AFP
SILVERSTONE, August 31
Runaway world championship leader Marc Marquez made it 11 wins from 12 races this season on Sunday as he won the British MotoGP at Silverstone.
The 21-year-old Spanish Honda rider -- who on Saturday claimed his 10th pole position of the campaign -- prevailed in a stunning duel with compatriot and two-time world champion Jorge Lorenzo on a Yamaha.
Lorenzo's team-mate Italian legend Valentino Rossi was third in what was a record 246th MotoGP appearance while Marquez's fellow Honda rider Dani Pedrosa, who won the Czech GP last time out, was fourth.
It was the third successive race Yamaha had filed the minor podium placings.
Marquez has 288 points with Pedrosa, who signed a two year extension with Honda, second on 199 and Rossi, who has also committed himself for another two years to Yamaha, third on 189 while Lorenzo has 157 with six races remaining.
Lorenzo got a terrific start shooting into the lead ahead of Marquez, whose weakest part of his armoury has been his starts, while Pedrosa got an awful one dropping to sixth.
After four laps Marquez started eating into Lorenzo's lead while Rossi moved seamlessly past compatriot Andrea Dovizioso into third.
Marquez was right on Lorenzo's shoulder going over the line with 15 laps remaining with three riders Rossi, Dovizioso and Pedrosa a little bit further back but clear of the pack.
Pedrosa continued his recovery from the poor start by passing Dovizioso and pressurised Rossi, who he succeeded in getting past with 11 laps remaining and set off after the leading two who were almost three seconds clear.
Lorenzo kept Marquez at bay toying with him at times forcing the younger Spaniard to go out wide and costing him ground but Pedrosa was unable to make any inroads into their lead and indeed was four seconds down with eight laps to the chequered flag.
Indeed Pedrosa couldn't shake off either Rossi or Dovisioso and was passed by both of the Italians with just over seven laps remaining.
The duel up front heated up considerably with five laps to go as Marquez passed Lorenzo but the Yamaha rider bit back immediately and passed Marquez almost immediately.
It was a superb and engrossing contest highlighted by the exchange with three laps to go as Marquez looked to have got the better of Lorenzo on one corner only for the door to be shut on him.
However, the irrepressible youngster was not to be denied and took the lead on the next corner and for once Lorenzo had no answer.
British MotoGP result
1. Marc Marquez (Spa) Honda 40’51.835secs
2. Jorge Lorenzo (Spa) Yamaha +0.732
3. Valentino Rossi (Ita) Yamaha +8.519
4. Dani Pedrosa (Spa) Honda +8.694
5. Andrea Dovizioso (Ita) Ducati +9.238
MotoGP championship standings
1. Marc Marquez (Spa) Repsol Honda 288 points
2. Dani Pedrosa (Spa) Repsol Honda 199 points
3. Valentino Rossi (Ita) Yamaha 189 points
4. Jorge Lorenzo (Spa) Yamaha 157 points
5. Andrea Dovizioso (Ita) Ducati 129 points
