What problem almost deprived Marc Márquez of victory at Mugello?

Starting from pole position, Marc Márquez was literally stuck on the starting grid. There was no bad reflex or excessive wheelspin to blame, however. On the grid, the Spaniard had to urgently repair his launch control, a device that allows the machine to get off to a good start and make the most of the grip of the Michelin rear tire.

It must be admitted that today, with no less than eleven buttons and levers on the left handle alone, the machines of MotoGP become as complex to operate as rockets! As he opened the throttle wide, ready to launch, the eight-time world champion noticed that his system had deactivated. This system allows you to maintain the ideal torque and avoid wheelspin in the initial phase of the start. He therefore had to move his right hand to make a modification on the left side of his handlebars, where his hand firmly held the clutch lever.

The lights went out very quickly afterward, and Márquez was able to react quickly to avoid losing too much ground. However, he had to make a comeback after the first corner, as he was stuck in the pack. It wasn't as simple as it sounds, but one that the #93 driver managed to pull off over the length of the sprint race at this Italian Grand Prix.

Lights out, sprint race begins! 🔥

Marc Márquez gets off to a bad start, but Francesco Bagnaia takes the lead at the first corner! 🫨🇮🇹

Clash between Zarco and Binder!

➡️ CANAL+ SPORT 360 📺#ItalianGP | #MotoGP pic.twitter.com/DMbCpUFGGX

- CANAL + MotoGP ™ (@CanalplusMotoGP) June 21, 2025

"I know what happened at the start, the launch control was activated, then it deactivated and I had to put it back in, which cost me positions.", he explained in the Parc Fermé. "We put on a great show up front and won the sprint race, which is great. That wasn't even the main goal; I just wanted to lose as few points as possible."

Located on the main straight of Mugello, the Parc Fermé was an opportunity for the drivers to interact directly with the crowd, who heard them through the circuit's loudspeakers. Copiously booed by the red tide mainly dedicated to Francesco Bagnaia (and his mentor Valentino Rossi) rather than Ducati, the Spaniard showed playfulness before handing back the microphone: " I hope all the Italian fans enjoyed the show, because the comeback was really nice!”

Not sure if the Italian fans liked it, but the others certainly did!

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