MotoGP

Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo edged ahead in the MotoGP standings as he won last time out in France, and he will be eager to extend his lead at the top this weekend at the Italian Grand Prix in Mugello.

Honda's Marc Marquez sits just five points back from his fellow Spaniard, while Italian legend Valentino Rossi is 12 behind his Yamaha team-mate.

Here is the full schedule for the sixth race in the 2016 calendar and a closer examination of the riders set to battle it out in Italy:

Date	Time (BST)	Session
Friday, May 20	8:55 a.m. - 9:40 a.m.	Free Practice 1
Friday, May 20	1:05 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.	Free Practice 2
Saturday, May 21	8:55 a.m. - 9:40 a.m.	Free Practice 3
Saturday, May 21	12:30 p.m. - 1 p.m.	Free Practice 4
Saturday, May 21	1:10 p.m. - 1:25 p.m.	Qualifying 1
Saturday, May 21	1:35 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.	Qualifying 2
Sunday, May 22	1 p.m.	Race

Live streaming can be found at the BT Sport website (UK) and beIN Sports CONNECT (US).

Valentino Rossi 

Between 2002 and 2008, Rossi won seven consecutive races at Mugello as he dominated his home Grand Prix in remarkable fashion.

His run was broken in 2009 by Casey Stoner, and it has since been a race monopolised by Spanish riders, with Lorenzo winning four times in Italy, while Marquez and Dani Pedrosa have one victory apiece.

Rossi, 37, cannot allow Marquez and Lorenzo to get too far ahead in the standings and a victory in his home race would put him right back in contention at the top of the standings.

And he is confident that he can be competitive in Sunday's race, despite the distractions that come with being back in Italy, per Crash.net:

I love Mugello and its atmosphere. It's very difficult for me to keep my concentration here because there are always so many of my friends and fans around, but the Mugello race is also special for me for that reason.

I've had some victories here, many great battles and a lot of good memories. I think this year we can be competitive because our bike is good and I'm getting into a good shape. 

Rossi is in fine form having finished second at Le Mans in France last time out to follow his victory in Spain.

The veteran got agonisingly close to claiming an eighth MotoGP title last season but was just pipped by Lorenzo.

Given the tight start to the new season it is likely to go to the wire again, and another win in Italy for Rossi could prove vital in the long run.

Jorge Lorenzo

As mentioned above, the defending world champion has had some major successes at Mugello, and he could stretch his lead further by adding a fifth Italian Grand Prix win to his trophy cabinet.

Last time out he led from start to finish as Marquez took a fall, handing the Yamaha rider the initiative early in the world championship battle, per BT Sport MotoGP:

.@lorenzo99 was King of Le Mans, but who will take victory next week in Mugello? Relive all French GP action here ⬇️ https://t.co/Q6BFr0CUdo

— TNT Sports Bikes (@bikesontnt) May 13, 2016

However, Marquez will surely be in the mix at Mugello, and Lorenzo will have to hold off the two-time world champion, along with the likes of Rossi, Pedrosa, Andrea Iannone and Andrea Dovizioso, if he is to prevail.

His current lead over Marquez is narrow, and the pair will be tied on points if the Honda rider beats Lorenzo into second in Italy.

But the 29-year-old will take huge confidence into Sunday's race having already won twice in five races this season.

He is unquestionably the man to beat at the moment, a position that makes his job all the harder.

But Lorenzo has proved with his brilliant form over the last two seasons that he can handle the pressure, and only a brave punter would bet against him claiming a fifth career victory in Italy on Sunday. 

Reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo secured his first win of the MotoGP season since Week 1, as he dominated the French Grand Prix on Sunday at the iconic Le Mans circuit. 

The Yamaha man was a class apart on the day, racing clear from pole position and never looking in danger of being overhauled. His team-mate Valentino Rossi recovered from seventh on the grid to take second, while Suzuki’s Maverick Vinales took a surprise third place.

Championship leader Marc Marquez could only muster a 13th-place finish after he crashed midway through the race in a bizarre incident involving Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso; the pair, less than a second apart, both lost balance at the same point in the race without touching one another.

Here are the full race results and standings following the French Grand Prix:

Pos.	Points	Rider	Nation	Team	Bike	Time/Gap
1	25	Jorge LORENZO	SPA	Movistar Yamaha MotoGP	Yamaha	43'51.290
2	20	Valentino ROSSI	ITA	Movistar Yamaha MotoGP	Yamaha	+10.654
3	16	Maverick VIÑALES	SPA	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR	Suzuki	+14.177
4	13	Dani PEDROSA	SPA	Repsol Honda Team	Honda	+18.719
5	11	Pol ESPARGARO	SPA	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	Yamaha	+24.931
6	10	Aleix ESPARGARO	SPA	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR	Suzuki	+32.921
7	9	Danilo PETRUCCI	ITA	OCTO Pramac Yakhnich	Ducati	+38.251
8	8	Hector BARBERA	SPA	Avintia Racing	Ducati	+38.504
9	7	Alvaro BAUTISTA	SPA	Aprilia Racing Team Gresini	Aprilia	+48.536
10	6	Stefan BRADL	GER	Aprilia Racing Team Gresini	Aprilia	+54.502
11	5	Eugene LAVERTY	IRL	Aspar Team MotoGP	Ducati	+1'02.677
12	4	Loris BAZ	FRA	Avintia Racing	Ducati	+1'07.658
13	3	Marc MARQUEZ	SPA	Repsol Honda Team	Honda	1 Lap
NC		Bradley SMITH	GBR	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	Yamaha	9 Laps
NC		Jack MILLER	AUS	Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS	Honda	11 Laps
NC		Andrea DOVIZIOSO	ITA	Ducati Team	Ducati	13 Laps
NC		Andrea IANNONE	ITA	Ducati Team	Ducati	17 Laps
NC		Tito RABAT	SPA	Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS	Honda	21 Laps
NC		Cal CRUTCHLOW	GBR	LCR Honda	Honda	22 Laps
NC		Yonny HERNANDEZ	COL	Aspar Team MotoGP	Ducati	22 Laps
NC		Scott REDDING	GBR	OCTO Pramac Yakhnich	Ducati	23 Laps

