Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) beats hi teammate Dani Pedrosa for victory in the Grand Prix of the Americas. He took his stunning fifth win in a row in Austin – his 11th straight win on US soil.
Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) then put on a late charge to take second, with Pedrosa completing the podium – and former Championship leader Maverick Viñales crashing out early on.
Off the line it was an absolutely stunning swoop around the outside for Pedrosa from the second row to lead – old habits die hard – as the Spaniard overtook teammate and polesitter Marc Marquez to lead through Turn 1, with Rossi tucked in behind the two Repsol Honda machines.
Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati) got a great launch from P6 to overtake Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP). And the two men dueled it out until Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) got into the action and followed Viñales past the Mallorcan – before the drama struck.
After two wins from two in the first races of the season, Viñales then suddenly slid out of contention at Turn 18. He was out of the fight for victory and taking home a 0 for the first time since Argentina 2016.
Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) had moved up from his P9 on the grid to take fifth. He was behind rookie sensation Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3). Andrea Dovizioso get the best of Lorenzo to move into sixth.
A moment between Zarco and Rossi then saw the ‘Doctor’ taking to the run off as the rookie attempted a move, rejoining a little further ahead. And subsequently he received a 0.3 second penalty for time gained, to be applied at the end of the race.
Marquez and Pedrosa diced for the lead. The number 93 was able to begin pulling away with 13 laps to go.
As the last laps approached, Crutchlow dueled Zarco for fourth. Rossi struck against Pedrosa to take third. Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) also got in some late action. He past Lorenzo and the Italian crossing the line for his first points haul of the season in P7.
Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Racing) also made it past a Lorenzo struggling with grip to take eighth. The five-time World Champion crossed the line in P9. Jack Miller just beat rookie Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha tech 3) to complete the top ten.
Second Octo Pramac Racing rider Scott Redding came home in P12, with Tito Rabat (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) scoring points once again ahead of Hector Barbera (Reale Avintia Racing) and Alvaro Bautista (Pull&Bear Aspar Team).
2nd at the #AmericasGP, LEADING the #MotoGP World Championship!
? @ValeYellow46 pic.twitter.com/1W3xx6JvGV
— MotoGP™ (@MotoGP) April 23, 2017
