We finally are ready, to kick off the 2020 MotoGP season, after a long, long delay due to the Coronavirus pandemic that has gripped the world. Let's try to find something positive, and go racing. This is the first of two consecutive race weekends for MotoGP in Spain. The first of two back to back rounds in Andalusia at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. We race in honor of the front line healthcare workers, fighting the good fight, against the Coronavirus. The front row sees Fabio Quartararo on pole on his #20 Petronas Yamaha, with Spain's Maverick Vinales in second on the factory Monster Energy Yamaha, bike #12, and at his elbow, Marc Marquez, the four-time MotoGP World Champion, aboard the Repsol Honda, #93.
Red lights, on. Red lights, out! Away we go! Quartararo rockets out of the starting blocks! They stream towards turn one for the very first time! 25 laps scheduled today for the season opener, here at Jerez. As we get a better view of the riders, we can see them stringing out, single file for the most part. There's some double wide and triple wide racing in the back of the pack. Maverick Vinales has taken the lead with Marc Marquez glued right to his tail. Jack Miller, Francesco Bagnaia, and Fabio Quartararo complete the top five. Six through ten as this race starts, we have Andrea Dovizioso, Pol Espargaro, Brad Binder, Franco Morbidelli, and in tenth, multiple World Champion Valentino Rossi.
We've got a battle for the lead right away on lap two! Marc Marquez dives down the inside of Maverick Vinales! Vinales has also stolen Marquez's lap record set here, last year. Check that. He's not set a new record. Vinales, 1:38.445. Marquez's 2019 record was 1:38 dead. 1:38.051. Vinales, no wonder his first name is Maverick! He's a real scrapper and he gives Marc Marquez a taste of his own medicine, right into the next turn, look. Down the long straightaway on the back part of the course they come. Marquez is not done yet. The big dogs are scrapping right now, for P1 in this motorcycle race and we've only put two laps on the board!
Marquez does best Vinales going into the corner, for now, as a swarm forms behind these two blokes. The other riders are just as hungry as the two in front. They want a slice of the pie as well! Look out! Marquez in turn four, he's off the course! Lap three or so and Marquez, wiggles the bike with the rear tire digging into the gravel trap! Hang onto it, sunshine! That motorcycle has become a bucking bronco! Marquez is really having to steer through the skid there, and hold the bike upright so he doesn't hit the deck. Marquez has clearly lost ground after that little mishap. Now then, Vinales is still your leader, but there's a new challenger, look.
Jack Miller on bike #43, the Australian, aboard the Pramac Racing Ducati, is giving Maverick Vinales everything he can handle. He's applying the blowtorch to the Spaniard who is leading at this moment. Miller is going to get right under Vinales' rear wheel. Going into the corner, that's the ideal passing place. Jeepers! Vinales looks as if he's run wide! Check that. Miller might have gone off the road. Fabio Quartararo has now taken the lead of this motorcycle race and Miller in the meantime, has Vinales right on his rear wheel! Vinales, all over Miller like the proverbial cheap suit.
Meanwhile, down the order, battles also simmer. This is Marc Marquez, going to the inside of Danilo Petrucci on the #9 factory Ducati. Petrucci is teamed at Ducati this year, with fellow Italian MotoGP veteran, Andrea Dovizioso. Marquez is hauling the mail. He's ninth, but he's running quicker lap times than Fabio Quartararo is, in the lead. Marquez is a tenth up on Quartararo. 1:38.745 for Quartararo, and 1:38.555 for Marquez. Marquez is cutting through the field like a hot knife through butter, dispensing of rival and one of the kings of MotoGP, Valentino Rossi. The leaders come through and now we see Dovizioso making a move on the #63 bike of Francesco Bagnaia, team mate to Jack Miller at Pramac Ducati.
It's a race of the Italians and of the Ducati riders. Factory bike vs. satellite bike. Yours truly can't read the pit board. Makes me wonder how these boys read their information going 200 miles an hour when their mchanics stick the pit board to let them know the gaps. Wow, chaps. This race has flown by. We're well past halfway, working lap 17 of 25. From the onboard camera on the Honda, we see that the fight between Marquez and Quartararo is heating up again. Fabio isn't giving up. Oh dear! It's game over for Rossi. His Yamah is stuck in the mud with only six laps to go. The Italian legend's race is run, with mechanical problems for his motorcycle.
Seven laps to go now, and the battle is hot as Marc Marquez is putting a move on the #88 bike, that's the factory Red Bull KTM in the hands of Miguel Oliveira from Portugal. We saw Oliveira over the years racing in Moto3 and Moto2, but now he's in the big league. Andrea Dovizioso is the next rider on Marquez's shopping list as he makes up ground. We know the Ducati rider is tough. But will he be able to take the heat from the four-time world champ? Quartararo leads Miller leads Marquez leads Oliveira. The Honda pit crew cheering Marquez on. His team mate, and younger brother, Alex Marquez on the #73 Repsol Honda, we've not seen today so far.
Six laps left in the opening MotoGP race of the season. The Red Bull Grand Premio de Espana is coming to a close, quickly. Jack Miller is putting a move on Marc Marquez on the outside. Will he make it stick? They're wheel to wheel, look. Marquez says "no you don't sunshine", and slams the door in Miller's face. Or does he? Miller keeps the door open just a shade. Marquez is having none of it, and now it's door slam time. Marquez is now chasing Vinales. Oh! No, no, no! Marquez loses it, and has a hard spill onto the pavement! Ouch! It looks like the rear tire just got out from under the bike and Marc Marquez was launched over the handlebars and into orbit.
Thank God for the leathers, a built in airbag, and a back protector to keep these riders safe. Marquez tumbling in the gravel, separated from the motorcycle, thankfully. Yes. Yes. From the onboard camera, he low sided that bike and got pitched off big style! The bike careers into the gravel, riderless. The Repsol Honda team can't believe it! Marquez looks to be OK, communicating with the course marshals. So thankful for the men and women around the world who wear the white uniforms and keep athletes on two and four wheels alike, safe.
Vinales leads. From the helicopter shot, or drone shot, we can see the gap tightening between the top three riders. Two laps left now. Miller and Andrea Dovizioso look to be in a battle and the Italian is harrying the Australian for position as we get closer and closer to the end of this opening encounter of MotoGP 2020. Dovizioso makes the move. But two into one won't go and Miller shuts off the rider directly behind. But, it's Fabio Quartararo winning on debut in MotoGP! He does a celebratory wheelie and deservedly so!
#20 Fabio Quartararo FRA. Petronas Yamaha SRT Yamaha
Congratulations all around for Fabio Quartararo as Maverick Vinales and Andrea Dovizioso complete the podium, here at Jerez. Fabio Quartararo is now the leader of the points championship, earning 25 points for his race win ahead of Vinales, Dovizioso and Miller, the top five. The race results today will reflect how the points look as the season begins. Quartararo still can't believe he won. He says he will realize it as he watches the replay of the race with his team. He's elated. Circuit Angel Nieto hosts another MotoGP race next weekend. Join us, for all the action.
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