Pos.	Rider	Bike	Nation	Points
1	Jorge LORENZO	Yamaha	SPA	90
2	Marc MARQUEZ	Honda	SPA	85
3	Valentino ROSSI	Yamaha	ITA	78
4	Dani PEDROSA	Honda	SPA	53
5	Maverick VIÑALES	Suzuki	SPA	49
6	Pol ESPARGARO	Yamaha	SPA	47
7	Aleix ESPARGARO	Suzuki	SPA	42
8	Hector BARBERA	Ducati	SPA	39
9	Eugene LAVERTY	Ducati	IRL	33
10	Andrea IANNONE	Ducati	ITA	25
11	Andrea DOVIZIOSO	Ducati	ITA	23
12	Stefan BRADL	Aprilia	GER	23
13	Alvaro BAUTISTA	Aprilia	SPA	21
14	Bradley SMITH	Yamaha	GBR	20
15	Scott REDDING	Ducati	GBR	16
16	Michele PIRRO	Ducati	ITA	12
17	Tito RABAT	Honda	SPA	11
18	Danilo PETRUCCI	Ducati	ITA	9
19	Loris BAZ	Ducati	FRA	8
20	Cal CRUTCHLOW	Honda	GBR	5
21	Yonny HERNANDEZ	Ducati	COL	3
22	Jack MILLER	Honda	AUS	2

Race Recap

After shining in qualifying on Saturday, Lorenzo got off to a tremendous start, leaving Marquez to battle it out with the Ducati pairing of Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone.

Indeed, Honda man Marquez was dropped from second to fifth in no time, and he was suddenly being hunted down by Rossi on the Yamaha.

As we can see here courtesy of the MotoGP Twitter feed, Rossi did superbly to negotiate some heavy traffic at the start line:

Threading the needle... that was a tight first lap for @ValeYellow46 - 6th place.#FrenchGP https://t.co/wKCHEkUn5k

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) May 8, 2016

The Yamaha man and Marquez were feeding off one another and soon in close quarters to the Ducatis. But such intense racing seemed to be too much for Iannone, who lost control from second spot, spinning off the track at Turn 8 when seemingly under no pressure.

BT Sport MotoGP pundit Keith Huewen stated this error could prove to be a very costly one for the Italian:

"That man is not getting a contract at Ducati!" Could it be one crash too many for Andrea Iannone? #FrenchGP https://t.co/1VkfoI0xJA

— TNT Sports Bikes (@bikesontnt) May 8, 2016

Not only did it push the rider way back down the field, space was suddenly freed up for Rossi and Marquez, as they went about closing the gap on Dovizioso, now the sole Ducati in the top three.

While there was chaos behind him, Lorenzo steadily increased his lead at the front of the field, building a five-second gap between himself and the chasers as the halfway point came into view.

It meant the action continued to be between the men looking for minor places on the podium, and the veteran Rossi nipped past Marquez to move into third and then ousted his compatriot Dovizioso just seconds later.

They were moves that brought the French crowd to its feet, with only open road separating a rampant Rossi from his team-mate. The VR|46 Vanguard INA account summed up what had been an eventful race so far for the former champion:

Rossi from 7 to 6 to 5 to 7 to 8 to 7 to 6 to 5 to 4 to 3 to 2nd now! AND HE IS THE ONLY ENTERTAINMENT RIGHT NOW!!!

— #GRAZIEVALE (@VR46_Vanguard) May 8, 2016

Remarkably, things were about about to get even more dramatic in the scrap for a podium spot. That’s after Marquez and Dovizioso both crashed out of the race after a gripping battle, but without actually touching one another.

In a remarkable sequence on the 15th lap, the two riders both lost the front end and slid off into the gravel despite there being clear daylight between them. Here is a look at the peculiar incident, per BT Sport MotoGP:

Was there something on the track? @marcmarquez93 and @AndreaDovizioso slide-out simultaneously...😳 #FrenchGP https://t.co/lT5Q2yUEbI

— TNT Sports Bikes (@bikesontnt) May 8, 2016

Marquez rejoined the race, but it was too much of a gap for him to make up in the latter stages. The double crash also promoted Vinales up into third spot on his Suzuki, although Dani Pedrosa was hunting him down sharpish on his Honda.

Up front, as much as Rossi pushed in the second half of the race, Lorenzo had simply built up too much of a lead to be threatened. It meant the reigning world champion was able to enjoy the latter stages of the race and the 25 points that push him back to the summit of the overall standings.

Marquez, who eventually came home in 13th, now trails his compatriot by five points overall, while Vinales eventually did very well to fight off Pedrosa for third. MotoGP journalist Scherazade M. S. suggested that’d be cause for celebration for the Suzuki team:

https://twitter.com/Scherazade02/status/729291512501010432

Here is a listen to what the race winner had to say in the aftermath of the contest:

A perfect race for @lorenzo99.#FrenchGP https://t.co/549mXVLn0b

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) May 8, 2016

Thoughts turn to Mugello for @lorenzo99...#FrenchGP https://t.co/RKRxL8bmtn

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) May 8, 2016

This was a much-needed win for Lorenzo after struggling for his very best so far this season. The manner in which he dominated on the day will be of great satisfaction to him, not to mention the problems Marquez, who has shown greater consistency this term, ran into on Sunday.

Rossi did about as well as he could have and will lament another poor qualifying session. He showed the pace to trouble Lorenzo at Le Mans and looking ahead to Mugello next time out, it’s imperative he puts himself in a better position on Sunday to show that speed.

Valentino Rossi clinched his first win of the 2016 MotoGP campaign on Sunday after edging Jorge Lorenzo to claim his seventh Spanish Grand Prix title with a finishing time of 45:28.834. 

The Doctor won his first Jerez crown all the way back in 2002, and Sunday's triumph marks his first Spanish win since 2009. Bet365 detailed the evergreen veteran's unrivalled success:

333 races
213 podiums
113 wins
93 fastest laps
62 poles
9 world titles

 Valentino Rossi reigns in Spain (again)  pic.twitter.com/sUTveYsMHN

— bet365 (@bet365) April 24, 2016

Standings leader Marc Marquez rounded out the podium with his third-place finish and is still yet to end up outside the top three in a race this season, maintaining his place atop the riders' table.

