MotoGP

Yamaha's Maverick Vinales will be out to continue his perfect start to the 2017 MotoGP season, as the riders head to the Circuit of the Americas for the United States Grand Prix.

Since his move to Yamaha, the young Spaniard has excelled, taking the chequered flag on his full team debut at the season-opening Qatar event before repeating the trick at Round 2 in Argentina. Vinales is the man they'll all be trying to stop this weekend.

But, as is always the case with MotoGP, there are a clutch of stellar names that'll be keen to knock the youngster off his perch. They will include veteran team-mate Valentino Rossi—third and second in the first two races—and defending champion Marc Marquez, who has yet to finish on the podium.

Here's the schedule for the weekend in Austin, Texas, the details on where you can stream the action and a closer look at some competitors that'll be keen to perform.

Date	Time (BST)	Session
Friday, April 21	9:55 a.m. - 10:40 a.m.	Practice 1
Friday, April 21	2:05 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.	Practice 2
Saturday, April 22	9:55 a.m. - 10:40 a.m.	Practice 3
Saturday, April 22	1:30 p.m. - 2 p.m.	Practice 4
Saturday, April 22	2:10 p.m. - 2:25 p.m.	Qualifying 1
Saturday, April 22	2:35 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.	Qualifying 2
Sunday, April 23	2 p.m.	Race

Live Stream: BT Sport website (UK), beIN Sports CONNECT (U.S.)

Top Riders

Although Vinales showed plenty of promise in his first two years in MotoGP with Suzuki, few would have expected him to have such a good start to his time with Yamaha.

They were two very different displays from the 22-year-old, too. Vinales recovered after a poor start from pole in Qatar, moving through to take the lead late on and hold off a late rally from Andrea Dovizioso. In Argentina, he capitalised from a peculiar error from Marquez.

As noted by The Fat Biker, it's a long time since a Yamaha debutant enjoyed such a positive start to life with the team:

If he wins the #ArgentinaGP, Viñales will become the first Yamaha rider since Wayne Rainey in 1991 to win the first two races of the season.

— The Fat Biker (@Rohit_Paradkar) April 9, 2017

Indeed, Vinales was the first Yamaha rider to take top spot on his opening appearance for the team since Rossi did so in 2004. The challenge for the wily Italian now will be finding a way to cling on to the coattails of his younger team-mate.

Not that it's been a bad start to the season for the man known as The Doctor. A third-place finish in Qatar was bettered by second in Argentina; there have been some signs that Rossi is beginning to settle into a groove.

Vinales and Rossi will have to bring their best if they're to get the better of Marquez, though, as he's been untouchable at the Circuit of the Americas in recent years.

Indeed, since it was added to the MotoGP schedule in 2013, the Honda world champion has won every race he's been involved in there from pole. After his error in Argentina, this is arguably the perfect race for Marquez to respond and get his 2017 campaign up and running. 

As the Box Repsol Twitter feed noted recently, not only does Marquez excel in qualifying at the Circuit of the Americas, he's one of the best qualifiers in MotoGP history:

#MM93, rider with the most pole positions in history 👉6️⃣6️⃣
4️⃣consecutive poles at the #ArgentinaGP! 🔁
👏👏👏👏#RepsolTeam pic.twitter.com/CNreldsoVJ

— Box_Repsol (@box_repsol) April 10, 2017

Vinales, who has finished fourth and 10th at this circuit with Suzuki, believes his own riding style aligns well with the track.

"I think it is an excellent circuit for my riding style, I love the up and down track, with lots of elevation, so I'm so excited to see how my M1 will work here and how I'm going to feel riding the Yamaha," said the world championship leader, per crash.net. "I'm confident and I know that I can do another good race weekend."

As strong as Vinales has been to this point, taming Marquez at this venue has been a step too far for so many riders. If the Yamaha man was to overhaul his compatriot, then he has to be considered a genuine contender for the title.

Marquez looked to have the pace on the Honda in Argentina and would have undoubtedly been in contention to win if not for his mishap. At a circuit where he only has positive memories from years gone by, expect the champion to ignite his campaign.

Prediction: 1. Marquez, 2. Vinales, 3. Rossi

Maverick Vinales won the 2017 MotoGP Argentina Grand Prix on the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit on Sunday, finishing ahead of Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi, while CWM LCR Honda's Cal Crutchlow also made the podium in third.

Yamaha's Vinales gained the lead shortly after Marc Marquez took a fall turning the corner at the second turn on the fourth lap. Marquez had entered the race on pole, but the tumble cost him dearly as Vinales seized a lead he never relinquished.

The 22-year-old has now made history by becoming the "first Yamaha rider since Wayne Rainey in 1991 to win the opening two races of the season," per Ian Marsden of the Daily Telegraph.

Here are the results and timings from the race:

Position	Rider	Team	Time
1	Maverick Vinales	Yamaha	41:45.060
2	Valentino Rossi	Yamaha	+2.915
3	Cal Crutchlow	CWM LCR Honda	+3.754
4	Alvaro Bautista	Aspar Racing	+6.523
5	Johann Zarco	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	+15.504
6	Jonas Folger	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	+18.241
7	Danilo Petrucci	OCTO Pramac Racing	+20.046
8	Scott Redding	OCTO Pramac Racing	+25.480
9	Jack Miller	EG	+25.665
10	Karel Abraham	Pull&Bear Aspar Team	+26.403
11	Loris Baz	Reale Avintia Racing	+26.952
12	Tito Rabat	EG	+41.875
13	Hector Barbera	Reale Avintia Racing	+42.770
14	Pol Espargaro	Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	+43.085
15	Bradley Smith	Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	+43.452
16	Andrea Iannone	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR	+46.219

Here's what the overall standings for the MotoGP look like after Vinales' second-straight win this season:

