Marquez saves his best until last

World champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) won his fourth race of the year at a wet Misano on September 10 after passing long-time leader Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Ducati) on the penultimate lap and then pushing hard to keep his rival in check.

Marquez has now joined Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) in co-leadership of the 2017 MotoGP title with five races remaining. The pair is on 199pts, ahead of Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha, 183), Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha, 157) and Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda, 150).

Marquez said it "was one of the best races" of his career.

“It gave me an amazing feeling because it required incredible concentration to manage the tension the whole time," said Marquez.

"It was very easy to make a mistake, and that’s why I decided to attack only on the final lap. That lap was amazing; I took many risks, but with such a close season, it was worth trying to get the five extra points for the win.

"Of course I was thinking about the championship the whole race. At the beginning the feeling wasn’t so good, probably because there was so much water on the track, and I had a couple of very scary moments.

"(Jorge) Lorenzo was amazingly fast early on, and so was Danilo later when he took the lead after Jorge’s crash, but I was able to follow him and finally to attack. Thanks to the team for the great job

"This championship is amazing; anything can happen, but now we’ve returned to the top, equal on points with Andrea. The last five races will be very tough, but we’ll keep pushing and give it our 100 per cent."

Petrucci was magnanimous in defeat.

“It was a fantastic race. From the first lap the feeling was good. I was leading for long until I saw Marquez coming back," said Petrucci.

"I was thinking to make him pass but my fear was that he could run away. Marquez has done a fantastic last lap and he deserved the victory. I would have liked to win the race but I am very happy for how the weekend has gone, and I have to thank the whole team”.

Dovizioso finished in third position ahead of Vinales, Ducati test rider Michele Pirro and Aussie Jack Miller in sixth – his equal best finish for the year.

"At the start of the race I felt I had more pace than Vinales and (Cal) Crutchlow but by the end of the race my pace dropped and I probably switched the engine map too late to help look after the rear tyre," said Miller.

"It was good on the edge but I had lost some drive grip and it wasn’t possible to hold off Pirro in the final laps. This was my best weekend in the second half of the season so far and with some good points I am looking forward to the next race in Aragon.”

Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Ducati), Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Racing) completed the top 10.

Meanwhile, Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) was the early runaway leader before crashing on lap seven, while others to fall on the slick surface included Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and wet weather specialist Loris Baz (Avintia Racing Ducati).

Pedrosa was never in the hunt and finished in 14th position, blowing his chance to pass the convalescing Rossi in the standings.

FULL RESULTS HERE

MotoGP results
1. Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda, 50:41.565
2. Danilo Petrucci, Octo Pramac Ducati, +1.192s
3. Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team, +11.706s

Australian
6. Jack Miller, EG 0,0 Marc VDS, +24.882

Pole position: Maverick Vinales, Movistar Yamaha, 1:32.439 = 164.5km/h
Fastest lap: Marquez 1:47.069 = 142km/h

Championship top 3
Dovizioso 199 • Marquez 199 • Vinales 183

Moto2
Dominique Aegerter (Kiefer Racing) mastered the soaking conditions to take his second ever Grand Prix victory – and the first for the Suter chassis since the last round of 2014.

Tom Lüthi (CarXpert Interwetten) was second to make it a Swiss quinella, and he's now just 9pts behind championshhip leader Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) who crashed out of the lead on lap four. Morbidelli's teammate Alex Marquez didn't start the race after a heavy crash in practice.

Completing the podium was Malaysian Hafizh Syahrin (Petronas Raceline Malaysia), who put his wet weather pace to good use. Francesco Bagnaia (Sky Racing Team VR46) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo)) were fourth and fifth in a race that saw just 16 finishers and 15 DNFs.

Australia's Remy Gardner (Tech 3 Racing) crashed twice but still completed the 26-lap race in 13th position.

“I was surprised to be 21st on the grid as we went much quicker than we had all weekend in qualifying and didn’t expect everyone else to improve so much," said Gardner.

"What a race though! It’s a real shame that I crashed the first time as I think we had the pace to finish in the top eight. The second crash was unlucky; the data shows nothing strange so I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.

"Anyway, we got 3pts after two crashes in the same race which I don’t anyone could have predicted. I can take the positives and move on to Aragon in a fortnight where I am confident I can improve both me and the bike a bit more.”

Moto2 results
1. Dominique Aegerter, Kiefer Racing, 51:39.709
2. Tom Luthi CarXpert Interwetten, +1.400s
3. Hafizh Syahrin, Petronas Raceline Malaysia, EG 0,0 Marc VDS, +7.875s

Australian
13. Remy Gardner, Tech 3 Racing, +1 lap

Pole position: Mattia Pasini, Italtrans Racing Team, 1:37.390 = 156.2km/h
Fastest lap: Brad Binder, Red Bull KTM Ajo, 1:57.732 = 129.2km/h

Championship top 3
Franco Morbidelli 223 • Luthi 214 • Alex Marquez 155

Moto3
Romano Fenati (Marinelli Rivacold Snipers Honda) completely decimated the field in one of the most dominant Moto3 races on record. His ninth win in Moto3 came with 28 seconds to spare over championship leader Joan Mir (Leopard Racing Racing), with the podium completed by Fabio Di Giannantonio (Del Conca Gresini Moto3).

There were only 15 finishers, all of whom scored points.

Philipp Oettl (Südmetall Schedl GP Racing KTM) came through from 11th on the grid to finish in a lonely fourth, ahead of Nicolo Bulega (Sky Racing Team VR46), Bo Bendsneyder (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Jakub Kornfeil (Peugeot MC Saxoprint), Albert Arenas (Aspar Mahindra Moto3), Andrea Migno (Sky Racing Team VR46) and Jaume Masia (Platinum Bay Real Estate KTM).

Polesitter Enea Bastianini (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Honda) crossed the line in 14th to collect 2pts on home turf despite two crashes

Moto3 results
1. Romano Fenati, Marinelli Rivacold Snipers Honda, 46:24.290
2. Joan Mir, Leopard Racing Honda, +28.594s
3. Fabio Giannantonio, Del Conca Gresini Honda, +39.035s

Pole position: Enea Bastianinil, EG 0,0 Honda, 1:42.147 = 148.9km/h
Fastest lap: Fenati, 1:59.425 = 127.3km/h

Championship top 3
Mir 246 • Fenati 185 • Aron Canet 162

Next round: Aragon, Spain, September 22-24