Monday 29th September 2014

MotoGP Aragon: PH2

The Spanish party resumes on home soil ... but with a different Spaniard smiling.

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He may not have been able to take the title at his home track, but that didn't stop Marquez destroying the field in qualifying. Would the race be any different? Could Rossi once again put a spoiler on the Marquez party? And remember, there are a few other fast Spaniards on the grid...

Marquez was in the mix from the start

Sure enough, Pedrosa got the jump on the grid before Iannone took the lead and Lorenzo tripped up Marquez. But only briefly and one lap later, after a bit of wild riding, Marc was in the lead. Although not as wild as Iannone, who exited in spectacular fashion, leaving the race to the Spanish armada of Marquez, Lorenzo and Pedrosa. But Rossi was still in close attendance.

A horrible accident saw Rossi highside when he ran off track trying to overtake Pedrosa, a terrible sight for all the Rossi fans, especially as he has been running so well recently. One thing was now certain, it would be a Spanish flag flying over the top of the podium. But who would be standing below it?

15 to go and Lorenzo overtook Marquez, snatching the lead and looking like his old self while Pedrosa dropped off slightly. And then the rain started to fall, bunching them up nicely.

But by the end of it another Spaniard took control

Some fierce riding between the Repsol pair in the final few laps demonstrated that Pedrosa is anything but a rollover and now it was more than 'mental' rain. Seven laps to go, was it worth swapping bikes? The leaders didn't think so.

Four to go and Pedrosa hit the deck while Lorenzo swapped bikes. Could Marc hang on at the front with cold slicks on a damp track? Finally the inevitable happened, Marc hit the deck and Lorenzo took the lead! But who was that in third? Cal Crutchlow - just!

A crazy podium in the end saw Lorenzo in first, Aleix Espargaro in second and Cal in third. Who would have guessed it?

The Moto2 race saw Kalio leading the way, desperate to claw some points back on Rabat. Sadly his plan didn't quite work out and instead Vinales took the win with Rabat in second, Zarco third and Kalio back in seventh. Lowes got an excellent ninth and Rea 17th.

Lorenzo jumps for joy, and then some

Moto3, a damp track and Danny Kent in second spot - it was rock and roll for the Brit as he led the pack into the first corner. A harsh incident between Marquez and Miller saw the Aussie hit the deck, while sadly for the Brit fans, Danny dropped down the order. Although not for long... In the second half of the race, Kent hunted down the leaders of Fenati and Marquez and entered the last lap right on their tail. Sadly he couldn't quite match the leader's speed, but another third place is still brilliant riding. Also a huge shout to John McPhee, who crashed out of third spot mid-race.

Results:

MotoGP
1. Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP)
2. Espargaro (Monster Yamaha Tech3)
3. Crutchlow (Ducati Team)

Moto2
1. Vinales (Paginas Amarillas HP 40)
2. Rabat (Marc VDS Racing Team)
3. Zarco (AirAsia Caterham)

Moto3
1: Fenati (SKY Racing Team VR46)
2: Marquez (Estrella Galicia 0,0)
3: Kent (Red Bull Husqvarna Ajo)

Brit watch
Cal Crutchlow (MotoGP) - 3
Bradley Smith (MotoGP) - 5
Michael Laverty (MotoGP) - 16
Scott Redding (MotoGP) - 10
Sam Lowes (Moto2) - 9
Gino Rea (Moto2) - 17
John McPhee (Moto3) - DNF
Danny Kent (Moto3) - 3

MotoGP Qatar
MotoGP America
MotoGP Argentina
MotoGP Jerez
MotoGP Le Mans
MotoGP Mugello
MotoGP Catalunya
MotoGP Assen
MotoGP Sachsenring
MotoGP Brno
MotoGP Silverstone
MotoGP Misano

[DreadUK]

Good race between the first 5.....errr 4......err 3.....OK 1.

Lorenzo dun good, as did Cal.

Maybe Ecclestone has a point about artificially irrigating tracks during the race......Nahhhhhhh!

[smilo996]

The moto3 race was another good one. Watchin Feneti and Marquez swapping places practicising for the final corner was great. Shame McPhee came off.

Moto2, dull.

MotoGP. Marquez faced with having to race again wilts and Honda have another meltdown. Finally Yamahaha have their seemless box sorted and can again allow their riders to mount a challenge to Honda. Once Ducati can maintain race pace then were should get some really good racing.

Shame Pedro got in Rossi's way.