Position	Rider	Team	Points
1	Maverick Vinales	Yamaha	50
2	Valentino Rossi	Yamaha	36
3	Andrea Dovizioso	Ducati Team	20
4	Scott Redding	OCTO Pramac Racing	17
5	Cal Crutchlow	CWM LCR Honda	16
6	Jonas Folger	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	16
7	Jack Miller	EG	15
8	Marc Marquez	Repsol Honda Team	13
9	Alvaro Bautista	Ducati Team	13
10	Dani Pedrosa	Repsol Honda Team	11
11	Johann Zarco	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	11
12	Aleix Espargaro	Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	10
13	Danilo Petrucci	OCTO Pramac Racing	9
14	Loris Baz	Reale Avintia Racing	9
15	Kavel Abraham	Pull&Bear Aspar Team	8
16	Alex Rins	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR	7
17	Hector Barbera	Reale Avintia Racing	6
18	Jorge Lorenzo	Ducati Team	5
19	Tito Rabat	EG	5
20	Pol Espargaro	Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	2
21	Bradley Smith	Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	1
22	Andrea Iannone	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR
23	Sam Lowes	Aprilia Racing Team Gresini

Recap

Defending champion Marquez looked to be in firm control of the race when he bossed the first lap, per MotoGP:

End of the first lap, #MM93 isn't hanging around - already making a break for it! Crutchlow second from Viñales & Rossi #ArgentinaGP pic.twitter.com/YtTSSta09d

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 9, 2017

However, disaster befell the favourite on the fourth lap. Marquez took a fall at a particularly tricky corner. The sudden crash was relayed by btsportmotogp:

.@marcmarquez93 is out!

The pole man slides out of this one when he was leading the #ArgentinaGP! 😮 pic.twitter.com/l3jdXzBztH

— TNT Sports Bikes (@bikesontnt) April 9, 2017

Marquez taking a fall naturally meant the race became wide-open. It also gave an opportunity to the other fancied riders.

Not surprisingly, it was Vinales, the rider chasing after history, who took full advantage:

Fastest lap goes to Viñales out front, while the battle for 4th intensifies between Petrucci, Pedrosa, Bautista & Zarco!#ArgentinaGP pic.twitter.com/9x548b6NF1

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 9, 2017

Yet while Vinales was making his move, riders further back were finding the same corner that ended the race for Marquez a problem. His Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa was the next to fall at the fateful corner, right at the time the 31-year-old was looking like he could make fourth place his own.

Pedrosa's fall meant Johann Zarco began to force an advantage in the battle for fourth. Further forward, Rossi and Crutchlow were waging a terrific race for second.

Coventry native Crutchlow had the edge until Rossi made his move late on at Turn 5:

Rossi makes his move! He's up into second past Crutchlow...

The hunt for Viñales begins... can he catch him? #ArgentinaGP pic.twitter.com/jiB7sZnKTU

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 9, 2017

Now it was a straight run for Rossi, who was riding in his 350th grand prix, to try to haul in Vinales. However, the youthful Spaniard didn't look like he was about to let his lead slip:

Looks like it could well be another masterclass from @maverickmack25 again!

3 laps to go! #ArgentinaGP pic.twitter.com/KVt3u3kqfy

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 9, 2017

True to form, Vinales won with some room to spare to further endorse his credentials as the sport's burgeoning star.

Post-Race Reaction

The winner confirmed how challenging he found the race, per MotoGP:

"Difficult race, very difficult race!" - @maverickmack25#ArgentinaGP pic.twitter.com/S61zSjmBvl

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 9, 2017

Meanwhile, Rossi expressed his delight at how things played out for him during a landmark race:

"Was a good race, I enjoyed it a lot!" - @ValeYellow46 #ArgentinaGP pic.twitter.com/APXer1Po5s

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 9, 2017

The Yamaha duo have now taken control of the overall standings ahead of the third round. However, Marquez still boasts the talent to put today's disappointing events behind him and push Vinales all the way.

The 2017 MotoGP season kicked off in entertaining fashion late last month as Spain's Maverick Vinales held off Andrea Dovizioso and Valentino Rossi to win the opening race in Qatar.

Sunday sees the second race of the season, this time around the Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo in Argentina, and Vinales, 22, will be aiming for back-to-back victories as a Yamaha rider.

He will face stiff competition, though. Defending world champion Marc Marquez will be looking to improve on his fourth-place finish at Qatar, while Jorge Lorenzo has much to prove with his new Ducati team.

Here is the schedule for the weekend's action:

Date	Time (BST)	Session
Friday, April 7	1:55 p.m	Free Practice 1
Friday, April 7	6:05 p.m.	Free Practice 2
Saturday, April 8	1:55 p.m	Free Practice 3
Saturday, April 8	5:30 p.m.	Free Practice 4
Saturday, April 8	6:10 p.m.	Qualifying 1
Saturday, April 8	6:35 p.m.	Qualifying 2
Sunday, April 9	8 p.m.	Race

The action can be streamed via the BT Sport website (UK) and beIN Sports Connect (U.S.)

Maverick Vinales 

Vinales had looked impressive throughout the winter and duly converted pole position into a race victory in Qatar.

Per BT Sport MotoGP, he did not have it all his own way but eventually won his battle against Ducati's Dovizioso to seal the win:

✅ King of preseason
✅ First win of year@maverickmack25 is the man to catch...relive the best bits from #QatarGP.🙌 https://t.co/2Wj270JdfN

— TNT Sports Bikes (@bikesontnt) March 27, 2017

The key now is for the young Spaniard to continue his excellent form and earn his place as the man to beat this season with another fine performance in Argentina.

As part of the Suzuki team last year Vinales failed to finish in Argentina, but he did claim 10th place in 2015.

He now has the bike and the momentum to seal his first victory at the circuit and pile the pressure on the likes of Marquez and Lorenzo very early in the season.

Vinales is aware that he is now a marked man, but he insisted that makes him more motivated, per RoadRacingWorld.com: "I can feel the pressure a little bit because the level of my rivals is very high, but that motivates me even more to keep working hard."

