Joy and agony for Marquez brothers at Dutch MotoGP

New Straits Times

14 hours ago

ASSEN (Netherlands): Marc Marquez extended his lead in the world championship standings winning the Dutch MotoGP today in a race where his closest pursuer and younger brother Alex Marquez suffered a left hand fracture.
Marc Marquez, 32, came home on his Ducati ahead of two Italians, Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia) with the winner's team-mate Francesco Bagnaia third.
Marc Marquez's victory – at the circuit known as the 'Cathedral of Speed' celebrating its 100th anniversary – brought him level with legend Giacomo Agostini on 68 elite wins, still 21 adrift of Valentino Rossi.
Agostini, 83, was present to watch another Marquez masterclass on a weekend that over 200,000 spectators piled through the turnstiles.
Marquez – who was completing his sixth double of the campaign in winning the Sprint and the MotoGP race proper – leads Alex by 68 points with Bagnaia 126 adrift after 10 of the 22 race season.
Marquez, who was recording just his third Dutch MotoGP win, had had a bumpy ride on Friday with two heavy crashes which resulted in bruising and having stitches on his chin.
"I am sorry for Alex, my father says he injured a finger, but racing is like this," said Marquez.
"Of course I am super happy with the job the team did on Friday (after the crashes) and all weekend, amazing weekend.
"Assen is not one of my best tracks."
Bagnaia got a superb start shooting straight past pole sitter Fabio Quartararo, the Frenchman's hopes of delivering Yamaha a victory on their 70th anniversary receding rapidly as he dropped down the field.
At least he remained in the race, Japan's Ai Ogura's participation ended on the first lap as he was taken out by Miguel Oliveira.
Marc Marquez moved into second on the second lap with British MotoGP winner Bezzecchi gliding into third.
Marquez passed his teammate on the fifth lap but a lap later his sibling Alex Marquez caught a cropper as tussling with Pedro Acosta he came to grief.
Alex Marquez jumped back to his feet but was gingerly holding his wrist as he was biked back to the pitlane and was taken to the medical centre for a check-up.
An attritional race claimed two more riders as Joan Mir and Fermin Aldeguer suffered heavy crashes – both consoling each other.
Bagnaia's hopes of a fourth successive Assen win – Australian icon Mick Doohan won five in a row 1994-98 – was over by the 11th lap, as he dropped to fourth, passed by Bezzecchi and Acosta.
Bezzecchi then turned his attention on Marquez's Ducati, ramping up the pressure on the leader.
Marquez, though, responded like the champion he is in setting the fastest race lap at the halfway mark of the 26 lap race.
Bagnaia regained a place on the podium passing Acosta, who eventually dropped off the pace settling for fourth spot.
"Third place was the maximum, I was struggling for pace," said Bagnaia.
"However, we are moving in the right direction, got to take the positives."
With three laps remaining Marquez held a lead of over a second on Bezzecchi and although the valiant Italian ate into it, the Spaniard had more than enough to spare to take the honours.
Bezzecchi's delight was slightly tempered with a most unseemly fall on the lap of honour but his smile had returned by the time he greeted his Aprilia mechanics.
"I'm very very happy, really a fantastic race," said a beaming Bezzecchi.
"Marc was very fast, I wanted to attack but he had something more," added the 26-year-old.
The whole circus has a weekend off before they reunite for the German MotoGP in a fortnight.
By the time they return to Assen next year there could well be a new kid on the block after an historic win in the Moto2 race.
Diogo Moreira, 21, became the first Brazilian to take the chequered flag in that category – and could well follow now retired five-time Grand Prix winner Alex Barros into the elite series.
"I am super happy, the race was amazing, finally first victory," he said holding up the national flag. - AFP