JORGE Lorenzo proved today that he can still run at the front with Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez after battling for the lead only for the younger Spaniard to claim his six successive win by only 0.121 seconds
A home race for Rossi, but unfortunately not a win left the Italian on the last step of the rostrum at his 300th Grand Prix despite qualifying down in 10th.
Team-mate to Marquez, Dani Pedrosa finished over 10 seconds behind The Doctor with rookie Pol Espargaro breathing down his neck in fifth.
Andrea Dovizioso finished in sixth and was the only Ducati to take the chequered flag as Britain’s Cal crutchlow crashed shortly after fellow Brit Bradley Smith went down on lap four unhurt. Unfortunately, Crutchlow also brought down LCR Honda’s Stefan Bradl in the process. Luckily both riders were uninjured.
Italian Andrea Iannone took advantage of his home race qualifying second on the grid, making a great start and battling with Marquez like they used to in Moto2. Iannone eventually finished in seventh.
GO&FUN’s Alvaro Bautista finished in seventh followed by Aleix Espargaro and Yonny Hernandez.
Race results:
1. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team 41:38.254
2. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 41:38.375
3. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 41:40.942
4. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team 41:52.300
5. Pol Espargaro ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 41:53.857
6. Andrea Dovizioso* ITA Ducati Team 41:55.296
7. Andrea Iannone* ITA Pramac Racing 41:55.383
8. Alvaro Bautista ESP Go&Fun Honda Gresini 42:5.661
9. Aleix Espargaro* ESP NGM Forward Racing 42:20.140
10. Yonny Hernandez* COL Pramac Racing 42:23.466
11. Michele Pirro* ITA Ducati Team 42:23.687
12. Karel Abraham* CZE Cardion AB Motoracing 42:24.085
13. Scott Redding* GBR Go&Fun Honda Gresini 42:24.093
14. Hiroshi Aoyama* JPN Drive M7 Aspar 42:25.088
15. Colin Edwards* USA NGM Forward Racing 42:47.808
16. Michael Laverty* GBR Paul Bird Motorsport 42:56.043
17. Broc Parkes* AUS Paul Bird Motorsport 43:13.285
18. Mike Di Meglio* FRA Avintia Racing 43:15.755
DNF. Hector Barbera ESP Avintia Racing
DNF. Michel Fabrizio ITA IodaRacing Project
DNF. Cal Crutchlow GBR Ducati Team
DNF. Stefan Bradl GER LCR Honda MotoGP
DNF. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3
* = Open Class