Aspar Team MotoGP provided a breakdown of Sunday's results in full:

#MotoGP #SpanishGP Final results
9 @eugenelaverty
15 @yonny68motogp pic.twitter.com/Ntmw4Zr54H

— Aspar Team (@AsparTeam) April 24, 2016

Here's how the 2016 MotoGP standings look after Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix, where we can see Rossi is the only non-Spanish rider among the top eight:

Pos.	Rider	Bike	Nation	Points
1	Marc Marquez	Honda	SPA	82
2	Jorge Morenzo	Yamaha	SPA	65
3	Valentino Rossi	Yamaha	ITA	58
4	Dani Pedrosa	Honda	SPA	40
5	Pol Espargaro	Yamaha	SPA	36
6	Maverick Vinales	Suzuki	SPA	33
7	Aleix Espargaro	Suzuki	SPA	32
8	Hector Barbera	Ducati	SPA	31
9	Eugene Laverty	Ducati	IRL	28
10	Andrea Iannone	Ducati	ITA	25
11	Andrea Dovizioso	Ducati	ITA	23
12	Bradley Smith	Yamaha	GBR	20
13	Stefan Bradl	Aprilia	GER	17
14	Scott Redding	Ducati	GBR	16
15	Alvaro Bautista	Aprilia	SPA	14
16	Michele Pirro	Ducati	ITA	12
17	Tito Rabat	Honda	SPA	11
18	Cal Crutchlow	Honda	GBR	5
19	Loris Baz	Ducati	FRA	4
20	Yonny Hernandez	Ducati	COL	3
21	Jack Miller	Honda	AUS	2

The podium finishers ultimately ended just as they began in Jerez, with Rossi making the most of his pole start, while Andrea Dovizioso, Maverick Vinales, Dani Pedrosa and Aleix Espargaro failed to crack the top three from further back.

Each of the front three sizzled on hard front and medium rear tyres, a winning combination in the Spanish sun, and Pedrosa quickly closed the gap on the leaders with a brilliant start to the proceedings.

Honda team-mates Marquez and Pedrosa jostled for third place in the front 10 laps, while Rossi and Lorenzo did the same in their clash for the top spot, but the Italian was unnerved in his defence of the lead.

Dovizioso has been unfortunate not to climb higher in the standings this season, and MotoGP confirmed No. 4's poor luck continued, resulting in his retirement with 18 laps remaining, causing him to drop to 11th in the standings:

Really feeling for #AD04 who's run of poor luck continues. He's out of the race with a technical issue. #SpanishGP

https://t.co/7PIRWD34Qe

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 24, 2016

Rossi succeeded in opening up around three seconds of space in first place, and even though Marquez was recording some terrific times, the experienced leader had an advantage in clocking some impressive runs of his own.

While one Italian stormed out front, compatriot Andrea Iannone had a battle of his own against Pol Espargaro—younger brother to Aleix—further down the order.

Iannone was ultimately able to clinch seventh ahead of his Spanish foe, while his countryman topped the billing and sealed the 113th victory of his MotoGP career.

The Doctor, now 37 years of age, was classy in retaining his place throughout, as broadcaster Matthew Roberts celebrated an elite class of sporting talent:

Very few people in the history of sport have produced this level of performance at this stage of their career. Phenomenal. #Rossi

— Matt Roberts (@matt77roberts) April 24, 2016

A first win of the campaign, and just his second podium of the 2016 season, sees Rossi close the gap on second-placed Lorenzo to just seven points, but Marquez is still 17 points clear in first spot.

Sunday's win served as a reminder of the talent that Rossi possesses when in full swing, and he'll hope to carry that momentum into the French Grand Prix on May 8 and inject some pace into his 2016 title dream.

Honda's Marc Marquez stretched his lead at the top of the 2016 MotoGP standings to 21 points with a victory last time out at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

He will hope to make further gains on home soil at the Grand Prix of Spain this weekend. The Circuito de Jerez is hosting the fourth race in the calendar.

Jorge Lorenzo is the man in second place and will be looking to claim back-to-back wins at the Spanish Grand Prix having prevailed last year.

Here are the key scheduling and viewing details for the weekend's action, as well as a closer examination of some of the riders set to be in the hunt on Sunday.

Date	Time (BST)	Session
Friday, April 22	8:55 a.m. - 9:40 a.m.	Free Practice 1
Friday, April 22	1:05 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.	Free Practice 2
Saturday, April 23	8:55 a.m. - 9:40 a.m.	Free Practice 3
Saturday, April 23	12:30 p.m. - 1 p.m.	Free Practice 4
Saturday, April 23	1:10 p.m. - 1:25 p.m.	Qualifying 1
Saturday, April 23	1:35 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.	Qualifying 2
Sunday, April 24	1 p.m.	Race

The action can be streamed via the BT Sport website (UK) and beIN Sports CONNECT (US)

Jorge Lorenzo 

The 2015 MotoGP champion recovered well from crashing out at Argentina to claim second spot last time out in Texas.

Lorenzo will be eager to close the gap to his compatriot Marquez on Sunday and will be under the spotlight after the recent announcement that he will move from Yamaha to Ducati next season, per BT Sport MotoGP:

After eight seasons with @YamahaMotoGP, @lorenzo99 is set to take on new challenge with @DucatiMotor in 2017. #JL99 pic.twitter.com/0A31oSl59y

— TNT Sports Bikes (@bikesontnt) April 18, 2016

He will want to bow out of Yamaha on a high, so he cannot afford to let Marquez gain too big a lead over him this early in the campaign.

Lorenzo, 28, believes the conditions back on the European tracks should help him in his bid to reel in the standings leader, per Autosport's Mitchell Adam:

We just are 21 points behind after the crash, and we now arrive into tracks that normally suit us better, for me and the bike. 

I think it's very important to stay in second place in this moment. Now that [Valentino] Rossi, [Andrea] Dovizioso and [Dani] Pedrosa crashed [at Austin], we have one target, that is Marc, leading.

We have the feeling that maybe in Europe we can make the difference with the Michelin and these electronics, so let's see if the theory matches with the reality.

With the three-time world champion having clawed back a 29-point deficit to Yamaha team-mate Rossi last season, he has experience of making a comeback.

Lorenzo will surely attack Marquez in Spain and hope to be much closer to the leading man in the standings come Sunday evening.

Marc Marquez

Marquez is expecting a response from his closest opponents in Spain, but the 2013 and 2014 world champion knows how to lead from the front and will likely feel little pressure having showed excellent form so far this season.

He insisted there is still room for improvement with the Honda bike, per GPOne.com:

I'm pleased to reach Jerez with a small advantage in the standings because I think our rivals will be very strong at this track.

I'm also happy with the work we've been doing with Honda and my team, we've been able to improve, step by step, at each race. In Qatar we found a good base set-up and in Argentina and Texas we were able to improve on it in some areas, like the engine brake and the electronics. Anyway, there's still work to do and room for improvement, especially in acceleration.

