#SpanishGP MotoGP Race: Pedrosa's new lesson to Marquez, Lorenzo on the podium and Zarco fourth!

It is a radiant sun and a delighted public which sets the scene for this fourth meeting of the year in MotoGP in Spain. An event organized in Jerez since 1987, which is already a long time ago. A terrain loved by Yamaha which has had seven successes there. Like Honda which, this time, seems to its advantage if we look at the numbers on the front row. A favorable ballot that will still have to be confirmed during the 27 laps of this race in Andalusia.

To properly assess the state of the forces present since Friday, a glance is necessary at the summary table which gives pride of place to the Hondas. The latter used the warm-up to work on different tire combinations. Medium front and hard rear for Márquez, exactly the opposite for Pedrosa the poleman and a couple of mediums for Crutchlow. The Yamahas ran hard front and medium rear. What about the hostilities of the 3th race contested since the creation of the World Championship in 000?

 

#SpanishGP MotoGP	2016	2017
FP1	1'40.270 Jorge Lorenzo	1'51.648 Dani Pedrosa
FP2	1'39.555 Jorge Lorenzo	1'39.420 Dani Pedrosa
FP3	1'39.244 Valentino Rossi	1'38.580 Dani Pedrosa
FP4	1'39.241 Jorge Lorenzo	1'39.467 Marc Marquez
Q1	1'39.907 Cal Crutchlow	1'38.919 Andrea Iannone
Q2	1'38.736 Valentino Rossi	1'38.249 Dani Pedrosa
Warm Up	1'39.513 Marc Marquez	1'39.433 Maverick Vinales
Course	Rossi, Lorenzo, Marquez
All time lap record	1'37.910 Jorge Lorenzo 2015

 

Incidentally, this Sunday marks the 200th departure ofAleix Espargaró and the 160th race of Jorge Lorenzo in the premier category, which makes the Mallorcan the equal of Jack Findlay in the history of Grands Prix. These considerations made, it is with a track heated to 41° that the protagonists will have to deal with. A temperature never known since the start of the meeting, making the decision on the tires to be fitted a difficult choice between efficient mediums but with a short life and hard ones ensuring good performance until the checkered flag but at a slower pace. fast.

From his pole, Pedrosa succeeds in taking off on hard medium in front Márquez as a tough couple, Iannone following the two Hondas on hard medium. Crutchlow hard everywhere and Casa Particular in Viñales in hard medium take over while behind Red in medium hard mesh starting with zarco as a medium couple. A choice allowing him to ring the bell and gain the upper hand over Casa Particular in Viñales and Iannone before launching into the two leading Hondas. A real show of strength from the Tech3 driver.

In 1'40.243, Pedrosa takes off, leaving Marquez to get away with one zarco excited who will settle the score of the reigning World Champion in the fourth round. For his part, Lorenzo camped in fifth place in the medium pair on a Ducati preceding Red. Dovizioso is already seventh ahead Vinales while Miller et Baptist are hanging on for the count. The opening of the list of falls completed immediately by Crutchlow then fifth which leaves its hopes in a turn 11 which will also be right to Pol Espargaro off to a good start on his KTM.

The first third of the race passes and sees a Vinales in distress just missing one Iannone for seventh place. The two men continue their journey behind Dovizioso, Red, Lorenzo and zarco third since Marquez recovered his property to better pursue the leader Pedrosa, leader with a 1s4 lead. Iannone ends up crashing in turn 11.

After eleven rounds, Jorge Lorenzo sounds the charge and boils zarco off the provisional podium. Dovizioso is fifth ahead of the two Yamahas led by Red. A situation that puts a smile on the face of the Ducati troops while Marquez fails to recover lost ground on Pedrosa. Two rounds later, Vinales launches his offensive and enters the top 5 by gaining the upper hand over his teammate then over Dovizioso while Petrucci returns to this group in full explanation and begins to clash with the Doctor who surrenders in the seventeenth round.

There are ten rounds left and Pedrosa always conducts his business in front Marquez et Lorenzo who is followed like his shadow by Zarco. Dovizioso is fifth ahead Vinales, Petrucci et Red eighth. Folger et Alex Espargaro close the top 10.

Seven laps from the goal, Red seems to be in agony and is being lifted up by Folger. A round later, mass is said and it'sAlex Espargaro on his Aprilia which must worry the man from Tavullia who is losing points in the title race. During these feats of arms, Lorenzo has built up a small lead over zarco who is preparing to score his best result in MotoGP.

The front tire in agony, the last four laps of Red promise to be an ordeal. The RS-GP hit 41 passes and the Doctor begins to take stock of the championship of which he still maintains the lead by two points against Vinales and four steps ahead of a Marquez which is held in respect by Pedrosa for winning this Spanish Grand Prix.

We'll leave it there. Pedrosa triumphs in front of his teammate who takes a new lesson after qualifying. By the way, Pedrosa wins race number 3 in Grand Prix history. Lorenzo takes his first podium since riding a Ducati and zarco is an impeccable fourth. Dovizioso saves his weekend with a top 5. Vinales is only sixth ahead of Petrucci, Folger and Aleix Espargaro. Red is tenth ahead of Redding. Loris Baz is thirteenth.

#SpanishGP MotoGP Race: Ranking

1. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 45m 26.827s
2. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 45m 32.963s
3. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 45m 41.594s
4. Johann zarco ENG Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* 45m 44.428s
5. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 45m 49.740s
6. Maverick Vinales ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 45m 51.383s
7. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP17) 45m 51.786s
8. Jonas Folger GER Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* 45m 54.548s
9. Alex Espargaro ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 45m 58.060s
10. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 46m 5.509s
11. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 46m 7.806s
12. Hector Barbera ESP Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 46m 10.026s
13. Loris Baz FRA Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP15) 46m 10.038s
14. Bradley Smith GBR Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 46m 14.791s
15. Karel Abraham CZE Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP15) 46m 18.106s
16. Sam Lowes GBR Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)* 46m 35.712s
17. Takuya Tsuda JPN Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 46m 54.277s
Andrea Iannone ITA Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) DNF
Tito Rabat ESP Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) DNF
Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) DNF
Jack Miller AUS Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) DNF
Alvaro Bautista ESP Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP16) DNF
Espargaro Pol ESP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) DNF