MotoGP : Márquez conclut l’année sur une victoire ! / Marquez wins to hand Repsol Honda the triple crown

Et en prime Honda s’offre l’ultime couronne qui lui manquait, celle par équipe.

Le Circuit Ricardo Tormo accueillait ce dimanche la grande finale du MotoGP™ ; une épreuve qui aura un peu été à l’image de cette campagne 2019, puisque Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda Team) allait de nouveau y contrôler ses adversaires pour empocher la 82e victoire de sa carrière, sa 11e de l’année.

À l’extinction des feux, c’est pourtant Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) qui avait viré en tête devant Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) et Álex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar). L’Australien ne mènera en fait que le temps de quelques virages, avant de se faire déloger par Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT). De son côté, Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda Team), qui avait très quelque peu raté son envol, s’empressait de se frayer un passage. À l’entrée du deuxième tour, le natif de Cervera doublait d’ailleurs le duo Álex Rins - Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) d’une traite et Jack Miller n’allait pas résister bien longtemps non plus... Trois positions de gagnées pour le Champion du Monde ! À vrai dire, le fer de lance Honda ne voulait surtout pas perdre de vue notre rookie Fabio Quartararo, qui s’était très légèrement détaché en tête de l’épreuve. En l’espace de trois tours, la jonction était finalement faite, tandis que derrière Jack Miller tentait de se défendre face à cette meute emmenée par Álex Rins.

Au huitième passage, Marc Márquez s’emparait alors du leadership, que plus jamais il ne lâchera, malgré tous les efforts de Fabio Quartararo pour rester au contact. Aux trois premières places, la hiérarchie n’évoluera plus. En revanche, certains se feront piéger au sein du peloton, à commencer par Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) dans le virage 11. La courbe 6 fit également pas mal de victime et pour cause. À seulement quelques secondes d’intervalle, Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) y partait au tapis, suivi de Johann Zarco (LCR Honda Idemitsu) et d’Iker Lecuona (Red Bull KTM Tech3), pointé à ce moment précis dans les points. La moto de l’Espagnol allait d’ailleurs venir taper dans les jambes de notre Français, qui venait tout juste de se relever… Les images font assez froid dans le dos, mais rassurez-vous : le tricolore – qui figurait aux portes des points - va bien. Par la suite, Franco Morbidelli tombait dans le virage 4.

Devant, aucune ombre au tableau pour Marc Márquez qui triomphait donc avec une seconde d’avance sur Fabio Quartararo. Le Niçois, classé cinquième du Championnat, décroche au passage le trophée de meilleur pilote indépendant ; récompense qui vient s’ajouter à ce titre de Rookie of the Year conquis depuis Motegi. Jack Miller signe pour sa part un nouveau podium, au pied duquel termine Andrea Dovizioso. Lequel sera parvenu en définitive à résister à Álex Rins. Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), auteur d’une course assez discrète, hérite quant à lui d’une sixième place qui lui permet de finir troisième du classement général. Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Aleix Espargaró (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) et Pol Espargaró (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) complètent le Top 10 de cette épreuve.

2019 Champion claims victory number 12 of 2019 as Lorenzo scores points in his final race

Repsol Honda Team are 2019 triple crown Champions after Marc Marquez claimed victory number 12 of the season at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana, with Jorge Lorenzo scoring points in his final MotoGP™ ride to help Honda win the Teams Championship. Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) complete the final podium of the season.

Miller was third on the grid and he launched his Pramac Racing Ducati off the line like a rocket and managed to grab the holeshot into Turn 1, with Marquez getting a sluggish getaway from the middle of the front row to drop down to P6 having run slightly wide at Turn 1. Polesitter Quartararo then grabbed the lead from Miller as the Australian ran wide at Turn 2, with the Frenchman quickly creating a small gap to his rivals. Heading into Turn 1 on Lap 2, Marquez was into P3 past the fast-starting duo of Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team). And it wouldn’t take the 2019 Champion long to pick off Miller as he locked his radar onto Quartararo.

The Rookie of the Year’s lead was 0.7 over Marquez, with the latter racing to an eight-tenths advantage over Miller. Marquez was creeping up to the back of the leading M1 slowly but surely, and on Lap 8 a surprise, late but super fine move at Turn 11 saw the number 93 lead. Suddenly third place Miller – with Dovizioso and Rins in tow – had closed the gap to less than half a second, the top five covered by 1.7. However, Marquez was in the groove and the eight-time Champion had pulled to over half a second clear of Quartararo, with the gap hovering between 0.6 and 0.8 for a number of laps after. Miller wasn’t letting Quartararo have P2 all his own way either, that margin was remaining at a second – enough to keep the number 20 on his toes.

