Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) won his 5th race of the year in convincing style by leading from flag-to-flag. After a poor start, points leader Marc Marquez (Honda) worked his way up to finish second, while his teammate Dani Pedrosa finished third. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) finished in a lonely fourth position, with a large gap on either side of him.
Lorenzo and Pedrosa are each 34 points behind Marquez in the championship with 5 races remaining. For additional details, results and points, visit the official MotoGP site.
So Marquez only needs to finish second the next 5 races to clinch the championship, which I doubt, he certainly will finish in the top position a few ore times, so looks like he is the new champion…
While there are only two riders that are even a reasonable bet to threaten him on the track, I’d say that’s still easier said than done. If he dumps it battling for that 2nd with Pedrosa (remember Hayden in 06′?), things get more interesting, fast. These guys fall down all by themselves sometimes too.
Considering when rider’s contracts are up….do you think Ducati could offer any of the top riders enough money to lure them to their paddock?
If by top you mean 1 thry 4 ..marquez, Lorenzo, Pedrosa or RossiI .. not a chance in hell.They got number 5 from last year and this year and the year before if I remeber..Spies, Dovi and Crutchlow.
Jorge Lorenzo did 25 of the 28 laps within 3 tenths of a second. Unbelievable, he’s a clockwork.
Especially impressive considering that parts of the motorcycle get faster (fuel load) and slower (tires) throughout the race.
Marquez should be thanking his lucky stars that the “Rookie Rule” was abolished for him!
10/4 !!! But he has shown why it should be, at least for him.
Why? He’s proven himself more than worthy
Racing is racing and they all play by the same rules. You can’t fault Marquez for being a hard charger and being in the right spot at the right time when his competitors try to get their mojo back. If Yamaha gains an edge on the Honda freight train it can only mean the engineers back in Tokyo will need to burn some more midnight oil. Good stuff! This is how technology advances.
Re: “the engineers back in Tokyo will need to burn some more midnight oil. Good stuff! This is how technology advances. ”
Which translates directly to “cash”. Cash that none of their competitors or sponsors have. Keep burning that kind of cash and everyone else abandons and MotoGP closes it’s garages because nobody would pay to watch 4 bikes go around the track by themselves.
Understand that, but still I believe it’s the premier class and it should act like one.
If Pedrosa and Rossi found more pace and threatened Marquez more it’d get a lot more interesting. He knows he can finish 2nd now and win the overall with a nice cushion.
and that’s the thing, the script has 3 more wins in the off.
Jorge’s win was flawless as well as seamless. Had hopes in the beginning that Rossi was going to battle. Marquez is still the heir apparent. Pedrosa should have tried harder last year, now he has no chance of ever being crowned WC in the premier class. Crutchlow had better get used to running just ahead of the CRT’s, he will spend the next 2 years trying to stay ahead of them.
The stark inevitability of this season is growing sad.
Yeah, a rookie comes in and makes all the standard aliens look like non-aliens. I don’t usually root for any specific rider, but this year I want to see Lorenzo hang on to the title so a newby doesn’t dominate his first time in the top class.
Sad? I thought it was quite exciting but I guess “sad” depends on who you were hoping would be winning by this point.
~Lorenzo fighting valiantly in the face of certain defeat: sad.
-Pedroza’s champion-less sun setting right before our eyes: sad.
-Crutchlow semi-officially fading into oblivion before officially doing so starting next season: sad.
-Nicky’s career sacrificed on a somber Italian pyre: sad.
-Dovi’s, as well: sad.
-Father Time bringing the noble GOAT to his knees: very sad.
Lorenzo looks to be on an equal machine now, so next year could be quite different. And Marquez (and everyone else for that matter) still has to make it through the last few rounds unscathed- a lot can dramatically change yet….
re: “Lorenzo looks to be on an equal machine now”
don’t chisel the stone tablets just yet. this was circuito misano-simo, one of last stronghold’s of the crossplane.
VLJ…I agree with everyone of those points and would add
Stoner getting so fed up he retires in his prime…sad
re: “Father Time bringing the noble GOAT to his knees: very sad.”
father time causing him to look forward in altruistic gestures towards motorcycling’s future…?
http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/Sep/130916d.htm
translation: very awesome. GOAT status cemented for time eternal.
Awesome If it works out. There are pitfalls though. Remember KR racing?