MotoGP : Viñales unstoppable as he strides to Assen victory

Maverick was Top Gun for the first time in 2019 to make it five winners in eight races

Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) earned his and Yamaha’s first win of the season after a magnificent ride on Sunday afternoon at the Motul TT Assen, the Spaniard beats second place Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and polesitter Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) after the trio treated us to a fantastic scrap in the Netherlands. 

Quartararo didn’t make a bad start from pole position, but two blue machines shot to the fore as the lights went out for the MotoGP™ race. Team Suzuki Ecstar duo Alex Rins and Joan Mir went P1 and P2 into Turn 1, with Viñales getting the better of Quartararo into Turn 1 as the number 12 Yamaha got out of shape on the exit. Quartararo got back at Viñales heading into Turn 5 though, with Marquez P5 off the start as the two Suzukis led the premier class freight train around the opening lap at the Cathedral of Speed.

Sitting as one of the pre-race favourites, Rins was looking comfortable at the front as he eyed win number two of the season. But on Lap 3, his race would end at Turn 9 – Rins tucked the front and slid out of contention, leaving rookie teammate Mir in the lead of a MotoGP™ race for the first time. The 2017 Moto3™ World Champion wouldn’t keep it for long though, Mir ran wide at Turn 16 to let Quartararo through.

It wasn’t long before Marquez and Viñales would follow the Frenchman through as Marquez soon became the meat in a Yamaha sandwich. Meanwhile, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) had made a cracking start from P11 to get himself into P4, just behind the leading trio, with Mir dropping into the clutches of Ducati Team’s Danilo Petrucci in the battle for 5th.

Quartararo, Marquez and Viñales were locked together with Dovi just under a second back. Viñales was looking eager to get past Marquez but heading into Turn 1 on Lap 10, the factory Yamaha man ran wide and lost over half a second to the duo. At the front, Quartararo was struggling to control his YZR-M1 heading out of Turn 5 and onto the back straight. The 20-year-old kept having to shut the throttle to avoid a bucking bronco effect as Marquez closed right in, no such problems for him down the straight as the number 93 took the lead on Lap 11.

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Viñales reeled Marquez and Quartararo back in and it wasn’t long before the latter was back past Marquez after the Spaniard made a mistake at Turn 1. This trio had now dropped Dovi as the Italian found himself in company with teammate Petrucci and Mir. However, all the focus was at the front. With 11 laps to go, Viñales was your new race leader – Quartararo wrestling his M1 again down the back straight as the Frenchman slipped to third. With 10 to go, Quartararo was seemingly struggling. 0.9 was the gap to Viñales and Marquez as it became a two-way scrap for the win.

Was the pressure getting to the leading Yamaha? Another mistake into Turn 1 let Marquez through with nine to go but Viñales regrouped and re-passed the Championship leader. Now, we started to see Viñales get in the groove as he set two consecutive personal best laps. Marquez stayed with him but once clear of Quartararo, thinking about the Championship, the Repsol Honda started to back off as Viñales’ pace was superior. Viñales’ lead was over a second with two to go and with Repsol Honda Team Manager Alberto Puig leaning over pit wall to tell Marquez that P2 was more than ok, Viñales could enjoy the last lap as he came round to claim his first win since the 2018 Australian GP. It’s a win that means four manufacturers have now won in the first eight races this season, with Marquez upping his title race advantage to 44 points heading to his fortress: the Sachsenring.

Quartararo, still not 100% fit after his arm pump surgery, picks up a second consecutive podium in P3 to leapfrog himself to P6 in the Championship. Dovizioso did well to come home fourth to limit the damage in the overall standings as much as he could, with Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) securing his equal-best MotoGP™ finish with a final chicane move on Petrucci – the Italian finishes sixth. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) crosses the line seventh, the British rider had strong pace mid-race but a mistake at Turn 1 ended his P4 charge, with Mir also making a mistake late on to finish P8. The rookie was on for his best result of the season as he was embroiled in a race-long scrap with the Ducatis but nevertheless, it was a hugely positive weekend for Mir.

Completing the top ten was Jack Miller (Pramac Racing), a lonely ride for the Australian on a circuit he won at in 2016, with Andrea Iannone (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) earning his best result of the season in P10. Nursing a wrist injury, Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) led home older brother Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) – Aleix also riding injured – as Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) and Hafizh Syahrin (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) came across the line together to complete the points.

Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) were involved in a crash together at Turn 8 on Lap 5 – riders ok – as Karel Abraham (Reale Avintia Racing) also crashed, rider ok. Johann Zarco (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) retired from the race.

An intense battle sees Viñales kick-start his 2019 season with an awesome Assen win. Marquez heads to the Sachsenring as the clear favourite – and the clear leader in the Championship. We only have to wait a week to find out how the 2019 German GP will play out.

Top 10:
1. Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP)
2. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) + 4.854
3. Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) + 9.738
4. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) + 14.147
5. Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) + 14.467
6. Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) + 14.794
7. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) + 18.361
8. Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 24.268
9. Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) + 26.496
10. Andrea Iannone (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) + 26.997

via http://www.motogp.com

MotoGP ; Márquez triomphe au terme d’une course à couper le souffle ! / Showtime: Marquez wins stunning eight-rider battle at Assen

La lutte aura fait rage aux avant-postes mais Marc Márquez aura réussi à tirer son épingle du jeu dans les trois derniers tours pour gagner.

Les pilotes nous avaient promis une course de groupe, le public aura été servi ! Difficile d’ailleurs de recenser le nombre de dépassements aux avant-postes tant la bataille aura fait rage pour la victoire… et tout commença dès le premier tour, avec cette superbe envolée de Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) !

L’Espagnol, qui occupait la 10e place sur la grille, venait en effet se positionner dans la roue de son compatriote et poleman Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda Team), tandis que Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) se voyait repoussé au troisième rang. Et le Britannique allait perdre deux positions supplémentaires, ne pouvant résister à Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) et Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team).

Au quatrième tour, Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) portait une nouvelle attaque sur Marc Márquez qui allait cette fois s’avérer payante. Valentino Rossi l’imitait quelques instants plus tard jusqu’à ce choc entre le Majorquin et l’Italien. Tous deux restèrent toutefois sur leurs roues.

Valentino Rossi allait ensuite rétrograder légèrement au classement et trois autres concurrents venaient se mêler à la lutte dans ce groupe : Álex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) et Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech3). Neuf pilotes étaient alors en lice pour la victoire… et puis Marc Márquez se fit une belle frayeur dans le 12e tour ! Alors qu’il était en bagarre avec Álex Rins, le Champion du Monde manqua en effet de tomber, mais une fois encore ce dernier parvint à se rattraper.

Passé le cap de la mi-course, on assistait à un nouveau changement de leader avec cette manœuvre d’Andrea Dovizioso sur Jorge Lorenzo. Un duel s’engageait alors entre les deux représentants Ducati, le tout sous les yeux d’un Maverick Viñales aux aguets.

Tout compte fait Jorge Lorenzo commit une petite erreur qui l’écartait définitivement de ce combat et Maverick Viñales allait en profiter dans la foulée pour se glisser en tête. Quatre pilotes différents s’étaient alors succéder aux commandes. Le Catalan n’allait toutefois pas mener très longtemps, puisque Marc Márquez lui répondait aussitôt. Mais pour le pilote Yamaha, pas question de se laisser faire. Maverick Viñales retenta sa chance et son insistance se soldera par un contact entre les deux hommes, qui se retrouvaient hors piste. Du pain béni pour Andrea Dovizioso. Lequel récupérait les commandes… ou du moins provisoirement car voilà que Valentino Rossi s’invitait en tête.

Fini de jouer ! Alors que trois tours restaient à couvrir, Marc Márquez se défaisait de ses adversaires pour prendre le large… Plus personne ne le reverra. Álex Rins et Maverick Viñales devaient dès lors en découdre pour la deuxième place ; Andrea Dovizioso et Valentino Rossi restant en embuscade.

Dans la dernière chicane, Álex Rins trouvait finalement l’ouverture sur Maverick Viñales, qui inscrivaient tous deux leur second podium de l’année. Valentino Rossi, vainqueur de l’édition 2017, tenta d’en faire autant sur Andrea Dovizioso… En vain, le pilote Ducati conservait sa quatrième place.

Devant Marc Márquez s’imposait avec une avance de 2.2 secondes. L’Espagnol empochait la 64e victoire de sa carrière, sa quatrième de l’année. Le Champion du Monde compte ainsi une avance de 41 points sur Valentino Rossi et de 47 sur Maverick Viñales en amont du Sachsenring ; circuit qui a pour habitude de lui sourire.

