#CatalanGP MotoGP Race: Dovizioso doubles the bet!

It's a seventh meeting under high tension which promised to take place on an overheated and revised Montmélo track between Friday and Saturday. If the problem of the chicane had been solved overnight, that of the performance of Michelin tires was still significant. All the drivers predicted this race as a waking nightmare or hell. The one who would emerge victorious would be the one who knew how to be patient and determined. A favorite nevertheless emerged from the predictions: Dani Pedrosa.

Winner in Jerez, the Honda official with now 30 pole positions was above all the only one who could claim to mount mediums on his RC213V. As such, the warm up had set the tone for the choices of the drivers for this game. The majority had then resigned themselves to two mediums but at Honda, we noted a hard front and medium rear for Marc Marquez and a couple of tough guys Crutchlow.

The three morning particularities came from the two Aspar drivers in soft front and medium, a choice also assumed by Aleix Espargaró on the Aprilia. At the house of Iannone, we were like the man with the five falls previously recorded, Marc Marquez. Redding had taken a medium hard duo and Guintoli a medium soft duo. We see, for some, in this furnace, we were considering the bet.

Risks that would not be taken Bradley Smith declared unfit since his fall on Saturday and because of an injured finger. On the celebration side, Hector Barbera celebrated its 250th^rd departure and Iannone its 200^rd. And as for statistics, Dani Pedrosa avoided thinking that no winner in Barcelona had started from the top position since 2010... Finally, if, given the progress experienced so far in this meeting, Yamaha was not at all thinking of a tenth victory on these lands Catalans, Honda was on the other hand seriously considering a fifth achievement. As for Ducati, we barely dared to think of a third embodiment.

But before launching into the cauldron of Montmélo, a summary of what happened during the last six meetings…

A track raised to 54° and to be challenged for 25 laps, the tone was set. At Michelin we announced no soft drivers and we expected a drop in efficiency of the mediums after 10 or 12 laps and wear of the hard ones after 17 or 18 laps. The poleman Pedrosa started on hard medium like Marquez. At Ducati, Lorenzo was hard as opposed to Dovizioso who chose the Honda suit. At medium, we would ride mediums.

The start was like asphalt, very hot, with Petrucci et Marquez in hand-to-hand combat while Pedrosa took the advantage at the first corner. But then it's Lorenzo who sounded the charge and took orders. The first round was completed with Por Fuera, Marquez, Pedrosa et Dovizioso. Alex Espargaro led the rest of the pack in full medium on his Aprilia.

At Yamaha, we were delighted with the form of Folger, fifth after three rounds. zarco was then tenth, Red thirteenth and Vinales fifteenth in front Baz. Two laps later, Lorenzo was still in shock with Marquez in his wake, himself pursued by Pedrosa controlling Dovizioso increasingly threatened by Folger. Red entered the top 10 and Vinales was hanging on to the point of fifteenth place.

19 laps from the goal, Marquez took the lead from the Ducati 99 which also saw Pedrosa, Dovizioso et Folger. The Majorcan replayed last weekend's flash in the pan at Mugello.

So thatAlex Espargaro was betrayed by his Aprilia, Pedrosa dealt the blow to his teammate and took the lead. Dovizioso, for his part, surprised the same Marquez rejected to third position in two turns. Folger was fourth ahead Petrucci et Lorenzo under the pressure of Baptist and of… Red. Vinales was fourteenth and zarco ninth.

After the halfway point, Pedrosa, Dovizioso, Marquez et Folger presented themselves as the favorites for victory with Petrucci leading the chase ahead Baptist et zarco. Lorenzo et Red were fighting for eighth position and Vinales was thirteenth. Jack Miller, tenth, fell at turn 5.

We thus entered the last ten laps, the most feared part of the race in terms of tire wear. Dovizioso was not impressed and took the lead in Pedrosa.

A maneuver which was not a bluff since the winner of Mugello immediately widened the gap, alerting Marquez who decided to pass his teammate and set off in pursuit of the Ducati. Further away, zarco et Baptist settled their accounts under the eyes of Lorenzo. A ragtag battle for sixth place.

Five laps from the goal, Folger lowered the flag in the face of Petrucci and dropped his fourth position. Dovizioso continued to lead the dance while holding Marquez in respect to a second. Vinales was eleventh, Red ninth. And Iannone seventeenth under threat of Guintoli !

In view of the arrival, Petrucci et Folger were joined by Lorenzo, zarco et Baptist, suggesting a fun battle for fourth place. Vinales got rid of Barbera and entered the top 10.

Two laps from the goal Dovizioso seemed to have done the hardest part for his second victory in a row and a return to the championship, seven points behind a Vinales suffering. A final missed by Petrucci who fell under the wheels of the two Tech3 drivers in the middle of a duel for the top 5.

Victory went to Dovizioso before Marquez et Pedrosa. Lorenzo was fourth and zarco fifth. Vinales was tenth and Red eighth.

#CatalanGP MotoGP Race: Ranking

1. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 44m 41.518s
2. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 44m 45.062s
3. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 44m 48.292s
4. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 44m 51.126s
5. Johann zarco ENG Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* 44m 55.356s
6. Jonas Folger GER Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* 44m 55.439s
7. Alvaro Bautista ESP Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP16) 44m 58.281s
8. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 45m 2.339s
9. Hector Barbera ESP Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 45m 5.470s
10. Maverick Vinales ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 45m 5.707s
11. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 45m 9.847s
12. Loris Baz FRA Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP15) 45m 14.799s
13. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 45m 16.718s
14. Karel Abraham CZE Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP15) 45m 20.954s
15. Tito Rabat ESP Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 45m 22.390s
16. Andrea Iannone ITA Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 45m 24.739s
17. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 45m 26.173s
18. Espargaro Pol ESP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 45m 30.511s
19. Sam Lowes GBR Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)* 45m 37.010s
Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP17) DNF
Jack Miller AUS Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) DNF
Alex Espargaro ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) DNF