Reigning MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez took victory in today’s wet and dry Misano MotoGP round as Jorge Lorenzo crashed out, handing Valentino Rossi a 23-point lead in the championship as The Doctor finished in fifth after a fluffed tyre strategy left him off the podium.
Brits Bradley Smith and Scott Redding took the other two podium spots (see separate story) in a race that saw two stops for some riders, one stop for Redding after he crashed early doors and no stops for Smith, who braved the wet conditions and waited for the track to dry.
Lorenzo took the holeshot from pole and got away with Marquez and Rossi in hot pursuit but with only one lap gone, the rain began to fall. With five laps gone, Maverick Vinales led a gaggle of riders in to change tyres but the front three remained out for another lap.
They came in line astern but Rossi lost time and left pitlane in third, behind Michele Pirro who held him up, but was soon back on the pace, lapping a second quicker than Lorenzo and Marquez.
Rossi caught and passed the Repsol Honda man with 15 laps left and then began to hassle Lorenzo for top spot. A dry line had begun to form and Smith was lapping some eight seconds faster than the leaders.
Marquez dived down pitlane to change bikes again for slicks while Lorenzo and Rossi stayed out even though Lorenzo’s crew wanted him in. It look the Mallorcan another two laps to come in to change while Rossi stayed out for another lap - and two laps too long as it transpired. Lorenzo went down with seven to go, crashing on cold tyres and is now a full race win behind Rossi in the championship chase.
Danilo Petrucci couldn’t match his wet weather form at Silverstone but still ended up in sixth place and had begun to close down The Doctor. Andreas Iannone and Dovizioso wwre next along with Dani Pedrosa and Aleix Espargaro completing the top ten.
Cal Crutchlow, who has struggled with setup all weekend, finished in 11th place with Jack Miller one place behind as top Open Honda. Eugene Laverty ended his day in 19th.
MotoGP world standing
1 Valentino ROSSI Yamaha ITA 247
2 Jorge LORENZO Yamaha SPA 224
3 Marc MARQUEZ Honda SPA 184
4 Andrea IANNONE Ducati ITA 159
5 Bradley SMITH Yamaha GBR 135
6 Andrea DOVIZIOSO Ducati ITA 128
7 Dani PEDROSA Honda SPA 109
8 Danilo PETRUCCI Ducati ITA 93
9 Pol ESPARGARO Yamaha SPA 81
10 Cal CRUTCHLOW Honda GBR 79
11 Maverick VIÑALES Suzuki SPA 69
12 Aleix ESPARGARO Suzuki SPA 66
13 Scott REDDING Honda GBR 63
14 Yonny HERNANDEZ Ducati COL 41
15 Loris BAZ Yamaha Forward FRA 28
16 Alvaro BAUTISTA Aprilia SPA 23
17 Hector BARBERA Ducati SPA 23
18 Jack MILLER Honda AUS 16
19 Nicky HAYDEN Honda USA 12
20 Stefan BRADL Aprilia GER 11
21 Michele PIRRO Ducati ITA 8
22 Eugene LAVERTY Honda IRL 7
23 Mike DI MEGLIO Ducati FRA 7
24 Hiroshi AOYAMA Honda JPN 5
25 Alex DE ANGELIS ART RSM 2
