MotoGP

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Jorge Lorenzo made a stunner of a start in the Czech GP, pulling away in the lead in tricky damp conditions. Pitting from second soon after, the ‘Spartan’ then lost some time in the pit lane swapping bikes – and re-emerged much further down the order.

Fighting back through into the points and bridging some big gaps, Lorenzo crossed the line in P15 – but there’s optimism for the next race in Austria, where Ducati won last year.

"Today’s race was a real shame. The weather was so unpredictable and it stopped raining when I was really fast on the damp track." Said Lorenzo "I felt pretty good and I think we could have been able to fight for the win if the conditions had remained the same."

"Then we made an error with the bike change, because when the team signalled to me to return to the pits the bike wasn’t ready and we lost a bit of time, which ruined the rest of my race."

"For sure we’ll learn from this negative experience and won’t repeat the same error, but the positive thing from this weekend is that we were always competitive, both in the wet and the dry." He added

"Now we’re going to a circuit where we should be amongst the favourites, so we’ll do everything possible to demonstrate it in the race."

source: motogp.com

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Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) took to the top spot for his first pole position since 2007, which he gained at the Australian GP in the 125cc class. He truly controlled the pace of qualifying, setting his fastest time on lap three of sixteen and never budging from provisional pole. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) seemed to be the only one who could come close, but had to settle for second with championship leader Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) rounding out the front row.

Moto2 QP Results:

1 Mattia Pasini Italtrans Racing Team 2:02.611
2 Miguel Oliveira Red Bull KTM Ajo 2:02.643
3 Franco Morbidelli EG 0,0 Marc VDS 2:02.661
4 Francesco Bagnaia Sky Racing Team VR46 2:02.686
5 Jorge Navarro Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 2:02.742
6 Alex Marquez EG 0,0 Marc VDS 2:02.965
7 Luca Marini Forward Racing Team 2:02.990
8 Sandro Cortese Dynavolt Intact GP 2:03.048
9 Simone Corsi Speed Up Racing 2:03.052
10 Brad Binder Red Bull KTM Ajo 2:03.062
11 Fabio Quartararo Pons HP40 2:03.148
12 Thomas Luthi CarXpert Interwetten 2:03.214
13 Khairul Idham Pawi IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia 2:03.242
14 Axel Pons RW Racing GP 2:03.316
15 Takaaki Nakagami IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia 2:03.491

 

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Marc Marquez threw down the gauntlet to his Championship rivals in the Czech GP, with the race declared wet but the track quickly drying at the start – conditions made for a tactical masterstroke for those willing to gamble.

And that’s exactly what the number 93 pulled off. A second consecutive victory saw him grow his Championship lead, with teammate Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) closing in on those above him in the standings with an impressive ride into second – taking his 150th podium.

Maverick Viñales managed to charge back up through the field to complete the rostrum, limiting the damage caused by pitting later and keeping himself second in the standings.

With the field all on wets, Marquez got away in the lead at lights out, but a storming start for Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) from fifth saw him then moving through for the lead on Lap 1. Andrea Dovizioso slotted into P3, with Valentino Rossi just besting Pedrosa to take fourth.

Lorenzo began to pull away with a good gap as Rossi swooped through on both Dovizioso and Marquez to take second, and a dry line was already appearing. The number 93 was dropping through the field and then dived into the pits as the first to try the switch to slicks – struggling on the softer tyre and taking the gamble early.

Rossi was hunting down Lorenzo as the track was drying and drying, before the ‘Spartan’ headed in – as did many of the front group. Meanwhile, Marquez was on a charge setting red sector after red sector back out on slicks, and it appeared he’d played his hand to perfection.

As the deck shuffled, he was soon taking the lead – and proving his decision to pit a tactical masterstroke as the dust settled and the gap back to P2 was around 20 seconds.

Meanwhile, Lorenzo was delayed in the pits as the riders around him - including Viñales - streamed out, with Rossi and Dovizioso steadfastly remaining out for another lap until both diving in together.

Viñales got the hammer down from the mid-pack as everyone shuffled back out on track, slowly starting to reel in those ahead of him. Picking them off one-by-one, the rider from Roses finally battled past Crutchlow, Danilo Petrucci and Aleix Espargaroto make it into some clear air, some six seconds off Pedrosa in second and the podium seeming decided. Pedrosa, meanwhile, ate a good number of seconds off Marquez' lead, more than secure in second.

Slightly further back, Dovizioso had a simple mission: after both pitting late, the Italian needed to stay as close to compatriot Rossi as possible. Close on points in the Championship, ‘DesmoDovi’ managed some good damage limitation in managing to stay close enough, but Rossi kept the upper hand.

With Cal Crutchlow the last man in between the ‘Doctor’ and his teammate Viñales as they honed in on the top four, Rossi got his head down and pushed on – eventually catching the Brit and able to get past him on the final lap. Dovizioso followed the number 35 home and took P6, close but not quite able to shadow his compatriot over the line.

Petrucci took a solid result in seventh after losing grip in the latter stages, ahead of Aleix Espargaro after a penalty for an unsafe release in pit lane saw the Spaniard move back three places.

There was a rockstar performance in P9, with Pol Espargaro crossing the line only two tenths off his older brother, taking a stunning result in a tough race and bringing some good points home for the Austrian factory.

Jonas Folger completed the top ten, with the German rookie slicing back through the field and escaping the clutches of fellow rookie Alex Rins. Folger had been well outside the points, and Rins’ result was the culmination of a promising weekend for the Spaniard as he comes back from injury - the second rookie home and ahead of Zarco, who was twelfth. 