With no one making any real errors, the gaps were staying fair constant. A tenth here and a tenth there saw Marquez stretch his advantage to one and a half seconds with six laps remaining, with Miller cutting the gap to Quartararo down by four tenths – 0.6, was there a late twist for P2 inbound? Not quite, Miller didn’t have enough speed to catch the back of the M1 by the time the chequered flag was waved, with Marquez taking another 25-point haul to land Repsol Honda Team the 2019 triple crown.

Dovizioso and Ducati’s aims of picking up the Teams title didn’t materialise in Valencia, but P4 was a solid result for the Italian who was comfortably best of the rest in 2019. Rins capped off a fine season by claiming P5 at his home Grand Prix, however it wasn’t enough to grab P3 in the Championship from sixth place finisher Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) – the Malaysian GP winner having a quiet final round of the season before jumping onto the 2020 Yamaha on Tuesday. Seventh for Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was a great way to round off a very solid rookie MotoGP™ campaign, the Spaniard ends 2019 with five consecutive top 10s. Valentino Rossi’s (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) P8 sees the nine-time World Champion end the season P7 in the overall standings, with Aleix coming out on top in the battle of the Espargaro brothers – P9 for Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), P10 for Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing).

MotoGP™ 

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The party is already well underway! @marcmarquez93 and @HRC_MotoGP proved the ultimate dream team in 2019! #ValenciaGP

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Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team), Johann Zarco (LCR Honda Idemitsu) and Iker Lecuona (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) all crashed at Turn 6, on Lap 14, in separate incidents. Petrucci was the first to go down, with Zarco then crashing slightly later and further around the corner seconds after. A scary scenario then unfolded as Lecuona crashed at the exact same place as Zarco. Up and ok after his off, Zarco was then hit by Lecuona’s stricken KTM, sending the Frenchman into a summersault. Thankfully, Zarco – along with Lecuona and Petrucci – was ok. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol), Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and Andrea Iannone (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) crashed – riders ok.

On his final-ever MotoGP™ ride, five-time World Champion and future MotoGP™ Legend Jorge Lorenzo finished P13. It was an emotional day for the Spaniard who arrived back into pitlane to rapturous applause, with the Valencia fans paying their full respects to one of the sport’s greatest ever riders on his cool-down lap. #ThankYouJorge!

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We're not crying, you crying! #ThankYouJorge | #ValenciaGP

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2019 draws to a close. But don’t worry, 2020 is just around the corner! Testing begins in Valencia on Tuesday 19 and Wednesday 20 November

Le Top 10
1. Marc Márquez - (Repsol Honda Team) - 41:21.469
2. Fabio Quartararo - (Petronas Yamaha SRT) - +1.026
3. Jack Miller - (Pramac Racing) - +2.409
4. Andrea Dovizioso - (Ducati Team) - +3.326
5. Àlex Rins - (Team Suzuki Ecstar) - +3.508
6. Maverick Viñales - (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) - +8.829
7. Joan Mir - (Team Suzuki Ecstar) - +10.622
8. Valentino Rossi - (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) - +22.992
9. Aleix Espargaró - (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) - +32.704
10. Pol Espargaró - (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) - +32.973

Cliquez ici pour accéder aux résultats.

via motogp.com

MOTOGP™: VIÑALES DOMINATES IN MALAYSIA / GP de Malaisie : Viñales tient sa revanche !

AFTER QUALIFYING IN SECOND PLACE FOR THE SHELL MALAYSIA MOTORCYCLE GRAND PRIX, MAVERICK VIÑALES (MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MOTOGP) WENT ON TO WIN THE PENULTIMATE ROUND OF THE 2019 MOTOGPTM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. HE WAS JOINED ON THE SEPANG PODIUM BY MARC MÁRQUEZ (REPSOL HONDA TEAM) AND ANDREA DOVIZIOSO (DUCATI TEAM). THE DAY’S TOP THREE FEATURED THREE DIFFERENT BIKEMAKERS AND THREE DIFFERENT MICHELIN TYRE PAIRINGS.

