An “incredible” weekend for Marc Márquez at Mugello

This is certainly the place where Marc Márquez is least well received. At Mugello, the eight-time world champion was booed by a crowd that was not exactly a fan of a rider who wears Ducati red. The rivalry between Marc Márquez and Valentino Rossi remained anchored in the minds of the tifosi and in that of the Doctor, who never really forgave his younger brother for their past quarrels.

Marc Márquez, for his part, shrugged it off, winning brilliantly on Sunday, the day after his Sprint victory and his 100th pole position in the world championship. The Catalan, who started in the lead, quickly relinquished the lead to Pecco Bagnaia, but he showed calm and intelligence in managing his race until he launched an unstoppable attack on his brother Álex, taking the lead and never being caught again.

“It’s an incredible feeling. Wearing the red Ducati here and winning is very important to me. I saw this morning, before the race, how special it was for the crowd, so I’m really happy,” smiles Márquez upon arrival in the Parc Fermé. "I controlled the race at the beginning. Alex and Pecco saw that I was struggling a bit, so they really pushed me. Then I really gave it my all to get back in front. It's been an incredible weekend."

With his 93rd victory, Marc Márquez extended his lead at the top of the championship. He now has a 40-point lead over his brother Alex and a 110-point lead over Pecco Bagnaia, who is third overall. The two Ducati riders engaged in their first on-track battle, which clearly went in Márquez's favor, while Bagnaia eventually ceded his podium place to Fabio Di Giannantonio in the closing laps of the circuit.

Marc Márquez takes a big step towards a ninth world championship title and, in the process, closes in on Valentino Rossi's 9 victories. The Italian, who is present with his VR115 team this weekend, may not really appreciate it...

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