Fabio Quartararo scored his third victory of 2020 in the Catalan GP at Barcelona this afternoon, to take control of the MotoGP Championship, after a dramatic race saw a Yamaha-dominated front row make way for Suzuki’s first double podium since the Hamamatsu outfit’s return to premier class action.
Joan Mir’s second place finish also promotes the young challenger to just eight points behind the Frenchman in the standings, with Alex Rins securing his first rostrum finish of the year in third.
Launching with lightning speed from his debut pole position in MotoGP - ahead of both this and next year’s teammates - Franko Morbidelli looked to capitalise on his “pure speed” as the eighth race of 2020 roared into action. Jack Miller stormed through the Yamaha front row lockout to take second from Quartararo, the Frenchman returning to form and hoping to elevate his one point deficit in the standings.
Luck was on his side as a dramatic first corner crash left Johann Zarco and championship-leader Andrea Dovizioso rolling through the gravel after a mistake from Danilo Petrucci destroyed his fellow Ducati’s race before it had even begun.
Having lined up on the front row for the first time at Barcelona since 2009 - a race he went on to win - in what was already turning out to be a “special” weekend, Valentino Rossi lost no time in challenging his fellow M1 riders on his 350th premier class race, advancing back up to second after a disappointing start had seen him drop to fifth in the opening corners. The Yamaha trio held the front as Miller dropped behind, keeping a half second gap from Mir’s Suzuki in fifth.
19 laps to go and Quartararo made his move on ‘The Doctor’ upping his pace and sliding through to second, his teammate Morbidelli now in his sights. Further down the pack a local battle saw Rins and Pol Espargaro battling for sixth, the Suzuki winning out as he too looked towards his teammate, the KTM rider now with two Ducatis of Petrucci and Francesco Bagnaia closing in behind.
Utilising the slipstream down the start/finish straight, Quartararo moved on Morbidelli as lap nine began, Rossi patiently watching from half a second back with Miller another 0.8 adrift. A second group battle was building as a five-rider KTM and Ducati train followed the lonely Suzuki’s. Petrucci and Espargaro swapping places as Brad Binder, Bagnaia and Miguel Oliveira watched closely for the chance to strike, Espargaro gifting them all a place as he crashed out at turn one with 12 laps to go.
Half race distance saw the Yamaha’s continue to retain the lead as Miller faded slightly, tyre conservation potentially coming into play, as a mistake from Morbidelli saw the Italian run wide, regrouping behind his mentor as Rossi accepted second place.
Further down and the final Yamaha looked to be struggling significantly, Maverick Viñales fighting with Aleix Espargaro for 13th position before disaster struck teammate Rossi, the dream of a 200th podium disappearing again as he lost the front at turn two.
A podium position in his sights, Mir doubled down on Miller, taking third from the Australian as he advanced towards the Petronas pair while Bagnaia also got the better of his factory compatriot for sixth in the final eight laps. Tyre wear and cool temperatures proving dangerous as the race counted down, Oliveira’s championship hopes were dealt a major blow as the Tech3 rider also felt the force of the gravel trap with six to go.
Four laps left and Quartararo held a two and a half second lead, Morbidelli having reduced the gap by a second but it was Mir who was flying. The Suzuki’s pace increasing as he saw his chance, making his move on the second Petronas as the penultimate lap began with last week’s winner losing out again half a lap later as Rins challenged. The Suzuki garage jubilant in response as a double podium beckoned.
The teammate battles continued behind as Miller and Bagnaia fought hard for fifth, Taka Nakagami standing by to capitalise if a chance materialised but it wasn’t to be, the LCR rider coming home in seventh and the leading Honda.
Petrucci headed Vinales for eighth and ninth as Cal Crutchlow, suffering from a torn ankle ligament, to add to his fractured scaphoid and recent arm pump surgery, fought from 16th to round out the top-10.
Binder secured top-KTM honours with a disappointing 11th, ahead of Aleix Espargaro, Alex Marquez, Iker Lecuona and Tito Rabat. Bradley Smith and Stefan Bradl finishing outside of the points in 16th and 17th respectively.
