Spain's Canet heads up the riders' standings, extending his lead from three points before the race to 23, with his closest rival Lorenzo Dalla Porta forced to retire with trouble on board his Honda
Spain's Marc Marquez
Montmelo (Spain): Spain's Marc Marquez, on a Honda, stretched his lead atop the standings after streaking to victory in Sunday's Catalan MotoGP. It was five-time world champion Marquez's first victory on his home region Montmelo track since 2014 and came hot on the heels of that of his younger brother Alex in the Moto2 class earlier in the day. "All the team did a very good job and I congratulate them for that," said Marc Marquez.
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"It was a great race." French Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo, just 11 days after undergoing surgery on his arm, started from pole in the seventh MotoGP of the season and eventually came in second, 2.66sec off Marquez. Marquez, on 140 points, benefitted from a fall by Italian rival Andrea Dovizioso to consolidate his lead in the world championship rankings and is now 37pts clear. Dovizioso was brought down along with Yamaha pair Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinales by Honda rider Jorge Lorenzo. "You don't have any options if you brake a little bit too late, like happened with me. It was my fault, my mistake and I apologise.
It was really unfortunate to take out Dovi, Maverick and Valentino - it wasn't their fault, it was mine," Lorenzo tweeted. His victory came on the 70th anniversary of MotoGP. The competition's first race, the Tourist Trophy of the Isle of Man, was held in 1949 and won by Britain's Freddie Frith. Alex Marquez, on a Kalex, saw his Moto2 win propel him atop the category's standings. Marquez clocked 38min 25.678sec to finish ahead of Switzerland's Thomas Luthi, with another Spaniard, Jorge Navarro, rounding out the podium at the Montmelo circuit.
The victory saw Marquez leapfrog Italian teammate Lorenzo Baldassarri in the standings. There was more glory for Spain in the Moto3 when Marcos Ramirez, on a Honda, notched up his maiden victory, and in doing so became the 12th different winner in the last 12 races in the highly competitive class. Ramirez took the lead from Honda teammate Kaito Toba after the Japanese, who started 24th on the grid, fell on the final lap. Despite a last-corner pass attempt from KTM's Spanish rider Aron Canet, Ramirez held on through to the line of a chaotic, crash-marred race. Spain's Canet heads up the riders' standings, extending his lead from three points before the race to 23, with his closest rival Lorenzo Dalla Porta forced to retire with trouble on board his Honda.
Here are some reactions on Twitter to the Catalan GP:
La mejor manera de terminar el domingo! Doble victoria, doble felicidad! u00f0u009fu0098u0083
— Marc Márquez (@marcmarquez93) June 16, 2019
The best way to end this sunday! Double victory, double happiness!#CatalanGP pic.twitter.com/0veVXbtwg7
A dream Sunday in Barcelona for @marcmarquez93! u00f0u009fu00a5u0087#CatalanGP u00f0u009fu008fu0081 pic.twitter.com/9jnS9HgJJ8
— MotoGP™ u00f0u009fu008fu0081 (@MotoGP) June 16, 2019
We saw that you liked the video of @marcmarquez93 tripping in pit lane u00f0u009fu0098u0082
— MotoGP™ u00f0u009fu008fu0081 (@MotoGP) June 14, 2019
What about now? u00e2u008fu00aa#CatalanGP pic.twitter.com/cNE92AWtQG
u00f0u009fu0093u008d Circuit de Barcelona - Catalunya
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) June 16, 2019
u00f0u009fu008fu0086 @marcmarquez93 u00f0u009fu008fu008d u00e2u009du00a4 u00f0u009fu0094u00b5u00f0u009fu0094u00b4
u00f0u009fu008fu0081 Congrats for your victory in the #CatalanGP!
u00f0u009fu0099u008c @motogp pic.twitter.com/LpRsSHslJ9
Hats off! u00f0u009fu00a4u009d
— MotoGP™ u00f0u009fu008fu0081 (@MotoGP) June 16, 2019
Today reminded us of this famous moment! When the best give you their seal of approval, you've definitely made it! u00f0u009fu0098u008e#CatalanGP | #MotoGP70 u00f0u009fu008fu0081 pic.twitter.com/zrXl4CwxDK
With inputs from AFP
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