Marc Márquez has mathematically clinched his seventh MotoGP world title following the German Grand Prix sprint race, where absent due to injury, as Marco Bezzecchi secured victory and narrowed the gap to third in the overall standings.
Márquez, riding for Ducati, amassed 545 points, enough to secure the championship with three races remaining in the 22-event season. The Spanish rider missed the sprint race due to injury, as did fellow Spaniard Jorge Martin.
Bezzecchi, competing for Aprilia, won the sprint race, the 19th of the season. He finished 3.149 seconds ahead of Raul Fernandez, also on an Aprilia, with Pedro Acosta of KTM taking third, 5.310 seconds behind the winner.
The Italian victor’s performance moved him closer to third place in the championship standings, currently held by countryman Francesco Bagnaia, who had a disappointing race, finishing second-to-last.
Portuguese rider Miguel Oliveira, on a Yamaha, finished 14th in the sprint race after starting from 16th position. He crossed the finish line 17.494 seconds behind Bezzecchi.
Oliveira reported experiencing “problems with the electronics” during qualification, which he indicated impacted his performance. He also cited issues with rear tire management on the final corner during qualification.
During the sprint race itself, Oliveira said he had a strong start, gaining two positions. However, he noted a “drop in performance of the rear tire” with five laps remaining. He expressed confidence in finding improvements for the main race on Sunday.
The best-placed Yamaha rider in the sprint was Australia’s Jack Miller, who secured fourth position. Oliveira currently sits 21st in the overall championship standings with 32 points. The main German Grand Prix race is scheduled for Sunday.