Marquez has yet to finish off the podium this season and improved on his third place in Qatar to seal back-to-back wins in Argentina and the USA.

Lorenzo took the title from him last season, and Marquez will want to give his compatriot little chance of keeping hold of it in 2016.

If Marquez can extend his lead further by winning in Jerez on Sunday he will be difficult to reel in over the rest of the season, despite 14 races remaining after the Spanish Grand Prix.

The race has seen some classic battles over the years, as previewed below by Crash.net:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-AidhjE7Bo

Marquez's own record in MotoGP in Jerez is quite impressive, with one career victory in 2014 sandwiched between two second-place finishes in 2015 and 2013.

He will be desperate to add a second triumph to his tally on Sunday as he attempts to take a firm hold on the championship. 

Marc Marquez maintained his 100 percent record at the Grand Prix of the Americas on Sunday, winning in Austin for the fourth year in succession and retaining his spot atop the 2016 MotoGP standings as a result. 

Marquez completed his race in a time of 43:57.945, while Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Iannone finished second and third, respectively, with the runner-up ending just over six seconds after his compatriot.

The race was rocked by a slew of casualties, however, after Valentino Rossi, Dani Pedrosa, Andrea Dovizioso and Cal Crutchlow were just some of the higher-profile names who failed to finish.

Here's a look at the finishing times from Sunday's Grand Prix, where Marquez's taste for success in the United States was once again on full display:

Position	Rider	Team	Bike	Time
Not Classified
1	Marc MARQUEZ	Repsol Honda Team	Honda	43'57.945
2	Jorge LORENZO	Movistar Yamaha MotoGP	Yamaha	+6.107
3	Andrea IANNONE	Ducati Team	Ducati	+10.947
4	Maverick VINALES	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR	Suzuki	+18.422
5	Aleix ESPARGARO	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR	Suzuki	+20.711
6	Scott REDDING	OCTO Pramac Yakhnich	Ducati	+28.961
7	Pol ESPARGARO	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	Yamaha	+32.112
8	Michele PIRRO	OCTO Pramac Yakhnich	Ducati	+32.757
9	Hector BARBERA	Avintia Racing	Ducati	+34.592
10	Stefan BRADL	Aprilia Racing Team Gresini	Aprilia	+40.211
11	Alvaro BAUTISTA	Aprilia Racing Team Gresini	Aprilia	+45.423
12	Eugene LAVERTY	Aspar Team MotoGP	Ducati	+47.127
13	Tito RABAT	Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS	Honda	+47.426
14	Yonny HERNANDEZ	Aspar Team MotoGP	Ducati	+51.190
15	Loris BAZ	Avintia Racing	Ducati	+1'12.929
16	Cal CRUTCHLOW	LCR Honda	Honda	+1'19.252
17	Bradley SMITH	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	Yamaha	+1'28.036
Dani PEDROSA	Repsol Honda Team	10 Laps
Andrea DOVIZIOSO	Ducati Team	15 Laps
Valentino ROSSI	Movistar Yamaha MotoGP	19 Laps

And here are the updated 2016 MotoGP standings:

Position	Rider	Team	Points
1	Marc MARQUEZ	Honda	66
2	Jorge LORENZO	Yamaha	45
3	Valentino ROSSI	Yamaha	33
4	Pol ESPARGARO	Yamaha	28
5	Dani PEDROSA	Honda	27
6	Hector BARBERA	Ducati	25
7	Andrea DOVIZIOSO	Ducati	23
8	Maverick VINALES	Suzuki	23
9	Eugene LAVERTY	Ducati	21
10	Aleix ESPARGARO	Suzuki	21
11	Andrea IANNONE	Ducati	16
12	Scott REDDING	Ducati	16
13	Bradley SMITH	Yamaha	16
14	Stefan BRADL	Aprilia	15
15	Alvaro BAUTISTA	Aprilia	14
16	Michele PIRRO	Ducati	12
17	Tito RABAT	Honda	11
18	Jack MILLER	Honda	2
19	Yonny HERNANDEZ	Ducati	2
20	Loris BAZ	Ducati	1
21	Cal CRUTCHLOW	Honda

Marquez started Sunday's race in pole position after winning last Sunday's Argentina Grand Prix, and the Spaniard looked to have finally found his groove after enduring a difficult campaign in 2015.

The Repsol Honda rider also came to the Circuit of the Americas in Texas as the only rider to have managed two podium finishes in the 2016 campaign already, boasting an eight-point lead at the summit.

Way down in the order, Frenchman Loris Baz saw his efforts to pick up his first points of the season dented after slipping off the track at Turn 1, but he was quick to recover and get back in the action.

However, Rossi wasn't as fortunate at Turn 2 and skidded off the track after kneeling onto his right side, an early bath completely of his own fault, as shown by BT Sport MotoGP:

#VR46 has crashed out of the #AmericasGP 😱 https://t.co/wS8oT01HM9

— TNT Sports Bikes (@bikesontnt) April 10, 2016

With The Doctor no longer in the mix, the likes of Lorenzo and Iannone were free to duel for the top spots, especially after Pedrosa and Dovizioso ran into one another at Turn 1.

MotoGP writer Simon Patterson highlighted the sense of deja vu after the exact same pairing made contact in Argentina last time out:

Pedrosa has just wiped out Dovi in turn one!! Two weeks in a row!!

— Simon Patterson (@denkmit) April 10, 2016

The collisions didn't end there, though, and British duo Crutchlow and Bradley Smith made contact before getting back into the race, per MotoGP, with neither rider injured by the incident:

🏃 🏃#BS38 and #CC35 down at turn 11! Both rush to their bikes to rejoin. #RiderOK #AmericasGP https://t.co/tkpvhcYZRC

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 10, 2016

Behind Marquez, Lorenzo and Iannone, Suzuki team-mates Maverick Vinales and Aleix Espargaro duked it out in their hopes to crack the top places, making for a fascinating personal battle of its own.

It was around that point Pedrosa decided to call it quits attempting to make his way back through the order following his earlier run-in with Dovizioso:

#DP26 is calling it a day following that crash with #AD04... #AmericasGP pic.twitter.com/iTXItcek5D

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 10, 2016

Patterson noted the Spaniard immediately made his way over to Ducati to apologise to Dovizioso in person, but while that pair shared their consolatory messages, Marquez's rampage was in full flow.

The 2013 and 2014 champion looked back to his best in Argentina and was once again irrepressible from the front on Sunday, with Lorenzo, Iannone & Co. always struggling to hound down his lead.

