News 24 Sep 2018

Marquez clinches thrilling Aragon MotoGP victory

Miller back inside the top 10 with impressive ride for P9.

Source: Supplied.

It was a masterclass from Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) at the Aragon grand prix as the reigning champion and championship leader fought off old foe Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) to emerge victorious, with Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) completing the podium.

But, the headlines weren’t all written in the battle: a first-corner crash for Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) saw him highside out after starting from pole. Lorenzo was imperious on Saturday but it was Marquez who got a great launch from P3 and dived up the inside to grab the hole-shot on Sunday, before both he and Lorenzo headed wide.

That’s when the ‘Spartan’ crashed, suffering a dislocated toe in the process. Opinions on the incident differed between the two men but it did leave Dovizioso in the driving seat as he capitalised on the scruffy start for his two biggest rivals, taking the lead as Marquez slotted back into second.

Behind the drama, Iannone and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) bolted out the blocks to move forward into the fight, with Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) and Aprilia Racing Team Gresini’s Aleix Espargaro hot on their heels. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) was also in that tousle in the early stages, but the Brit crashed out five laps in.

So began the battle for Aragon. Rins was looking menacing behind Marquez, feinting numerous overtaking attempts into the first corner as both Suzukis kept tabs on the leading duo and by lap 11, Dovi, Marquez, Rins and Iannone had edged out two-second gap to Pedrosa and Espargaro. The stage was set.

As if someone had flicked a switch and turned it up to 11, ‘DesmoDovi’ made his move and posted the fastest lap of the race a lap later – a 1m48.3s. Marquez responded to stay with the Italian and the two looked to have broken clear of the Suzukis on the chase, but not so as the gloves came off between the leading duo.

The number 93 carved past at turn 12, but on lap 16 Dovizioso got the drive up the hill to attack Marquez back at turn 4. Never one to refuse a challenge, the Repsol Honda rider immediately responded up the inside at turn five, with the Italian then biting straight back at turn seven. Stunning it was, but it also allowed Iannone to close the gap.

A number of laps later Marquez pounced again at turn 12 and set off another flurry of duelling. This time, however, Iannone was able to get involved and as Dovizioso took the inside at turn 15, Iannone took the outside and it made for a stunning sight as Marquez was briefly swamped by both. The Ducati and Honda were back in the lead soon after, but Marquez was about to play his ace.

The race-defining move finally came from the number 93 at turn five, and the reigning world champion held firm until the chequered flag to take a third straight win in Aragon, equaling Mike Hailwood’s win tally of 41 for Honda. Dovi was forced to settle for second but equaled Casey Stoner’s grand prix podium count, with Iannone earning his third podium of the year and Suzuki’s first at MotorLand. The rostrum was also enough to mean the Hamamatsu factory will now lose concessions.

Fourth was local hero Rins as he took a second consecutive P4, with Pedrosa securing his first top five since the Catalan GP at his penultimate home grand prix. Espargaro excelled in sixth to pick up the Aprilia’s best result of the season and their best result so far, with the Spaniard beating Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) to top Independent rider as the Italian came home seventh.

Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), meanwhile, was another headline act as ‘The Doctor’ sliced through the field from P17 on the grid to take eighth, ahead of Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) after the two battled in the latter stages. Rossi’s teammate Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) rounded out the top 10.

Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) won the battle of the rookies in P11, with Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) 12th. Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) had a solid race to take 13th, ahead of a tough day for Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) in 14th and a points finish for Karel Abraham (Angel Nieto Team) in 15th.

Starting from a maiden intermediate class pole position, Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Brad Binder produced a brilliant performance at Aragon to take his second win of the season and second Moto22 win. Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (Sky Racing Team VR46) was beaten into second but claimed a fourth straight podium finish on his 100th grand prix start and increased his points lead, with compatriot Lorenzo Baldassarri (Pons HP40) standing on the rostrum for the first time since Mugello, taking third.

Fourth and fifth were credited to Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and Marcel Schrötter (Dynavolt Intact GP), as Australian Remy Gardner (Tech 3 Racing) wound up in 19th position.

Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) took a stunning win in the Moto3 category to extend his points advantage over Marco Bezzecchi (Redox PruestelGP), with the Spaniard starting from a pole position that saw him equal the number of poles of his Team Manager Fausto Gresini and not looking back.

Bezzecchi did some incredible damage limitation in the standings and took second after riding through the field, with Enea Bastianini (Leopard Racing) mounting a similar comeback to complete the podium after both Italians were given 12-place grid penalties. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) and Marcos Ramirez (Bester Capital Dubai) were fourth and fifth respectively.

The MotoGP World Championship will now head to Chang International Circuit in Thailand on 7 October for round 15 of the championship.

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