Cal Crutchlow se classait sixième de la course, devant Johann Zarco. Álvaro Bautista (Ángel Nieto Team) et Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) complètent le Top 10.

Le Belge Xavier Siméon (Reale Avontia Racing) aura été contraint à l’abandon.

La prochaine épreuve se tiendra dans deux semaines au Sachsenring.

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The 'Cathedral' showcases the best of MotoGP™ as 8 riders make 100+ overtakes in one of the closest and most incredible races of all time

Few races are written immediately into the history books as the flag flies at the finish line, but the 2018 Dutch GP will be one of them. It was Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) who emerged from the melee to take the win on the Championship’s 70th visit to the track, but the headlines were stolen somewhat as the TT Circuit Assen hosted a showcase of the best of MotoGP™ starring Marquez, Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), teammate Maverick Viñales, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), teammate Jorge Lorenzo, Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol). And those on the podium at the end – Marquez, Rins and Viñales – fought to the top in the closest top fifteen of all time.

Marquez took the holeshot from pole, with Crutchlow initially on his tail from second on the grid until Lorenzo sliced through from tenth to P2 after another awe-inspiring launch. The Italian and Catalan GP winner didn’t wait long to strike for the lead either, attacking Marquez and the two side-by-side in a war of wills until Lorenzo edged ahead. Marquez hit back a lap later at Turn 15, before Lorenzo repaid the favour once more. The duel was the first of many; an early taste of what was to come.

Rossi then made his first attack of the race at the final chicane, a first rehearsal, and set off after Lorenzo – with the Spaniard then suffering a moment soon after and Rossi smashing into the rear of the Ducati, unable to avoid him. But both stayed on and both stayed ahead, with Marquez, Dovizioso, Rins, Crutchlow and Viñales forming a train of riders fighting at the front.

Marquez took Rossi, Viñales took Crutchlow, Dovizioso took Rossi, Dovizioso took Marquez, Marquez struck back, Rins took Rossi and then Dovizioso…but Lorenzo held firm at the front. With eight riders within a second, from Lorenzo down to Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) at the back of the train, the touch paper was well and truly lit on an absolute classic.

The war continued before another bout of bigger drama with 15 laps to go as Rins attacked Marquez and the two were only a hair’s breadth apart – no contact, but the reigning Champion suffered a big moment as he got back on the gas. That dropped him back off the lead, with Lorenzo chased by Rins and Dovizioso.

The Italian dueled his teammate for the lead soon after and Lorenzo began to drop back slightly, with Viñales then taking the lead for the first time with eight to go. Next time around Marquez had sliced back through into the lead, before the next lap saw both almost throw it all away as they dueled and both headed wide. Rossi took over – another stunner from the ‘Doctor’ at the final chicane – but ‘DesmoDovi’ took him back.

Four wide at times, Marquez made his way back into P1…and that was all she wrote, for the lead at least. After one of the closest, most spectacular races in the history of the world’s oldest motorsport Championship, the reigning Champion was able to pull clear to take a stunning fourth win of the year – and increase his points lead.

The battle behind wasn’t over, however, and Viñales had pushed through to second before a last lap attack from Rins – with the Suzuki rider taking his second ever premier class rostrum. Viñales was forced to settle for third but back on the podium for the first time since Texas…and the fight for fourth showed why Rossi had been rehearsing.

The ‘Doctor’ left it late but lunged up the inside of Dovizioso into the famous Geert Timmer chicane on the final lap, and he was ahead – but ‘DesmoDovi’ took him back on the exit, getting such a good exit that the number 04 was almost on a par with Viñales over the line.

Marquez, Rins, Viñales, Dovizioso and Rossi were followed home by Crutchlow and Lorenzo, with Zarco, Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) and Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) completing the top ten in one of the greatest races contested on two wheels.

So that’s it from the TT Circuit Assen for another year. Can anything top the Dutch GP? After one of the best races of all time, the first to try will be the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring on the 15th July…and then, there are 10 more chances to showcase more of the stunning class of 2018.

via http://www.motogp.com

Oliveira triomphe au Motul TT Assen devant Quartararo / Oliveira takes incredible Moto3™ victory

Le Portugais s’est imposé juste devant Fabio Quartararo et Danny Kent samedi aux Pays-Bas.

Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) a remporté la seconde victoire de sa carrière en Grand Prix samedi au Motul TT Assen en sortant vainqueur d’un groupe de sept pilotes. 

Devancé par Fabio Quartararo (Estrella Galicia 0,0) au milieu du dernier tour, le Portugais a finalement eu le dernier mot et s’imposait avec 0.066s d’avance sur le rookie français, qui montait sur le podium pour la deuxième fois. 

Danny Kent (Leopard Racing) a pris la troisième place devant Jorge Navarro (Estrella Galicia 0,0), Romano Fenati (SKY Racing Team VR46), Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing Team Moto2) et Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo). 

À vingt secondes du groupe de tête, Karel Hanika (Red Bull KTM Ajo) a fini huitième devant Niccolò Antonelli (Ongetta-Rivacold) et John McPhee (SaxoPrint-RTG), dont le coéquipier Alexis Masbou a été contraint à l’abandon. Jules Danilo (Ongetta-Rivacold) a de son côté manqué le point de la quinzième de seulement 0.070s.

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Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Miguel Oliveira takes his second Moto3™ victory in a simply sensational race at the Motul TT Assen.

The packed grandstands at the legendary TT Circuit Assen bore witness to a incredible seven way battle for victory in an epic and dramatic Moto3™ race in which Miguel Oliveira claimed his second victory of the season by just 0.066s.

The sun came out to play and track temperatures rose to 26°C before the start of what would turn out to be an incredibly dramatic race. A leading group of seven riders broke away from the rest of the field in the early stages to provide drama and excitement in equal measure as they fought tooth and nail for the victory.

The lead swapped hands at almost every corner, as the riders in the leading group put move after move on each other, but it was Oliveira who timed his charge to perfection to snatch the lead just before the final chicane and held on across the line to take KTM’s 3rd win of the season ahead of 16-year-old Frenchman Fabio Quartararo (Estrella Galicia 0,0) and championship leader Danny Kent (Leopard Racing +0.117s).

Jorge Navarro (+0.179s) had to settle for fourth ahead of the hard charging Romano Fenati (+0.252s) on the Sky Racing Team VR46 KTM, while the man who started form pole, 17-year-old Italian Enea Bastianini (+0.526s), crossed the line in sixth.

Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was the last man in the leading group in seventh, with his teammate Karel Hanika wining the battle for eighth in the chasing pack (+21.406s) ahead of Niccolo Antonelli (Ongetta-Rivacold) and John McPhee (SAXOPRINT RTG), who completed the top ten.

RBA Racing’s Niklas Ajo crossed the line in 17th in remarkable fashion having lost control at the final corner in the battle for 8th and managing to hold on while hanging completely off the side of his bike to finish the race, eventually crossing the line on his knees.

Maria Herrera looked on course for her first top-ten finish before Antonelli took her out after losing control under braking while she was leading the chasing group in 8th. Her teammate Isaac Viñales also crashed out after contact from Juanfran Guevara, while Efren Vazquez, Andrea Locatelli, Zulfhami Khairuddin, Alexis Masbou and Tatsuki Suzuki all failed to finish, with the latter suffering from a technical fault on the first lap.

Kent managed to extend his lead in the championship standings once more, and is now 57-points clear of Bastianini, with Oliveira another 6-points back in third.

Check out the full Moto3™ Race results, and the latest championship standings.

Rossi remporte son duel face à Márquez à Assen / Rossi takes dramatic win after epic duel with Marquez

L’Italien s’est imposé sur le tenant du titre après un contact dans la dernière chicane.

Qualifié en pole position pour la première fois de l’année, Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) a très solidement mené la course du Motul TT Assen jusqu’à ce que Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda) ne parvienne à revenir sur lui et à passer en tête pour se lancer dans un fantastique duel avec le nonuple Champion du Monde.

Repassé devant l’Espagnol à deux tours et demi de l’arrivée, Rossi avait l’avantage en arrivant dans la dernière chicane mais a dû couper le dernier virage en passant par les graviers après avoir été poussé par Márquez. L’Italien remportait ainsi sa troisième victoire de la saison et repartait d’Assen avec dix points d’avance sur son coéquipier Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP). 

