Michelin witnessed another victory for Marc Marquez, still undefeated at the Circuit of the Americas. The Spaniard achieved further success during the third round of the MotoGP calendar, at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas held in Texas.
Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) started from pole position after setting the fastest time in Saturday's qualifying. However, he had to concede the holeshot to his teammate Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team). The duo led a peloton quickly animated by the exit of championship leader Maverick Viñales. As the laps progressed, Marquez and Pedrosa exchanged first place several times before the reigning Champion made a decisive attack on the ninth lap to secure victory. Marquez crossed the line to score a fifth victory at the Circuit of the Americas and a ninth victory in a row in MotoGP on American soil, while setting the fastest lap of the race during the fifteenth loop.
The battle for the different steps of the podium allowed Pedrosa and nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) to shine. The Spaniard resisted the Italian's charge as much as possible, but he had to resolve to give in on the nineteenth pass. Rossi, second, took the opportunity to take first place in the Championship standings, while Pedrosa completed the podium. For fourth position, the duel turned into a mano a mano for first place in the Independents between Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) and Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3). Crutchlow got the better of the beginner at the end of the race. Sixth position went to Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), ahead of Andrea Iannone (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR) in seventh. Danilo Petrucci (OCTO Pramac Ducati) took eighth place. Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) and Jack Miller (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) completed the top 10.
The MICHELIN Power Slicks range was fully utilized today with five of the six configurations chosen by the drivers. On the podium, Marquez opted for a hard compound front and rear, while Rossi chose two medium compound tires. In third row, Pedrosa preferred medium tires at the front and hard at the rear. This difference in the options taken by the drivers underlines Michelin's ability to offer a range of tires adapted to all drivers and all machines by offering distinct strategic solutions to the peloton.
Michelin and the entire MotoGP paddock will now return to Europe after a hectic start to the season which saw the championship travel to three rounds overseas. The fourth event on the calendar will take place in Jerez for the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday May 7.
Marc Marquez – Repsol Honda Team:
“Today's race went well, but it was very difficult. It was already complicated last year, but it was once again very demanding on the tires, especially on the right side with many long curves and a fairly high temperature. I chose hard tires front and rear and struggled to find good feel at the start. I didn't work enough with the front tire during testing in lower heat. I managed my tires quite well and was able to attack mid-race. It's a good result for us, because these races are very demanding on the tires. You have to know how to manage them. I am happy with the result for me, for my team and for Michelin. »
Nicolas Goubert – Deputy Director, Technical Director and Head of the MotoGP program:
“It was another important weekend for us and further proof that the different versions of tires can be used by the drivers. Today, five of the six configurations were chosen and the three riders on the podium had opted for different strategies, as did others in the peloton. The drivers told us that the track was very bumpy with a big change compared to last year. We were impressed by their ability to adapt and use the tires in these unusual conditions. Overall, it was an encouraging Grand Prix and one where we could learn a lot. We now return to Europe where we will drive in Jerez before an important test session on the same track on the Monday after the race. We will be able to make comparisons between the current tire, old prototypes and new versions, designed to take a further step in terms of performance. »
