Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez took victory in today’s Argentine MotoGP round in a crash-fest which saw Eugene Laverty finish in fourth place after passing Hector Barbera and Pol Espargaro in the final laps.
Marquez crossed the line with 7.6s in hand over Valentino Rossi who was sitting just off the podium until the last set of corners when Andrea Iannone forced a pass on Ducati team-mate Andrea Dovizioso and took them both out, handing second to The Doctor and third to Dani Pedrosa.
Laverty had made his way through the field after the obligatory, tyre-induced pitstops and his Aspar Ducati was further promoted when his factory stablemates bit the dust. Espargaro had run onto the grass at turn ten, allowing Laverty and Barbera past, and then the Monegasque put a move on Barbera.
It was disaster for reigning champion Jorge Lorenzo, who crashed out at turn one after running on to the same damp patch that claimed Franco Morbidelli in Moto2.
Lorenzo got beaten up away from the lights and had none of his usual confidence in the opening corners. He was passed by Dovizioso, Rossi, Marquez, Vinales and Iannone in short order after the Italian had already nerfed Pedrosa wide.
Marquez lost no time in getting to the front while Lorenzo was duffed by Jack Miller, who promptly crashed at turn three. Vinales was also in the mix for top spot while the two works Ducatis started to trip each other up.
With 13 laps to go, Vinales put his Suzuki in front of the works Ducatis as Marquez and Rossi started to make a break but then started to swap paint as the laps clicked down to the mandatory pitstop.
Vinales, Iannone and Pedrosa all pitted at the first opportunity while Rossi and Marquez stayed out for an extra lap. The pair then came in together but Marquez’ fast bike change saw him get out in front and put Tito Rabat between himself and Rossi.
Rossi struggled with the feeling on his second bike and didn’t manage to pass Rabat before he too pitted. Marquez’ lead was the business end of four seconds with seven laps to go.
Pedrosa had come under the scrutiny of Britain’s Scott Redding after the stops and passed him for sixth, but then his Octo Ducati decided to cease operations and Redding retired.
Marquez increased his lead to almost seven seconds while Vinales began to catch Rossi, towing the two Ducatis with him but then he went down in the same place at Lorenzo, leaving Rossi to defend against his former factory.
Both the Desmosedicis found a way past but then Iannone got all giddy and took them both out, handing Pedrosa, who admitted afterwards he had a terrible race, the final podium spot with Laverty fourth.
Barbera and Espargaro, who was waving hands at something as he crossed the line, were next up with Stefan Bradl’s Aprilia in seventh.
Britain’s Bradley Smith took eighth place with Tito Rabat in ninth and Alvaro Bautista, who crashed in pitlane, rounding out the top ten.
Aleix Esgargaro recovered from an early crash at the same time as Cal Crutchlow into turn one and bagged 11th with Michele Pirro in 12th and Dovizoso pushing his bike over the line for 13th.
Crutchlow, who had rejoined after his first spill, crashed again on the last lap and didn’t finish.