With three laps to go, Marquez had built up a lead of almost eight seconds, a cushion he kept hold of until the chequered flag to seal back-to-back MotoGP victories for the first time since August 2015.

The 23-year-old will enjoy a deserved fortnight's rest before returning to his native land for the Spanish Grand Prix later this month, where he'll look to increase his lead at the table's summit once again.

After a gripping race in Argentina last time out, the MotoGP circus rolls north to the United States next, where some of the finest riders in the world will battle it out for glory at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

Any fears that Jorge Lorenzo was to dominate the early stages of the year were curtailed in the last outing, as the Yamaha man was forced to retire. It paved the way for a win for Marc Marquez, and the Honda rider leads the standings by eight points from Valentino Rossi heading into this Grand Prix.

This is a venue that always seems to facilitate drama, and with little separating the top riders early on this season, expect this weekend to be no different.

Here are the key viewing details ahead of the race weekend and a closer examination of some of the riders set to be in the hunt on Sunday.

Date	Time (BST)	Session
Friday, April 8	3:55 p.m. - 4:40 p.m.	Free Practice 1
Friday, April 8	8:05 p.m. - 8:50 p.m.	Free Practice 2
Friday, April 8	3:55 p.m. - 4:40 p.m.	Free Practice 3
Saturday, April 9	7:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.	Free Practice 4
Saturday, April 9	8:10 p.m. - 8:25 p.m.	Qualifying 1
Saturday, April 9	8:35 p.m. - 8:50 p.m.	Qualifying 2
Sunday, April 10	8 p.m.	Race

The action can be streamed via the BT Sport website (UK) and beIN Sports CONNECT (US)

Ominous Signs from Marquez

The performance from Marquez in Argentina was reminiscent of some of his showings in the 2014 MotoGP season, when he romped to the title with an unerring ease.

Having qualified in pole position, the Honda man executed a faultless race, getting away well off the start line and pulling away from his title rivals in the latter stages. It meant the Spaniard could savour victory in the final laps and take a crucial lead in the standings, much to the delight of his garage.

Here’s a reminder of how things panned out on the day in Argentina, per BT Sport MotoGP:

Triumph for #MM93 but disaster for Ducati...
Here's another chance to see the eventful #MotoGP finish. #ArgentinaGP https://t.co/Ixr7wOIu6L

— TNT Sports Bikes (@bikesontnt) April 4, 2016

Now the challenge for the two-time champion will be to consolidate his lead at the top, with both Yamaha riders set to be smarting after losing ground in Argentina. But Marquez has proved to be the master of the United States Grand Prix during his previous three years in MotoGP, per the sport’s Twitter feed:

100% record in 🇺🇸 since moving up to #MotoGP...

Can #MM93 continue his winning streak at #AmericasGP? https://t.co/c7WLOusYU4

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 5, 2016

Indeed, victory here would be the fourth in a row for the Honda man, who seems to save his best for the assembled Texans.

The 20-turn circuit really seems to suit Marquez’s driving style, and even in a testing 2015, he was able to finish on top of the podium here.

Now, the Spaniard and Honda look to have rediscovered their best, and with confidence flowing after a wonderful display in Week 2, the 23-year-old will prove to be too strong for the chasing pack this weekend.

Yamaha Duo Looking to Respond

Making victory extra sweet for Marquez were the toils of title rival Lorenzo, who endured another torrid afternoon in Argentina after winning in Week 1 in Qatar.

The world champion failed to get off to a positive start and was even passed by Jack Miller during the race. Then, with 15 laps remaining, his outing ended after running off at the opening turn.

Here’s a look at the moment he dropped out, per BT Sport MotoGP:

Turn One perhaps? It's already taken one victim - the world champion #JL99 is out. #ArgentinaGP https://t.co/qbwJn4eoB4

— TNT Sports Bikes (@bikesontnt) April 3, 2016

Lorenzo was also passed in the overall standings by Rossi, who eventually finished in second after a close battle with Marquez early on in the race. Eventually, the Italian capitalised on a late tangle between Ducati duo Andrea Iannone and Andrea Dovizioso to move into second, giving him his first podium position of the season.

Both Yamaha riders have failed to come close to Marquez in recent seasons at this venue, though. They may have shown strong pace in qualifying last time out, with Rossi and Lorenzo second and third on the grid, but on race day they struggled to keep pace with the Honda man once the contest settled down. That certainly doesn't bode well for the coming weekend.

Indeed, in the aftermath of the race, Rossi admitted himself that had it not been for the Ducati’s unsuccessful duelling, he wouldn’t have finished in second spot, per Moto Race Feed:

#VR46 "We make a good qualifying but the race happens tomorrow. I think it will be hard with Marquez because he is fast but I'm not too bad"

— Moto Race Feed (@MotoRaceFeed) April 2, 2016

Some significant improvements will be needed if the Yamaha M1 is to come close to Marquez at the Circuit of the Americas, while both Rossi and Lorenzo will need to up their standards when it comes to race craft and qualifying, too.

Even so, the Honda man has never lost here, meaning the Yamaha pair will most likely be battling it out for the minor podium places with Marquez’s team-mate Dani Pedrosa, who is third in the standings after a consistent start to the season.

Rossi, who has been more reliable so far in 2016, should have enough to edge past his team-mate.

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

The twisting, technical test posed at the Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo in Argentina should make for fascinating viewing this weekend, as the MotoGP season rolls into its second week.

In the 2016 opener, it was Jorge Lorenzo who took the chequered flag, as the Yamaha man’s defence of the title got off to the perfect start. Still, there was little in the contest, with Andrea Dovizioso, Marc Marquez and team-mate Valentino Rossi all in touch with the Spaniard.

Here is a reminder of how that one finished, per BT Sport MotoGP:

#JL99 starts as he means to go on...
The #MotoGP champion wins in Qatar. 🏆 https://t.co/3Z8oKG14k7

— TNT Sports Bikes (@bikesontnt) March 21, 2016

The Argentina Grand Prix will pose a completely different kind of challenge to Qatar, with 14 corners set to offer a raw insight into the effect this season’s tyre changes will have on the riders.

Here’s the schedule for the full race weekend, where to catch the action and a look at some of the competitors set to thrive when the lights go out on Sunday.

