Dovi fights off Lorenzo and Marquez

Andrea Dovizioso took his second win of the season in incredible style at the MotoGP round at Brno on August 5 – the culmination of a three-way fight hat also involved his Ducati teammate Jorge Lorenzo and reigning champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda).

Lorenzo was second and Marquez, in his 100th MotoGP start, forced to settle for third – but still extending his championship lead. It was also an anniversary for 'DesmoDovi' as the Italian celebrated his 100th race for Ducati with the win.

Australia’s Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Ducati) was 12th.

In the race, Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha) who took the holeshot from second on the grid, with polesitter Dovizioso just losing out and shuffled back a place as Marquez retained third through the first corner. Lorenzo wasn’t able to make a move from the second row and settled into fourth, with drama then hitting the early stages as a multi-rider incident saw Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha), Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and wildcard Stefan Bradl (HRC Honda) crash out.

At the front ‘DesmoDovi’ was quick to strike for the lead and he and Rossi dueled it out, but it was the No. 04 Ducati ahead over the line. Marquez then began to attack Rossi, before Lorenzo struck instead and picked the pocket of the No. 93. Dovi led Rossi led Lorenzo led Marquez and it seemed it could be in for another Dutch GP battle royal – but that wasn’t to become the story of the race.

It first became a long train with Dovizioso at the front and squabbles breaking out throughout: Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) versus Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3); Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Ducati) versus both; and the fight at the front stretching all the way from Dovi through Rossi, Marquez, Petrucci, Crutchlow, Zarco, Team Suzuki Ecstar pair Alex Rins and Andrea Iannone and Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda).

With 10 laps to go, however, a group of six had begun to emerge, including those who would fight for the win. Dovizioso, Marquez, Rossi, Crutchlow, Lorenzo and Petrucci had pulled out a gap, and the final showdown would be whittled down further. With expected race pace within the 1:56s and no-one putting that in, it was a game of high-speed chess – before five laps to go saw Lorenzo take Crutchlow to put Marquez in the middle of the Ducati duo at the front. The pin was soon to be pulled.

A lap later and the lap times dropped – with Dovizioso, Marquez and Lorenzo all bolting in unison to suddenly pull out a gap on Crutchlow and Rossi on the chase. The trio slammed down into the 1:56s and showed their hand, setting up the Czech GP for an incredible final few laps.

Lorenzo was the first to make a serious move, attacking Marquez on the inside of turn 14 and carrying the momentum up the inside of Dovizioso at the final corner in a stunning almost-double overtake...but it didn’t stick. ‘DesmoDovi’ took it back as Lorenzo headed a bit wide and was forced back into second, but the gloves were off.

On the penultimate lap Lorenzo attacked for the lead again but again headed wide, with Dovi slicing back through before Marquez tried it near the end of the lap against Lorenzo. It was, however, as-you-were over the line for the final lap...

Marquez attacked Lorenzo at turn four as the duel began, but the ‘Spartan’ hit back with a stunner into turn six that sat up the reigning champion. With Dovizioso then with a bit of margin at the front, the No. 99 Ducati threw everything at it to chase down his teammate – but through the final corner neither was just close enough for that final attack. That made it an impressive second win of the season for Dovizioso and his first at Brno, with Lorenzo second and Marquez completing the podium.

“It was an incredible win! Before this weekend I was excited because I felt that we could do well, but I never expected such a spectacular victory,” said Dovizioso.

“I was very quick right from the first session on Friday, yesterday I did an awesome qualifying, today in the race I had a perfect strategy, and so I’m very pleased with everything.\

“I managed the race lap by lap, trying to interpret what was happening around me and see how the other guys were riding: I raced well without ever misusing the rear tyre and, even though I was having a bit of difficulty in the final stages, in any case I was able to fight off Jorge and Marc, who today were both really on top form.”

Just behind the breathless battle for the lead, another duel was lighting up the final lap, and it was Rossi who was able to beat Crutchlow to the line by 0.04 seconds. Petrucci took sixth ahead of Zarco, with Pedrosa pouncing on the Suzuki riders to take eighth by the end. Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Ducati) was also able to move forward and took ninth in his 150th premier class race, with Iannone beating Rins to the honour of completing the top 10.

FULL RESULTS AND STANDINGS

Marquez is now on 181 points, ahead of Rossi (132), Dovizioso (113), Vinales (109) and Lorenzo (105). Miller is in 10th position on 61 points.