Marc Marquez, is going for six wins in a row in the MotoGP World Championship, as the teams and riders head to France, and specifically, to Le Mans, and the Bugatti Circuit. Le Mans is famous for the sports car race. But, for the 27th year, motorcycles race here, and also, for the 15th consecutive race for the two wheelers. The first race was held 45 years ago in 1969. Marc Marquez destroyed team mate Dani Pedrosa's lap record.
Pol Espargaro qualified second. The plan is, get a good jump. 14 corners are on this course. 28 laps scheduled. The track at Le Mans (unlike the car track called Circuit de la Sarthe, which is very long), for the motorcycles, is short, with no place for riders to relax. The track is 2.6 miles long. Part of this track is of course, the Circuit de la Sarthe. Honda has won five races here in the four stroke era. Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo have also won here for Yamaha.
Rain sometimes is a factor at Le Mans in motorcycle races. But, for today's race, the sky is French blue, and the weather should be great. Marc Marquez is unbeatable so far, winning four straight races, from pole. Marc Marquez has six poles (after winning the last race last year). He's got six consecutive wins, and also, Marquez could have as many wins in MotoGP as Giacomo Agostini in 1972.
Valentino Rossi could sign another two year contract to keep racing with Yamaha. Many surgeries have happened to riders for arm pump, as reported here. Jorge Lorenzo could sign with Yamaha again. Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso, could be linked to rides with Suzuki when they enter the series. Or, they could stay with their respective teams. Neither Danilo Petrucci or Luca Scassa will race today, as both, are injured.
The irony is, Scassa, was to replace Petrucci while he heals from his injuries, and Scassa, hurt himself, too. There was a one day test after the Spanish GP, and Ducati also did another two day test. In qualifying, Andrea Ianonne was good at first, but ended up eleventh after overshooting a chicane. Jorge Lorenzo will start ninth. Stefan Bradl qualified fourth. Marc Marquez has pole. The last time anyone won six poles straight, it was Casey Stoner, in 2008.
Can anyone beat Marc Marquez? 22 bikes will start this race. Again, the weather is gorgeous. If Marquez wins today, he'll be the youngest rider to win five races in the premier class. He would beat Mike Hailwood's record, which has stood since 1962, for over fifty years. The start is crucial. Go! At the start, Andrea Dovizioso gets a good start and Marquez is now losing ground. Andrea Dovizioso and the Yamaha's are going for it. But, Nicky Hayden is down and out!
We've got Stefan Bradl going for it, and Valentino Rossi is also pushing. But, Marc Marquez is falling behind! This isn't good. He's under huge pressure between Garage Vert and the blue esses. Dovizioso leads on the Ducati. Where is Marc Marquez? He's way down in tenth. Lorenzo, Pedrosa, and Marquez, are all down the order. Riders run wide in La Chapelle. Andrea Ianonne had a good start, but he's falling down the order.
They run into the Chemaine au Boeuf esses. Hector Barbera, is out. He's crashed. Marquez and Lorenzo ran wide at the start. Valentino Rossi is beginning to push. Andrea Dovizioso won the 125cc class race here a decade ago and won the 125cc world championship in 2004. Ianonne is out. Stefan Bradl is under pressure from Valentino Rossi. "The Doctor" is coming. Marc Marquez is going to have to book it. The last time Rossi won at Le Mans, was in 2008.
Marquez has a real challenge on his hands. He's in seventh. But he runs the fastest lap, too. Rossi comes back into the lead. Here comes Dovizioso. He holds the advantage. Into Museum corner, Rossi leads and runs wide. Stefan Bradl smells blood. They come to Garage Vert. Rossi leads and the crowd goes nuts! Into Chemaine aux Boeufs again. Pol Espargarop flies into third past Stefan Bradl. Two former Moto 2 champions.
Marquez runs another fast lap. But he'll have to push. Bradley Smith is attacked by Jorge Lorenzo. Smith runs wide. Marquez wants by. This is a hot race. Marquez may have a better run out of the corner. Valentino Rossi leads Andrea Dovizioso. Into the blue esses, Marquez passes Smith. Alvaro Bautista and Dani Pedrosa are coming, too. Marquez is really flying. Bautista and Smith are scrapping, on lap six. Twenty two laps left.
Valentino Rossi is running well as Stefan Bradl passes Andrea Dovizioso into Museum. Lorenzo runs wide again. The action is sizzling now. Pedrosa is stuck behind Bradley Smith. Marquez and Lorenzo ran wide. They both ran right off onto the runoff area. Marquez is attacking Lorenzo now. He slides past the Yamaha going down to La Chapelle. Everyone is on the limit of their Bridgestone tires. Marquez attacks Andrea Dovizioso. So, we'll see if Marquez can get to the front.
Rossi is at the end of his contract with Yamaha. He wants a new two year deal. Marquez is now up to fourth. Rossi still leads. Valentino Rossi has to get away. But, Marquez is 6/10ths quicker per lap than anyone else on track. Marquez sweeps past Stefan Bradl. Marquez is up to third, he runs through the corner in second gear. Marquez and Pol Espargaro are old sparring partners. This is Espargaro's fifth race.
