MotoGP: Marc Marquez wins in Australia as Valentino Rossi Battles for Second

USPA NEWS - Marc Marquez moved to within touching distance of a fourth MotoGP world title with victory at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, his sixth win of the season giving him a 33-point lead over nearest rival Andrea Dovizioso with two races remaining. great Valentino Rossi finished second with his fellow Yamaha rider Maverick Vinales pipping French rookie Johann Zarco on the line to round out the podium in third place.
After the race Rossi was enthusiastic as ever after clinching second, and he explained how he managed to outwit his rivals. “This track is unbelievable and it was a great, great race," Rossi said.
“All the riders in front were very aggressive so you need to be more stupid than them, more aggressive.
“It was a great battle with Marco, Marquez and Vinales.
“I wanted to try for the podium and the maximum but in the end I am very happy with the second place.

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) took his sixth win of the year in a scintillating Phillip Island showdown, breaking away from an eight-rider fight for the win in the latter stages to take to the top step. After a tough race for title rival Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) as the Italian suffered an early run off and was only able to fight back to 13th,Marquez now 33 points clear in the standings. Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) took second as he came out on top of a three-way fight for the podium, with teammate Maverick Viñales taking third. Viñales is now out of the Championship fight, 50 points back with two rounds to go. It was Marquez who got the holeshot but he couldn´t hold it into Turn 2 as a stunner from Jack Miller (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) saw the Queenslander slice through into the lead ““ and then start pulling away. Viñales was the man in third on the chase, as an incredible first lap then took another twist when Dovizioso went wide and dropped down to P20. Then the race was on for the Italian, as a seven-rider train at the front closed in on Miller in the lead. Rossi and Viñales were the first to get through, and a lead group of Marquez, Viñales, Rossi, Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Zarco began to fight it out. Marquez vs Rossi, Zarco vs Rossi, Viñales vs Marquez, Iannone vs Zarco“¦in one of the most aggressive and hard-fought battles of the season, decade or more, the passes came thick and fast ““ including a move for Zarco around the outside of Doohan corner.

With Marquez ahead, however, the reigning Champion was able to begin pulling a gap with five laps to go.for the podium they fought Rossi vs Viñales vs Zarco. With some of the tightest lines ever ridden around the Island at times on that final lap, Rossi was able to take it ““ but all three were almost neck and neck over the line. And over the line, it was Viñales just edging ahead of the Tech 3 of the Frenchman ““ taking third for a return to the rostrum but a definite end to his chance at the title. After Iannone getting pushed back in the latter stages, Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) took fifth ahead of the Italian, with Miller, Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and another double delight for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing completing the top ten; Espargaro just pipping Smith. Dovizioso suffered late heartbreak after losing out on the drag to the line to both Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Racing) and Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) and coming home 13th, with Karel Abraham (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) and Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) completing the top fifteen.