Marquez coasts to seventh successive win in Hungary

Marc Marquez’s remorseless march to a seventh world title continued on Sunday as he coasted to victory in the Hungarian MotoGP.

The 32-year-old Spanish Ducati rider recorded his seventh successive sprint race/MotoGP double as he beat compatriot Pedro Acosta on a KTM with Marco Bezzecchi riding an Aprilia third.

Almost as eye-catching as Marc Marquez’s performance — he is three off equalling his career best of 10 MotoGP victories in a row — was 2024 world champion Jorge Martin’s fourth place, from a lowly 17th on the grid.

His season has been ruined by injury — something Marquez knows all about having had a series of injuries — but back to full fitness he finally found some form.

Marquez holds a 175-point lead over his younger brother Alex Marquez, who finished 14th, with eight races remaining.

Marc Marquez celebrates with the trophy. AFP

Marquez had a terrible start in what was the first Hungarian MotoGP since 1992 and almost went to ground when he clipped Bezzecchi on the second corner.

“I did not expect him to slow down so much and touched him but fortunately we both managed to stay on our bikes, it was a huge relief,” said Marquez.

“The first 10 laps was a real battle but once I took the lead I had an excellent rhythm.

“Aprilia are becoming more competitive but our bike is still out-performing them and I could not be happier.”

Marquez dropped to third while his Ducati team-mate Francesco Bagnaia, who had a disastrous qualifying session, surged from 15th to seventh.

Marc at least remained in contention but his younger brother Alex saw his already slender title hopes diminish yet further as he crashed on the first lap.

Second placed Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team's Spanish rider Pedro Acosta (left), winner Ducati Lenovo team's Spanish rider Marc Marquez, and third placed Aprilia Racing team's Italian rider Marco Bezzecchi celebrate after the motorcycle Hungarian Moto GP Grand Prix at the Balaton Park circuit in Balatonfokajar, Hungary, on Saturday. AFP

He remounted but dropped to 19th and last -- Italian Enea Bastianini fared even worse, his race over before the end of the first lap.

He slid across the track, his rivals doing brilliantly to avoid hitting him, before he rose up and shook his fists in frustration back to the pits.

Marc Marquez moved into second, passing Franco Morbidelli, and was less than a second off Bezzecchi with 21 laps to go.

Two laps later he slipped past Bezzecchi but the Italian quickly reclaimed the lead.

It was a game of cat and mouse between the two for the following few laps before Marquez went past at the beginning of the 11th of the 26 laps.

Agence France-Presse