Jorge Lorenzo

Three-time MotoGP world champion Lorenzo endured a tough opening race as a Ducati rider in Qatar as he could only finish in 11th place.

He was plagued by rear-grip issues in the season opener and was eclipsed by team-mate Dovizioso.

The 29-year-old Spaniard hinted at the problem being a lack of familiarity with the Ducati but said he was raring to go ahead of the Argentina Grand Prix, per Crash.net: "In Qatar the world championship didn't begin the way we wanted but now we have to turn over a page and carry on, by focussing on the next race. I can't wait for the Argentina GP weekend to begin so I can accumulate more mileage and experience on the Ducati."

A decent grid position would be a good start for Lorenzo as he looks to make an impact on the early championship standings.

He has never won in Argentina but has experienced triumph almost everywhere else.

It was always likely Lorenzo would take a little time to adapt to his new bike and team, but he will want to show at the weekend that he is still set to be a legitimate force in the 2017 MotoGP season. 

Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo won his final race with the team at the MotoGP Grand Prix of Valencia on Sunday, as he led from start to finish in the last outing of the 2016 season. 

After showcasing searing pace in qualifying, Lorenzo, who will ride for Ducati next year, was alert off the start and able to build a comfortable lead.

The most intriguing battles came in pursuit of the other two podium spots; Honda’s Marc Marquez, who had secured the world championship ahead of this weekend, came home in second despite a late surge, with Ducati's Andrea Iannone holding off Yamaha man Valentino Rossi for third.

The MotoGP Twitter feed captured the moment Lorenzo triumphed and noted what a landmark day it was for the Spaniard:

🏁 #MotoGP

250 GPs ✅
Last race for @YamahaMotoGP ✅
WIN ✅🏆

👏 #JL99 #HastaLaVistaBaby#ValenciaGP pic.twitter.com/ky1MrAGSMm

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) November 13, 2016

Here is a look at the results from the final race of 2016 and the final standings at the end of another gripping season:

POS	RIDER	TEAM	BIKE	GAP
1	Jorge Lorenzo	Yamaha	Yamaha	45m54.228s
2	Marc Marquez	Honda	Honda	1.185s
3	Andrea Iannone	Ducati	Ducati	6.603s
4	Valentino Rossi	Yamaha	Yamaha	7.668s
5	Maverick Vinales	Suzuki	Suzuki	10.610s
6	Pol Espargaro	Tech3 Yamaha	Yamaha	18.378s
7	Andrea Dovizioso	Ducati	Ducati	18.417s
8	Aleix Espargaro	Suzuki	Suzuki	18.678s
9	Bradley Smith	Tech3 Yamaha	Yamaha	25.993s
10	Alvaro Bautista	Aprilia	Aprilia	35.065s
11	Hector Barbera	Avintia Ducati	Ducati	36.425s
12	Danilo Petrucci	Pramac Ducati	Ducati	42.415s
13	Stefan Bradl	Aprilia	Aprilia	49.823s
14	Scott Redding	Pramac Ducati	Ducati	52.035s
15	Jack Miller	Marc VDS Honda	Honda	55.625s
16	Eugene Laverty	Aspar Ducati	Ducati	58.254s
17	Tito Rabat	Marc VDS Honda	Honda	58.555s
18	Loris Baz	Avintia Ducati	Ducati	1m06.164s
-	Mika Kallio	KTM	KTM	Retirement
-	Cal Crutchlow	LCR Honda	Honda	Retirement
-	Dani Pedrosa	Honda	Honda	Retirement
-	Yonny Hernandez	Aspar Ducati	Ducati	Retirement

POS	RIDER	POINTS
1	Marc Marquez	298
2	Valentino Rossi	249
3	Jorge Lorenzo	233
4	Maverick Vinales	202
5	Andrea Dovizioso	171
6	Dani Pedrosa	155
7	Cal Crutchlow	141
8	Pol Espargaro	134
9	Andrea Iannone	112
10	Hector Barbera	102
11	Aleix Espargaro	93
12	Alvaro Bautista	82
13	Eugene Laverty	77
14	Danilo Petrucci	75
15	Scott Redding	74
16	Stefan Bradl	63
17	Bradley Smith	62
18	Jack Miller	57
19	Michele Pirro	36
20	Loris Baz	35
21	Tito Rabat	29
22	Yonny Hernandez	20
23	Katsuyuki Nakasuga	5
24	Alex Lowes	3
25	Hiroshi Aoyama	1
26	Nicky Hayden	1
27	Mike Jones	1

After a scintillating performance in qualifying on Saturday, Lorenzo, who set a lap record to take pole, was sharp off the line here and was able to build up a decent lead. Meanwhile, Marquez stuttered out of the traps, falling back down the field.

Rossi also suffered a slow start, although, as we can see here, it didn’t take long for the Italian to settle into a trademark groove and jump past Maverick Vinales:

#VR46 makes a precision move up the inside of #MV25 at turn 14! He's into third! #ValenciaGP https://t.co/ybEBLk6z9X

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) November 13, 2016

Indeed, Rossi was quickly onto the back of Ducati’s Iannone, as the two Italians engaged in a thrilling tussle for second place. Eventually, it was the Yamaha rider who made his move stick after numerous interchanges, while a reeling Iannone had Marquez for company.

Meanwhile, up front, Lorenzo was capitalising on the squabbles behind, excelling with a clear road in front of him and trimming more time off the lap record in the process. At the halfway point of the race, the former world champion had built up an impressive lead in excess of four seconds.

With Lorenzo dominating, the focus of the fans in attendance turned to the scrap for the preliminary places on the podium.

Marquez, who had looked more comfortable on wearing tyres all week, came alive in the second half of the race, first passing Rossi and then eventually moving up into second place with a slick overtake on Iannone, who had managed to battle back ahead of his compatriot.

