Marquez outguns Dovizioso for Aragon victory
Marc Marquez returned to the top step at his home MotoGP round after a majestic ride by the Repsol Honda rider, who outfought Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso to clinch a sublime victory at Aragon - his first since Sachsenring in Germany in July.
Pole man Jorge Lorenzo was ruled out of the race after he was high-sided from his Ducati on the opening lap at Turn 1. Lorenzo ran wide after Marquez dived up the inside and his race came to a sudden end when he was flung from his machine.
Marc Marquez returned to the top step at his home MotoGP round after a majestic ride by the Repsol Honda rider, who outfought Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso to clinch a sublime victory at Aragon - his first since Sachsenring in Germany in July.
Pole man Jorge Lorenzo was ruled out of the race after he was high-sided from his Ducati on the opening lap at Turn 1. Lorenzo ran wide after Marquez dived up the inside and his race came to a sudden end when he was flung from his machine.
The Spaniard was later confirmed to have sustained a dislocation of the first toe on his right foot.
Marquez, who opted to run the soft rear tyre, harangued long time leader Dovizioso throughout the race and was able to make a break after taking the lead on lap 21.
Dovizioso had the advantage on acceleration down the long sixth-gear straight, but Marquez was able to open enough of a gap through turns 10 and 11 to negate the Ducati’s speed.
Suzuki’s Andrea Iannone claimed an excellent podium ahead of team-mate Alex Rins, while Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) took fifth from Aleix Espargaro, who completed the top six after a fine ride on the Aprilia.
Lorenzo’s shock spill at the first turn put a different complexion on the race. It was the second time in as many races that the Ducati rider suffered a fall, with Lorenzo also ending up in the gravel at Misano. The last time the triple premier class champion came off in two successive races was back in 2011 at Malaysia and Valencia.
Dovizioso took advantage of the incident to shoot into the lead ahead of Marquez, with Iannone and Rins in hot pursuit.
Positions remains unchanged between the top two over the first half of the race, with Dovizioso controlling the pace and Marquez content to sit in behind the Italian.
Dovizioso had threatened to break away as he opened a gap of 0.6 seconds on lap 12 after two consecutive fast laps, but Marquez responded, closing back onto his rear wheel on lap 13.
Marquez then took the lead from Dovizioso on lap 14 at Turn 12 but the Ducati rider was able to force his way back into the lead after exchanging passes with his Honda rival on lap 16. Behind them, Iannone and Rins were in close contention, while Pedrosa was some way back in fifth.
On lap 19, Marquez slipped under Dovizioso to take the lead but the 32-year-old hit straight back, pushing Marquez wide at the final corner before the long back straight. This allowed Iannone into second place, but Marquez drafted past the Suzuki rider to slot in behind Dovizioso once again.
Despite running the hard soft and rear combination, Dovizioso was unable to shake off Marquez in the closing stages of the race and the Repsol Honda rider seized his chance on lap 21, taking the lead on the brakes into Turn 1.
Dovizioso briefly snatched the lead back, but Marquez retaliated on the RCV and from here, he opened a slight gap, which the title favourite was able to manage over the final two laps.
He closed out victory at home Grand Prix by 0.6 seconds over Dovizioso, with Iannone comfortable in third ahead of Rins. Marquez now holds a lead of 72 points over Dovizioso as he edges closer to retaining his world crown.
Pedrosa was a lone fifth, while Espargaro was also out on his own in sixth position, five seconds ahead of Danilo Petrucci on the Pramac Ducati.
Valentino Rossi was the top Yamaha rider in eighth followed by Jack Miller (Pramac Ducati) and Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha). Franco Morbidelli was 11th on the EG 0,0 Marc VDS Honda ahead of Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda INDEMITSU).
Britain’s Cal Crutchlow was a faller on the LCR Honda at Turn 1 one on the fifth lap, while Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Ducati) was also an early faller.
Bradley Smith took 13th place ahead of Johann Zarco (Tech 3 Yamaha), who is set to replace the Briton at KTM next season.
Czech rider Karel Abraham sealed the final championship point in 15th on the Angel Nieto Ducati.