 

Racing onmedium MICHELIN Power Slicks front and rear, Viñales completed the first of the Malaysian GP’s 20 laps in front, chased by Jack Miller (Pramac Racing), Márquez, Dovizioso, Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) who was first out of Turn 1 after starting from third on the grid. Márquez, meanwhile, had leapt from 11th at lights-out to third place by the end of Lap 1.

Viñales posted a series of quick, consistent laps to pull gradually clear and ultimately cross the line more than three seconds clear of the 2019 champion. It was the factory Yamaha rider’s second success of the season after Assen (Netherlands) and his seventh at MotoGPTM level.

It was on Lap 3 that Márquez (medium/soft tyres front and rear) eased past Miller to take second spot and he held that position all the way to the flag to become the first rider to secure 17 MotoGPTM podiums in one year. He has also broken the record for the highest number of points chalked up in a single season (395), with one race still to come.

Dovizioso (softs front and rear) shrugged off pressure from Rossi (mediums front and rear) to clinch third place.

Fifth was Alex Rins (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR), ahead of Franco Morbidelli and his Petronas Yamaha SRT team-mate Fabio Quartararo who posted a new track lap record to win qualifying after dominating free practice.

Miller, Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) and Joan Mir (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR) rounded out the afternoon’s top 10.

Michelin’s tyres contributed to several new records at Sepang. Free Practice 1 saw Quartararo beat Pedrosa’s effort of 2015 (1m59.053s) to establish a new track lap record (1m59.027s) which he bettered in FP2 (1m58.576s) and then again in qualifying (1m58.303s).

Five other riders succeeded in squeezing beneath the previous benchmark in qualifying.

The fastest race lap was the work of Rossi (1m59.661s) who went a second faster than Lorenzo in 2015. Last but not least, Viñales completed the distance in a time of 40m14.634s, an improvement of 18 seconds over the previous record clocked last year by Márquez.

Four of the six Michelin tyre specs available in Malaysia were selected for the race, with only the front and rear hards not making it onto the grid, despite having been tried in practice.

While Márquez and Dovizioso had made sure of the season’s gold and silver medals before the trip to Sepang, the fight for bronze is still on. Viñales (201 points) is now third in the provisional standings, tailed by Rins (194) and Petrucci (176). The 2019 championship’s final podium order will therefore be settled at the last round in Valencia, Spain, in two weeks’ time.

Everyone at Michelin Motorsport would like to share their condolences with the family, friends and fellow team members of Afridza Munandar who died tragically in the opening Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup race on Saturday.

Next round: Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana, Valencia, Spain (November 14-17)

Maverick Viñales, parti à la faute dans le dernier tour en Australie alors qu’il était en bagarre avec Marc Márquez, triomphe à Sepang.

Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) avait fait part son intention de s’emparer des commandes le plus tôt possible afin de s’en aller et c’est exactement ce qu’il aura fait ce dimanche ! Le Catalan, dont le dernier succès remontait à Assen, décroche ainsi la 24e victoire de sa carrière, sa huitième en MotoGP™ : une belle façon de tirer un trait sur cette chute survenue dans le dernier tour du Grand Prix Pramac d’Australie !

À l’extinction des feux, Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) bondissait de la deuxième ligne pour venir se porter en tête au premier virage. De son côté Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) écartait très légèrement, ce qui permettait à Maverick Viñales et à Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) de s’infiltrer. Mais l’Australien ne mènera la course que le temps de quelques virages, puisque Maverick Viñales venait aussitôt le déloger et au grand désespoir de ses adversaires, ce dernier mettra les voiles. Plus personne ne le reverra, pas même Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda) et pourtant le natif de Cervera pointait déjà au second rang à l’issue du premier tour, lui qui partait… 11e après ce highside de la Q2.

Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) avait fait part son intention de s’emparer des commandes le plus tôt possible afin de s’en aller et c’est exactement ce qu’il aura fait ce dimanche ! Le Catalan, dont le dernier succès remontait à Assen, décroche ainsi la 24e victoire de sa carrière, sa huitième en MotoGP™ : une belle façon de tirer un trait sur cette chute survenue dans le dernier tour du Grand Prix Pramac d’Australie !

