MotoGP finale
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Not much tyre choice variation this time, main thing to note is Pol Espargaro and Iannone are on Bridgestone's asymmetric front.
Crutchlow managed to get out for the formation lap, so may be able to join the grid in fifth as planned.
Rossi is taking things steady at the rear, hanging back from the pack as Lorenzo leads them round.
We're away for the formation lap.
Rossi gives his Yamaha a little stroke and pat.
Crutchlow looks like he'll be starting from the pitlane now, so that's one place gained for Rossi.
Lorenzo has his eyes closed on the grid. Not much peace to be found though, huge roars from the grid (many of them in Rossi yellow).
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LCR has had some problems with Crutchlow's bike on the grid. It's currently being pushed down the pitlane.
Rossi removes his #46 cap and places it on sidekick Uccio's head (on top of Uccio's own cap). Not many minutes to go until they set off on the formation lap.
Just over 10 minutes to go until the start. This is also the last race for Bridgestone as control tyre supplier before Michelin returns to take its place next year. Riders have already been testing extensively on the French rubber and the full switch happens for post-race testing. That's going to be another big form book reset.
Rossi had been really hoping Lorenzo would at least miss out on pole, raising the chances of him getting stuck in the pack somehow. A further blow for Rossi is that there's little chance of the quick-in-a-straight-line Ducatis mixing things up - Andrea Iannone is back in seventh and unlikely to be able to burst right to the front from there.
No danger of surprise Sunday rain today, glorious sunshine over a very tense grid.
And then there's...
Vinales, Pirro, Bradl, Barbera, Baz, Hayden, Hernandez, Bautista, Redding, Miller, di Meglio, West, Laverty, Elias, Parkes...
...and finally Rossi in 26th.
Vinales, Pirro, Bradl, Barbera, Baz, Hayden, Hernandez, Bautista, Redding, Miller, di Meglio, West, Laverty, Elias, Parkes...
...and finally Rossi in 26th.
MotoGP grid for Valencia: 1 Lorenzo; 2 Marquez; 3 Pedrosa; 4 A Espargaro; 5 Crutchlow; 6 Smith; 7 Iannone; 8 P Espargaro; 9 Dovizioso; 10 Petrucci.
Would've loved to have seen more of what Rea could do in MotoGP with a proper crack at it. He was quality standing in for an injured Casey Stoner at Honda back in 2012.
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And here's World Superbike champion Jonny Rea:
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More views from elsewhere, here's ex-F1 racer turned IndyCar aspirant Max Chilton...
Marquez was fastest by a fair margin in this morning's warm-up too.
And with Marquez on his tail at the start, that's probably wise: 
But Lorenzo insists nothing is guaranteed yet: 
Vinales ran back for his spare bike and made it to Q2, incidentally.
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Some points for Hayden today would be a lovely sign-off. He's already played a starring role this weekend with an incredible avoidance of Maverick Vinales when the Suzuki rookie crashed (horribly) in front of him in Q1.
And speaking of Hayden, this is his last MotoGP race before leaving for World Superbikes. He hasn't won a race since that 2006 epic, but he's a gentleman and a huge part of the MotoGP story over the last decade and a bit, and he'll be missed.
Last round title deciders aren't really Rossi's thing. His championships have generally come in dominant fashion, wrapped up with a few rounds to spare.
His only previous last round decider was MotoGP 2006 - the infamous year of his error and defeat to Nicky Hayden.
His only previous last round decider was MotoGP 2006 - the infamous year of his error and defeat to Nicky Hayden.
Lorenzo produced the qualifying lap of his life yesterday and has looked like a narrow pacesetter - ahead of Marquez and Pedrosa - for most of the weekend. Rossi has been a touch slower.
But it's slightly cooler today and on so many occasions this year practice and qualifying form has meant little when the race began.
But it's slightly cooler today and on so many occasions this year practice and qualifying form has meant little when the race began.
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And that brings us to right now - Valencia.
Lorenzo is on pole, Rossi starts 26th thanks to that penalty.
If Lorenzo wins, Rossi must reach second to be champion.
If Lorenzo is second, Rossi must get to third.
If Lorenzo is third, Rossi must finish sixth.
Lorenzo is on pole, Rossi starts 26th thanks to that penalty.
If Lorenzo wins, Rossi must reach second to be champion.
If Lorenzo is second, Rossi must get to third.
If Lorenzo is third, Rossi must finish sixth.
Rossi and Marquez's relationship used to be all hugs, grins and friendly racing. But when Marquez came off second-best in brushes in Argentina and the Netherlands, things began to get more tense.
Rossi was convinced Marquez had been trying to hamper him at Phillip Island, and devoted the Sepang race build-up to sharing that theory with the world.
When they found each other on track on the Sunday, Marquez certainly wasn't keen to help. Cue some ferocious racing, a very contentious clash, and a penalty for Rossi.
Rossi was convinced Marquez had been trying to hamper him at Phillip Island, and devoted the Sepang race build-up to sharing that theory with the world.
When they found each other on track on the Sunday, Marquez certainly wasn't keen to help. Cue some ferocious racing, a very contentious clash, and a penalty for Rossi.
But then came Sepang.
Heading into the closing rounds and the picture appeared set: Lorenzo was generally slightly faster, Rossi better at getting the job done regardless of outside circumstances. It was going to be close, but an eighth top class title as heading for 'The Doctor'.
For the months that followed, the balance of power kept fluctuating. Honda was back on the pace and preventing an all-Yamaha fight, Lorenzo had a string of weekends where he blitzed practice and qualifying in the dry, then was beaten - or crashed - in the wet on Sunday.
Then Lorenzo went on a winning streak - four runaway triumphs in a row and a turn of speed he hasn't really lost for the rest of the year - that brought him back to within one point of Rossi.
Seven months ago, this appeared to be a Valentino Rossi versus Marc Marquez title fight.
Rossi's late-career resurgence had reached a new level and he was going head-to-head with the 2013/14 champion.
Lorenzo... he was floundering. Weird problems such as his helmet lining falling apart and blocking his vision were causing results to slip away. He was 29 points down after three rounds.
Rossi's late-career resurgence had reached a new level and he was going head-to-head with the 2013/14 champion.
Lorenzo... he was floundering. Weird problems such as his helmet lining falling apart and blocking his vision were causing results to slip away. He was 29 points down after three rounds.
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Here's what GP2 racer Marlon Stockinger reckons...
By: Matt Beer
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