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Bezzecchi wins wild Indonesia sprint as Marquez extends MotoGP points record / Photo: Sonny TUMBELAKA - AFP
Bezzecchi wins wild Indonesia sprint as Marquez extends MotoGP points record
Marco Bezzecchi won a thrilling sprint race in Indonesia on Saturday as newly crowned MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez extended the season points record.
Ducati's Marquez finished seventh to claim three points and stretch his championship-winning total to 544 points, despite a long lap penalty for "causing contact" in a collision with Alex Rins.
Italian polesitter Bezzecchi had a disastrous start, sliding to sixth immediately after the green light in humid conditions at the Mandalika track on the resort island of Lombok.
The Aprilia rider recovered brilliantly to overtake rookie Fermin Aldeguer near the conclusion of a chaotic race.
Aldeguer finished just 0.157sec behind in second, the 20-year-old Spaniard denied from going into the record books as the youngest-ever MotoGP sprint winner.
Raul Fernandez finished more than four seconds back in third for his first sprint podium, while Alex Marquez took fourth, followed by Joan Mir and Luca Marini.
Spain's Marc Marquez has had an immaculate season with 11 grands prix wins, sealing his seventh MotoGP title in Motegi last week with five events to spare.
It marked a triumphant return from a gruelling struggle with injuries since breaking his right arm in 2020 that almost forced him to hang up his helmet.
There was disappointment in the sprint race for two-time world champion Francesco Bagnaia, who was the last finishing rider in 14th.
Fabio Quartararo, Pedro Acosta and Johann Zarco all crashed, while Enea Bastianini tumbled out of contention while down the order.
Honda satellite LRC's Thai rookie Somkiat Chantra also crashed early in the race.
K.Busch--BlnAP
