REPSOL Honda's Marc Marquez has continued his winning streak at the Circuit of The America’s this weekend after crossing the line over two seconds ahead of the rest MotoGP field.
A slight delay to the race due to standing water under the bridge didn’t concern Marquez. Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso led the field into turn one whilst Marquez trailed behind allowing the Ducati rider to open up a 0.5s lead during the opening couple of laps.
The reigning MotoGP World Champion waited until the fifth lap to pounce opening up a five second lead before taking the chequered flag at the exact same place his won his first MotoGP race in 2013. With Marquez up ahead, it left former team-mates Dovizioso and Valentino Rossi to battle it out as they almost collided through turn 12.
Rossi tried everything to hold off the Ducati of Dovizioso, but the GP15 clearly had more power along the 1.2km straight at the Circuit of The America’s and eventually Dovizioso claimed second as Rossi faded due to tyre issues.Rossi’s Movistar Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo left it late to make up ground, but did overtake the Ducati GP15 of Andrea Iannone with three laps to go to take fouth place.
Monster Tech 3 Yamaha’s Bradley Smith finished top satellite rider in sixth with fellow Brit Cal Crutchlow finishing six seconds behind in seventh despite a poor start.
Ecstar Suzuki’s Aleix Espargaro finished in 8th, 19 seconds ahad of his rookie team-mate Maverick Vinale son-board the GSX-RR. Both riders did however report on ‘being down on power’.
Danilo Petrucci completed the top ten whilst Dani Pedrosa’s Repsol Honda replacement Hiroshi Aoyama finished in 11th.
Nicky Hayden finished as top Open Honda in front of his home crowd at his 200th MotoGP in 13th place after fighting with CWM LCR Honda’s Jack Miller and Aprilia Racing Team Gresini’s Alvaro Bautista.
Scott Redding crashed on the very first lap after out-braking himself at turn 11 taking out Pol Espargaro in the process.
Race results:
1. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team 43:47.150
2. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team 43:49.504 (+2.354)
3. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 43:50.270 (+3.120)
4. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 43:53.832 (+6.682)
5. Andrea Iannone ITA Ducati Team 43:54.734 (+7.584)
6. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 43:57.707 (+10.557)
7. Cal Crutchlow GBR CWM LCR Honda 44:4.117 (+16.967)
8. Aleix Espargaro ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar 44:6.175 (+19.025)
9. Maverick Viñales ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar 44:25.720 (+38.570)
10. Danilo Petrucci ITA Pramac Racing 44:28.946 (+41.796)
11. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Repsol Honda Team 44:34.349 (+47.199)
12. Hector Barbera ESP Avintia Racing 44:34.489 (+47.339)
13. Nicky Hayden USA Aspar 44:43.634 (+56.484)
14. Jack Miller AUS CWM LCR Honda 44:43.881 (+56.731)
15. Alvaro Bautista ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini 44:44.522 (+57.372)
16. Eugene Laverty IRL Aspar 44:46.048 (+58.898)
17. Loris Baz FRA Athina Forward Racing 44:55.937 (+1:08.787)
18. Alex De Angelis RSM Octo IodaRacing 45:9.386 (+1:22.236)
DNF. Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB Motoracing
DNF. Marco Melandri ITA Factory Aprilia Gresini
DNF. Yonny Hernandez COL Pramac Racing
DNF. Mike Di Meglio FRA Avintia Racing
DNF. Scott Redding GBR Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS
DNF. Stefan Bradl GER Athina Forward Racing
DNF. Pol Espargaro ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3