Valentino Rossi is not moving away at the front. Marquez is ready to pounce, though. He's booking it, seriously, closing in on the Yamaha on Pol Espargaro, and wham! He's by. Espargaro had to give up. Seventeen laps left. Rossi leads. But he has to know Marquez is flying. This is going to be a classic race. But it's going to be hard for Marquez to get by "The Doctor". He wants his fourth MotoGP race win at Le Mans.
Into La Chapelle, Bradl and Espargaro are scrapping big time. Other riders are on target for points paying finishes. Marquez is keeping Rossi in his sites. He has lots of time. It's a matter of when as opposed to if. Bradl loses a spot to Alvaro Bautista. Bradley Smith and Andrea Dovizioso are battling, but, we watch Rossi and Marquez. They race through Garage Vert, nearing halfway of this race. Of course, after this race, we'll be 1/4 of the way through the season, too.
Marquez sweeps by Rossi into the lead. Now, whatr will happen? Marquez made the pass in the Blue Esses. There's a gap already. Wow. We knew this would happen. Did Rossi make a mistake? Yes. He ran too wide. Marquez is giving Rossi a taste of his own medicine, pushing hard, and forcing Rossi into a mistake. What will Lorenzo and Pedrosa do? They're stuck in sixth and seventh, and losing points to Marc Marquez hand over fist. Nicky Hayden's crash earlier, may have been from contact with Andrea Ianonne.
Cal Crutchlow also had a good start. Ianonne did make contact with Nicky Hayden, and it was game over for them both. Marquez is opening a gap. Hayden isn't hurt, fortunately. Everyone is on soft tires on both front and rear for this race. Lorenzo passes Bradl for fifth. Dani Pedrosa is coming, too. Shades of Laguna Seca last year. Alvaro Bautista is flying, and Pol Espargaro is in danger of being passed by him. Lorenzo and Pedrosa are just being eaten alive by Marquez in the points standings as Smith and Dovizioso pass. But Bradl and Smith lose spots, while Dovizioso is one to gain.
Marquez rides through the Dunlop chicane and towards La Chapelle. He's going to have a chance at winning five in a row. He's matching, or establishing records in every race. He's aiming for both Giacomo Agostini, and Mike "The Bike" Hailwood's records. Folks... those two, are absolute legends of MotoGP. Now, Marquez can carve his name in the same realm. Marquez leads by 1.4 seconds. Alvaro Bautista is now third, and could finish on the podium, passing Pol Espargaro, as we race to the checkers.
Dani Pedrosa wants by Jorge Lorenzo. But these two blokes are battling for fifth... not the lead! Marquez leads Rossi now by 1.8 seconds. Pedrosa wants to pass in the Blue Esses. Not now. Into Museum corner, Dani Pedrosa passes Jorge Lorenzo, headed into Garage Vert. Marquez now leads by two seconds. He's checking out... again. Can Dani Pedrosa catch Pol Espargaro? Valentino Rossi will get his second straight second place finish.
Cal Crutchlow runs down the escape road at Chemaine aux Boeufs. Rossi is five seconds, and four spots, ahead of Jorge Lorenzo as we look at seven laps remaining. Rossi will score his tenth Le Mans podium. Pol Espargaro has to hold down fourth. It's likely that he will. Pedrosa is in Lorenzo's sites, still. These two need to catch Pol Espargaro to gain more points. Pol Espargaro's brother Aleix Espargaro is up to eighth. Hiroshi Aoyama, and Colin Edwards, will finish in the points. Not so for Karel Abraham.
Just five laps remain now. Marquez has incredible lean angle on the motorcycle. He's doing things with his motorcycle that not too many other riders can. Marquez carries the wheel, and the wheelie control sets in to avoid danger. The super slow motion pictures, are amazing. Andrea Dovizioso re-passes Pol Espargaro. Cal Crutchlow is falling behind, too. Yonny Hernandez, Hiroshi Aoyama, and Colin Edwards, fill out the last three points paying spots. Scott Redding is now 12th, and is running well.
Marc Marquez is a lot like Sebastian Vettel from Formula One last year, where he just gets out in front easily, and never looks back. Freddie Spencer did the same thing when he came to MotoGP in the 1980s. But, his impact was nowhere near the level of Marquez. Marquez's brother, and Moto 3 racer, Alex Marquez, looks on. Bradley Smith chases Aleix Espargaro and others. Valentino Rossi will make his 300th start in MotoGP in the next race. He also will get another podium.
Just a lap and a half remains. Espargaro is not close enough to gain on third. It is the last lap. Marc Marquez is going to make more history. He's unbeatable right now, headed into the next event in Italy. Pol Espargaro has also had a great ride. Alvaro Bautista is going to be on the podium. So is Valentino Rossi. But, with half a lap to go into the Chemaine aux Boeufs esses, for the final time, the man, Marc Marquez rides the wheels off his motorcycle, and is going to win ANOTHER race!
Marquez wins five in a row, and breaks Mike Hailwood's record of being the youngest rider ever to win five straight MotoGP races!
#93 Marc Marquez ESP Honda
Marc Marquez is shaking the championship to the core. He is also the first rider to win five straight races, from pole, since Mick Doohan did it in 1997. The next MotoGP race, is in Italy, at the Mugello circuit, coming up in two weeks.
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