Rossi takes first blood

MotoGP
1. Valentino Rossi, Movistar Yamaha, 42m 35.717s
2. Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team, 0.174s
3. Andrea Iannone, Ducati Team, 2.250s
Pole Position: Dovizioso, 1:54.113 = 169.7 km/h
Fastest lap: Rossi, 1:55.267 = 168.0 km/h

Championship top 3
Rossi 25 points • Dovizioso 20 • Iannone 16

Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha), Dovizioso and Iannone made the running from the start, while Rossi was languishing in 10th and it was even more dire for reigning world champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda): he ran wide at turn one just after the start and had to pick his way back through the field from last position.

Marquez finished the 22-lapper in fifth, while at the front it came down to a stupendous all-Italian battle between the aggressive Rossi and polesitter Dovizioso on the lightning fast Ducati. Rossi's faultless last lap saw him outlast his compatriot by 0.174s to win his 83rd premier class race, with Iannone just in front of Lorenzo a couple of seconds further back.

"This is one of the best victories of my career," said a beaming Rossi. "I had to fight back step-by-step in that race and then it was very hard work with Jorge and the two Ducatis, but I knew in some places that I was very strong."

Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) was sixth while Australia's MotoGP debutante Jack Miller (CWM LCR Honda) was in early contention for a world championship point before he ran off at turn one and then crashed on the final lap, taking out Czech rider Karel Abraham (AB Motoracing Honda) with him.

Moto2
1. Jonas Folger, AGR Team Kalex, 40m 18.532s
2. Xavier Simeon, Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 Kalex, 5.051s
3. Tom Luthi, Derendinger Racing Interwetten Suter, 12.123s

Pole Position: Sam Lowes (Speed Up Racing), 1:59.423 = 162.1 km/h
Fastest lap (record): Johann Zarco (Ajo Motorsport Kalex), 1:59.918 = 161.5 km/h

Championship top 3
Folger 25 points • Simeon 20 • Luthi 16

German Jonas Folger scored his debut win in the intermediate category, but it was somewhat of a gift after Johann Zarco was on course for victory before a late technical problem dropped him back to eighth. Xavier Simeon and Tom Luthi rounded out the podium, the latter just holding off a fast-finishing class rookie Alex Rins (Paginas Amarillas HP 40). Reigning Moto3 world champion Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS Kalex) was 11th.

Polesitter Sam Lowes (Speed Up Racing) and world champion Tito Rabat (EG 0,0 Marc VDS Kalex) both crashed out, the same fate that also took Australian Anthony West (QMMF Racing Team Speed Up) out of proceedings.

Moto3    
1. Alexis Masbou, Saxoprint RTG Honda, 38m 25.424s
2. Enea Bastianini, Gresini Racing Team Moto3 Honda, 0.027s
3. Danny Kent, Leopard Racing Honda, 0.242s    

Pole Position: Masbou, 2:06.170 = 153.5 km/h
Fastest lap: Bastianini, 2:06.561 = 153.0 km/h

Championship top 3
Masbou 25 points • Bastianini 20 • Kent 16

More exceptionally close racing from the Moto3 brigade, with the top 10 finishers just over a second apart. Frenchman Alexis Masbou held his nerves the best in the rolling scrum to edge out Italian Enea Bastianini and Danny Kent.

Rookie Fabio Quartararo (Estrella Galicia 0,0), still only 15, showed his potential by leading the race at one point before finishing in seventh, and one of the pre-race favourites, Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo), fell at turn one but managed to rejoin the race and finish in 16th.

Oliveira fell in front of Aussie rookie Remy Gardner (CIP Mahindra), who was forced to run wide and fell back to 30th. He immediately began a stirring recovery mission but then crashed on lap nine.

For a full list of results click here.

Next round: Austin, Texas, April 12