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MotoGP analysis: How Marquez won Catalunya GP amidst chaos

The Repsol Honda rider escaped that and in the aftermath it was Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) who emerged as his closest challenger.

Marc Marquez

Bengaluru, June 17: Marc Marquez took an impressive win in the Catalunya GP on an expensive day for his key FIM MotoGP World Championship rivals, with a dramatic multiple-rider crash near the start of the race creating some serious chaos.

The Repsol Honda rider escaped that and in the aftermath it was Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) who emerged as his closest challenger, with the polesitter and French rookie cutting down the gap in the latter laps as he seared away from those on the chase.

His second place makes him the second-youngest podium finisher in the MotoGP era, behind only Marquez, and he managed to pull two seconds clear of Mugello winner Danilo Petrucci (Mission Winnow Ducati) to do it.

Stunning start

Stunning start

It was Andrea Dovizioso (Mission Winnow Ducati) who took the holeshot with another stunning start, this time from the second row, with Marquez pushed back into second and Quartararo then trying to send it around the outside of the reigning champion.

But he couldn't quite make that stick and Maverick Vinales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) capitalised to sweep through soon after. The number 12 then attacked Marquez to take over in second, with Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team) making some serious ground up into fourth to fight for the podium.

Petrucci escapes

Petrucci escapes

Marquez hit back against Vinales on Lap 2 and it was shaping up to be a serious fight at the front, but that's when the drama hit. Lorenzo went to attack Vinales just as Marquez attacked Dovizioso, and the number

99 then lost the front as the space ahead diminished. That set off a huge incident as the number 99 took down Dovizioso, then Vinales, and then Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) got caught too - with all four out the race. Marquez was clear of it, with Petrucci the man left in second, escaping the drama after having been passed by Rossi at the best time for one of them and the worst for the other.

The big fight

The big fight

Marquez was then able to pull the pin and extend the gap but the fight behind was on fire: Petrucci vs Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) vs Quartararo.

First it was a duel behind the Italian before Rins then started looking for a way past Petrucci, attacking into Turn 1 and the Ducati defending to perfection in Turn 2. A couple of laps later it was a Rins and repeat, but the Suzuki man couldn't make it stick.

Serious buffer

Serious buffer

It was a near-perfect day for Marquez' FIM MotoGP World Championship hopes in Montmelo, and the reigning champion heads into the next race with a serious buffer of 37 points at the top of the table.

Dovizioso remains second, Rins couldn't capitalise too much in third...but next up it's the Dutch TT, and that's the perfect place for Yamaha, especially, to strike back

Rossi was back in the mix in Barcelona, Vinales had made an awesome start...what will the classic TT Circuit Assen bring? Don't miss it as MotoGP gets back in action on June 30.

(By a special arrangement with Dorna Sports)

Story first published: Monday, June 17, 2019, 12:07 [IST]
Other articles published on Jun 17, 2019