An amazing qualifying saw Cal Crutchlow leading the way at Brno, not only setting pole but also breaking the lap record. Could we see a Brit MotoGP win ahead of next week's Silverstone round?
Marquez and Pedrosa battled for the lead
As the lights went out Jorge Lorenzo took off like a man possessed, putting a bit of clear air between himself and the chasing Hondas with Cal behind on the first lap. With Marquez steadily increasing his championship lead, Jorge looked determined to prove a point and close that points gap at a circuit he generally goes very well at.
After a steady first few laps, Marquez started to open it up and with a new lap record under his belt Lorenzo's lead was beginning to shrink while further behind Brit Bradley Smith crashed out and Cal overtook Bautista for fourth.
Fifteen laps to go and Cal's challenge was over after a fairly gentle lowside. Despite starting the bike again Cal was now only in the race for points while at the front Lorenzo now had two Hondas for company. Soon after the rain started to fall...
Thankfully it was little more than a few drops and with seven laps to go Marquez decided the time was right for a lunge. He didn't make it past, but Jorge now certainly knew who was behind him! A few corners later Lorenzo was looking at a Honda's exhaust as Marquez slipped past. Would he check out?
Rossi would pass Bautista for fourth
With superior corner speed, Lorenzo was back in front with four to go but then Marquez fought back, breaking Lorenzo's rhythm and dropping him into Pedrosa's grasp. Making good his escape, Marquez took the win while behind Pedrosa got the better of Lorenzo for second place.
Brno was a case of damage limitation for championship leader Scott Redding in Moto2. Unhappy with the new construction of Dunlop slick, Redding qualified well down the order with a lot of ground to make up. A gutsy ride saw him finish eighth but at least main rival Espargaro was only fourth, cutting just five points from Scott's lead. The race was won my Mika Kallio from Nakagami and Luthi.
Moto3 and with five bikes all entering the last lap side by side there was a large potential for broken fairings. As it turned out team mates Marquez and Rins merrily screwed each other's races up, leaving Salom to take the win with Vinales second and Folger third.
MotoGP
1. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team)
2. Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team)
3. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory Racing)
Moto2
1. Mika Kallio (Marc VDS Racing Team)
2. Takaaki Nakagami (Italtrans Racing Team)
3. Thomas Luthi (Interwetten Paddock Moto2 Racing)
Moto3
1: Luis Salom (Red Bull KTM Ajo)
2: Maverick Vinales (Team Calvo)
3: Jonas Folger (Mapfre Aspar Team Moto3)
Brit watch
Cal Crutchlow (MotoGP) - 17
Bradley Smith (MotoGP) - DNF
Michael Laverty (MotoGP - CRT) - 18
Scott Redding (Moto2) - 8
Danny Kent (Moto2) - 12
Gino Rea - DNF
John McPhee (Moto3) - 13