Written by Finn Glover, Edited by Vyas Ponnuri
MotoGP heads to one of its most iconic tracks in Misano this weekend, playing host to Round 13 of the championship, The San Marino Grand Prix. It’s another home race for Ducati; and will that give them the extra momentum to destroy their competition, after falling back ever so slightly in Aragon?
Throwback: San Marino Grand Prix 2023
Last time out in Misano, it was Jorge Martin who demolished the field with a double sprint-race victory in the sunshine of Misano. The podium stayed the same for both races, with Marco Bezzecchi and Francesco Bagnaia rounding it out on both occasions. However, it has to be said that Bagnaia was wounded by an awful crash a week prior in Barcelona, possibly hampering his progress for the weekend.
Yet, the standout of the weekend was KTM wildcard Dani Pedrosa. The 38-year-old veteran claimed a double P4, the highest-scoring non-Ducati rider.
Martin led from the very off before Bezzecchi and Bagnaia battled relentlessly for second place. Bagnaia then dropped off, coming into the clutches of Pedrosa, who just couldn’t reach the podium. It was the same story in the sprint, a race marked by a stunning ride from KTM’s Brad Binder, producing several sterling overtakes on his way to a respectable fifth-position finish.
Round 12: Aragon
Aragon’s return to the calendar certainly proved not to disappoint. Ultimately, it marked the return to greatness for one of the sport's most beloved, iconic riders Marc Marquez. Claiming the biggest pole margin in many years, he obliterated the field in both the sprint and the main race.
Martin finished second in both races, solidifying his championship stance. Early in the main race, he battled persistently with home rider Pedro Acosta, both riders nearly crashing at the corkscrew section of the race track.
His advantage in the championship was stretched significantly due to the struggles of rival Pecco Bagnaia. A tough sprint saw him battling with the midfield and slumping to a poor ninth, and in the main race, disaster struck.
After Alex Marquez went wide at Turn 12, the two lines of the riders converged at Turn 13, which proved to be unlucky for both. The bikes interlocked and both riders fell, in what was a nasty accident. Both were lucky to walk away. That meant Bagnaia walked away from Aragon with just a solitary point to his name…
The field was noticeably more competitive in Aragon, with a non-Ducati on the main race podium for the first time since Austin in Pedro Acosta and some very good weekends for the likes of KTM’s Brad Binder and in the sprint for Trackhouse’s Miguel Oliviera.
Honda and Yamaha also improved, with a top 10 qualifying for Johann Zarco and a superb 12th for Takaaki Nakagami. Alex Rins climbed up 12 places in the main race, scoring his best finish of P9.
After Aragon, the championship top 5 is as follows:
1- Jorge Martin (Pramac) 299 Points
2- Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) 276 Points
3- Marc Marquez (Gresini) 229 Points
4- Enea Bastianini (Ducati) 228 Points
5- Pedro Acosta (GASGAS Tech3 KTM) 148 Points
The Track
From one fan favourite to another, the Misano track is steeped in history and memories, proving pivotal in many championship battles. Despite holding the San Marino Grand Prix, it is situated in Italy, on the Adriatic coast town of Rimini.
Made up of 16 turns and a distance of 2.626 miles, it is one of the shortest and more technical racetracks on the calendar. The track starts with a very slow first sector, before a sequence of straights and long corners, including the iconic ‘Quercia’ (Turn 8).
The corners slowly decrease in radius before the track turns back on itself, as it takes the riders into a challenging final two corners to lead the riders back to the start straight.
The track is very well used, unlike some tracks like Mandalika and Buriram. It is more ‘ordinary’ for the riders, with the track conditions expected to be suitable for the riders, unlike Aragon, where the intermittent weather caused the surface to become slightly more unknown.
So, as MotoGP returns to the Ducati dreamland, will they be able to win an astounding tenth grand prix in a row? The omens couldn’t be any better, with Ducati winning the last three San Marino Grand Prix.
And for the first time since Catalunya, the championship has opened up at the top. Jorge Martin leads by 23 points, and the next two races at Misano could be crucial for Bagnaia’s championship as we head to more unpredictable races in Asia and Australia.
With wildcards returning, and many manufacturers starting to claw back Ducati’s domination, who knows what will happen in Italy? The weather for Sunday throws a possibility of rain, just to add more gunpowder to this explosive plot.
The race starts at 1 pm BST. Don’t miss out!
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