Marquez crashes again as Dovizioso wins rain-interrupted Valencia GP

Valencia, Nov 18: MotoGP champion Marc Marquez suffered yet another crash as Andrea Dovizioso won a wet and wild season-closing Valencia Grand Prix.

Repsol Honda rider Marquez, who had already wrapped up the 2018 title, is due to have surgery on his left shoulder once the 2018 campaign comes to a close and appeared to exacerbate the injury during qualifying, when he came off his bike and slid into the gravel.

The Spaniard emerged from that incident clutching his left shoulder and needed medical checks before he was able to return to the action, where he rode through the pain to get on the second row.

But Marquez did his shoulder no favours when he once again crashed during the race, going over the handlebars at Turn 9 after losing control of the front end, again nursing that injury as he walked away.

A series of further crashes led to a red flag and a delay of around 40 minutes while marshals did their best to clear some of the surface water from the circuit.

Dovizioso, who finished runner-up to Marquez in the final riders' standings, started second behind Alex Rins at the restart and overtook the Spaniard on the approach to Turn 1 two laps in.

Valentino Rossi, who had climbed from 16th on the original grid to third for the restart, followed Dovizioso past Rins but agonisingly crashed from second with four laps remaining and crossed the line in 13th.

Rins was second, with Pol Espargaro taking the final spot on the podium.

Dani Pedrosa, who will now retire from the sport, was fifth on the other Repsol Honda.

IN THE POINTS:

1. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) 2. Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) +2.750secs 3. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) +7.406s 4. Michele Pirro (Ducati) +8.647s 5. Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) +13.351s 6. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda) +32.288s 7. Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) +32.806s 8. Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) +33.111s 9. Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda) +36.376s 10. Hafizh Syahrin (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) +37.198s 11. Scott Redding (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) +44.326s 12. Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati) +46.146s 13. Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha) +52.809s 14. Karel Abraham (Angel Nieto Team) +1:10.628s 15. Jordi Torres (Reale Avintia Racing) +1:16.739s

TITLE STANDINGS:

1. Marc Marquez - 321 2. Andrea Dovizioso - 245 3. Valentino Rossi - 198 4. Maverick Vinales - 193 5. Alex Rins - 169

1. Repsol Honda - 438 2. Ducati - 392 3. Movistar Yamaha - 391 4. Suzuki Ecstar - 302 5. Alma Pramac - 235