À l’extinction des feux, Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) bondissait de la deuxième ligne pour venir se porter en tête au premier virage. De son côté Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) écartait très légèrement, ce qui permettait à Maverick Viñales et à Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) de s’infiltrer. Mais l’Australien ne mènera la course que le temps de quelques virages, puisque Maverick Viñales venait aussitôt le déloger et au grand désespoir de ses adversaires, ce dernier mettra les voiles. Plus personne ne le reverra, pas même Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda) et pourtant le natif de Cervera pointait déjà au second rang à l’issue du premier tour, lui qui partait… 11e après ce highside de la Q2.

Un dépassement qui n’était pas du goût de Jack Miller. Le n°43 s’empressait de le redoubler. Ceci étant Jack Miller allait rapidement se montrer en difficulté avec ses pneus soft. Marc Márquez trouvait l’ouverture sur le pilote Pramac et il ne sera pas le seul ! Andrea Dovizioso, Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Álex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar)… tous allaient parvenir à prendre l’ascendant sur le natif de Townsville, non sans étincelle pour certain. Álex Rins en perdait par exemple un aileron au septième passage. Franco Morbidelli et même Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT), qui sera passé complétement à côté de son départ, finiront par le passer.

Pendant ce temps-là derrière, Johann Zarco (LCR Honda Idemitsu), qui faisait pourtant une honorable course, se faisait littéralement faucher par Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar). Le Français était à ce moment précis dans le sillage de Jack Miller en neuvième position. Cette manœuvre vaudra d’ailleurs au rookie un long lap penalty. Quelques instants plus tôt, Andrea Iannone (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) et Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) s’étaient fait piéger dans des incidents séparés. Au bout du compte, la hiérarchie n’évoluera plus.

Maverick Viñales triomphait avec une avance de trois secondes sur Marc Márquez, qui bat au passage le record de points inscrits en 18 épreuves de MotoGP™ (395). Andrea Dovizioso grimpe de son côté sur la troisième marche du podium. Valentino Rossi devait ainsi se contenter d’une quatrième position, juste devant Álex Rins. Fabio Quartararo tentait de son côté une attaque sur Franco Morbidelli dans les dernières boucles, mais tirait beaucoup trop large. Statu quo donc entre les deux représentants du team Petronas Yamaha SRT.

Jack Miller, Danilo Petrucci et Joan Mir complétaient le Top 10, malgré sa pénalité. Au Championnat, Maverick Viñales repasse devant Álex Rins, autrefois troisième, pour cinq points.

Le Top 10
1. Maverick Viñales - (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP)
2. Marc Márquez - (Repsol Honda Team) - +3.059
3. Andrea Dovizioso - (Ducati Team) +5.611
4. Valentino Rossi - (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) - +5.965
5. Álex Rins - (Team Suzuki Ecstar) - +6.350
6. Franco Morbidelli - (Petronas Yamaha SRT) - +9.993
7. Fabio Quartararo - (Petronas Yamaha SRT) - +12.864
8. Jack Miller - (Pramac Racing) - +17.252
9. Danilo Petrucci - (Ducati Team) - +19.773
10. Joan Mir - (Team Suzuki Ecstar) +22.854

via www.michelinmotorsport.com et www.motogp.com

MOTOGP : Márquez bat Quartararo sur le fil et s’offre son 8éme titre mondial !

Les deux hommes nous auront offert, à Buriram, un remake de Misano… Si ce n’est que l’enjeu était cette fois bien différent.

Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda Team) arrivait à Buriram avec une première balle de match. Il lui suffisait à vrai dire d’inscrire juste deux points de plus comparé à Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team).

Pour l’Espagnol, hors de question toutefois de célébrer ce huitième titre sans une victoire. Et après avoir passé plus de 25 tours sagement installé dans la roue de Fabio Quartararo, le Champion du Monde venait lui porter le coup final. Notre poleman, qui n’avait qu’une hâte : prendre sa revanche de Misano pour inscrire le premier succès français de la catégorie reine en 20 ans, tentera une contre-attaque dans l’ultime virage, mais cette dernière - bien qu’audacieuse - n’allait pas s’avérer payante. Marc Márquez triomphait ainsi un dixième devant le tricolore ; un succès d’être sacré Champion du Monde dès ce 15e rendez-vous !

Quoi qu’il en soit, cette course nous aura tenu en haleine de bout en bout, avec ce premier coup de théâtre avant même que le départ soit donné : Jack Miller (Pramac Racing), qui devait s’élancer de la deuxième ligne, calait sur la grille. L’Australien, opposé à Fabio Quartararo pour le titre de meilleur pilote satellite, était ainsi contraint de partir de la pitlane. Une mésaventure qui lui coûte donc très cher !

