#CzechGP MotoGP Race: Poker move and masterstroke for Marquez

Four drivers united in ten points, a fifth in ambush and a restart in Brno which confirmed all the uncertainty of a season which is still looking for its boss... Here is the situation. All points will count until the end of this competition and Brno is the first stop at the start of the final countdown, since we have just passed the halfway point to the der de Valencia.

Before this Sunday game, it is Marc Marquez who seemed to be leading the dance, given the table below.

 

#CzechGP MotoGP	2016	2017
FP1	1'56.189 Andrea Iannone (see here)	2'05.201 Johann Zarco (see here)
FP2	1'55.840 Marc Marquez (see here)	1'56.332 Andrea Dovizioso (see here)
FP3	1'54.791 Jorge Lorenzo (see here)	1'55.370 Marc Marquez (see here)
FP4	1'56.275 Jorge Lorenzo (see here)	1'56.429 Marc Marquez (see here)
Q1	1'55.793 Dani Pedrosa (see here)	1'56.220 Danilo Petrucci (see here)
Q2	1'54.596 Marc Marquez (see here)	1'54.981 Marc Marquez
Warm up	2'09.500 Scott Redding (see here)	2'07.120 Marc Marquez
Course	Crutchlow, Rossi, Marquez (see here)
All time lap record	1'54.596 Marc Márquez 2016

 

Honda has won seven times in Moravia since the establishment of the MotoGP category and as recently as last season with Cal Crutchlow. Yamaha has recorded six successes there, but only one in the last six years (Jorge Lorenzo – 2015). Ducati won the 2006 and 2007 editions with Loris Capirossi et Casey Stoner. The Italian manufacturer has never been on the Czech podium since 2010.

On the pilot side, Valentino Rossi is the one who shone the most in Moravia with seven victories on the clock, as many as a certain Max Biaggi. Second on the starting grid, he was therefore able to overtake the Roman emperor by taking his 22nd consecutive start in Brno.

On a track that was still wet but drying out, the question was which rain tire to take. One soft, one harder, and why not skip a step by playing slick straight away? No one will dare but Marquez was betting on a tender rain and alone Barbera followed him in this choice. Baptist, Miller et Abraham took a tender front. All the others were in medium rain. And all the protagonists were authorized to enter at any time to change machines and take slicks.

Marquez took the first turn in the lead Dovizioso et Folger ensured a good takeoff before returning to the line. But it's Lorenzo who completed the first lap in the lead Marquez, Dovizioso Red, Vinales et zarco. One turn later and Red passed second in front Dovi Zarco et Vinales, Pedrosa and Marquez in distress who entered the pit and left on slick!

On the third lap, a group of riders returned to the pits to change machines and Iannone fell while trying to climb onto his other Suzuki... An investigation was underway because a collision with Alex Espargaro was suspected. But the leading men remained on the track, with a Red in command in front Lorenzo et zarco.

Pedrosa et Lorenzo and Vinales returned home with the unpleasant surprise for Por Fuera of not finding his Ducati exactly ready. But it was time to go home because Marquez posted times ten seconds faster than the leader Red followed by zarco. The latter then remained alone on the track with rain tires, joined by a Marquez overexcited.

After these adventures, the hierarchy was as follows: Marquez before Alex Espargaro, Redding, Abraham, Pedrosa, Petrucci, Crutchlow, Kidneys, Miller et Vinales in the top 10 ahead Baz. Red was thirteenth in front Dovizioso, zarco sixteenth, Lorenzo nineteenth and Iannone penultimate in front Barbera. In short, the big cleaning, for the benefit of MM93.

After nine rounds, Marquez pranced in the lead with 22 seconds ahead of his teammate Pedrosa in full recovery. But already, this thrilling stage in Brno was shaping up to be the turning point of the championship, to the benefit of the native of Cervera virtually with a 23-point lead over Vinales in general!

Crutchlow, Petrucci et Alex Espargaro were fighting for third place, leaving Vinales glue them back together. The challenge for the Yamaha official was clearly to save the furniture by taking the last step of the podium. Baptist fell nine laps from the goal and Alex Espargaro learned that he had to give up three places because of the incident with Iannone in the stands.

The last third of this unbridled race began with a Marc Marquez untouchable in front Pedrosa, Vinales, Petrucci, Crutchlow, Red et Dovizioso, the two big losers this Sunday. As Baz which was falling.

Three laps from the finish, Red stumbled on Crutchlow hanging on to fourth place while Petrucci was not doing a service to Dovizioso by refusing him access to his sixth position. But the Italian came to his senses on the last lap. As for the Englishman, he finally gave in.

The arrival greeted a Marquez triumphant in front Pedrosa et Vinales. Red is fourth, Crutchlow closes the top 5 at Dovizioso who is ahead Petrucci. Alex Espargaro follows in front of his brother Pol which gives the first top10 to KTM. Kidneys is tenth and happy. zarco is thirteenth and the last point of fifteenth place goes to Lorenzo.

Marquez leads the championship with 14 points ahead of Vinales, 21 on Dovizioso, 22 on Red and 31 on Pedrosa…

#CzechGP MotoGP Race: Ranking compiled by our friends at crash.net

1. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda (RC213V) 44m 15.974s 
2. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda (RC213V) 44m 28.412s 
3. Maverick Vinales ESP Movistar Yamaha (YZR-M1) 44m 34.109s 
4. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha (YZR-M1) 44m 36.440s 
5. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 44m 36.866s 
6. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 44m 39.233s 
7. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac (Desmosedici GP17) 44m 40.053s 
8. Aleix Espargaro ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 44m 46.533s 
9. Pol Espargaro ESP Red Bull KTM Factory (RC16) 44m 46.728s 
10. Jonas Folger GER Monster Yamaha Tech3 (YZR-M1)* 44m 49.210s 
11. Alex Rins ESP Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)* 44m 49.264s 
12. Johann Zarco FRA Monster Yamaha Tech3 (YZR-M1)* 44m 50.569s 
13. Karel Abraham CZE Pull&Bear Aspar (Desmosedici GP15) 44m 50.671s 
14. Jack Miller AUS EG 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 44m 54.036s 
15. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 44m 56.074s 
16. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac (Desmosedici GP16) 45m 0.350s 
17. Tito Rabat ESP EG 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 45m 1.428s 
18. Sam Lowes GBR Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)* 45m 9.950s 
19. Andrea Iannone ITA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 45m 39.320s 
20. Hector Barbera ESP Reale Avintia (Desmosedici GP16) +1 lap 
Bradley Smith GBR Red Bull KTM Factory (RC16) DNF 
Loris Baz FRA Reale Avintia (Desmosedici GP15) DNF 
Alvaro Bautista ESP Pull&Bear Aspar (Desmosedici GP16) DNF