Spanish GP: Crash brings Marquez to the top of the championship

Spaniard wins his home race in Jerez.

World Champion Marc Marquez has taken the lead in the Motorcycle World Championship in his homeland. The Spaniard won the Moto GP race at Jerez de la Frontera on Sunday, beating Frenchman Johann Zarco (Yamaha) and Italian Andrea Iannone (Suzuki) on his Honda.

Spaniard Dani Pedrosa on Honda, Jorge Lorenzo (ESP) and Andrea Dovizioso (ITA / both Ducati), who had previously been leading in the championship, said goodbye to the Spanish Grand Prix in the eighth round after a crash in the gravel, but remained at first sight unharmed. Especially Pedrosa was lucky, who hit the asphalt after a somersault. The incident remained without sanctions, it was classified by the commissars as a racing accident. A lap later, also departed from the pole position started Brit Cal Crutchlow (Honda).

There was reason to cheer at KTM. The Finn Mika Kallio in tenth, the Spaniard Pol Espargaro in eleventh and the Briton Bradley Smith scored as 13th. Also fifth-placed superstar Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) was celebrated, he reached 40,075 km of racing in his career since his debut on March 31, 1996, which corresponds to a circumnavigation of the globe.


Results:

1. Marc Marquez (ESP) Honda 41:39,678
2. Johann Zarco (FRA) Yamaha +5,241 s
3. Andrea Iannone (ITA) Suzuki 8,214
4. Danilo Petrucci (ITA) Ducati 8,617
5. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Yamaha 8,743
6. Jack Miller (AUS) Ducati 9,768
7. Maverick Vinales (ESP) Yamaha 13,543


Championship Standings:

1. Marquez 70 Pts
2. Zarco 58
3. Vinales 50
4. Iannone 47
5. Dovizioso 46
6. Rossi 40