Marc Marquez heads into the 2017 MotoGP summer break with a five-point overall lead after he won his fifth consecutive German GP at the Sachsenring.
The Spaniard did not have it all his own way on Sunday as rookie home favourite Jonas Folger kept him honest throughout on his Monster Tech 3 Yamaha.
Reigning champion Marquez, though, held his nerve to overtake Folger and win by more than three seconds with Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa rounding out the podium in third.
‘This victory is for him and all his family’@marcmarquez93 dedicates his win to Nicky Hayden#GermanGP #RideOnKentuckyKid pic.twitter.com/5uwRg5d2Hm
— MotoGP™??? (@MotoGP) July 2, 2017
Marc Marquez has now triumphed eight times on the spin at the Sachsenring if you include his 2011 and 2012 Moto2 victories together with his 2010 125cc win
The 24-year-old said, “Honestly, it was a very difficult race. I thought my team-mate would be the main rider, but then Jonas overtook me.
“On the last five laps, I gave everything because it was not a good idea to arrive on the last lap, last corner, with a German rider in a German circuit! I’m very, very happy.”
Maverick Vinales worked his way through the field on his Movistar Yamaha to grab fourth and stay within five points of Marquez in the 2017 rider standings.
His team-mate, Valentino Rossi, finished fifth while Red Bull KTM Factory Racing duo Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith finished in 13th and 14th places respectively.
8 in a row and heading into the summer with the Championship lead ? ? ?#GermanGP pic.twitter.com/vpt7j2Iaqs
— MotoGP™??? (@MotoGP) July 2, 2017