À l’entrée du premier virage, le rookie conservait justement les commandes devant Marc Márquez et Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) ; tandis qu’Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) bondissait de la troisième ligne pour venir rapidement se positionner en embuscade du trio. Problème pour l’Italien, ces trois hommes avaient un rythme nettement supérieur au sein et ce dernier se faisait sans tarder distancer, ce qui laissait présager d’ores et déjà l’issue de ce Championnat. Puis ce fut au tour de Maverick de lâcher prise. Derrière Álex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), seulement 10e des qualifications, se défaisait un à un de ses adversaires, de Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) à Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), en passant par Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha ).

Pendant ce temps-là, Marc Márquez se montrait de plus en plus menaçant sur Fabio Quartararo et comme redouté, le natif de Cervera passait à l’offensive à quatre tours du but, néanmoins le Niçois parvenait à lui répondre.

Marc Márquez décidait alors d’appliquer la même stratégie qu’à Misano, en le passant à l’entrée du dernier tour. Fabio Quartararo allait tenter le tout pour le tout dans l’ultime virage en lui faisant les freins, mais écartait très légèrement, ce qui permettait à Marc Márquez de se réinfiltrer. À l’âge de 26 ans et 231 jours, le Catalan devient ainsi le plus jeune octuple Champion du Monde.

Maverick Viñales grimpe sur la troisième marche du podium, qui lui avait échappée 15 jours plus tôt. Andrea Dovizioso et Álex Rins se classaient quant à eux quatrième et cinquième ; tandis que Franco Morbidelli repartait avec la sixième place. Joan Mir terminait pour sa part septième. Valentino Rossi, Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) et Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) complétaient le Top 10.

Le Top 10 :
1. Marc Márquez - (Repsol Honda Team) - 39:36.223
2. Fabio Quartararo - (Petronas Yamaha SRT) - +0.171
3. Maverick Viñales - (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) - +1.380
4. Andrea Dovizioso - (Ducati Team) - +11.218
5. Álex Rins - (Team Suzuki Ecstar) - +11.449
6. Franco Morbidelli - (Petronas Yamaha SRT) - +14.466
7. Joan Mir - (Team Suzuki Ecstar) - +18.729
8. Valentino Rossi - (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) - +19.162
9. Danilo Petrucci - (Ducati Team) - +23.425
10. Takaaki Nakagami - (LCR Honda Idemitsu) - +29.423

Cliquez ici pour accéder aux résultats.

via www.motogp.com

MotoGP ; Reigning Champion vs rookie: Misano goes down to the wire

Marquez and Quartararo went head-to-head at the San Marino GP, Viñales joins the duo on the rostrum

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was the victor in a GP Octo di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini stunner as the seven-time World Champion went head-to-head with Petronas Yamaha SRT’s Fabio Quartararo, with the battle for the win going down to the last lap. Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) completed the podium, 1.6 back from Marquez.

Viñales was on pole and the Spaniard made it count, keeping the lead heading into Turn 1 as third place Quartararo grabbed P2, with Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) losing positions at the start from second on the grid. Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) found himself in P3 with the sluggish starting Marquez giving himself work to do. But work is exactly what the seven-time Champion did, grabbing third from Morbidelli at Turn 8 as the leading trio throughout the weekend found themselves 1-2-3 on Lap 1.

And sure enough, the three started to stretch away. The gap on Lap 2 was already up to 0.7 over Morbidelli and it was Viñales leading the way, but not for long. Quartararo was right behind his fellow Yamaha rider and getting a good run out of Turn 10, the Petronas grey and blue dived underneath Monster Energy black and blue as a rookie led at Misano. Marquez wasn’t going to waste any time, Lap 3 saw the 93 set the fastest lap of the race as Quartararo started to pull away. Seeing this, Marquez dived under Viñales at Turn 10 on Lap 4 and locked his radar onto a rapid Yamaha at the front, with the third-place Yamaha of Viñales struggling to hold the pace. Further back, Espargaro was frustrating Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and second in the Championship Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) for P5.

Back up front, Quartararo had a 0.8 lead as Viñales slipped to 1.5 seconds back on Lap 6. Quartararo’s advantage wouldn’t stay above half a second for long though, the Repsol Honda reeled the Petronas Yamaha in as the reigning World Champion and MotoGP™ rookie faced off. Unexpectedly, Viñales was now out of range. The gap to Marquez and Quartararo was nearly three seconds – what was going on for one of the weekend’s leading contenders?

