Valentino Rossi is a legend. The most decorated racer in current MotoGP circles. He makes his 300th start today. But, can he stop Marc Marquez? The Grand Prix of Italy for MotoGP, is next.
Can anyone derail the Marquez Express? Three different manufacturers on the front row. Honda, Ducati, Yamaha. If Marquez wins, he'll become the first rider to win six straight races in MotoGP since Rossi did it in 2002. The bikes line up on the grid, ready to race.
Go! At the start, Andrea Ianonne, Cal Crutchlow, and Andrea Dovizioso get great starts. Lorenzo drops back and Marquez is going for it. Everyone is safely through with Andrea Iannone leading this 27 lap race as we go through Casanova and Sevelli. Into Arrabiata, Lorenazo passes for the lead, pushing Ianonne out into Scarperia. Rossi is now sixth. Pol Espargaro is fifth, running wide. Lorenzo leads. Ianonne has the pace. Lorenzo will move ahead. Pol Espargaro has made a pass and Valentino Rossi is coming. Lorenzo is pushing as hard as he can to keep Ianonne at bay.
Dani Pedrosa is eighth, stuck behind Cal Crutchlow as Valentino Rossin goes to fourth past Cal Crutchlow. Marquez is stuck behind Andrea Ianonne. Ianonne was a surprise in qualifying, and he's won Moto 2 at Mugello, twice. 217 miles an hour in the slipstream to San Donato! Marquez takes Iannone but no. Iannone gets him back! Rossi is coming fast now, too. Iannone is going to push Marquez as Lorenzo sets fast lap.
Rossi wants to be as close to Marquez as he can. Dovizioso, Crutchlow, Pedrosa and others are battling. Ianonne is on a charge. But, Bradley Smith crashes, and it's game over. Pol Espargaro is doing well with the second Tech 3 Yamaha. Pol Espargaro attacks Andrea Dovizioso. Rossi has passed Andrea Iannone. They plunge down through Casanova and Sevelli. But, Crutchlow is out! He and Strefan Bradl have both crashed. Crutchlow dumped it, and, wham! Bradl had no place to go.
Smith, Bradl, and Crutchlow, are all out. Jorge Lorenzo leads Marc Marquez. Big points are up for grabs. Valentino Rossi is the quicker of the two Yamaha's. They fly through Bucine and onto the front straight. Brake hard into San Donato, the hardest braking zone in the MotoGP World Championship. What can Lorenzo do about Marquez? Bradley Smith is OK. Pol Espargaro, Andrea Dovizioso, and Dani Pedrosa, battle for fifth place. Pedrosa passes into Scarperia.
Lorenzo is not letting Marquez get away. Andrea Ianonne is fourth, and is on the softer option tire for the Open class. 15-time World Champion Giacomo Agostini, is here at Mugello watching the race. Marquez is closing, but he's not close enough to move on Jorge Lorenzo. Hector Barbera is out, and Michele Fabrizio, is headed for pit lane. What can Valentino Rossi do in his 300th race? Can Lorenzo win? Can Marquez win six in a row?
The air horns go off as the fans are ecstatic. Nine laps into this 23 lap contest. Jorge Lorenzo is running at his best in some time. Marquez is being told that he's clear of Rossi. But he wants to make a move on Jorge Lorenzo. These guys run very close through Borgo San Lorenzo... turn five. Andrea Ianonne has to be calm, as he's catching Dani Pedrosa. Pedrosa won't get it easily. Marc Marquez is trying and keeping up with Jorge Lorenzo.
The road drops away, and the gap is 1.6 seconds. 2.5 seconds between the leaders with 14 laps to go. This is one of just two tracks where Marquez has not scored points. Lorenzo is looking for his fourth straight win at Mugello. Stefan Bradl is upset, but OK, after his crash. He did not go to the medical center. Dani Pedrosa is gaining on Pol Espargaro. Marquez is gaining on Lorenzo, still. He wants to try into Savelli. Marquez watches Lorenzo slide through Biondetti and into Bucine.
There is a 2/10ths of a second gap. Andrea Ianonne is back to fourth, passing Dani Pedrosa. Will Valentino Rossi close in on Marquez and Lorenzo? Michele Fabrizio is out, making his first start in MotoGP in almost a decade. Lorenzo runs really well through Bucine. Into San Donato, he's also clean. What an awesome race so far! Nine laps to go now. Marquez wiggles. Lorenzo has been quicker on two of the last three laps as Rossi continues to reel in the top two.
Ten laps left, into Correntaio. But, this race will be between Lorenzo and Marquez. Can Lorenzo beat Marquez for the first time this year? Pedrosa has passed Ianonne and Alvaro Bautista is now moving up, too. Yonny Hernandez, Michele Pirro, and Scott Redding all battle. Lorenzo has five podiums at Mugello. He's won four straight, and won in 250cc class competition. Marquez scored his first ever win, here, last year.
Eight laps left this time into Bucine. Can Jorge Lorenzo beat the world champ and make him feel like he has to pull a miracle out of his hat? Now, Marquez retakes the lead. Wow. Marquez just slid by Lorenzo. Slipstreaming on the front straight, using the pit exit, this opened the door for Marquez with just seven laps to go. They've put a gap on Valentino Rossi. Lorenzo runs wide and almost gets to Marquez, he's back now. Lorenzo had to use the pit exit. Into Casanova, Sevelli, and now into Arrabiatta 1 and 2. Lorenzo is taking the fight to Marquez.
Through Correntaio and into Bucine again. Can they do the same next time around? Ooh! Lorenzo holds the position with just five laps left. These guys are equal on top speed. Marquez wants six straight race wins. Lorenzo wants a fourth straight victory at Mugello. We saw head to head battles between these two late last year in Malaysia and Japan, last fall. Marquez flies past Lorenzo in the slipstream as Lorenzo comes back on the brakes but no! Marquez leads, and then, Lorenzo goes back.
These guys mean business. Neither of them is giving the other an inch. Just three laps to go now. Marquez is trying everything to pull around the Yamaha. Rossi has faded by three seconds, behind these guys. Marquez goes back to the lead into San Donato. He runs wide and Lorenzo is back into the lead but no. Marquez is now holding Lorenzo at bay through Palagio, Correntaio, Biondetti, and Bucine corners. Lorenzo gets past Marquez with just two laps left.
Lorenzo is using all the road, and all the curves. Is Marquez close enough? He is. He sweeps by into San Donato, pushing wide. He can't get by Lorezo. Could Marquez have his streak broken? Just a lap remains. Arrabiata again. Marquez has the inside. At Scarperia, the right/left flick, Lorenzo is holding Marquez at bay. Marquez is being pushed to the breaking point. Into the critical Bucine corner for the next to last time. Here we go. One lap left at Mugello. Marquez slides around the outside into the lead. Marquez runs wide, Lorenzo closes.
Marquez is now shutting doors on Lorenzo. This is a hammer and tongs battle. Correntaio is the key corner. Half a lap left. Can Marquez make it six wins in a row? Through Scarperia, Correntaio, and Biondetti. Who will have it into Bucine? Has Lorenzo got enoguh? No! Marquez wins Mugello, winning six in a row!
#93 Marc Marquez ESP. Honda
Six straight wins. More new records for Marquez. The fans go crazy! Valentino Rossi, continues a stellar record in his own right. Over half of his starts, have resulted in podiums. 151 podiums, in 300 starts! The next race, sees a return to Spain for MotoGP. It's at the Circuit de Catalunya, in Barcelona, Spain, coming up in two weeks.
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