Passé de la huitième position sur la grille à la troisième place en l’espace d’un tour, le Majorquin n’a pas pu prendre la roue des deux leaders et s’est contenté d’une troisième place en solitaire, loin devant Andrea Iannone (Ducati), Pol Espargaró (Monster Yamaha Tech3), Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech3), Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) et les deux pilotes du Team Suzuki Ecstar, Aleix Espargaró et Maverick Viñales.

Loris Baz (Athinà Forward Racing) a décroché sa seconde victoire en catégorie Open en finissant quinzième, sa position de départ.

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Zarco s’impose à nouveau devant Rabat à Assen / Zarco wins showdown with Rabat in Moto2™

Le Français a doublé le Champion en titre à deux tours de l’arrivée pour s’offrir une seconde victoire consécutive, sa troisième de l’année.

Suite à un bien mauvais départ, Johann Zarco (Ajo Motorsport) a de nouveau réalisé une superbe fin de course pour aller chercher la victoire devant Tito Rabat (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) au Motul TT Assen, dans une course réduite à seize tours suite à un drapeau rouge. 

Devancé par Jonas Folger (AGR Team) et Rabat au départ, le Français est patiemment revenu sur ses concurrents et s’est emparé de la première place devant Rabat à deux tours de l’arrivée pour immédiatement faire le break et prendre une troisième victoire et cinq points de plus que le Champion en titre, qu’il devance désormais de 45 points.

En tête durant toute la première moitié de la course, Folger a perdu en rythme sur la suite et a fini septième tandis que Sam Lowes (Speed Up Racing) s’emparait de la troisième place devant Álex Rins (Páginas Amarillas HP 40), Tom Lüthi (Derendinger Racing Interwetten) et Xavier Siméon (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2).

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Moto2™ World Championship leader Johann Zarco came out on top in duel with rival Tito Rabat in a re-started race at the Motul TT Assen.

Ajo Motorsport’s Zarco took victory in front of the passionate Dutch fans that had flocked in to see his showdown with title rival Tito Rabat at the TT Circuit Assen in conditions that improved as the race went on, with the sun coming out and track tempereatures rising to 28°C. The re-started race was reduced to 16 laps because of a red flag on the very first lap during the original race, after an incident between Marcel Schrotter, Anthony West and Luis Salom that saw the latter crash out and his bike catch fire, leading to oil on the track.

During the re-start Zarco got bogged down off the line while AGR Team’s Jonas Folger led into the first corner, and built up a lead of almost a second over Tito Rabat in second. Zarco picked his way through the field and attempted to make a move on Rabat for second on lap 4, with the two rivals making contact and Zarco running wide.

It didn’t take long for Rabat to close down Folger and take the lead on lap 8, with Zarco also passing the German shortly afterwards. Rabat the built a 0.5s gap at the front, before Zarco started to hunt him down. Zarco timed it to perfection as he took the lead with three laps to go, giving Rabat a ‘nudge’ in the process, and went on to win his third race of the season by 0.757s. Rabat had no answer to Zarco’s pace, and had to settle for second, with Speed Up Racing’s Sam Lowes (+2.080s) crossing the line in third after an excellent ride for his 3rd podium of the season.

Paginas Amarillas HP40’s Alex Rins (+03.738s) crossed the line in fourth ahead of Thomas Luthi (+4.530s) on the Derendinger Racing Interwetten Kalex and Federal Oil Gresini Moto2’s Xavier Simeon (+5.045s) in sixth.

Folger faded after his excellent start to the race, eventually finishing in seventh, with Mika Kallio (Italtrans Racing Team) in eighth and rookie Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) equalling his career best Moto2™ finish in ninth.

Athina Forward Racing’s Simone Corsi completed the top ten as his teammate Lorenzo Baldassari crashed out of the race in an incident with Anthony West. Louis Rossi, Ricky Cardus and Florian Alt also recorded DNF’s, with Luis Salom not able to take his place on the grid for the re-started race due to the damage to his bike from the red flag incident.

Zarco (159pts) has now extended his Moto2™ World Championship lead over Rabat (114pts) to 45 points, with Sam Lowes (96pts) consolidating third a further 18 points back.

Check out the full race results and the latest Moto2™ World Championship standings.