sprint: Marco Bezzecchi wins after the fall of Marc Marquez

15h26 – Only the two Marquez brothers are still in contention for the world title, Francesco Bagnaia, third in the championship, will not be seeking a third crown.

15h24 – Despite his crash and his brother’s second place, Marc Márquez can still secure the world title at the Japanese Grand Prix in Motegi.

15h23 – Valentino Rossi came to greet his protégé Bezzecchi, who won on home soil.

13 / 13 – 🏁 Starting from pole position, Marco Bezzecchi wins the Sprint of the San Marino Grand Prix! Álex Márquez crossed the line in second position, ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio.

13/13 – Last lap for Marco Bezzecchi!

12 / 13 – After a difficult start to the weekend, helped by his teammate Bezzecchi to reach Q2, Jorge Martín is now in eighth position, in the points for the reigning world champion.

11 / 13 – Marco Bezzecchi now has a one-second lead as he closes in on victory with his Aprilia.

11 / 13 – 🛠️ Mechanical problem for Brad Binder, who stops his KTM in the gravel.

9 / 13 – Things are going from bad to worse for Bagnaia, who is now in fourteenth place, on a circuit he knows perfectly, since he is part of the VR46 Academy…

9 / 13 – The two VR46 drivers are fighting for another podium in the Sprint, Di Giannantonio is third, Morbidelli fourth.

8 / 13 – Johann Zarco moved up to tenth position, ahead of Bastianini and Pecco Bagnaia, who seemed very satisfied with the performance of his bike on Friday, but who encountered difficulties this Saturday.

7 / 13 – Marco Bezzecchi, however, can’t relax too much just yet, as he has Alex Márquez just four tenths of a second behind him!

6 / 13 – 💥 MARC MÁRQUEZ FALLS! The leader falls in the penultimate bend, to the cheers of the crowd, who are obviously very fond of a certain Valentino Rossi…

6 / 13 – Márquez had to wait very little time, he took the lead at the end of the first sector!

6 / 13 – After losing a few tenths, Marc Márquez is catching up with Marco Bezzecchi. Will the championship leader be able to attempt an attack?

5 / 13 – 💥 Fabio Quartararo crashes in the first chicane! What a shame for the Frenchman who was fourth…

4 / 13 – Bezzecchi increases his lead at the top, now six tenths over Marc Márquez, while Fabio Quartararo manages to hold on to the top three for the moment.

3 / 13 – Good start for Johann Zarco, who is now in thirteenth position.

3 / 13 – The leading trio are running at the same times, with Alex Marquez setting the fastest lap of the race, just two thousandths of a second ahead of Bezzecchi!

2 / 13 – Bezzecchi finished the first lap in the lead ahead of the Márquez brothers, then Quartararo, Di Giannantonio, Morbidelli, Marini, Aldeguer and Acosta, who finally overtook for eighth place.

1/13 – 🟢 Here we go! Marc Márquez has made a great start, taking second place behind Marco Bezzecchi! Fabio Quartararo has slipped to fourth, fending off the attacks of the VR46 riders.

15h00 – ☀️ 27°C in the air, 37°C on the track, as the warm-up lap begins.

14h59 – The 22 drivers on the grid are preparing to take the start of this sprint race, without Joan Mir who preferred to withdraw, following a fall yesterday which caused him neck pain.

14h56 – The grid is clearing, starting in a few moments for this 16th Sprint of the season!

14h47 – It’s a special day for Yamaha, as for the first time the Japanese brand will be fielding a machine powered by a V4 engine, as opposed to the inline four-cylinder. Yamaha test rider Augusto Fernandez is riding the V4 version.

14h45 – Unsurprisingly, the entire field has so far opted for a medium front and a soft rear tire for this sprint race. Changes could still be made before the formation lap, but they are unlikely.

14h40 – The drivers set off on their grid lap, under the sun.

14h35 – Check out the starting grid for the two races this weekend. Please note that Joan Mir will not be starting this Saturday following his crash yesterday:

1) Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia)
2) Alex Marquez (Gresini Ducati)
3) Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha)

4) Marc Marquez (Ducati)
5) Franco Morbidelli (VR46 Ducati)
6) Luca Marini (Honda)

7) Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46 Ducati)
8) Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
9) Pedro Acosta (KTM)

10) Fermin Aldeguer (Gresini Ducati)
11) Jorge Martin (Aprilia)
12) Joan Mir (Honda)

13) Miguel Oliveira (Pramac Yamaha)
14) Raúl Fernández (Trackhouse Aprilia)
15) Ai Ogura (Trackhouse Aprilia)

16) Brad Binder (KTM)
17) Maverick Vinales (Tech3 KTM)
18) Alex Rins (Yamaha)

19) Johann Zarco (LCR Honda)
20) Enea Bastianini (Tech3 KTM)
21) Jack Miller (Pramac Yamaha)

22) Augusto Fernández (Yamaha)
23) Somkiat Chantra (LCR Honda)

14h30 – Hello everyone, welcome to AUTOhebdo.fr to follow the San Marino Grand Prix sprint race live. MotoGP, in Misano!