MotoGP: Marquez wins in Texas

Honda’s Marc Marquez has become the youngest ever race winner in MotoGP, triumphing in the inaugural Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin, Texas on Sunday, April 21. Marquez defeated teammate Dani Pedrosa, with reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) completing the podium.

For full results and standings, visit www.motogp.com/en/Results+Statistics.

“If I’m honest…no,” 20-year-old Marquez admitted when asked whether he expected the victory so early in his MotoGP career. “To be third in my first race in Qatar was a dream and now, to take the victory in the second race…that’s even better!

“The race was quite hard, especially in terms of physical condition towards the end – with corners like turn one. I had some problems with the front that I hadn’t had in practice, but even with that I was able to push and keep up a constant rhythm – not so fast, but enough.

“So I’m very happy with that and I want to say thanks to all of my team. Without them this would not have been possible.”

Marquez has taken the yoiungest pole sitter and winner records from another sublimely talented Honda rider, American Freddie Spencer, who achieved his first pole at Jarama, Spain, in May 1982 and his first win at Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, in July the same year. On that day Spencer was 20 years and 196 days old. Today Marquez – who achieves such dizzying angles of lean that he scrapes his elbows on the tarmac as a matter of course – is 20 years and 64 days old.

Marquez is now level on points with Lorenzo as leaders in the 2013 championship.

As the red lights went out at the new Circuit of the Americas, it was Pedrosa who seized the lead, while Lorenzo headed backwards courtesy of a poor getaway. A lightning start for LCR Honda MotoGP’s Stefan Bradl allowed the German to go second but he was soon overhauled by Marquez, Lorenzo and Monster Tech 3 Yamaha’s Cal Crutchlow.

Following Pedrosa and waiting patiently for his moment, Marquez courageously dived up the inside of turn seven on the 13th of 21 laps. Pedrosa would hang onto the back of his teammate, but lost ground courtesy of a small error six laps later. To the delight of his crew, Marquez would take the chequered flag 1.5 seconds, with Lorenzo just over the same margin behind Pedrosa.

Having not tested at the venue a month ago, Crutchlow was more than pleased with fourth – having hoped for a top six result this weekend – as Bradl and Rossi completed that particular group, with the multiple title winner having overhauled GO&FUN Honda Gresini’s Alvaro Bautista. The latter would also fall behind Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso, who progressed to seventh on the final lap and then avoided a last-corner lunge from his rival. Leading American rider Nicky Hayden and Energy T.I.

Pramac Racing’s Andrea Iannone rounded out the top 10, while Australia’s Bryan Staring (Gresini CRT) was 20th.

In Moto2, Queenslander Anthony West was an excellent seventh, while countryman Jack Miller went one better in Moto3. Arthur Sissis (Moto3) was 12th.

The season continues at Jerez, Spain, from May 3-5.