Quartararo continues undefeated 2020 MotoGP campaign

Fabio Quartararo makes it two in a row as Marquez sits out round two

Fabio Quartararo’s dream start to the 2020 MotoGP World Championship has continued with another dominant win from another pole position in the second round of the championship, held again at Jerez.

Early in the weekend, all eyes were on Marc Marquez as he attempted a heroic comeback just four days after fracturing his right humerus. While he was running within a second of the fastest riders by FP4, he called time on his race aspirations after just a single lap in Q1.

The miraculous Marquez comeback was short-lived

In searing hot conditions, it was the Yamaha machinery of future teammates Maverick Vinales (Monster Yamaha) and Quartararo (Petronas SRT) which looked strongest all weekend, with flashes of brilliance from Pramac Ducati rider Pecco Bagnaia. Bagnaia scored his career-best premier class qualifying result, completing the front row alongside the two Yamaha men.

Miller and Rossi had good drive off the line

Quartararo got the holeshot from Vinales and Valentino Rossi (Monster Yamaha), but it was Bagnaia’s teammate Jack Miller who lead the former Moto2 world champ through the first corner. Vinales lined up a move on the Frenchman at the last corner of the opening lap but ran wide and dropped back to third behind Rossi.

A mistake by Miller with 17 laps to go allowed his teammate through before a mistake by Vinales gifted the Italian third place. Miller crashed two laps later and Bagnaia’s consistency allowed him to reel in in the nine-time world champ, take second place and eke out a 2.5-second lead over the veteran Italian.

Miller and Bagnaia traded places several times

Petronas SRT’s Franco Morbidelli also looked set to take Rossi and move into podium contention before his engine cried no more and sidelined him in a carbon copy of Rossi’s fate in the opening round. But Bagnaia’s certain second place and career-first MotoGP podium was also robbed when smoke began billowing from his GP20 with just seven laps to go.

Two laps left to run and Quartararo had a 7.3-second lead before a mistake from Rossi finally allowed Vinales through. Rossi hung onto third place to celebrate on the podium for the first time since the Grand Prix of Americas last year.

The Doctor was up to his old tricks again

Just 13 riders saw the chequered flag, including Alex Rins (Ecstar Suzuki) in 10th and Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) in 13th after suffering a dislocation-fractured right shoulder and a broken scaphoid respectively just seven days earlier.

Nakagami held on for a career-best fourth place ahead of Suzuki star Joan Mir, and Andrea Dovizioso (Team Ducati), who remains third in the standings behind Quartararo and Vinales. Pol Espargaro’s seventh-place finish didn’t reflect KTM’s strong showing throughout the weekend, though the Spaniard ended up being the only KTM over the line with Brad Binder, Miguel Oliveira and Iker Lecuona all crashing.

Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda), Johann Zarco (Avintia Ducati) and Rins rounded out the top 10. Rossi’s third place moves him to sixth overall in the standings with 16 points, behind Nakagami and Pol Espargaro who are tied on 19.

Rossi was happy to stand on the podium once again

The Moto2 World Championship has added a new name to its winners list after Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Kalex) controlled the 23-lap race from start to finish. Last weekend’s winner Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Racing) rode a level-headed race to finish second, moving himself to third in the standings, just five from points leader Tetsuya Nagashima, while Marini’s teammate Marco Bezzecchi finished third.

Aussie Remy Gardner (Onexox SAG Team Kalex) continued his struggles with grip and finished the race in 14th from 14th on the grid.

Meanwhile, Albert Arenas’ (Aspar Racing) run of two Moto3 wins in a row ended in the gravel this weekend, while a determined Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) won the race from pole position. Scotsman John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Honda) held off Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing VR46) for second place. Arenas still leads the standings on 50 points ahead of Suzuki (44), McPhee (40) and Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) on 36 points.

The series now moves to the Czech Republic’s Brno Circuit over 7-9 August.

Quartararo continues undefeated 2020 MotoGP campaign

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