‘King’ Marquez extends COTA reign with another win; Dovi leads championship

Austin (Texas, US), 23 April 2018: It’s closer than ever as the flag falls at the end of the Americas GP, with Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) taking the win and Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) the Championship lead as Texas shook up the standings. There are now five riders within eight points at the top of the title fight – with Marquez a point off the top after his win, and Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) moving up to third after a second place finish at COTA.

The Americas GP also made it back-to-back podium finishes for Suzuki, with Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) putting in an impressive push from the front row to take third and his first rostrum finish of the season – and first rostrum with the Hamamatsu factory.

It was also Iannone who got the holeshot from second on the grid, but Marquez also got a stunner from Row 2 – slotting into second and on the chase behind the ‘Maniac’. Making his move soon after and taking the lead, the number 93 started to pull a gap, but Iannone wasn’t done, and gave it everything for a late dive up the inside of the reigning Champion. Running a bit wide on the exit, Marquez took him back, then putting his head down.

From there on, the spectacular ballet of man and machine once more ruled the rodeo in Texas – with the victory making it 10 consecutive premier class wins for Marquez on US soil.

Reflecting on his win, Marquez said: “This weekend I really gave it my all. Today I was totally focused, as I wanted to remain perfect here at Austin. I don’t think that ever in my career have I had such a race, pushing so hard from the first lap. Today, I felt that this was the right way and was able to do it, in part because my bike’s setup helped me a lot, so thanks to everyone in my garage as they’ve worked really well and hard.

“Yesterday, I was a bit ill, and even today I didn’t feel I had perfect energy, but it turned out to be a good race anyway – a lonely one, but sometimes it goes like that. Last night, when I was going to sleep, I thought about the strategy, and today, I followed it. Even in the warm-up, I tried to simulate the first laps of the race, going out on new tyres and with a full tank. That was in the plan.

“I told the team that I wanted to try to lead the race from the beginning and pull a gap. So in the first three or four laps, I pushed a bit more than usual, and then I managed the advantage. Today I had special motivation.

“There was a lot of pressure, but I like the pressure, as it helps to keep focused. I felt a special feeling on the last lap, when I passed in front of Nicky’s flag. So, I’m happy with the result and for recovering ground in the Championship, but now we go back to Europe, where we must be consistent, because look who’s leading the standings: Dovi, the most consistent rider! The feeling with my bike is very good, and the same has been true in Qatar and Argentina, so we’ll try and continue this way.”

Tight battle for podium spots

Behind, however, it was getting pretty tight. Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) was pressuring teammate Viñales for third as Iannone held firm in second. But lap-by-lap, Viñales was able to ease away and stake his claim on P2, closing in on Iannone before a well-judged pass into Turn 1 saw the Spaniard able to get through and then pull away. Keeping it calm, he took his first podium of the season in second, and Iannone did the same in third.

Rossi came home fourth, with Dovizioso taking fifth after a particularly difficult weekend. Well-rewarded for a solid race, the 2017 runner-up is now the leader of the pack once again after his controlled performance, including a late race pass on Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3).

Rossi said: “It was a good weekend because we were always in the top five, but in the race, I hoped and expected to be a bit stronger to fight for the podium. I know that Marquez and Maverick were a bit stronger. I hoped I’d be fast enough to fight for the podium with Iannone, but Andrea was faster than me, so I was not able to arrive and attack.”

Zarco was top Independent Team rider in P6, with former Championship leader Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) sliding out at the final corner when attacking the Frenchman earlier in the race. Alex RIns (Team Suzuki Ecstar) also then suffered a tumble soon after – riders ok and Crutchlow able to rejoin.

Heroic ride by ‘Little Samurai’

Meanwhile, Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) followed up two stunning showings on Friday and Saturday to come home in a superhuman P7. Back on track and racing just over a week after surgery on his broken wrist sustained in the Argentina GP, the ‘Little Samurai’ rode a heroic push through the pain barrier around the punishing, technical challenge of the Circuit of the Americas in a performance worthy of the history books, taking home nine points ahead of the Championship’s return to one of his best venues: Jerez.

There was a Borgo Panigale battle around three seconds behind three-time World Champion Pedrosa, with Tito Rabat (Reale Avintia Racing) impressively beating Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing)  to the line for eighth. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) completed the top ten, putting in an impressive push to keep Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) behind him after a tough race for the five-time World Champion.

Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) took P12, ahead of some impressive points for Pol Espargaro and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in P13. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) was top rookie in P14, ahead of Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team).

So there we have it. The rodeo is ridden and the points are given, and what a Championship we have on our hands as we head for Jerez: five riders within eight points, with ‘DesmoDovi’ the man in the lead on the road to Europe. Marquez trails him by one point, Viñales by five and Crutchlow by eight – with Zarco equal on points with the Brit, back in P5 due to Crutchlow having a race win.

Now, it’s carnival time. Packed grandstands, Spanish sun, the awesome Circuito de Jerez and one of the best atmospheres of the year – with the Championship so close, there’s almost nothing in it!

Francesco Bagnaia (SKY Racing Team VR46) took the honours in Moto 2 ahead of Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo).

Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) topped the Moto 3 field and he was followed home by Enea Bastianini (Leopard Racing) and Marco Bezzecchi (Redox Pruestel GP) in that order.

Source: motogp.com, Honda Racing Corporation