MotoGP: Spanish Grand Prix Review – Marquez Rules in Jerez

It was Marc Marquez who romped away in Jerez to claim his second victory of the season at MotoGP’s 300th race. The Repsol Honda driver was unchallenged throughout, winning by over a second and half.

He would be followed by Alex Rins and Maverick Viñales, making it an all-Spanish podium in Spain. The result moves Marquez to the top of the championship, a point ahead of Rins.

The 300th race in the MotoGP-era at Jerez was set up for a few surprises with the Petronas Yamaha team of Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli starting from the top two positions on the grid in only the teams 4th race, with the rookie sensation becoming the youngest ever rider to start from pole position.

When the lights went out, Marc Marquez hooked his start up perfectly and lead into turn 1, Andrea Dovizioso was his earliest challenger, using his holeshot device to good affect, leaping into 2nd but ran wide, leaving a gap for Morbidelli and Quartararo to slide their way through, sitting up the Ducati rider.

Marquez led opening lap but Franco Morbidelli looked to be shaping up a move on the Spaniard through the fast double right handers toward the final corner but he couldn’t find a way under Marquez.

Franco Morbidelli kept Marquez honest over the following laps before Marc Marquez got into a rythm and eventually started to pull a gap over the Italian, setting low 1:39 lap times. He would increase his gap over the field, setting lap times that were only 4 tenths of a second apart. He would eventually wheelie his way across the line to score his 46th MotoGP race win, he became the first rider to take back-to-back wins at Jerez since Lorenzo in 2010 and 2011, the win puts him 1 premier class win behind his team-mate Jorge Lorenzo.

Behind Marquez, there was action as French rookie Fabio Quartararo looked to have better pace than his team-mate Morbidelli, evetually making a move into the newly named Pedrosa’s corner. Setting a pace similar to Marc Marquez, he evetually pulled as gap over the pusuing pck of Morbidelli, Vinales and Rins – who was making his way up the field after starting from 9th on the grid.

Heartbreak for Quartararo as he appeared to have a gear shifter issue coming onto the back straight after the midpoint of the race. Riding back to the pits, he was patted on the back from his team. After the race he said that he  was “frustrated but happy” because he had shown great pace all weekend and was on for his first podium. His first podium, won’t be too far away, the next round is at at Le Mans in France, his home round. He’ll be looking to please the fans with his maiden podium.

Rins made his way past Morbidelli for 3rd along the back straight as Quartararo pulled to the edge of the circuit –  this was quickly a move for 2nd – Rins would quickly build a gap over the battle for 3rd and would cross the line in 2nd, to move to within 1 point of the championship lead. The second spot was his first podium at Jerez since his fianl season in Moto2, when he was third.

Morbidelli quickly dropped down the field, after Rins came past Maverick Vinales, Andrea Dovizioso and Danillo Petrucci all came past in quick succession. Vinales had the Italian of Dovizioso chasing him hard for third position in the closing stages of the race, the Ducati rider unable to find a way past the Spaniard, who managed to hold off Dovizioso to cross the line in 3rd and score his first podium in 2019 and his first since since his victory at Phillip Island last season.

Dovizioso had a good damage limitation ride into 4th spot on a track where he has never scored a podium at in the MotoGP class and a track that Ducati hasn’t won on since Loris Capirossi in 2006. He has dropped to 3rd in the championship but only 3 points off of Marquez. With tracks coming up that are more suited to Ducati and Dovizioso, he can consider Jerez to be a succesful weekend.

Danillo Petrucci had a strong ride into 5th spot after dropping off the back of his team-mate in the closing stages of the race.

Valentino Rossi had worked his way up to 6th in the race after starting from 13th on the grid, passing Jack Miller, Cal Crutchlow and Franco Morbidelli in the last 7 laps of the race. Once in 6th, the gap to Petrucci was close to 3 seconds and too much for Rossi to bridge. It had been a difficult weekend for “The Doctor” but after a difficult weekend at a circuit that has proved tough for Yamaha and himself, this can been as weekend of damage limiatation. He has slipped to 4th in the championship but is only 9 points of the lead.

Morbidelli repassed Cal Crutchlow for 7th on the final lap, the Italian slipping down the order after a strong start to the race. Joan Mir and Jack Miller both crashed at the final corner – Lorenzo’s corner – late in the race. Miller tangling with the Aprillia of Aleix Espargaro, after the Spaniard made a mistake going into the turn, running wide and cutting back, slight contact meant Miller on the inside slid off, gesticulating to Espargaro once he came to a stop i nthe gravel. The Aprillia rider was lucky to stay on after running through the gravel trap to avoid the Australian.

Moto2

The race was stopped after a first lap collision saw Remy Gardner high side out of turn 1, leaving Alex Marquez with nowhere to go but over Gardners bike. The bike went across the circuit and an unsighted Dimas Ekky-Pratama clipped the stricken #87 bike and as he slid across the circuit, he was clipped by the Tech3 rider of Marco Bezzechi. Ekky-Pratama was the only rider taken to the medical centre but was deemed fit after a checkup. Once the race was restarted, Lorenzo Baldassarri picked up his 5th career victory, his 3rd win of the season and became the first rider in the 10 seasons of Moto2 to pick up back-to-back wins at the Jerez circuit. His win means he is now 17 points clear of closest championship challenger – Thomas Luthi who could only manage 4th.

Jorge Navarro scored his best result in the class with 2nd, his first back-to-back podium positions since Argentina and COTA in the Moto3 class back in 2016. Agusto Fernandez returned after breaking his writst in Argentina to score his first Grand Prix podium.

Moto3

Niccolo Antonelli picked up an emotional win at Jerez, it was his 4th win and his first victory since Qatar in 2016. He crossed the line ahead of his team mate Tatsuki Suzuki – who picked up his first ever podium position.

The victory was the first for the SIC58 Squadro Corse team owned by the father of Marco Simoncelli – Paolo. The win comes 15 years after Marco won his first of 14 Grand Prix victories at the same circuit in the 125cc class.Celestino Vietti scored his second ever podium, finishing 3rd in only his 8th Moto3 race.

Opinion

The Spanish Grand Prix was a less than spectacular race, Marquez cleared off at the front and wasn’t challenged, setting a consistent and blistering pace. Rins could have challenged Marquez but after qualifying 9th, it was a tough job for the Suzuki rider to make his way through the field but in clean air, he had a similar pace to Marquez.

Vinales showed good pace and showed that he can score a good result if he has a strong start, unlike prevous races, where he has dropped down the order at the start and being unable to challenge for a podium. This time, he didn’t fall back at the start and worked his way into 3rd after Quartararo’s retirement and held on to take a podium, he will be looking to continue this form going into round 5.

The championship took anotheer swing with the top 4 riders all swapping positions. With 9 points covering the top 4 riders (Marquez, Rins, Dovizioso and Rossi) the championship is looking as close as ever, with every point counting as there are a lot of riders that can challenge for podiums throughout the season, a difficult weekend can make or break a championship.

Round 5 comes from Le Mans in France from the 17th – 19th of May, a track that is a different challenge for the teams a riders. Although Marc Marquez won in 2018, it is a circuit that is more suited to Ducati and plays pefectly into the strong characteristics of the Yamaha could see another swing in the championship.