- 2017-10-15
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SPORTS
MotoGP Motegi: Andrea Dovizioso takes his fifth victory of 2017 season at Motegi in Japan
The Round 15 on MotoGP 2017, Motegi Grand Prix Race ran at Motegi in Japan on October 15 in the wet.
Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) claimed his fifth victory of 2017 season ahead of Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) by only 0.249 seconds in the Japanese GP.
Danilo Petrucci (Pramac Ducati) finished 3rd place. Japanese factory team Suzuki, Andrea Iannone and Alex Rins took 4th and 5th place, respectively.
Pole position start Johann Zarco (Tech3 Yamaha) was 8th.
Beginning of the race, Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) led the race, Danilo Petrucci, Marc Marquez and Andrea Dovizioso followed him. Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha) tried to chase the first group, but he crashed out on five laps. Middle of the race, Danilo Petrucci moved up to top, Jorge Lorenzo dropped down to 9th. On 12 laps, Marc Marquez and Andrea Dovizioso passed Danilo Petrucci, both riders of Marquez and Dovizioso battled until the final lap.
Marc Marquez overtook Andrea Dovizioso on 3 laps to go, but Andrea Dovizioso passed Marquez again. Marquez tried to fight back at the very last corner on the final lap. But he made his final-lap error, eventually Andrea Dovizioso passed him and took the victory.
Andrea Dovizioso (P1):
“When I overtook him I wanted to make a gap, but I didn’t have the rear tyre. So it was just about strategy and being in the right place at the right time. I saw him struggling and I was struggling, but maybe he was over the limit and he made a mistake. Already at the start of the lap I knew I would have to do everything perfect two corners before to have the chance. I knew Turn 11 was my break, but there were two corners remaining and I knew that anything could happen. It was so exciting to be in this race, to fight with Marc always is, and it was important for the Championship.
That it was, with the gap now down to 11 points between the two with three races remaining. But, says Dovizioso, he wasn’t thinking about the Championship: Today we didn’t think about the Championship – our speed and the battle were amazing. In the middle of the race I wasn’t as fast as them but I didn’t give up and for sure I took some risks. But I didn’t give up; that was the key to my race.”
Marc Marquez (P2):
“It’s amazing to fight how we did today, and in the rain. We knew before here that it would be difficult, but we tried and in the wet I felt good…but today with a lot of water was more difficult. I pushed and took the risk for a few laps but Dovi was able to be fast, then I made a mistake at Turn 8…my bike was shaking from the slipstream into Turn 11! Today second is ok because we’re in front, but I took a lot of risk. I said I’d try at the last corner and see how it goes like Austria, but it’s great and I’m happy. I’m taking a lot of risk and I don’t know who will win the Championship.”
Danilo Petrucc (P3):
“This is what I’m here to achieve. I was starting to think about my first win but there’s always the same problems: Dovi and Marc! But they had an incredible race, pushing until the last lap, and it was fun to watch from behind.
I decided to gamble before the race to put on the extra soft tyre. At the beginning the bike was very good, and I wasn’t pushing 100%. Then I got a lot of spinning at the rear and the conditions were critical – I couldn’t open the throttle fully on the straight. But I’m happy about my result.”
Motul Grand Prix of Japan Race Results- Andrea Dovizioso / Ducati Team / 47m 14.236s
- Marc Marquez / Repsol Honda / 47m 14.485s
- Danilo Petrucci / Octo Pramac / 47m 24.793s
- Andrea Iannone / Suzuki Ecstar / 47m 33.081s
- Alex Rins / Suzuki Ecstar / 47m 37.218s
- Jorge Lorenzo / Ducati Team / 47m 38.700s
- Aleix Espargaro / Factory Aprilia Gresini / 47m 42.246s
- Johann Zarco / Monster Yamaha Tech3 / 47m 43.711s
- Maverick Vinales / Movistar Yamaha / 47m 50.811s
- Loris Baz / Reale Avintia / 48m 2.742s
- Pol Espargaro / Red Bull KTM Factory / 48m 10.593s
- Katsuyuki Nakasuga / Yamaha Factory / 48m 14.417s
- Sam Lowes / Factory Aprilia Gresini / 48m 15.216s
- Hector Barbera / Reale Avintia / 48m 17.354s
- Tito Rabat / EG 0,0 Marc VDS / 48m 17.750s
- Scott Redding / Octo Pramac / 48m 18.398s
- Bradley Smith / Red Bull KTM Factory / 48m 20.507s
- Hiroshi Aoyama / EG 0,0 Marc VDS / 48m 27.486s
All photos copyright by MotoGP.- source : MotoGP