Date	Time (BST)	Session
Friday, April 1	1:55 p.m. - 2:40 p.m.	Free Practice 1
Friday, April 1	6:05 p.m. - 6:50 p.m.	Free Practice 2
Friday, April 1	1:55 p.m. - 2:40 p.m.	Free Practice 3
Saturday, April 2	5:30 p.m. - 6 p.m.	Free Practice 4
Saturday, April 2	6:10 p.m. - 6:25 p.m.	Qualifying 1
Saturday, April 2	6:35 p.m. - 6:50 p.m.	Qualifying 2
Sunday, April 3	7:45 p.m.	Race

All the action can be streamed via BT Sport’s website. 

Lorenzo, Marquez Set for Battle

Although the MotoGP has only been stopping off at this circuit for two years, Lorenzo has never enjoyed the best of times here.

The reigning world champion got on the podium in 2014 behind Honda riders Marquez and Dani Pedrosa, while he was a disappointing fifth in 2015, as Rossi stormed to victory. With the title secured and two wins in succession under his belt, perhaps this time Lorenzo can finally showcase his best on this circuit.

“After the victory in Qatar and the good feelings on track, I now want to race at a circuit where in the past we struggled a bit,” said the Yamaha man, per Mitchell Adam of Autosport. “We started the championship in a perfect manner but we still need to understand what the behaviour of the bike is like for different track layouts.”

As he posted on his official Twitter feed in the build-up to the race, preparations have already begun in earnest for this one:

Preparando #ArgentinaGP! / Getting ready for #ArgentinaGP! pic.twitter.com/MNmj49WGvQ

— Jorge Lorenzo (@lorenzo99) March 30, 2016

The man most likely to capitalise should Lorenzo falter again here is Marquez, who was solid enough in his performance in Qatar.

The two-time world champion eventually came home in third after a tussle with Dovizioso and Rossi. This is a track he enjoys, too, showcasing searing pace to win in 2014 and qualifying on pole position last season, although he was knocked out of the contest after a tangle with Rossi.

Here’s a reminder of that dramatic moment, per GPxtra:

After last years drama, what can we expect in Argentina this weekend? #MotoGP #VR46 #MM93 https://t.co/tft6zHPFMB

— Aaron Rowles (@GP_Xtra) March 30, 2016

The Honda did a lot better than many anticipated in the season opener, and while Lorenzo is in wonderful form, it may mean Marquez will cope with the contortions of Argentina a little better than the Yamaha men.

Factor in Marquez’s better form at this event overall and the youngster looks well placed to chalk up his first win this season.

Rossi Seeking First Podium in 2016

After losing the title on the last day of last season, the season opener was always going to be difficult for Rossi. But after beginning the race in fifth position, he battled gamely throughout and eventually came home in fourth spot.

Afterwards, the man known as the Doctor felt as though he was just a smidgen short of mixing it at the very front, per BT Sport MotoGP:

"I needed the last 5%" #VR46 admits he was just off the pace in the hunt for a podium spot at the #QatarGP https://t.co/nFrJb3NeJT

— BT Sport MotoGP (@btsportmotogp) March 20, 2016

The Termas de Rio Hondo will trigger happy memories for the veteran after he roared to victory here last season, scything through the field from eighth position to take the chequered flag by a comfortable margin. Despite its difficulties, this is clearly a venue that suits Rossi’s riding style.

As is evident from this post by FEBBRE46, the Argentinian fans are ready to welcome the nine-time world champion, too:

https://twitter.com/Febbre46/status/714528802685259779

“I am very happy to go to Argentina,” said Rossi ahead of this one, per Crash.net. “In this place I have many fans and it's always nice to feel the affection and passion of these people. I have great memories here. Last year it was a great race. It will be difficult to repeat the same result but we will try.”

A win might be beyond Rossi here, but his previous form at this track should see him to a better result than the fourth place he achieved at Losail.

In 2015, Rossi won in Qatar and in Argentina in the first three races and was on a run of successive podium finishes that eventually lasted 16 rounds. He’ll be keen to keep in touch with the top riders, especially given the way he faded away last term, but he will have to make do with a minor step on the podium on Sunday.

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

Jorge Lorenzo got his MotoGP title defence underway by powering to victory in Sunday's 2016 season opener at the Qatar Grand Prix, where Andrea Dovizioso finished second.

The Yamaha rider enjoyed a near-perfect display at Losail International Circuit, and Michelin Motorsport confirmed the No. 99 also collected a new circuit record in Doha to go along with his first-place gong:

New circuit record for @lorenzo99 and Michelin: 1.55.109 vs 1.55.163 (Stoner - 2008) #QatarGP pic.twitter.com/ULKOD5mrjY

— Matthieu Bonardel (@MiGroup_sport) March 20, 2016

The Spaniard came under heavy pressure from Ducati duo Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone, but Lorenzo ultimately carried through his momentum from the 2015 campaign to give his 2016 season a stellar push.

Here's a look at the results from the 2016 Qatar Grand Prix: 

Pos.	Points	Rider	Team	Time/Gap
Not Classified
1	25	Jorge Lorenzo	Movistar Yamaha MotoGP	42'28.452
2	20	Andrea Dovizioso	Ducati Team	+2.019
3	16	Marc Marquez	Repsol Honda Team	+2.287
4	13	Valentino Rossi	Movistar Yamaha MotoGP	+2.387
5	11	Dani Pedrosa	Repsol Honda Team	+14.083
6	10	Maverick Vinales	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR	+15.423
7	9	Pol Espargao	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	+18.629
8	8	Bradley Smith	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	+18.652
9	7	Hector Barbera	Avintia Racing	+21.160
10	6	Scott Redding	OCTO Pramac Yakhnich	+24.435
11	5	Aleix Espargaro	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR	+35.847
12	4	Eugene Laverty	Aspar Team MotoGP	+41.756
13	3	Alvaro Bautista	Aprilia Racing Team Gresini	+41.932
14	2	Jack Miller	Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS	+41.982
15	1	Tito Rabat	Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS	+54.953
Rider	Team
Stefan Bradl	Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
Loris Baz	Avintia Racing
Cal Crutchlow	LCR Honda
Andrea Iannone	Ducati Team
Yonny Hernandez	Aspar Team MotoGP

And here's how the standings look following the first race of the 2016 campaign:

Pos.	Rider	Points
1	Jorge Lorenzo	25
2	Andrea Dovizioso	20
3	Marc Marquez	16
4	Valentino Rossi	13
5	Dani Pedrosa	11
6	Maverick Vinales	10
7	Pol Espargao	9
8	Bradley Smith	8
9	Hector Barbera	7
10	Scott Redding	6
11	Aleix Espargaro	5
12	Eugene Laverty	4
13	Alvaro Bautista	3
14	Jack Miller	2
15	Tito Rabat	1

Despite the fact that pole leader Lorenzo got off to a flying start in Doha, it wasn't long before Ducati's superior speed in the straights eventually saw the Italian duo of Dovizioso and Iannone take control.