The Box Repsol Twitter feed paid tribute to the Honda star, who showcased his tremendous overtaking skill in those exchanges:

Great stuff from #MM93! Up into second! 3 Iannone 4 Rossi 5 Maverick. 10 laps to go. #ValenciaGP#RepsolTeam pic.twitter.com/UssFdgvWW2

— Box_Repsol (@box_repsol) November 13, 2016

#MM93 now 3 seconds clear of Iannone, Rossi and Maverick. Gap to Lorenzo 3.5 seconds. 5 more laps! #MotoGP#ValenciaGP#RepsolTeam

— Box_Repsol (@box_repsol) November 13, 2016

The world champion then set about chopping down the gap to Lorenzo, and, suddenly there seemed to be a chance of victory for Marquez, with the front tyre on the Yamaha starting to grain. The Honda rider had sensed blood with the gap quickly coming down and was on the charge.

However, the outgoing world champion ultimately had too much of a buffer to the new world champion, and he was able to cling on to first place, signing off on his time at Yamaha in the best way possible. The Moto Race Feed hailed the tactical acumen of Lorenzo:

0 laps to go. #MotoGP #ValenciaGP

Amazing, perfect race craft from #JL99 there.

— Moto Race Feed (@MotoRaceFeed) November 13, 2016

The race for third was ultimately a lot tighter, with the Italian duo of Rossi and Iannone exchanging places right up until the final lap. However, on a sprint to the line, the straight speed of the Ducati allowed Iannone to oust his compatriot.

Afterward, Lorenzo was unsurprisingly delighted. "I'm very, very happy," he said, per Crash.net. "Now I can relax and sleep a bit. I had the perfect end. Luckily I could open the gap at the beginning but I suffered so much in the last 10 laps. I could win by one second and now it's time for a big celebration."

While he didn't win on the day, it’s been a year to remember for Marquez and the Honda team. They may not have been as dominant as they were in the Spaniard’s two other title wins, but the 23-year-old has had to show determination and exceptional race craft at times this term to clinch critical points. 

Next season, Marquez, who is maturing all the time, will be the man to beat again, although it’s set to be another fascinating term. Vinales’ move to Yamaha to work alongside Rossi will shake things up dramatically, while Lorenzo offered a reminder of his talents as he gets set for another exciting chapter in his storied career.

The Valencia Grand Prix on November 13 marks the final race of the 2016 MotoGP season, and although Marc Marquez has already wrapped up the championship, this should be an exciting finale to an unpredictable year.

Andrea Dovizioso of the Ducati team became the ninth winner of 2016 at the Malaysian MotoGP, setting a new all-time record. Given that Jorge Lorenzo, Marquez and Valentino Rossi shared the first seven victories of 2016 before this incredible sequence of outsider winners, a 10th victor is not off the cards.

A number of drivers will be hoping to put on a good performance before switching teams for the 2017 season, and after Dovizioso’s shock win, it appears that anything is possible.

Key Battles

Marquez vs. Lorenzo

Marquez’s name is synonymous with this venue. The Spaniard's final Moto2 event was in Valencia in 2012, when he started in last place but overtook 22 riders on the first lap to win his final race in the category.

Marquez has an excellent recent record at the Ricardo Tormo, finishing third (2013), first (2014) and second (2015) in the last three years.

The Spaniard will be desperate for victory following his disappointment in Malaysia and Australia. A crash in Phillip Island was followed by another mistake at the Sepang International Circuit to leave Marquez deeply frustrated in 11th. He may have the championship sewn up, but his season of celebration threatens to end with a whimper.

Lorenzo, meanwhile, is chasing glory in his final race for Yamaha before his move to the Ducati team. After lifting three world championships and winning 43 races for the Japanese manufacturers, he will want to provide a fitting ending.

The Spanish driver won at this track in 2010, 2013, and 2015, as he pointed out recently on Twitter:

Just one year ago I achieved my 3rd MotoGP World Championship in Valencia! The most special Title and an unforgettable moment! #ThanksYamaha pic.twitter.com/y9KTYbljso

— Jorge Lorenzo (@lorenzo99) November 8, 2016

These two Spanish drivers, who have shared the last three Valencia MotoGP events, will battle it out for first place on home soil. 

   

Kallio vs. Dovizioso

Austrian manufacturer KTM will make its MotoGP debut this weekend in Valencia, with Mika Kallio driving the RC16 as a wild card entry. Although this is largely seen as a test run for KTM before Yamaha pair Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro drive full-time in the 2017 season, this remarkable and unpredictable season makes a stunning debut win possible.

It would be a truly magical way to announce their arrival, albeit an unlikely one.

“We are not calling this race one for the RC16 but 'race zero',” said KTM technical director Sebastian Risse, as per Mitchell Adam for AutoSport. “When the lights go out at Valencia, we will get a real experience of all our technical work and team preparation.”

Another driver keen to make an impact in Spain is Dovizioso, a driver in excellent form who will be hoping to maintain momentum before the 2017 season begins. The Italian finished second in Japan, fourth in Australia and first in Malaysia. Victory at the Ricardo Tormo would be his first-ever back-to-back MotoGP wins. 

   

The Track

The four-kilometre long Circuito de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo is situated on the outskirts of the city of Valencia and is a fantastic venue for fans of the sport. Its unusual design means that spectators can see most of the action from any vantage point in the calendar’s only stadium circuit.

Its anti-clockwise design has 13 corners and a straight of just 650 metres, making it a fairly small and slow track. There are a total of eight left-hand corners and five right-hand corners.

Watch MotoGP's official video to see a full track guide:

Prediction

A 10th different winner seems highly unlikely, although the season finale takes place at a wonderful venue for fans, which should create a carnival atmosphere for riders under no pressure to perform. Expect aggressive and exciting driving and Lorenzo to win his third Valencia MotoGP in four years.

