BALATONFOKAJAR, Hungary, June 7 (Reuters) - Marc Marquez claimed his 100th victory across all classes with a commanding win at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday at Balaton Park, less than a month after undergoing surgery on his shoulder and foot.
The 33-year-old Spaniard beat KTM's Pedro Acosta to the chequered flag for his first win since the San Marino Grand Prix last year and his 74th in MotoGP.
The seven-times MotoGP champion's triumph was particularly sweet as it also marked Ducati's 100th victory while his team mate Francesco Bagnaia finished third.
"Super happy. Expensive win because after last year it changed everything," said Marquez, who had also won Saturday's sprint from pole position.
"But the sport is like this. From one day to the other, one can change everything. I learned this in 2020 (after a season-ending crash)."
NIGHTMARE FOR APRILIA IN MULTI-RIDER CRASH
It became a nightmare race for Aprilia when Jorge Martin lost his balance on the first lap at turn one and crashed into three riders, including his teammate and championship leader Marco Bezzecchi.
The crash also took out Gresini Racing's Fermin Aldeguer and Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez, as three Aprilia bikes were taken out of contention.
"I didn't do a good start and when I started to brake, I just saw something arriving so fast," Bagnaia said.
"It was Martin arriving (at) double the speed, so maybe it was two (riders) on the inside and locked the front, because the new tarmac on corner one was very slippery."
Both Martin and Bezzecchi were taken to the medical centre, with Aprilia later confirming Martin had bruising on his back and right foot while Bezzecchi suffered contusions on his right leg and hand, though neither rider showed visible fractures.
MARQUEZ AND ACOSTA BATTLE FOR WIN
Up front, Acosta seized the initiative on lap two, diving inside to take the lead in a thrilling battle that saw the KTM rider and Marquez trade fastest laps while leaving Bagnaia far behind in third.
The decisive moment came on lap 14 when Marquez made his move, only for Acosta to respond immediately, with the KTM rider even nudging aside his compatriot near the final turn, but Marquez was not to be denied.
Taking the lead at the chicane on the next lap, Marquez then streaked away, building a commanding advantage before cruising to victory as Acosta seemed to struggle with tyre wear.
In a moment of pure joy, he stood on his bike as he crossed the finish line, before celebrating with a red flag emblazoned with the number 100.
The milestone puts Marquez in exclusive company as only the third rider to reach a century of wins, joining motorcycling greats Giacomo Agostini (122) and Valentino Rossi (115).
"We come back and we work hard. Some difficulties this first part of the season but I knew that here was a big chance to win," Marquez added.
"I want to say thanks to the people that believed in me - the doctors, the physios, a lot of hours at home working. The prize was expensive but I'm happy to (make) another comeback."
Trackhouse rider Ai Ogura finished fourth while Honda's Luca Marini completed the top five.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru;Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