Team competition certainly ran strong among the two, though, and Lorenzo was done a huge favour after Iannone challenged Dovizioso for the lead and eventually crashed out on Turn 13, according to MotoGP:

A hard move from #AI29 on #AD04 into turn one to defend 1st, but the Italian crashes out later in the lap! https://t.co/bBloWSde81

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) March 20, 2016

Marc Marquez also benefited from Iannone's ejection from the running as Lorenzo moved back to the head of the pack, accompanied by Valentino Rossi, who was struggling to break into the top three.

Cal Crutchlow followed Iannone into the list of riders who failed to complete the race after he went down with 16 laps to go; thankfully, both riders were uninjured:

#CC35 down and out of the #QatarGP, he's fortunately OK. Likewise with #AI29. pic.twitter.com/weHGlU83kS

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) March 20, 2016

Dovizioso continued to apply pressure on the top places, but his chances of pipping Lorenzo to the gold medal appeared to simmer four laps from the end when Marquez made his move into second.

The drama wasn't finished in the hunt for the runners-up place, however, and Dovizioso slipped in to reclaim second spot on the penultimate lap despite an audacious manoeuvre from Marquez to snag silver.

Lorenzo's finishing time of 42 minutes and 28.452 seconds led him to his third MotoGP victory at the Qatar Grand Prix but also makes him the most successful rider in the competition's history, having now claimed a total of six titles across three classifications.

Last year's winner, Rossi, collected his fourth-place finish behind Dovizioso and Marquez, who will hope their 2016 debuts can provide a platform for a title challenge in the months to come.  

After the thrilling end to the 2015 campaign, excitement levels are peaking ahead of the MotoGP season curtain-raiser, which will be staged at the Losail International Circuit in Doha, Qatar, this weekend.

Jorge Lorenzo won the championship on the final day of the previous campaign, overhauling his Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi, who had led the way for much of the year. Those two will be seeking to get off to a strong start again in 2016, although Honda’s Marc Marquez will also be on the hunt for a third title in four years after underwhelming in 2015.

Either way, the first race of the season is always a very special occasion and a grand prix that will reveal plenty about what to expect in the months to come. 

Here are the key viewing details for the race weekend, the schedule for the grand prix and a look at a trio of riders likely to be in the hunt for podium positions in what will inevitably be another gripping edition of MotoGP.

Date	Event	Time (GMT)
Thursday, March 17	Free Practice 1	4:55 p.m. - 5:40 p.m.
Friday, March 18	Free Practice 2	3 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Friday, March 18	Free Practice 3	5:55 p.m. - 6:40 p.m.
Saturday, March 19	Free Practice 4	4:55 p.m. - 5:25 p.m.
Saturday, March 19	Qualifying 1	5:35 p.m. - 5:50 p.m.
Saturday, March 19	Qualifying 2	6 p.m. - 6:15 p.m.
Sunday, March 20	Race	6 p.m.

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

Jorge Lorenzo—Yamaha

With the popular Rossi chasing a record 10th world title for long spells of last season, the vast majority of fans weren’t rooting for Lorenzo on the final-day showdown in Valencia.

Still, you have to admire the diligence and determination of the Spaniard, who reeled in his illustrious team-mate in the second half of the calendar, including a vital win to take the title in the 18th and final round of the season.

Here are the highlights of that momentous day, at the end of which Lorenzo won his third MotoGP title:

.@lorenzo99 crosses the finish line after riding a flawless race to seal the 2015 MotoGP Championship. #LorenzoChamp https://t.co/NHyOnQOaXa

— TNT Sports Bikes (@bikesontnt) November 8, 2015

The stars seem to be aligning for Lorenzo this campaign. The Michelin tyres that will be used this season look set to hinder Rossi’s qualifying performance—an area in which the Italian struggled so badly in 2015—and that should allow the world champion an edge in trying to better his results in the opening races last season.

Indeed, Lorenzo was unable to get on the podium in Qatar, the United States and Argentina, before winning the next four in succession. Conditions could also level the playing field, too; as the MotoGP FanClub feed noted, incredibly, there has been rain in Qatar during the build-up to this one:

It's raining in Qatar… pic.twitter.com/8svMdAC6v6

— MotoGP FanClub (@FanClubMotoGP) March 16, 2016

A win for the Spaniard here seems on the cards based on his efforts in testing, the tyre set-up and the positive momentum he’ll carry into the campaign after last term. Lorenzo has won at this venue in MotoGP on two separate occasions, and he looks well placed to make it a third triumph on Sunday.

Prediction: Winner

Marc Marquez—Honda

Having dominated in 2013 and 2014, the young Spaniard was not expected to relinquish his stranglehold on the competition. But he struggled in the early weeks of 2015, with three retirements in the first seven races and just one win in the first eight; in 2014, he won the first 10 in succession.

This time round, the 23-year-old is once again among the favourites to take another world title. He’s a rider who continues to look like the class act in the field when he gets it right, and having rode the waves of momentum in his first two title triumphs, Marquez will be matured following the chastening experiences of last term.

As the MotoGP Twitter feed reminded us recently, there were still some moments to savour from the young man in the last campaign:

#QatarCountdown Top Moments of 2015 double bill - @lorenzo99 and @marcmarquez93 duke it out at #IndyGP! https://t.co/sVBXxbofNO

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) March 12, 2016

Marquez needs more suitable support from his team, too. The winter didn’t yield too many positive signs for Honda, admittedly, although on the final day of pre-season testing they did make some encouraging progress. However, the man himself has hinted getting a win here could be tough.

“The Losail layout may not be the most favourable of the season for our bike, but in the past we’ve scored a podium and a win here with the RC213V, so we’ll fight to get the best result on Sunday,” he said, per MotoGP.com. Still, he’s clearly keen to get the season under way, as is evident by his Twitter feed:

Qatar nos espera! Con ganas de ver a todo el equipo!
Qatar is waiting for us! Eager to meet all the team! #QatarGP pic.twitter.com/T8IMKfgdv3

— Marc Márquez (@marcmarquez93) March 15, 2016

Expect Honda to get better as the season goes on, meaning a repeat of the 10-win opening sequence from 2014 looks unlikely for Marquez.