Don't be surprised if Kallio finishes in the top five, particularly if Marquez has yet another bad day. This track has been won by a Spaniard on eight out of 17 occasions, making a victorious day for the home fans seem likely again. Lorenzo shouldn't disappoint.   

Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso grabbed his first MotoGP win since 2009 on Sunday, beating Valentino Rossi of Movistar Yamaha to the finish line at the 2016 Malaysia Grand Prix.

Dovizioso was the fastest man in a rain-soaked race that saw both world champion Marc Marquez and Andrea Iannone crash out of the front group after impressing early. Jorge Lorenzo was the main beneficiary of those crashes, as he was able to limit the damage in the overall standings.

It wasn't good enough to keep the race for second place alive, however, as Rossi's second-placed finish in Malaysia means the veteran's lead in the standings can no longer be bridged with just one race left.

Here's a look at the results from Sunday's race:

Pos.	Points	Rider	Nation	Team	Time/Gap
1	25	Andrea DOVIZIOSO	ITA	Ducati Team	42'27.333
2	20	Valentino ROSSI	ITA	Movistar Yamaha MotoGP	+3.115
3	16	Jorge LORENZO	SPA	Movistar Yamaha MotoGP	+11.924
4	13	Hector BARBERA	SPA	Avintia Racing	+19.916
5	11	Loris BAZ	FRA	Avintia Racing	+21.353
6	10	Maverick VINALES	SPA	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR	+22.932
7	9	Alvaro BAUTISTA	SPA	Aprilia Racing Team Gresini	+25.829
8	8	Jack MILLER	AUS	Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS	+32.746
9	7	Pol ESPARGARO	SPA	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	+33.704
10	6	Danilo PETRUCCI	ITA	OCTO Pramac Yakhnich	+34.280
11	5	Marc MARQUEZ	SPA	Repsol Honda Team	+36.480
12	4	Eugene LAVERTY	IRL	Pull & Bear Aspar Team	+36.638
13	3	Aleix ESPARGARO	SPA	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR	+36.897
14	2	Bradley SMITH	GBR	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	+45.609
15	1	Scott REDDING	GBR	OCTO Pramac Yakhnich	+49.779
16		Hiroshi AOYAMA	JPN	Repsol Honda Team	+52.665
17		Stefan BRADL	GER	Aprilia Racing Team Gresini	+52.784
18		Tito RABAT	SPA	Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS	+54.891
Not Classified
29		Andrea IANNONE	ITA	Ducati Team	7 Laps
35		Cal CRUTCHLOW	GBR	LCR Honda	8 Laps
68		Yonny HERNANDEZ	COL	Pull & Bear Aspar Team	8 Laps

The current MotoGP standings:

Pos.	Rider	Bike	Nation	Points
1	Marc MARQUEZ	Honda	SPA	278
2	Valentino ROSSI	Yamaha	ITA	236
3	Jorge LORENZO	Yamaha	SPA	208
4	Maverick VINALES	Suzuki	SPA	191
5	Andrea DOVIZIOSO	Ducati	ITA	162
6	Dani PEDROSA	Honda	SPA	155
7	Cal CRUTCHLOW	Honda	GBR	141
8	Pol ESPARGARO	Yamaha	SPA	124
9	Hector BARBERA	Ducati	SPA	97
10	Andrea IANNONE	Ducati	ITA	96
11	Aleix ESPARGARO	Suzuki	SPA	85
12	Eugene LAVERTY	Ducati	IRL	77
13	Alvaro BAUTISTA	Aprilia	SPA	76
14	Scott REDDING	Ducati	GBR	72
15	Danilo PETRUCCI	Ducati	ITA	71
16	Stefan BRADL	Aprilia	GER	60
17	Jack MILLER	Honda	AUS	56
18	Bradley SMITH	Yamaha	GBR	55
19	Michele PIRRO	Ducati	ITA	36
20	Loris BAZ	Ducati	FRA	35
21	Tito RABAT	Honda	SPA	29
22	Yonny HERNANDEZ	Ducati	COL	20
23	Katsuyuki NAKASUGA	Yamaha	JPN	5
24	Alex LOWES	Yamaha	GBR	3
25	Hiroshi AOYAMA	Honda	JPN	1
26	Nicky HAYDEN	Honda	USA	1
27	Mike JONES	Ducati	AUS	1

As shared by Crash.net MotoGP, heavy rains delayed the start of the Malaysian Grand Prix and left the track soaking wet:

Race start delayed... again! #MalaysianGP #MotoGP pic.twitter.com/WDBksGq1yQ

— Crash MotoGP (@crash_motogp) October 30, 2016

Rossi even made the decision to change bikes, as the tricky conditions wreaked havoc on the field before the race even started. Race officials also decided to reduce the race by one lap when the clouds finally cleared.

Lorenzo took the lead into Turn 1 ahead of Marquez, Dovizioso and Rossi, but the opening lap soon turned into a hectic affair, with overtakes left and right. In the blink of an eye, Marquez took the lead and Rossi moved up to second, as Lorenzo's wet-weather struggles showed once again.

It was Dovizioso who eventually emerged at the front of the pack ahead of Rossi, while Lorenzo fell all the way back to sixth place by the end of Lap 1. Iannone soon pushed himself into second place past Dovizioso, who had lost the lead to Rossi.

Crash.net MotoGP shared this photo of Iannone's overtake for first, in which you can clearly see how wet some parts of the track still were:

Iannone passes Rossi for the lead on lap 2. #MalaysianGP #MotoGP @andreaiannone29 @DucatiMotor pic.twitter.com/LbNDLFZG2l

— Crash MotoGP (@crash_motogp) October 30, 2016

The four leaders held a gap of over a second on Lorenzo entering Lap 4 and swiftly started to build their lead, the perfect scenario for Rossi with an eye on the race for second place. Even Cal Crutchlow passed Lorenzo, who finally found his groove and joined the top-six riders after four laps.

