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General

Motegi MotoGP race

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Just 0.3s between the leading two now! And Petrucci's not being dropped massively either. It's still very much three riders in the mix.
Stopwatch
Fastest lap of the race from Marquez, a 1m56.713s, but Dovizioso cut into his lead at the end of the lap after clearing Petrucci and he's only half a second behind.
Very quickly is the answer – Dovizioso into second, and he's 0.7s behind Marquez.
How quickly can Dovizioso clear Petrucci?
Here comes Marquez! He's through on the brakes at the big stop at the end of the back straight.
Marquez is all over Petrucci now, with Dovizioso edging ever closer behind...it's getting tense at the front now.
Dovizioso posts a personal best and the leading three are covered by just 0.6s!
Smith's down to 16th so he's out of the points after such a good qualifying session on the KTM.
Stopwatch
Fastest lap of the race from Petrucci – then Marquez goes even quicker (by half a tenth).
Rins swarming all over Zarco for fourth. Great ride from the Yamaha man, chasing the polesitter.
Stopwatch
Dovizioso's last lap was the fastest of the race so far! A 1m57.239s. This is a superb lead fight.
Brilliant lap from Petrucci – a series of personal best sectors and a personal best lap. He's 0.6s clear now, and Dovizioso's just 0.6s behind Marquez!
A personal best lap from Petrucci keeps Marquez half a second behind. Dovizioso still within a second of the Honda. The top three riders have checked out.
Marquez is right with Petrucci now!
Petrucci used the extra-soft rear tyre to good effect in the early laps but is it starting to suffer compared to the harder rears on the chasing Honda and Ducati?
Just 1.5s cover the top three now as Marquez and Dovizioso continue to edge closer to Petrucci.
The Suzukis swap positions – Rins gets ahead of Iannone for fifth.
Big lap from Marquez gets Petrucci's lead down to just 1.1s now. Dovizioso's dropped off Marquez a bit.
Lorenzo ninth after Vinales gets past and into eighth. Two particularly unhappy Spaniards in this race.
Nice battle for fourth between Zarco and Iannone for fourth. The Tech 3 Yamaha gets back ahead after dropping behind.
Fastest lap of the race from Petrucci holds his lead at 1.6s after Marquez made some inroads.
Rossi helps the marshals haul the bike back on two wheels but it's stuck in the gravel for now.
The Yamaha rider has dropped it at Turn 8.
Crash
Rossi's down!
Crutchlow back to the pits. His race is run.
Lorenzo down to ninth now, behind the Aprilia of Aleix Espargaro and Yamaha's Rossi.
Crutchlow's got the bike up and has got going again, so it wasn't a severe one for the Brit.
Crash
Crutchlow's had a crash. Miserable weekend for the LCR Honda rider.
Petrucci leads Marquez by 1.7s. Dovizioso right behind the championship leader.
Iannone and Rins have got past Lorenzo now. The Ducati rider's had an awful lap or so, and is now behind the Suzukis...
The third title hopeful, Vinales, has made small progress. He's 10th. Not a good race for Yamaha, with Rossi only ninth.
Zarco's muscled past Lorenzo now for fourth.
The title rivals go elbow-to-elbow! No contact but Dovizioso is attacking Marquez.

Now Marquez tries to get past Lorenzo to put a bike between himself and his title rival...

He's through! But Dovi passes his Ducati team-mate too. Second and third for the championship rivals.
Petrucci is bolting. His lead is over a second.
Epic lead group at the moment. Petrucci, Lorenzo, Marquez, Dovizioso, Zarco, Iannone – yes, Iannone!
Petrucci hits the front! The satellite rider passes the factory Ducati man.
The KTMs have already been shuffled out of the top 10 – Espargaro to 11th, Smith to 14th.
Petrucci attacking Marquez for second and Dovizioso's already up to fifth place.
Lorenzo, seeking a first win for Ducati, up to second and is now attacking Marquez – and he's in front at Turn 9! Lorenzo leads.
Green flag
It's Marquez into the lead at the start as poleman Zarco slips back to fourth.

By: Matt Beer

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