“Wanted to make his life a bit harder” - Marco Bezzecchi on Marc Marquez Aragon MotoGP fight

Despite leading the opening laps of the Aragon MotoGP, pole qualifier Marco Bezzecchi said he soon knew he didn't have the pace to contain Marc Marquez.

Nonetheless, the Aprilia star at least hoped to “make his life a little bit harder”, trying to retaliate when the reigning champion took the lead in the chicane on lap six.

The resulting battle saw the pair just inches apart during a head-to-head drag race at over 300km/h along the back straight, before Bezzecchi was forced to yield.

Pedro Acosta also took advantage to snatch second place from Bezzecchi.

“Even when I was in the lead, I saw that my pace was not the best,” Bezzecchi said.

“I tried to open a gap, but I knew that Marc was going to come back.

“Honestly, I wanted to make his life a little bit harder, also for Pedro, but I lost both places in a couple of seconds!”

Bezzecchi agreed with Marquez that turbulence from the aerodynamics caused the pair to be drawn together on the straight.

“When we went close to each other in the straight, the air was like doing something strange. I wanted to move away from him, but sometimes I was coming closer,” he said.

“Then I was a bit too much on the left [of the track], so I had to brake a little bit earlier, and in that moment, Pedro came from the right with a good amount of speed.

"Unfortunately, I lost the places. But it was a fun moment!"

Although unable to challenge Acosta again, Bezzecchi finished comfortably clear of Alex Marquez, who had been runner-up to Marc in the Sprint.

“It was a wonderful weekend. Last year, I came here, and I started the race in last place," Bezzecchi said.

"This year, I grabbed the pole position and made a double podium. So I'm very satisfied.”

Although Bezzecchi has dropped behind Marc Marquez to third in the world championship, he leaves Aragon having gained seven points on team-mate and title leader Jorge Martin.