In the battle for sixth, Rins was given a long lap penalty shortly after finally dispatching Espargaro’s KTM. But then, it didn’t matter for the Silverstone winner. The Suzuki man was down at Turn 4, while further up the road, Rossi was hitched onto the back of compatriot Morbidelli. At the front, Quartararo was faultless. There was no sign of the 20-year-old buckling under the pressure from a seven-time Champion as the gap between the two remained at 0.2.

The laps ticked by and still there was no change. Marquez was fierce on the brakes coming into Turn 10, but ‘El Diablo’ was a demon at picking the bike up onto the straight. There was simply nothing splitting Quartararo and Marquez, with Viñales at this point now closing the gap ever so slightly to the leaders. Surely it was too late for the Spaniard? Into the final 10 laps, still nothing. No hint of an overtake from Marquez, no signs of a mistake from Quartararo. Lap after lap, the consistency was frightening as Viñales got the gap down to two seconds. There was a sense of inevitability in the air as we headed onto the final five laps, but we’d have to wait until the last lap before Marquez pounced.

Firing it onto the start/finish straight, Marquez had the run on Quartararo and led into Turn 1. Quartararo got a good run out of Turn 2 and Turn 3 though as the rookie bit straight back. Into Turn 4 they went, Quartararo was back at the summit but the back straight and Turn 8 provided a golden passing opportunity. Marquez, late on the brakes, smoke coming off his boot, somehow got it stopped into the left-hander – changing of the guard once more. Now it was Marquez’ to lose. No way through for Quartararo at Turn 10, but the Yamaha got a good run down through Turn 11 and 12. The Frenchman was right behind Marquez as the tight left of Turn 14 approached. Marquez went defensive and was slow mid-corner. Quartararo tried to cut back but there was no way through, the Yamaha almost touching the rear wheel of Marquez. Subsequently, Quartararo had to sit up, which meant it was game over. Marquez returned to winning ways after two consecutive P2s to win on enemy territory, overtaking Mike Hailwood’s Grand Prix win record in the process - 77 now his tally. 

Quartararo was understandably disappointed after such a titanic performance, but the rookie’s time will come. Viñales didn’t quite have enough on Sunday afternoon for Marquez or Quartararo, but a fifth podium of the season continues his consistent form of late to edge clear of teammate Rossi in the Championship. Speaking of ‘The Doctor’, it wasn’t a home GP podium Rossi would have been looking for, but a great fight with close mate Morbidelli and a third consecutive P4 shows signs the nine-time World Champion isn’t far away from returning to the rostrum. For Morbidelli, a strong and consistent weekend ends with a fourth P5 of the year for the Italian, who took the chequered flag just a tenth off Rossi. A nice way to celebrate his 100th Grand Prix race, while all four Yamahas inside the top five at Misano is promising for the Iwata factory.

Dovizioso could do no more than sixth at the venue he won at last season, he now sits 93 points adrift of Marquez as Ducati suffer on home soil. On the other hand, Espargaro’s P7 was just reward for KTM’s continued hard work as the Austrian factory enjoy a very successful weekend at the San Marino GP. Upon his return from injury, Joan Mir was the sole Team Suzuki Ecstar finisher in P8, with Pramac Racing’s Jack Miller recovering from P16 on the grid to grab ninth ahead of fellow GP19 rider Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) in P10.

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Victory number seven of 2019 for @marcmarquez93! #SanMarinoGP

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3:01 PM - Sep 15, 2019

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Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol), teammate Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), Michele Pirro (Ducati Team) and Pramac Racing’s Francesco Bagnaia crashed out of the race – riders ok.

Marquez vs Quartararo: something we should start getting used to as Misano is just the first installment of what could become one of the all-time great rivalries. For now, Marquez has the bragging rights and the number 93 heads to his home Grand Prix at MotorLand Aragon with 93 points over his rivals. Can anyone beat Marquez on Spanish soil next week? Quartararo will be fired up to do just that.

Top 10:
1. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team)
2. Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) + 0.903
3. Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) + 1.636
4. Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) + 12.660
5. Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) + 12.774
6. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) + 13.774
7. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) + 20.050
8. Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 22.512
9. Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) + 26.554
10. Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) + 31.456

via www.motogp.com