Marc Marquez attempts to keep his perfect record in MotoGP alive in 2014. He wants to continue breaking records. Jorge Lorenzo, Valentino Rossi, and Dani Pedrosa, are looking to dethrone Marquez. Can they possibly stop his absolute freight train of a season here at Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain. If Honda wins, it's their 100th MotoGP win since the class was begun in 2002. Jorge Lorenzo has won three of the last four races here, and Yamaha, seven of the last twelve.
Rain is in the forecast, on a hot, humid day, in Spain. Supercross champion Ryan Villopoto is in attendance at this race, watching these heroes. He can relate to being on the same level, but has never ridden a road racing motorcycle. Marc Marquez has had a 50% win rate in his brief MotoGP career. Here's how qualifying went down. Can anyone stop Marquez from taking his eighth straight pole? Cal Crutchlow was not fast enough. Nicky Hayden will start 16th. Dani Pedrosa, and Jorge Lorenzo both pushed hard, and Marc Marquez pushed a little too hard, qualifying third. Dani Pedrosa has pole.
Honda is looking for it's 100th win since the MotoGP era began in 2002. Michele Fabrizio will race in place of Danilo Petrucci. Rain is expected in the race. Will that dampen Marc Marquez's winning streak? We're ready for this race. Will Marc Marquez win seven in a row? The bikes are on track, ready for this Grand Prix. Grey clouds are forming. It's dry now. But, the weather is a big concern. Let's go. Are we going to have a repeat of the Mugello battle? What about rain? 25 laps. Go!
Valentino Rossi slices through the field and it looks like Jorge Lorenzo leads. The Honda's come right after the Yamaha's immediately. Pedrosa and Lorenzo battle. Valentino Rossi is coming, too. Marc Marquez also got a good start. Watch the dark clouds. Rain is coming. Cal Crutchlow wants to get by Yonny Hernandez. They race to turn ten, and Marquez wants to pass Pedrosa. But, no. Aleix Espargaro is going for it, on a bright yellow motorcycle. It's a special paint job for this race.
Marquez passes Pedrosa for third. Marquez crashed in Q2. The spare bikes are set up for riding in the rain. Wait for a white flag to signal the use of the spare bikes. Stefan Bradl is also running well in third place. Both he and Pedrosa have had to have arm pump operations recently. Bradley Smith and Alvaro Bautista are down the order as is Nicky Hayden. Karel Abraham has crashed. He fell and hit the gravel. The Czech rider, crashed. He'll get back in. But, in no way is he in contention.
For Abraham, it's game over. Rossi is right behind Lorenzo now. Marc Marquez is keeping his powder dry. He doesn't like the high curbs on thsi track at Catalunya. Pol Espargaro has been passed by his brother Aleix. Marquez sets fast lap. The weather seems to be holding off at the moment. But, the spare bikes are set to go. Rossi is chasing Lorenzo. Valentino Rossi takes the lead. He's won nine times at Barcelona. Rossi is pushing, and so is Lorenzo. Rossi makes the lead stick.
Five bikes are together at the front of this field. Marquez slides by Lorenzo. He's second and will work on Rossi. Dani Pedrosa has fallen from pole to fourth. Alvaro Bautista is out of the race. Rossi wants his tenth win. Jorge Lorenzo has had four wins including three in MotoGP. Marc Marquez has won, but in the old 125cc class. He's never won MotoGP here. He wants it. Rain, please stay away. Rossi continues to lead. Marc Marquez holds second. Dani Pedrosa has passed Jorge Lorenzo. Valentino Rossi won his first race here in 1997. That was a 125cc event.
White paint is flying off the curbs at turn ten. They plunge down through turns twelve and thirteen. Lorenzo continues to push to hang onto Rossi and the two Honda's. Stefan Bradl ran wide, losing traction on his rear wheel. Rossi hasn't won a race since Assen last year. They push 200 miles an hour on the straight and then brake into turn one heavily. Rossi is really running well. But, Marquez surely has something left in the locker. Pedrosa wants by. But he can't quite pass his team mate.
Ah. Never mind. Pedrosa passes. Marquez goes down a place. Pedrosa won in Malaysia, last year. Jorge Lorenzo has not won since Motegi last fall. 95,000 fans are going nuts. Marquez pushes. Lorenzo is having a look in. But he can't quite get to the top three. Pedrosa follows his team mate all the way down the back straight through turns 6-10. Marquez is really quick into turn ten as Rossi continues to lead this race. Rossi hasn't led for a long distance for quite some time. Lorenzo is 1.1 seconds behind Rossi, and half a second behind Pedrosa.
