MotoGP: Dovizioso New Championship Leader as Marquez’s Dreams Go Up In Smoke

Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso took over the MotoGP championship lead after sealing victory at Silverstone on Sunday. Yamaha riders Maverick Vinales and Valentino Rossi took 2nd and 3rd respectively. Meanwhile it was heartbreak for Marc Marquez as his Honda engine had a rare failure. But the day belonged to Dovi and his Ducati.

As the lights went out, Rossi got a good start from the middle of the front row with Vinales and Marquez in tow. After starting 3rd, Cal Crutchlow was left battling with the Ducatis of Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Dovizioso. While Rossi opened up an advantage, Vinales tried to find a way past Marquez. Soon, Dovi broke away from Crutchlow and Lorenzo and overtook Marquez. Lorenzo soon dropped back and it became an quintet. Then… it happened, Marc Marquez’s engine suddenly went ‘Pop’ and smoke began to billow. A gutted Marquez pulled over to retire and kiss his championship lead goodbye.

Dovizioso soon hit the front with the Yamahas and Crutchlow’s Honda in tow and the 4 of them ran nose-to-tail for a while. Vinales closed within half a second but Dovi was able to keep the Spaniard at bay using the power and the grunt of the Ducati. The Italian took the chequered flag 0.114 seconds ahead of Vinales and Rossi finished a further half a second adrift. Crutchlow delighted home fans by finishing 4th ahead of Lorenzo, Johann Zarco, Dani Pedrosa, Scott Redding, Alex Rins and Alvaro Bautista completing the top 10. The remaining point scorers were Pol Espargaro, Tito Rabat, Karel Abraham, Hector Barbera and Loris Baz. Even down in the midfield, there was drama as Espargaro lost the front end of his KTM after he had crossed the finish line.