Karel Abraham (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) was running much further up for the initial stages until the pack shuffled around him, but the Czech rider nevertheless took solid points at home in P13. Jack Miller (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) was fourteenth after a more difficult weekend.

Jorge Lorenzo, after leading early on, found his delay in the pit lane costly. The five-time World Champion put in a good comeback, however, moving through from outside the top twenty to complete the points in fifteenth – bridging some big gaps along the way.

The next stop on the calendar will be heartening for Lorenzo and the Ducati team, as MotoGP heads to Austria – a track that suits the ‘Desmosedici’ like no other. And despite Marquez’ domination at Brno, everything remains very much an open book – with Viñales, Rossi, Dovizioso and Pedrosa still in hot pursuit ahead of next weekend’s visit to the Red Bull Ring.

Race Result:

Pos Rider Team Time/Gap
1 Marc MARQUEZ Repsol Honda Team 44'15.974
2 Dani PEDROSA Repsol Honda Team 12.438
3 Maverick VIÑALES Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 18.135
4 Valentino ROSSI Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 20.466
5 Cal CRUTCHLOW LCR Honda 20.892
6 Andrea DOVIZIOSO Ducati Team 23.259
7 Danilo PETRUCCI OCTO Pramac Racing 24.079
8 Aleix ESPARGARO Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 30.559
9 Pol ESPARGARO Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 30.754
10 Jonas FOLGER Monster Yamaha Tech 3 33.236
11 Alex RINS Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 33.29
12 Johann ZARCO Monster Yamaha Tech 3 34.595
13 Karel ABRAHAM Pull&Bear Aspar Team 34.697
14 Jack MILLER EG 0,0 Marc VDS 38.062
15 Jorge LORENZO Ducati Team 40.1
16 Scott REDDING OCTO Pramac Racing 44.376
17 Tito RABAT EG 0,0 Marc VDS 45.454
18 Sam LOWES Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 53.976
19 Andrea IANNONE Team SUZUKI ECSTAR +1'23.346
20 Hector BARBERA Reale Avintia Racing 1 Lap
Not Classified
  Bradley SMITH Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 2 Laps
  Loris BAZ Reale Avintia Racing 7 Laps
  Alvaro BAUTISTA Pull&Bear Aspar Team 10 Laps

Championship Standing:

Pos Rider Bike Points
1 Marc MARQUEZ Honda 154
2 Maverick VIÑALES Yamaha 140
3 Andrea DOVIZIOSO Ducati 133
4 Valentino ROSSI Yamaha 132
5 Dani PEDROSA Honda 123
6 Johann ZARCO Yamaha 88
7 Jonas FOLGER Yamaha 77
8 Danilo PETRUCCI Ducati 75
9 Cal CRUTCHLOW Honda 75
10 Jorge LORENZO Ducati 66
11 Alvaro BAUTISTA Ducati 44
12 Jack MILLER Honda 43
13 Aleix ESPARGARO Aprilia 40
14 Scott REDDING Ducati 33
15 Loris BAZ Ducati 31
16 Andrea IANNONE Suzuki 28
17 Karel ABRAHAM Ducati 23
18 Tito RABAT Honda 23
19 Pol ESPARGARO KTM 21
20 Hector BARBERA Ducati 21
21 Alex RINS Suzuki 12
22 Bradley SMITH KTM 8
23 Michele PIRRO Ducati 7
24 Sam LOWES Aprilia 2
25 Sylvain GUINTOLI Suzuki 1
26 Mika KALLIO KTM  
27 Takuya TSUDA Suzuki  

source: motogp.com

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Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) stormed to pole position - in a top spot that was constantly changing.

Danilo Petrucci (OCTO Pramac Racing) and Alvaro Bautista (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) made it through the difficult Q1, but unfortunately failed to deliver top five starts. Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) set one flying lap which put him in third before entering the pits to change tyres.

However, no sooner than he came in, it was announced that the fast lap was cancelled due to exceeding track limits. In the closing minutes, Lorenzo didn't have a recorded lap time and was the first one back out to try and set a quick lap. He will round out the second row of the grid, starting sixth.

Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) left it until late to put in his quickest lap, and it was certainly worth the wait. Rossi shot up the grid, putting him in second position for tomorrow's race, just 0.092 seconds off Marquez's pace. Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) will round out the front row.

MotoGP Q2 results:

1 Marc Marquez Repsol Honda Team 1:54.981
2 Valentino Rossi Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1:55.073
3 Dani Pedrosa Repsol Honda Team 1:55.119
4 Andrea Dovizioso Ducati Team 1:55.441
5 Cal Crutchlow LCR Honda 1:55.489
6 Jorge Lorenzo Ducati Team 1:55.552
7 Maverick Viñales Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1:55.663
8 Danilo Petrucci OCTO Pramac Racing 1:55.738
9 Alvaro Bautista Pull&Bear Aspar Team 1:56.027
10 Johann Zarco Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1:56.075
11 Aleix Espargaro Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1:56.355
12 Loris Baz Reale Avintia Racing 1:56.624

 Q1

13 Alex Rins Team Suzuki Ecstar 1:56.460
14 Jonas Folger Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1:56.540
15 Jack Miller EG 0,0 Marc VDS 1:56.543
16 Hector Barbera Reale Avintia Racing 1:56.685
17 Karel Abraham Pull&Bear Aspar Team 1:56.786
18 Pol Espargaro Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:57.034
19 Bradley Smith Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:57.042
20 Andrea Iannone Team Suzuki Ecstar 1:57.245
21 Tito Rabat EG 0,0 Marc VDS 1:57.288
22 Sam Lowes Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1:57.465
23 Scott Redding OCTO Pramac Racing 1:57.517

 

 

         

 

 

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