Marquez wins a thriller

The decision by the Honda rider to switch to slick tyres on a drying Misano circuit, after earlier rain, led to his fourth win of the season.

Marc Marquez of Spain celebrates on the podium after winning the San Marino Grand Prix at the Misano Adriatico circuit in central Italy.

Defending World champion Marc Marquez of Spain, on his Honda, won an enthralling San Marino MotoGP on September 13 as Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi blew his chances with tactical errors and team-mate Jorge Lorenzo crashed out.

The decision by the Honda rider to switch to slick tyres on a drying Misano circuit, after earlier rain, led to his fourth win of the season in front of British riders Bradley Smith (Yamaha) and Scott Redding (Honda).

Redding rode a remarkable race after dumping his bike in the dirt only to get back up and finish third, which completed the first time two British riders had finished on the podium since 1979.

Championship leader Rossi and his army of home fans who had come to see the nine-time World champion looked on in bewilderment as he failed to make the switch from wet tyres to slicks with seven laps to go, when he was in the lead, which handed the race to Marquez.

The ‘Doctor’ eventually settled for fifth place but it was still a successful day as Lorenzo’s crash means Rossi extends his championship lead to 23 points over his Yamaha team-mate, with Marquez now 63 points adrift with five races to go.