Dovizioso nipped in front of pace-setter Valentino Rossi with three laps to go to win his second race in succession after the Austrian MotoGP, with Rossi finishing third behind Maverick Vinales. Dovizioso moved nine points clear of defending champion Marquez, whose race ended amid a plume of smoke from his Honda on lap 13 when he was running third. “I pushed 100% the last two laps,” Dovizioso said. “I wasn’t faster, but I put my bike in the right position and was able to win the battle with Maverick. This is an important victory. Leading the championship, thank you to the team.”
Marquez started on pole for the fourth race in a row, but Italian veteran Rossi, racing his 300th MotoGP race, darted past him to take the lead going into the first corner. Dovizioso and Vinales’s attempts to chase Rossi down were initially compromised as they jostled for position with each other, before Dovizioso finally managed to put the Yamaha man behind him. Marquez also moved past Vinales, only for his bike to betray him as he looked to chase down Dovizioso.
Dovizioso’s superior speed made it only a matter of time before he overtook Rossi. He duly stole past his countryman on Hangar Straight before holding off Vinales to claim his fourth win of the season.
Japanese rider Takaaki Nakagami had earlier claimed his second career win in Moto2. Nakagami charged from fourth on the grid to chase down championship leader Franco Morbidelli, who trailed in third behind compatriot Mattia Pasini.
Aron Canet took the honours in the Moto3 category in an eventful race that was red-flagged on the final lap. Canet, 17, was awarded victory on account of having led the race before a crash involving Juanfran Guevara, who was taken to hospital for checks. Canet’s Honda teammate Enea Bastianini took second, with Jorge Martin third.
MotoGP Results
1. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA/Ducati) 40min 45.496sec, 2. Maverick Vinales (ESP/Yamaha) at 0.114sec, 3. Valentino Rossi (ITA/Yamaha) 0.749, 4. Cal Crutchlow (GBR/LCR Honda) 1.679, 5. Jorge Lorenzo (ESP/Ducati) 3.508, 6. Johann Zarco (FRA/Yamaha Tech3) 7.001, 8. Dani Pedrosa (ESP/Honda) 10.944, 9. Alex Rins (ESP/Suzuki) 15.661, 10. Alvaro Bautista (ESP/Ducati Aspar) 25.279 Did not finish: Marc Marquez (ESP/Honda) 14th lap
Overall standings
1. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA/Ducati) 183 pts, 2. Marc Marquez (ESP/Honda) 174, 3. Maverick Vinales (ESP/Yamaha) 170, 4. Valentino Rossi (ITA/Yamaha) 157, 5. Dani Pedrosa (ESP/Honda) 148, 6. Johann Zarco (FRA/Yamaha Tech3) 109, 7. Jorge Lorenzo (ESP/Ducati) 90, 8. Cal Crutchlow (GBR/LCR Honda) 89, 9. Jonas Folger (GER/Yamaha Tech3) 77, 10. Danilo Petrucci (ITA/Ducati Pramac) 75
