After only a week off, MotoGP returns to action as the paddock descends on the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli along the Adriatic Riviera. With just two rounds remaining In Italy and in Austria before the series heads overseas, the pressure is mounting for Round 14 of the 2026 season.
Marc Márquez could take the MotoGP championship lead
The stakes could hardly be higher following a pivotal weekend in Aragon that compressed the top three in the standings. Marc Márquez swept both the Sprint and the main race in Spain, closing the gap to championship leader Jorge Martín to just 19 points.
The Spaniard could take the lead in Misano, a realistic prospect given his record: since Misano returned to the calendar in 2007, Márquez has claimed victory six times, more than any other rider at the circuit. It also happens to be his most successful clockwise circuit.
Nevertheless, doubt still lingers over the 2025 champion’s physical condition, Marc Márquez having recently posted a photo revealing the lasting toll on his repeatedly injured right arm.
The Spaniard has historically favoured anticlockwise circuits, a preference heightened by recurring injuries to his right arm and shoulder. While Misano, with its 10 right-hand turns and 6 lefts, is a clockwise layout, its six left-handers are actually more than most clockwise tracks on the calendar offer, providing at least a partial reprieve for his weakened side.
High expectations at home for Marco Bezzecchi
Meanwhile, local hero Marco Bezzecchi arrives at his home race carrying momentum. After a difficult run that began at Balaton Park, the Italian has launched the second half of his 2026 campaign on a more positive note.
Despite battling a painful left knee, the Rimini native built on his pair of podium finishes at Silverstone by storming to a brilliant pole position and two more podiums in Aragon.
Those results brought him within 24 points of teammate Jorge Martín, who endured a tougher outing in Spain, managing only two top five finishes. Even so, Martín has successfully rebuilt a gap, extending what was a slim 11-point lead prior to the summer break.
Still, a Sunday victory for Bezzecchi would mark several milestones, with Italy’s 300th premier class win, Bezzecchi’s 11th career victory across 11 different circuits, and Aprilia’s first-ever win at Misano.
Weather threatens San Marino GP
Unusually for this time of year, weather could play a role in the GP’s outcome. Rain threatens to disrupt several sessions throughout the weekend as heavy clouds hover over the track, though Sunday’s Grand Prix is expected to escape the worst of it.
Finally, the grid will be short of two full-time entries. Due to a left thumb injury, Trackhouse Racing’s Ai Ogura remains sidelined after missing the Aragon GP, where Aprilia test rider Lorenzo Savadori substituted for him. For this weekend, the squad has opted not to field a replacement.
Over in the Tech3 garage, KTM test rider Pol Espargaró steps in for Maverick Viñales for the third consecutive weekend. Viñales continues to recover from a left shoulder injury sustained at the Sachsenring in 2025, with his absence, stretching back to the 2026 British GP, coming amid growing tension between the Spaniard and the French outfit.
Action at the San Marino GP kicks off on Saturday at 3:00 pm CEST with the Sprint, before Sunday’s main Grand Prix gets underway at 2:00 pm.
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