Misano MotoGP race
By: Matt Beer
Summary
Status: Stopped
Here's our race report, and that'll be it for our live coverage of Misano MotoGP track action this weekend. Thanks for tuning in:
That's arguably even more unfortunate for Petrucci. Last year, in a similar situation, Marquez was happy to settle for second behind Jack Miller at Assen - but it's a different championship this year and the five points are more valuable.
Marquez: "You never know, on rain conditions. I was trying to control all the race, trying to control myself - I was able to be a little bit faster, but I thought 'okay, you must be patient'. Then I saw we started to open a gap to Dovi - one moment I thought to stay on second position, but then on the last lap I say I try. This championship is really tight, five points can be a lot in the end."
Petrucci, who looks absolutely drained: "Mixed [emotions]. Sincerely I didn't understand at the moment I am on the podium, because I dream for all the race, was the most difficult race of the season and the track was very very wet. I tried until the last corner, I knew Marc was behind and was studying me. If I let him past, I was scared about losing him. On the last lap, I tried but I closed the steering one time and I decided to finish second."
Dovizioso: "Well for sure everybody wants try to win every time, I was there but I wasn't feeling so good on the bike, so the risk was too high. Everybody almost crashed today, I think today it was a day with enough to make a mistake. I'm happy about the podium, I never did a podium at Misano."
So that stings a little bit for Petrucci, who was so close to victory again after his Assen near-miss. He's done very well today, and losing a head-to-head duel to Marquez is no shame at all.
Championship: 1 Marquez 199; 2 Dovizioso 199; 3 Vinales 186; 4 Rossi 152; 5 Pedrosa 150; 6 Zarco 110.
Final results: 1 Marquez; 2 Petrucci; 3 Dovizioso; 4 Vinales; 5 Pirro; 6 Miller; 7 Redding; 8 Rins; 9 Folger; 10 Smith; 11 P. Espargaro; 12 Bautista; 13 Crutchlow; 14 Pedrosa; 15 Zarco; 16 Baz; 17 Abraham.
Zarco has crashed out on the final lap. He should still be classified 15th because Baz and Abraham were lapped.
The reigning champion has done it, and bangs in the fastest lap of the race for good measure. Bravo.
Marquez dives down the inside of Turn 1, Petrucci tries a switch-back - but he can't do it! Marquez leads!
Two to go, nothing between Petrucci and Marquez for victory. The Pramac rider is having to defend in the Turn 1-3 complex.
Another lap ticks over and Marquez is suddenly as close as he's been all race. But he still can't find a way past.
The pack is rather spaced out, but there's three reasonably close battles - Petrucci v Marquez, Redding v Rins (for P8), Smith v Pol Espargaro (for P11).
Petrucci and Marquez now upping the pace significantly, and Dovizioso seemingly can't keep with them. Six laps left in this one.
Lorenzo has been out of the race for a while, but his fastest lap has only now been surpassed - a 1m47.697s from race leader Danilo Petrucci is the new benchmark. Track looks to be drying a bit.
So, a full order rundown might be in order: 1 Petrucci; 2 Marquez; 3 Dovizioso; 4 Vinales; 5 Miller; 6 Pirro; 7 Zarco; 8 Redding; 9 Rins; 10 Folger; 11 Smith; 12 P. Espargaro; 13 Rabat; 14 Bautista; 15 Pedrosa; 16 Crutchlow; 17 Baz (who has crashed and rejoined again); 18 Abraham.
No major developments in the battle between Petrucci, Marquez and Dovizioso for the past few laps. Still within a second or so, Marquez closer to Dovizioso than Petrucci.
Sam Lowes' top-10 performance proves too good to be true. He's down at Turn 4. Fifth crash of the weekend.
This really is turning out to be an unmitigated disaster for Dani Pedrosa, currently the slowest rider out there and now behind Baz, who had already crashed.
Aleix Espargaro down at Turn 14. This promotes his team-mate Sam Lowes - who will lose his seat next year - into the top 10.
Top 10: 1 Petrucci; 2 Marquez; 3 Dovizioso; 4 Vinales; 5 Miller; 6 Pirro; 7 Zarco; 8 Redding; 9. A. Espargaro; 10 Rins.
Avintia Ducati now two for two on crashes, as Hector Barbera drops out of the race. It was a rather nasty-looking high-speed crash, and Barbera can only limp away from the site.
The laptimes have stabilised, by and large, while the rain has abated. Hard to imagine that it'll be anywhere near dry enough for slicks over the remaining 18 laps,
Loris Baz slides out of contention at the hairpin-like Quercia corner, from P6. Big shame. He's carrying on in 20th now.
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