Rossi and Iannone had their own private battle at the front, as shared by MotoGP's official Twitter account:

After several attempts, #VR46 makes a move stick on #AI29... the Doctor leads!#MalaysianGP https://t.co/xT2ftvX8Zx

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) October 30, 2016

Iannone seemed to hit back every time Rossi took the upper hand, with several lead changes over the course of just a few laps.

At the halfway point of the race, Lorenzo was losing ground fast on the leaders, as he sat 2.5 seconds behind Marquez. Of the front-runners, the world champion was the fastest, although he sat half a second behind Rossi, Iannone and Dovizioso.

The rain had served up few surprises up until that point, but that was about to change. First, Marquez lost the front of his bike on Turn 11, crashing out of fourth place, before Iannone's hard work became undone at the front, per Crash.net MotoGP:

Now Iannone is down from 3rd! That leaves a victory duel between Rossi and Dovizioso. #MalaysianGP #MotoGP pic.twitter.com/TEw02KKA8t

— Crash MotoGP (@crash_motogp) October 30, 2016

Not only was the crash a big blow for the Italian―it also put Lorenzo back on the virtual podium, with such a result having huge championship implications.

At the front, Dovizioso passed Rossi and immediately pushed his lead up to several seconds, and he cruised to the win from that point. Rossi hung on to his second place, meaning Lorenzo's efforts were all for naught, per Crash.net MotoGP:

Rossi celebrates 2nd place, which also confirms 2nd in the world championship #MalaysianGP #MotoGP @ValeYellow46 @YamahaMotoGP pic.twitter.com/LSvGc3Ebqe

— Crash MotoGP (@crash_motogp) October 30, 2016

Per Crash.net, Dovizioso couldn't believe he finally won his first race since 2009, saying: "It was 2009, a long time! The victory has always been different. I really wanted it! I'm so happy for the team. Ducati has worked so hard in the last four years."

The Valencia Grand Prix is the final race left on the calendar, and with the two top spots in the standings already confirmed, the field will mostly be racing for honours.

Navigating a new surface, battling oppressive weather and earning points for a highest-possible finish in the championship table will be on the minds of riders when the 2016 MotoGP Grand Prix of Malaysia begins on Sunday at Sepang in Kuala Lumpur.

Marc Marquez has already been confirmed as champion, but he'll still want to finish as a winner in the season's penultimate race. Yet it will be tough for Marquez and other prominent names, such as Yamaha's Valentino Rossi, to handle an altered track.

New asphalt has been laid at Sepang, something sure to challenge riders already dealing with the soaring heat.

Before a look at Marquez and other top riders, here are the schedule and streaming details:

       

Date: Sunday, October 30

Start Time: 6:45 a.m. (BST) / 1:45 a.m. (ET)

Live Stream: BT Sport App. 

For the full event schedule, including Friday and Saturday's qualifying races for all three MotoGP divisions, go to SepangCircuit.com.

      

Preview

Sepang is a world-famous course, one specially built for speed and spectacular racing. The MotoGP official site detailed the parts of the track most conducive to risk-taking: "With four slow corners following two long straights and 10 medium to high-speed corners, the wide track is particularly favourable to overtaking manoeuvres and plenty of open throttle."

Heat is also a major factor, as the same source noted: "One of the longest laps in MotoGP is made all the more gruelling for riders by intense heat and humidity."

However, there is one part of the course that's been altered. It's an alteration said to be concerning some drivers, according to Crash.net, in a report describing a "radical camber" on the final corner.

The same source relayed this snap of the new-look corner:

The big negative camber on the inside of the re-profiled final corner is generating a lot of debate #MalaysianGP #MotoGP pic.twitter.com/xr1MJnAfC0

— Crash MotoGP (@crash_motogp) October 27, 2016

Still, a rider in the form Marquez is in is unlikely to be thrown by the change. The 23-year-old Spaniard has dominated the championship standings this year.

He's coming off a big win at the Japanese Grand Prix. It was a result good enough to seal a third title in four years for the Honda rider, per Ian Ransom of Reuters (h/t Daily Mail).

Marquez benefited from Rossi taking a crash. The Italian remains a fierce rival, though. In fact, the two still share simmering ill will about their clash in Sepang last year.

Rossi, who last won in Malaysia in 2010, has tried to play down the tension this time, according to James Klein of Motorsport.com. Yet despite his diplomacy, you can bet Rossi would love to beat Marquez this weekend. A win in Malaysia would also push Rossi a step closer to sealing second place in the standings.

Marquez earned the title by winning in Japan, while Cal Crutchlow built momentum by winning at the Australian MotoGP Grand Prix. The 30-year-old Englishman emerged victorious at Phillip Island, and may have an advantage at Sepang.

Crutchlow engaged in a midseason MotoGP test on the course but insists the experience hasn't provided him with an edge, per Mitchell Adam of AutoSport.com. Still, there may be some mental strength gained from finishing ahead of the decorated Rossi in Australia.

Marquez, Rossi, and Crutchlow are the three riders to watch on Sunday, as the MotoGP moves one race closer to its conclusion. With Marquez already champion, viable contenders for next year's title must stake their claim in Malaysia.

LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow romped to victory at the MotoGP Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, as world champion and pole-sitter Marc Marquez crashed out.

Marquez slid off at Honda corner on Lap 10, clearing the way for the British rider to grab only his second win in first class racing. Crutchlow finished ahead of Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi, who begun in 15th, and Suzuki star Maverick Vinales, who were second and third, respectively.

Here’s the moment the Englishman clinched victory in Australia, per the MotoGP Twitter feed:

#CC35 is a 2️⃣ time #MotoGP winner! 🏆🏆

👏 @calcrutchlow #AustralianGP https://t.co/1ayAbzgflO

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) October 23, 2016

It was another absorbing chapter in a fascinating 2016 MotoGP season. Here are the results in full from Phillip Island and a closer examination of how this race transpired.

