MotoGP: Bagnaia claims victory at Misano, extending championship lead

Marquez crashes out early, Quartararo finishes third

Francesco Bagnaia has taken a dominant victory at the San Marino Grand Prix, extending his lead in the MotoGP championship standings. The Ducati rider started from pole position and led every lap of the race, crossing the line over three seconds ahead of second-placed Enea Bastianini. Fabio Quartararo finished third, ahead of Aleix Espargaro and Jack Miller.

Marc Marquez crashed out of the race on the opening lap, while Jorge Martin and Johann Zarco also failed to finish. The result means that Bagnaia now has a 53-point lead over Quartararo in the championship standings, with just five races remaining.

Bagnaia in control from the start

Bagnaia made a perfect start from pole position and immediately opened up a lead over the chasing pack. By the end of the first lap, he had a lead of over a second, and he continued to extend his advantage throughout the race.

Bastianini was the only rider who could stay with Bagnaia, but he never really looked like challenging for the lead. Quartararo was third for much of the race, but he was unable to close the gap to Bastianini.

Marquez crashes out early

Marquez had a disastrous start to the race, crashing out on the opening lap at Turn 4. The Spaniard was trying to overtake Martin when he lost the front end of his bike and slid off the track.

It was a disappointing end to the weekend for Marquez, who had been hoping to challenge for the victory. The crash also means that he has now lost ground in the championship standings, and he is now 67 points behind Bagnaia.

Quartararo finishes third

Quartararo had a solid race to finish third, but he was never really in contention for the victory. The Frenchman was unable to match the pace of Bagnaia and Bastianini, and he was also struggling with tire wear.

Despite finishing third, Quartararo extended his lead in the championship standings over Espargaro. The Yamaha rider now has a 17-point advantage over his Spanish rival.

Bagnaia extends championship lead

Bagnaia's victory at Misano has extended his lead in the championship standings to 53 points. The Italian rider is now the clear favorite to win the title, and he will be looking to wrap up the championship as soon as possible.

Quartararo is still Bagnaia's closest challenger, but he will need to start winning races if he wants to catch the Ducati rider. Espargaro is also still in contention for the title, but he will need to make up a significant amount of ground.