Aragon MotoGP race day
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By: Matt Beer
Summary
Status: Stopped
So, Marquez's victory leaves him within touching distance of his fifth premier-class title, although he won't be able to do it at Thailand just yet, even if he should win with Dovizioso non-scoring.
Still, his coronation seems a matter of time, but the Marquez/Ducati battles over individual race honours should prove entertaining over the remainder of the season - just like today's did.
Still, his coronation seems a matter of time, but the Marquez/Ducati battles over individual race honours should prove entertaining over the remainder of the season - just like today's did.
Marquez: "Today, you know, I take a risk, I take a gamble, I put the soft rear tyre, because during the weekend every time I put the hard, I felt okay but I didn't feel good. And then sometimes I put the hard to be safe, but today I say 'okay, I take a risk'.
"I was riding really good, really smooth in the beginning, I was able to follow Andrea in a good way, and then yeah, we were fighting in the end, a great fight, really top movement in the limit, I was one time in the green, was completely in the limit, but okay, I enjoyed a lot."
"I was riding really good, really smooth in the beginning, I was able to follow Andrea in a good way, and then yeah, we were fighting in the end, a great fight, really top movement in the limit, I was one time in the green, was completely in the limit, but okay, I enjoyed a lot."
Dovizioso: "Really happy, really happy. In Aragon always we came here and we struggle a lot, and in the past we saw the podium from very far.
"Now we were fighting for the victory, unfortunately we couldn't get it, but... Marc is very strong here, the real surprise is we are fighting with Marc, so I'm so happy about the work we did during this season, to come here in this moment of this championship very strong.
"In our bad track we are fighting for the victory, this is good for this championship and also for the future."
"Now we were fighting for the victory, unfortunately we couldn't get it, but... Marc is very strong here, the real surprise is we are fighting with Marc, so I'm so happy about the work we did during this season, to come here in this moment of this championship very strong.
"In our bad track we are fighting for the victory, this is good for this championship and also for the future."
Iannone: "For sure in case Jorge don't make a mistake, don't crash, for sure it [the podium] was a little bit more difficult, because also he had a very good pace - but Jorge start with the soft tyre on the rear and I think it's really critical condition.
"I didn't push for the first part of the race, from the beginning to half of the race I didn't push at my maximum, and I think this is a really good strategy. At the end I have some tenths more than Alex, I follow Dovi and Marc.
"At the end we take this podium, it's really good for me, for us, we work really well during this weekend - thanks Suzuki and all the people who work with me."
"I didn't push for the first part of the race, from the beginning to half of the race I didn't push at my maximum, and I think this is a really good strategy. At the end I have some tenths more than Alex, I follow Dovi and Marc.
"At the end we take this podium, it's really good for me, for us, we work really well during this weekend - thanks Suzuki and all the people who work with me."
Championship standings (top 10): 1 Marquez, 246; 2 Dovizioso, 174; 3 Rossi, 159; 4 Lorenzo, 130; 5 Vinales, 130; 6 Crutchlow, 119; 7 Petrucci, 119; 8 Zarco, 112; 9 Iannone, 109; 10 Rins, 92.
Marquez is taking his sweet time with this cooldown lap, as is his prerogative. The TV feed flashes a helpful "most wins with Honda across all classes" graphic - Marquez is now on 41, equalling Mike Hailwood for fourth place.
Finishing order: 1 Marquez; 2 Dovizioso; 3 Iannone; 4 Rins; 5 Pedrosa; 6 A Espargaro; 7 Petrucci; 8 Rossi; 9 Miller; 10 Vinales; 11 Morbidelli; 12 Nakagami; 13 Smith; 14 Zarco; 15 Abraham; 16 Redding; 17 Luthi; 18 Syahrin; 19 Simeon; 20 Torres.
Dovizioso takes second, Iannone completes the podium. Rins, Pedrosa and the excellent Aleix Espargaro make up the top six.
Dovizioso runs slightly wide entering Turn 12, and this leaves Marquez with a buffer for the back straight.
Dovizioso is just not close enough. Marquez is hitting his marks perfectly with half the lap left to run.
Final lap. Barring something insane, it's Marquez versus Dovizioso - they've shaken off the Suzukis.
Marquez is defending well from Dovizioso, who hasn't been close enough to try something for over a lap now. But this still isn't over, not by a long shot.
The two Suzukis are there or thereabout but they can't quite keep the same pace, even as Marquez and Dovizioso keep compromising each other's lines.
Marquez goes down the inside of Dovizioso at Turn 1 and makes the move stick. Three laps left to go.
Dovizioso is very defensive into Turn 12, which is Marquez's preferred overtaking opportunity. And on the back straight the championship leader just can't get close enough.
Four laps to go, it's a nose-to-tail four-bike pack: Dovizioso, Marquez, Iannone, Rins. This is brilliant.
They're almost three-wide on the back straight, Dovizioso pulls back ahead owing to the GP18's famed straightline speed.
And now he can! Marquez goes through, and Dovizioso then forces him wide, and then Iannone PASSES BOTH!
Marquez gets right to the rear of Dovizioso's GP18 through the reverse corkscrew, but he can't quite find a way past.
Marquez hasn't been particularly close to passing Dovizioso since the Italian retook the lead, but he remains within striking distance at all times.
Six laps to go: 1 Dovizioso; 2 Marquez; 3 Iannone; 4 Rins; 5 Pedrosa; 6 A Espargaro; 7 Petrucci; 8 Miller; 9 Rossi; 10 Vinales; 11 Morbidelli; 12 Smith; 13 Nakagami; 14 Zarco; 15 Abraham; 16 Luthi; 17 Redding; 18 Syahrin; 19 Simeon; 20 Torres.
Vinales has fought through to 10th, but is some five seconds behind his ninth-placed teammate Rossi.
Seven laps to go, Iannone wide at the first corner and drops back. But he should have another go as Marquez and Dovizioso continue to scrap - and Rins is closing in, too!
Dovizioso slides down the inside of Marquez at Turn 4, only to run wide and allow Marquez to return the favour at Turn 5. But Dovizioso then gets back ahead!
Suddenly a race that looked to be winding down towards the same outcome as Misano has come alive. Dovizioso is managing to stick with Marquez, but this sudden lead battle may be bringing Iannone and Rins back into it.
Well, there's 10 laps to run and second place looks gift-wrapped for Marquez, but he is not settling. He just made up four tenths on Dovizioso on that previous lap.
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