Marc Marquez clinched consecutive victories at incredible race pace as Pol Espargaro took his best MotoGP result and a debut podium for the Repsol Honda team, giving the team their first 1-2 since the 2017 Aragon GP.
The 450th Grand Prix start of the Repsol Honda Team took place on Sunday on the Italian coast, after the last race in which the team achieved its 450th podium in the premier class. It turned out to be a happy Sunday as the Repsol Honda Team took a dominant 1-2 finish in the race.
Marc Marquez made another lightning start from the line and shot forward from the third row to immediately take the podium. A Jack Miller crash just a few laps later left only Marquez and Misano 1 race winner Francesco Bagnaia to push each other at the front and get off their bums. The pair swapped the fastest laps as the # 93 stayed just a few tenths of the Ducati for most of the race. In the final laps, Bagnaia appeared to be ahead of Marquez, who slowed his pace to secure a secure second place, but a sudden fall by Bagnaia put Marquez at the front of the race – a lead he was ahead of his teammate from the Repsol Honda team claimed its first straight wins since the 2019 Japanese and Australian GPs.
Pol Espargaro got off to an equally strong start from fourth place, stepping up behind Marquez and the Ducati pair, with Miguel Oliveira just behind. Oliveira put constant pressure on Espargaro, the Repsol Honda Team rider, who bowed his head and delivered strong racing pace to steadily gain an advantage. Espargaro was in a safe third place for most of the race and was promoted to second in the final laps when Bagnaia took the lead and sealed the first podium for the # 44 in the Repsol Honda team colors. Second place marks Espargaro’s best result so far in the premier class and means his first 1-2 result for the Repsol Honda Team since Aragon 2017.
After a difficult period, Honda and the Repsol Honda Team have shown the progress they are making to return to the top of the World Championship in 2022. The result is the first 1-2 for the Honda RC213V since the 2019 Australian Grand Prix, when Marquez won ahead of Cal Crutchlow.
Marquez now moves up to sixth place in the world championship with 142 points, just seven points behind Miller and a top five finish in the championship. With 90 points, Pol Espargaro is fighting a close battle for eighth place overall, Viñales are currently 23 points ahead. Both drivers want to continue this form in the last two races of the year.
Honda HRC and the Repsol Honda Team would like to congratulate Fabio Quartararo and Yamaha on winning the MotoGP World Championship in 2021.