With the arrival of a downpour, the MotoGP race is declared Wet, and everyone places themselves on the grid on rain tires.
If the track dries during the event, the riders will change bikes but the possibility of using intermediate tires is practically impossible, given that the riders cannot communicate with their team, unless they set up a sign system. .
But before that, the question is which tires to go with, because it's no longer raining!
On the grid, Danilo Petrucci explains that it is however more prudent to start on wet tires, then see in 7 or 8 laps. Nicolas Goubert (Michelin) confirms that he does not think anyone will try this bet. Paolo Ciabatti confirms the same choice for Iannone who starts last. The Top drivers choose the hard rear (2 seconds slower than the Soft, according to Michelin) and the soft front, all rain.
When the red lights went out, Redding made the holeshot but Rossi took command at the first corner, ahead of Dovizioso, Aleix Espargaro and Marc Marquez. Everyone is on eggshells. Pedrosa also made an excellent start and found himself behind his teammate after one lap. He is followed by Iannone who made two excellent first laps.
On the 3rd lap, Hernandez, who started 6th, exploited his rear tender and passed Dovizioso and Rossi. Petrucci moves to 4th position, also in Soft Rear, passes Marquez.
After 6 laps, we therefore have Hernandez, Rossi, Dovizioso, Petrucci, Iannone, Marquez, Redding and Pedrosa. Lorenzo, still struggling in these conditions, is 18th, two places behind Vinales.
From the 7th lap, Hernandez began to see his advantage stabilize over the Rossi/Dovizioso duo, but the “rain” flags were waved on the next pass.
Rossi slows down, Hernandez escapes again and Dovizioso comes back on the Italian, then passes him.
Yonny Hernandez's Soft tire no longer has any grooves and drags the Colombian to the ground; Dovizioso takes the lead.
At mid-race, Petrucci joined Rossi then passed him, just as Iannone, then 5th, made a mistake at turn #2.
Meanwhile, the three leading men regroup and are then joined by Scott Redding who passes Rossi; 3 Ducati in the lead ahead of 1 Yamaha and the 2 Hondas who are coming back!
Petrucci takes the lead but the rain increases in intensity and it's a real deluge: the red flag is waved, to the great displeasure of Scott Redding and the great pleasure of Andrea Dovizioso who the rules place in the lead!
Will the race resume?
