Marc Marquez returns to winning ways in Spanish MotoGP round at Jerez

From third on the grid the 26 year-old Spaniard led into turn one followed by the Petronas Yamaha’s of 20 year-old pole setter Fabio Quartararo and his team-mate Franco Morbidelli, who both dived under Andrea Dovizisio on the Mission Winnow Ducati as did Maverick Vinales also taking advantage of the Italian’s mistake to slot into fourth.

Nine laps in and Marquez was piling on the coals increasing his lead to over a second within one lap. At the halfway point the nine times world champion was gone and it was a race for second between the Monster Energy Yamaha of Vinales who had fought through from his third row start and Dovizisio as the young French pole setter Quartararo was out with a gear change issue.

The only person who could beat Marquez now was himself and that wasn’t going to happen, two GPs in a row. He was well clear of second place Rins, winner last time out in America and Vinales who claimed the final place on the podium, at the finish taking his second win of the season and his third victory at Jerez. Dovizioso was fourth ahead of team-mate Danilo Petrucci with Valentino Rossi sixth on the factory Yamaha after a disastrous qualifying saw him start from 13th on the grid.

Top British finisher was Cal Crutchlow in a disappointing eighth on the LCR Honda.

“This race was a mental race, more than a physical one. After the mistake in Austin it wasn’t easy to lead the race like that from beginning to end, but I knew I had the pace to do it and the bike to do it,” he said.

“Thanks to the Repsol Honda Team, they’ve done an amazing job over the last few weeks and here this weekend. It’s great to be leading the championship again.”