Marc Marquez was tempted to play it safe at Misano and value the 20 points for P2, but then another thought crossed his mind - the value of the five extra points on offer should the title go down to the wire. The highest-placed title contender at the time, Marquez still stood to gain from a safe second - but instead played all his cards for a stunning first.

Not wanting to get into a battle with Petrucci and take too many risks, Marquez decided he would push for the win - but over only one lap. No last corner lunge and no early fireworks, this was going to be one move and then a final sprint for the line. Taking the lead at Turn 1 on the final lap, that's exactly what the rider from Cervera did - unleashing the fastest lap of the race on the final lap of the race, and over a second clear over the line.

With all three top title challengers lining up on the front row, it was a high stakes game of glory or gravel on the Rimini Riviera - but just sometimes, who dares wins. And Marquez certainly won, going back into the Championship lead but on equal points with Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team). With both on four wins, the number 93 is ahead only by way of having more second place finishes. How close do you like it?

Now it's back from enemy territory and onto home turf at MotorLand Aragon, where Marquez' speed is unmatched - with six pole positions in the last seven years...

"The race was amazing. You can’t imagine the tension and focus, so difficult to keep concentration because the race was so long." Siad Marquez "During the race the feeling was changing, at the start I was struggling more, then I was ok but towards the end is when I felt better."

"Then I started thinking about the Championship and thought second was enough, but then I thought ‘ok, I have the potential to win and I’ll try because you never know if at the end in Valencia you’ll miss those five points".

"During the race I was trying to follow Danilo and other riders because after the Warm up crash…I think that was a good crash, if I hadn’t crashed then I would have crashed in the race." He added

"That gave me a warning. I was just trying to follow Danilo, and then the pass I prepared well. I didn’t want to fight with him here at Misano, I wanted to overtake him and then push for one lap – I didn’t want to risk it for more than one lap, or on the final corner.

Andrea Dovizioso was in contention for the win in the San Marino Grand Prix until the latter stages, but the Italian says his feeling on the bike wasn't good enough to risk everything in a play for the victory.

But less risk meant only marginally less reward, with the rider from Forli crossing the line in third for yet another podium finish - this his first at Misano.

Now 'DesmoDovi' is equal with Marc Marquez on victories and points at the top of the table, but the number four sits second by way of having less second places. It has never been closer, and the Italian knows he can fight for it to the wire.

"I realised in the first few laps it was a very difficult race for me because I didn’t have grip and didn’t know why." Said the championship leader.

"But after Jorge crashed, Danilo and Marc were on the same pace so I was trying to understand if I had a chance to stay there until the end."

"But I didn’t have any better point compared to them to let me fight. It was so easy to make a mistake, today when I was riding I thought ‘this is when it’s more important to take points and not zero’. You have to try, Marc took a lot of risk but he felt good and I didn’t." He added

"I’m not so happy wth the feeling I had and I lost some points, but I’m happy how we confirmed yesterday our speed in the dry."

"I think we have a chance to fight for the Championship. Marc is strong and the next race is Aragon where he’s really fast, but now we’re three in the Championship."

"I’m feeling good and we’ll try until the end. Marc and Honda have confirmed they’re strong at the moment, but so have we - at tracks where we weren't that close in the past." concluded Dovizioso

source: motogp.com