POS	RIDER	TEAM	LAPS	GAP
1	Cal Crutchlow	LCR Honda	27	40:48.543
2	Valentino Rossi	Yamaha	27	4.218s
3	Maverick Vinales	Suzuki	27	5.309s
4	Andrea Dovizioso	Ducati	27	9.157s
5	Pol Espargaro	Tech3 Yamaha	27	14.299s
6	Jorge Lorenzo	Yamaha	27	20.125s
7	Scott Redding	Pramac Ducati	27	28.369s
8	Bradley Smith	Tech3 Yamaha	27	28.781s
9	Danilo Petrucci	Pramac Ducati	27	28.792s
10	Jack Miller	Marc VDS Honda	27	28.815s
11	Stefan Bradl	Aprilia	27	31.809s
12	Alvaro Bautista	Aprilia	27	47.734s
13	Yonny Hernandez	Aspar Ducati	27	47.749s
14	Eugene Laverty	Aspar Ducati	27	54.311s
15	Mike Jones	Avintia Ducati	27	55.875s
16	Tito Rabat	Marc VDS Honda	27	1:06.395s
17	Nicky Hayden	Honda	27	1:22.604s
-	Hector Barbera	Ducati	24	Retirement
-	Aleix Espargaro	Suzuki	22	Retirement
-	Marc Marquez	Honda	9	Retirement
-	Loris Baz	Avintia Ducati	0	Retirement

POS	RIDER	POINTS
1	Marc Marquez	273
2	Valentino Rossi	216
3	Jorge Lorenzo	192
4	Maverick Vinales	181
5	Dani Pedrosa	155
6	Cal Crutchlow	141
7	Andrea Dovizioso	137
8	Pol Espargaro	117
9	Andrea Iannone	96
10	Hector Barbera	84
11	Aleix Espargaro	82
12	Eugene Laverty	73
13	Scott Redding	71
14	Alvaro Bautista	67
15	Danilo Petrucci	65
16	Stefan Bradl	60
17	Bradley Smith	53
18	Jack Miller	48
19	Michele Pirro	36
20	Tito Rabat	29
21	Loris Baz	24
22	Yonny Hernandez	20
23	Katsuyuki Nakasuga	5
24	Alex Lowes	3
25	Nicky Hayden	1
26	Mike Jones	1
27	Hiroshi Aoyama	1

    

Crutchlow Keeps his Cool

After winning the Japanese Grand Prix last time out to secure his third world title in MotoGP, it was little surprise to see Marquez get off to a strong start in Australia, too.

Initially, Pol Espargaro moved to the front after being sharpest off the line, before the Honda champion slowly worked his way to the head of the pack, building up a decent buffer to the chasing riders.

However, in a season of memorable moments for Marquez, the Australian race quickly became one to forget. He misjudged his approach to Honda corner on Lap 10, resulting in a spectacular crash and his subsequent retirement from the race.

The man himself posted the following snap after the event, capturing the moment he made the error:

Lo siento equipo, hoy el error ha sido mio! La proxima mas y mejor!
Sorry team! Today was my mistake!! In Malaysia more!! pic.twitter.com/8m8sqpqH0T

— Marc Márquez (@marcmarquez93) October 23, 2016

After a tussle with Espargaro for what was previously second place, Crutchlow now found himself in the lead and with a brilliant chance to clinch his second win of the season. He was able to quickly put distance between himself and the rest of the field, with the LCR Honda thriving in clean air.

Further back, Rossi was showing all of his experience with another masterful display. Having started in 15th place, the Yamaha man had been cutting through the field superbly in the early part of the race and was quickly up into a battle for a podium spot.

As we can see here, the man known as the Doctor wasn’t hanging about, as he executed some superb overtakes at Phillip Island:

He's moving up the field faster than we can tweet!😅#VR46 goes to 4th! #AustralianGP https://t.co/ZQwdqoZ3UD

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) October 23, 2016

Up into second, he had Crutchlow in his sights, although as the race rumbled on, the Italian’s desperation to chop down his lead led to mistakes, and an error at Turn 4 ended any chances of a memorable win for the veteran.

The scrap for third was a fascinating one, though, with Vinales moving through to join Andrea Dovizioso and Aleix Espargaro in the mix for the final spot on the rostrum.

It was the latter who looked the raciest in the final stages, although he was a little too aggressive at Turn 4, making an error and crashing out. It allowed Vinales to eventually take a hard-earned podium.

For the 21-year-old Suzuki rider, this was another strong performance in a prosperous year. Motorsports journalist Neil Morrison has been very impressed with his efforts in 2016:

How good has Viñales been this year? Good enough to get within 11pts of the reigning world champ in battle for 3rd in championship. Not bad.

— Neil Morrison (@NeilMorrison87) October 23, 2016

Meanwhile, Crutchlow was pretty flawless up top, maintaining a comfortable distance between him and Rossi. After winning for the first time ever in MotoGP earlier in the year at Brno, this was the ride of a man who knows what’s needed to secure victories in this unforgiving sport.

Here’s a listen to what Crutchlow had to say after the race in Australia:

"People think you can only ride in the rain when you win in the rain" - #CC35#AustralianGP https://t.co/OSkP0fkYRB

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) October 23, 2016

Meanwhile, the world champion lamented an opportunity missed. “I braked too late, and instead of going wide, I tried to keep the line,” Marquez said of his error, per Mitchell Adam of Autosport. “I took a lot of risks to lead from the beginning.”

Just two races remain on the 2016 calendar. The riders head to Malaysia in a week’s time, while the climax of the the campaign will be in Valencia on November 13.

The MotoGP of Australia will be a lap of honour for newly crowned world champion Marc Marquez, who sealed his third title in four years by winning the Japanese Grand Prix on Oct. 16. But despite the Spaniard’s triumph there is still plenty left to race for this weekend. 

