Repsol Honda Team rider maintains lead in MotoGP standings, in a race in which Marc Marquez crashes out from second.
It was a bittersweet day for the Repsol Honda team at the Italian Grand Prix. Dani Pedrosa finished in a positive second place, with a valuable result on a day in which he could not fight for the victory. He remains the leader of the premier class thanks to his podium finish. Less fortunate was teammate Marc Marquez, who –despite the effects of a heavy Friday crash– had been riding in second before a fall left him out of contention for another rostrum.
The MotoGP race began with a strong start by Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa, with Marc Marquez just behind. All three began to establish a distance from the chasing riders and it became clear that victory would go to one of the trio. The first half of the race was ridden in a tight pack, until the Yamaha rider broke away. Behind him, Marquez was more comfortable than Pedrosa and did not hesitate to overtake his teammate. It was a lead that only lasted for a few corners, as with three laps remaining Marquez lost both the front and the back at the same time and crashed out.
Pedrosa crossed the finish line 5 seconds behind Lorenzo, who he leads in the World Championship standings by 103 points to 91. With 77 points, Marc Marquez remains in third.
