The Repsol rider adds a new triumph in Moto2 and reduces in five more points Stefan Bradl’s margin in the overall standings
After his victories in Holland and Italy and following two brilliant weekends in Assen and Mugello, Márquez finished again a perfect weekend on a high, getting the fastest time in the qualifying session and the win in the race. In addition, this time it has the added value to achieved in the home race of the leader of the classification, Germany’s Stefan Bradl, who has seen his advantage in the overall standing reduced by five points.
Starting from the first position of the grid, Marc had a good start and reached the end of the straight beside Bradl. The German rider tried to snatch the first place but had an off in the first corner and Márquez was able to keep the lead. From that moment on, the Repsol rider started to set a fast pace to quickly divide the top group.
With a time of 1 minute, 27 seconds and 8 tenths in the first lap, Bradl was the only one able to keep his pace at firs, although a couple of laps later, Márquez was nearly half second ahead of his rival. Behind them, De Angelis, Luthi and Hernández caught with Bradl and in the eighth lap, De Angelis was even able to catch Márquez. After than laps went by with Márquez, De Angelis and Bradl on top. Bradl took the lead on lap 14 and tried to get some advantage, but Emilio Alzamora’s pupil was always watchful and prevented the German from doing so.
In the last stage of the race, Márquez increased his pace and only Bradl, at first, could follow. But two laps before the end Marc built a 7 tenths margin over the German, who helplessly saw who is now his main rival in the battle for the Moto2 title crossing the finish line in first position. With this victory, Márquez reduces in 5 points Bradl’s advantage in the overall standings —they are now separated by 47 points— and gets his third consecutive win, fourth of the season, after nine races.
Moto2 now starts the summer break and the action will resume in three weeks at Brno with the Czech Republic Grand Prix.
Marc Márquez >> Audio
1st – 41:37.457
“It was a very hard-fought victory, and also very important as it was at the leader’s home race. We are slowly getting more confidence and gathering kilometres, which I think is what we notice the most. Moreover, the team and I now understand each other perfectly and with Santi [Hernández] we are doing a great job, which is the most important thing. I am gradually feeling better and I was able to notice it here because I could do a race in the same way as the 125cc race, letting them overtake me, studying them and then overtaking them and trying to push in the end. It worked well, but maybe in another race Stefan [Bradl] will be stronger. This win is important because it is a circuit where you need to preserve the tyres and risk a bit in the end, because it was very slippery”.