Marquez brakes late. Lorenzo and Bradl are behind. The Espargaro brothers, Andrea Dovizioso, and Andrea Ianonne are running well. But Cal Crutchlow is languishing in 20th. Marquez is closing all the time. Cal Crutchlow has a mechanical issue and he's out. Alvaro Bautista didn't crash. But he stopped. Now, the skies might be clearing, but slowly. Lots of dark clouds are still on the horizon. Pedrosa runs wide into turn one. Marquez is closing up all the time as there's no rain yet. Rossi leads. Marquez tries to pass. Pedrosa runs wide. He's going to pick it up. Correction. Marquez ran wide.
Lorenzo is pushing in fourth. Pedrosa has to sit up, and Marquez fights back immediately. Wow! Marquez wants to pass Rossi, but no. Again, he slides under Pedrosa. Watch out. Don't take out your team mate. Valentino Rossi is really running a superb race right now. Jorge Lorenzo isn't out of this one either. Rossi runs a 1:42.8. Marquez slides right under Rossi, and goes off the road. He ALMOST ran right up Rossi's rear wheel!
The Honda's haven't battled each other for a while. But, the Yamaha's are back into this race, too. This is Valentino Rossi at his best. He's flying, even though he's been doing it for 17 years. Ten laps to go. Rossi leads Marquez and then Pedrosa comes behind. Bradley Smith runs tenth, running his best lap. It's Rossi, Pedrosa, Marquez, Lorenzo, in the top four. Smith ran the fastest lap of the race as Rossi continues in P1.
Aleix Espargaro is running well as Andrea Dovizioso passes Pol Espargaro. Dovizioso is a former rider for Tech 3 Yamaha, (Pol Espargaro's team), before running for Ducati.
Marquez is closing on Rossi. Can Marquez make it seven for seven? Can Rossi win? 19 laps done of 25 scheduled. We're getting down to crunch time. Rossi still leads from Marquez. Marquez can't get through. Rossi is booking it. He's won nine times in Barcelona. Both Honda riders run a 1:42.9. They are quicker than Rossi and so is Lorenzo. Marquez will have a go into turn one. He's right on Rossi. Here comes Marquez, and he slides into the lead. The crowd goes nuts. Rossi wants it but no. Pedrosa passes. Rossi retakes the lead.
The white flag is out. Go get wet tires. Get the spare bikes out with the wet setups. Rossi still leads. Jorge Lorenzo has closed on the leaders. Game over for Mike DeMeglio. No flags waved yet. It's bone dry in the pits or on the track. If the track is dry, the wet tires will be torn to shreds. Marc Marquez passes and Dani Pedrosa gets blocked by Rossi. Can Marquez run away at the front for his seventh win in a row? There is rain in turn three. Can Marquez fight off Rossi? Will the rain appear in the next five laps? This is going to be a sizzler to the finish.
Marquez leads with four laps left. It's anyone's race, with rain. Pedrosa takes the lead. Four laps left. Lap 22 of 25. Can Marquez open any kind of an advantage. Through turns eight and nine, up over the rise, to the dreaded turn ten. Marquez has the lead as Pedrosa is chasing. Have Rossi and Pedrosa got any steam left to beat #93? Three laps to go now. Marquez runs wide in corner number three. The clock is ticking for Pedrosa. Two laps left now. Marquez is pushing hard. They run into the stadium section. Pedrosa can't challenge.
Two laps left now. Dani Pedrosa wants it but he isn't close enough. Marquez is right on it. Two laps left. Into turn four, Marquez shuts the door on Pedrosa. Rossi is watching all this action. Pedrosa will need one place to make his move with just a lap and a half left. Is Pedrosa's locker empty? Has he got the gusto to get Marquez? Pedrosa closes. Hes' got the gumption. Can he pass? Follow Marquiez all around the track. Can he challenge on the front straight? No. Yes. Oh wow! Pedrosa has made it stick! Marquz is second. Marquez fights back. Nnot quite. No. He's got it.
Again another chance for Pedrosa. This is amazing! Pedrosa can't quite make it. He's very close. Go for it in turns nine and ten, down the short chute, on this the 65th anniversary of MotoGP. They touch! Dani Pedrosa runs wide. Rossi gets second. Marc Marquez wins it! His second win in Barcelona, and his seventh win of the season! Phew! Yours truly has to catch his breath after that sizzler of a race, folks. Is that the best MotoGP race of the year, or what?!
#93 Marc Marquez ESP. Honda
The next MotoGP race is in less than two weeks. It's the legendary Dutch TT at the Assen circuit in Assen, Holland, which is now called the Iveco TT Assen. Unlike many MotoGP races, it's run on a Saturday instead of a Sunday. It will be taking place on June 28th, in eleven days time.
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