Still, focusing squarely on the opening race weekend, he has proved the quality is there previously to finish in the upper echelons of the field in Qatar. However, Lorenzo has looked in imperious fettle during the offseason and will most likely have too much for the Honda man, meaning Marquez will have to make do with a minor place on the podium.

Prediction: Runner-Up

Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo was crowned MotoGP world champion at the Valencia Grand Prix on Sunday, as team-mate Valentino Rossi fell short in his challenge, finishing second in the overall standings.

Lorenzo won the race in style, clinching the championship as Rossi finished in fourth behind the Hondas of Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa.

MotoGP celebrated the new world champion:

#LorenzoChamp lifts the #ValenciaGP winners trophy and listens to the Spanish anthem as champion once again! pic.twitter.com/oWSId8Vxoy

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) November 8, 2015

Here is the result of the race in Valencia, per Honda MotoGP:

9th place in #ValenciaGP for @calcrutchlow and 21th for @jackmilleraus. More soon. @Castrol @GIVI_OFFICIAL pic.twitter.com/ICnucmcJeY

— LCR Team (@lcr_team) November 8, 2015

The final world standings looked like this, relayed by MotoGP.com:

Position	Rider	Bike	Nation	Points
1	Jorge LORENZO	Yamaha	SPA	330
2	Valentino ROSSI	Yamaha	ITA	325
3	Marc MARQUEZ	Honda	SPA	242
4	Dani PEDROSA	Honda	SPA	206
5	Andrea IANNONE	Ducati	ITA	188
6	Bradley SMITH	Yamaha	GBR	181
7	Andrea DOVIZIOSO	Ducati	ITA	162
8	Cal CRUTCHLOW	Honda	GBR	125
9	Pol ESPARGARO	Yamaha	SPA	114
10	Danilo PETRUCCI	Ducati	ITA	113
11	Aleix ESPARGARO	Suzuki	SPA	105
12	Maverick VIÑALES	Suzuki	SPA	97
13	Scott REDDING	Honda	GBR	84
14	Yonny HERNANDEZ	Ducati	COL	56
15	Hector BARBERA	Ducati	SPA	33
16	Alvaro BAUTISTA	Aprilia	SPA	31
17	Loris BAZ	Yamaha Forward	FRA	28
18	Stefan BRADL	Aprilia	GER	17
19	Jack MILLER	Honda	AUS	17
20	Nicky HAYDEN	Honda	USA	16
21	Michele PIRRO	Ducati	ITA	12
22	Eugene LAVERTY	Honda	IRL	9
23	Katsuyuki NAKASUGA	Yamaha	JPN	8
24	Mike DI MEGLIO	Ducati	FRA	8
25	Hiroshi AOYAMA	Honda	JPN	5
26	Takumi TAKAHASHI	Honda	JPN	4
27	Toni ELIAS	Yamaha Forward	SPA	2
28	Alex DE ANGELIS	ART	RSM	2

Rossi needed a second-place position to win the title if Lorenzo won in Valencia, but his punishment for clashing with Marquez in Malaysia meant he started at the back of the grid, per BBC Sport.

BT Sport shared what the Italian had to do to win his eighth MotoGP championship:

Here's where @ValeYellow46 and @lorenzo99 need to finish to win the 2015 #MotoGP championship. #TheGrandFinale pic.twitter.com/CWrgIsbuYl

— TNT Sports Bikes (@bikesontnt) November 8, 2015

However, despite starting at the back of the grid, Rossi shot through the field in no time at all, climbing to ninth in just three laps as he chased the leaders. He was at his inimitable best, riding with aggression as he tried to pick off individuals ahead of him.

MotoGP shared Rossi's incredible rise to the front of the race:

No waiting around for @ValeYellow46 who continues to cut his way through the field now up into 11th! #TheGrandFinale https://t.co/MVqqH6QHZb

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) November 8, 2015

Rossi was up to seventh after eight laps, but his charge was becoming increasingly difficult as he met the stronger bikes. Nevertheless, the incessant Italian was as brave as ever, and muscled his way into fourth, as noted by BBC Sport's Tom Rostance:

Valentino Rossi up to fourth with 18 laps to go. Lorenzo champ as it stands but only five points in it

— Tom Rostance (@TJRostance) November 8, 2015

Rossi was significantly behind Lorenzo at the halfway point, as the Hondas of Marquez and Pedrosa chased the prospective new world champion in the top three places.

Double champion Marquez stayed close to Lorenzo's tail as Pedrosa fell off the pace, and Rossi remained 12 seconds behind third.

MotoGP speculated if the second place Honda would decide the title:

This race far from over, @lorenzo99 has @marcmarquez93 right behind him. Could #TheGrandFinale be decided by Marquez?

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) November 8, 2015

Lorenzo remained smooth as the final eight laps approached, with his compatriot comfortable in second. Lorenzo was fully aware Rossi was stuck in fourth behind Pedrosa, which would deliver him the MotoGP title, even if Marquez overtook him. 

However, Pedrosa put a cat among the pigeons with only six laps to race, and cut the gap between himself and Lorenzo to two seconds, giving Rossi hope of an unlikely title victory.

Pedrosa chased hard and was a quarter of a second faster than the two ahead of him, and the pressure was on Lorenzo to hang on to a top-two finish.

Pedrosa continued to cut the gap in each sector as he caught Marquez in second, and the three riders bunched together in a hectic last two laps. Pedrosa edged past his team-mate as they battled, but Marquez shot beyond the Honda again as the Spaniard ran too wide.

However, Lorenzo's perfect race was maintained through the final few corners, and the Spanish rider claimed his third MotoGP title after leading every lap, per BT Sport:

.@lorenzo99 crosses the finish line after riding a flawless race to seal the 2015 MotoGP Championship. #LorenzoChamp https://t.co/NHyOnQOaXa

— TNT Sports Bikes (@bikesontnt) November 8, 2015

The new champion was delighted after the race, and explained the nerves he felt, per BBC Sport:

I was under a lot of pressure, the rear tyre was destroyed. I just tried to focus and go as fast as possible, the bike was moving around so much. I was praying to finish the race. Now I am five-times world champion, it is easy to say but hard to do. I am very proud. This is a world title for Spain!

Rossi produced a great race to carve his way through the field, but he had left too much to do on Sunday.

Lorenzo raced as consistently as he has all season, and produced a champion's ride at the correct moment. 

The Hondas were in great shape in Valencia, but they did not have the race pace to do Rossi the ultimate favour.