The manufacturers' championship is far from over, while Jorge Lorenzo will be fuelled by bitter memories of last year’s dramatic Australian MotoGP.

     

Key Battles

Lorenzo vs. Marquez

The championship may have already been decided but that won’t stop Lorenzo trying desperately to close the gap on Marquez. The 2015 Australian MotoGP was one of the most fascinating races in recent memory as Marquez overtook Lorenzo on the final lap and through the final corner.

It was an astonishing victory that, at the time, looked set to crush Lorenzo’s hopes of lifting the championship trophy. Memories of that day will feel fresh once again after Lorenzo lost his title earlier in October, making this rivalry particularly intriguing.

Marquez has the upper hand. He has won each of the last two races and five over the course of the season, while Lorenzo has not stood tallest on the podium since the Italian MotoGP on May 22—some 10 races ago.

     

Honda vs. Yamaha

Yamaha are only 28 points behind Honda in the manufacturers' championship, ensuring that the final three races are still relevant. Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi and Lorenzo may only be vying for second place, but together they could still dampen Marquez’s achievements.

This weekend’s race looks set to be the most important of the remaining three considering what occurred in Japan. Both Rossi and Lorenzo crashed out, and so may suffer from being overly cautious on the track. Their personal battle for second place only further complicates matters on what is a very difficult and unpredictable track.

It may seem like a big gap to breach, but the task is fairly simple, as #USGP pointed out on Twitter:

Tomorrow Yamaha can overtake Honda in the Constructors championship if both the riders finish in the Top 5.#JapaneseGP 

— #USGP  (@Formula1_MotoGP) October 15, 2016

       

The Track

The Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit is a magnificent venue for sport. It winds on the edge of the ocean among the cliffs of Victoria, making for a glorious viewing experience. Here is a short video highlighting the track’s main features:

This track, historically dominated by Australian Casey Stoner, has thrown up some very eventful races in recent years that help fuel the rivalry between Marquez and Lorenzo. Marquez received a black flag when Lorenzo won the 2013 race and 2014 was partially overshadowed by Lorenzo’s tyre issues.

Most riders enjoy the circuit because of its big open curves that allow for aggressive driving, although this does not mean it is an easy track to navigate. “The circuit features a lot of fast left-handers,” says Michelin's director of motorcycle racing Jean-Philippe Weber, as per MotoGP.com. “The other challenge at Phillip Island is the track's asymmetric layout. It is as asymmetric as Valencia, but more demanding.”

The two most difficult corners to navigate are Turn 4 and Turn 10, both of which are overtaking hot spots.

This is always a fascinating event with a beautiful landscape, and despite Marquez having already sealed the title, the battle between manufacturers should make this a race worth watching. Lorenzo probably won’t close the gap personally, but his team will.

Prediction: Marquez to win and Honda to remain top of the manufacturers' championship

Marc Marquez may have already locked up the 2016 MotoGP title with his win in Japan, but the race for the podium is still wide open entering the Grand Prix of Australia.

Yamaha's Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo both failed to finish in Japan, opening the door for Suzuki's Maverick Vinales, who now trails the latter by less than 20 points.

Rossi and Lorenzo are still expected to finish on the podium, but the Spaniard's recent injury concerns will be worth keeping an eye on.

Here's a look at the schedule for the upcoming race weekend:

Date	Time (BST)	Session
Friday, Oct. 21	12:55 a.m.	Free Practice 1
Friday, Oct. 21	5:05 a.m.	Free Practice 2
Saturday, Oct. 22	12:55 a.m.	Free Practice 3
Saturday, Oct. 22	4:30 a.m.	Free Practice 4
Saturday, Oct. 22	5:10 a.m.	Qualifying 1
Saturday, Oct. 22	5:35 a.m.	Qualifying 2
Sunday, Oct. 23	6 a.m.	Race

Live streaming can be found at the BT Sport website (UK), beIN Sports CONNECT (U.S.) and fuboTV (U.S.).

          

Top Riders

Marquez won his third MotoGP and fifth overall world title in the last race, and he is again the favourite to take the top spot in Australia, taking advantage of the long, swooping turns at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.

His Honda has been sensational throughout the season, and the Spaniard should once again have the advantage on the straights and high-speed corners.

As reported by The Age, Marquez has his eyes on another strong result, and he's expected not to lift off despite having secured the title.

He said: "The first approach is to try to enjoy it...Phillip Island is one of my favourite circuits, it's really nice, but the weather can be tricky. It's a really fast circuit—it's special. We will try to enjoy it and of course to be on the podium, or on top of the podium will be a nice way to celebrate."

Marquez took the win in Australia last year, but no rider has more wins at the Australian Grand Prix across all disciplines than Rossi, and that includes local legend Casey Stoner, who took six straight victories between 2007 and 2012.

Unlike Lorenzo, Rossi crashed out early in Japan and didn't seem to suffer any major damage in the process.

The second-placed Italian has a 14-point lead over the Spanish rider in the standings, and he is in a prime position to widen the gap given Lorenzo's struggles and his fondness of the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.

Lorenzo crashed heavily during a practice session in Japan, and he admitted to AutoSport (for Eurosport) he initially thought the damage was severe.

The Spaniard was able to race, but he visibly tired during the second half and saw his lead over Vinales and Andrea Dovizioso decrease at a rapid pace. He eventually crumbled under the pressure and crashed out.

There's barely any recovery time between the Japanese Grand Prix and Sunday's race at Phillip Island, so it won't be clear whether Lorenzo managed to recover until he gets on his bike.

And there's another factor working against Lorenzo, as shared by David Emmett of MotoMatters.com:

https://twitter.com/motomatters/status/788768753144176640

Lorenzo is one of the finest technicians in the world on dry circuits, but his pace suffers as soon as rain starts to fall. Combined with Rossi's consistent success in Australia and his rival's injuries, the Italian has the clear advantage.