MotoGP

Marc Marquez won his third race in a row on Sunday when he finished ahead of Danilo Petrucci and Valentino Rossi at Le Mans in the MotoGP Grand Prix of France. 

Andrea Dovizioso crashed out for the second race running, while Johann Zarco—who started on pole—also slid out.

Here is the classification, per MotoGP reporter Simon Patterson:

Well that was a tricky race! #FrenchGP pic.twitter.com/BWQQ8UCefC

— Simon Patterson (@denkmit) May 20, 2018

Marquez's win extending his lead in the race for the world title to 36 points over Maverick Vinales and Crash.net's Neil Morrison believes it already looks to be in his hands:

Just five races in and Marquez's title lead already stands at a considerable 36 points - and that comes after one non-score. Ominous form. Doubt we'll be seeing a title shootout at Valencia this year.

— Neil Morrison (@NeilMorrison87) May 20, 2018

Per Crash.net, the 25-year-old said: "The race was tough but when I went out I saw the grip was less than this morning. I push from the beginning and I'm happy because normally we struggle here."

Most of the key action was contained in the first third of the race.

A superb opening salvo from Jorge Lorenzo saw him move up five places into first inside the Turn 1, and it was all Zarco could do to take second place ahead of Marquez at Turn 3 after he started slowly.

Dovizioso overtook the Frenchman in the third lap after Zarco ran wide and quickly moved past Lorenzo into first, but he crashed out soon after:

A rare, rare, rare mistake from @AndreaDovizioso!!! 😮

He crashes out of the lead of the #FrenchGP 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/awYTFk70E4

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) May 20, 2018

With Lorenzo back in front, Zarco and Marquez duelled for second. The Yamaha man regained second from the Spaniard on the seventh lap, before he too crashed out:

THE DREAM IS OVER 😢@JohannZarco1 crashes out of second place!#FrenchGP pic.twitter.com/sMRmIs64HM

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) May 20, 2018

Patterson was not overly surprised to see him retire:

The Frenchman looked on the limit all race. That's only his second ever MotoGP crash - the last one was in his first ever race in Qatar last season #FrenchGP

— Simon Patterson (@denkmit) May 20, 2018

Zarco's crash left Marquez behind only Lorenzo, and he went under his compatriot at Turn 6 to hit the front on Lap 9.

Lorenzo's race spiralled out of control at that point and was soon taken by Petrucci and then Rossi, and he would end the race in sixth.

The next race will see the riders compete in the Italian Grand Prix on June 3. Marquez has won at Mugello in all three classifications, but the race has been dominated by Lorenzo in recent years, having won five of the last seven.

He'll need to perform better than he did in France if he's to beat Marquez to the finish line this time, though.

Marc Marquez will look to extend his lead at the top of the MotoGP world standing on Sunday in the 2018 Grand Prix of France at Le Mans.

The Spaniard holds a 12-point lead in this year's championship, and he's bidding to win his third world title in succession and fifth overall.

Read on for a look at the key riders to watch out for on Sunday, but first here are the details you need to catch the action:

                     

Date: Sunday, May 20

Time: 1 p.m. BST/8 a.m. ET

Live Stream: BT Sport App, beIN Sports CONNECT

The complete practice and qualifying schedule can be found at MotoGP's official website.

                            

Marc Marquez, Honda

With his victory on home soil last time out in the Spanish Grand Prix, Marquez has now won the last two races and set the fastest lap in each of the last three.

MotoGP's official Twitter account looked back on his victory in Jerez:

We have a new Championship leader, his name is @marcmarquez93 💪#MotoGP #LifeAtFullThrottle pic.twitter.com/EBWEfADjcS

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) May 6, 2018

The 25-year-old won the race by more than five seconds and was so dominant he was able to showboat over the finish line:

Celebrando la victoria a lo @katyperry bailando el #SwishSwish encima de la moto! 😅
Celebrating the victory with the #SwishSwish of @katyperry on the bike!#SpanishGP @MotoGP pic.twitter.com/1QCysGmyv3

— Marc Márquez (@marcmarquez93) May 6, 2018

He impressed MotoGP reporter Simon Patterson with his masterful display:

A masterclass from @marcmarquez93 #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/AcKZju9l3U

— Simon Patterson (@denkmit) May 6, 2018

Le Mans has not been a happy hunting ground for Marquez in recent years—he slid out of the race last year and finished 13th in 2016—but he'll be determined to put that right this time around.

               

Johann Zarco, Yamaha

Yamaha's Johann Zarco is second to Marquez in the standings and finished behind him in Spain, the latter of two second-place finishes he has achieved this season.

The Frenchman also finished second at Le Mans last year—which was his first podium in MotoGP—and he'll be eager to go one step further on this occasion.

Zarco said he was fortunate to finish as runner-up in Spain after Andrea Dovizioso, Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa all crashed, but he is relishing the prospect of taking them on in France.

"I'm pretty happy to come to my home Grand Prix being second in the Championship. I got a nice, but also lucky podium in Jerez, but this gave me a very high motivation and a big smile to start the French GP," he said, per Crash.net.

The 27-year-old added: "Last year was one of the best races of the season because in Le Mans I got my first-ever MotoGP podium. I would like to fight for the victory, therefore I have to stay cool, work well with the team and we will see what will happen."

Getting his first win won't be easy given Marquez's momentum, but should the Spaniard struggle once again in France, Zarco could be the one to capitalise.

Defending world champion Marc Marquez cruised to victory at the Grand Prix of Americas on Sunday as he claimed his first win of the 2018 season

The Spaniard took the lead on the first lap and never looked back as he completely dominated the race. Yamaha's Maverick Vinales finished in second with Suzuki's Andrea Iannone completing the podium.

MotoGP showed Marquez's moment of victory:

#MotoGP Race 🏁@marcmarquez93 wins his 6th successive #AmericasGP and remains the King of COTA 👑@maverickmack25 takes third and @andreaiannone29 take his first podium with Suzuki pic.twitter.com/6J8ps2Vw2j

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 22, 2018

The final race standings are shown by MotoGP reporter Simon Patterson:

Three winners and eight podium finishers from the first three races of 2018! pic.twitter.com/oP6XrdZ6nk

— Simon Patterson (@denkmit) April 22, 2018

Iannone made a great start to snatch the lead going into the first corner, but Marquez made his move at Turn 12 to surge back in front.

Iannone tried to keep pace with the world champion but began to slip back as Marquez edged ahead by just over a second.

Behind the front two, the action was unfolding as Vinales managed to fight off the challenge of Valentino Rossi to close in on Iannone.

Further back, Andrea Dovizioso went past Ducati team-mate Cal Crutchlow and into sixth.

Up front, Marquez was simply riding towards victory with no problems at all as he stretched his lead. Moto GP writer Hannah Smith showed the distance between the world champion and the rest of the pack:

https://twitter.com/smith_hannah19/status/988136651372355585

Meanwhile, Vinales went past Iannone, but he managed to keep Rossi behind him despite pressure from the Yamaha rider.

Crutchlow's day then went from bad to worse as he crashed at Turn 20, as shown by MotoGP:

We're going to have a new championship leader after the #AmericasGP as @calcrutchlow crashes out 😖#AmericasGP pic.twitter.com/BgHhRFAL5N

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 22, 2018

The British rider managed to rejoin the race, but his problems continued as he received a 2.7-second penalty for cutting Turn 4 and he eventually finished in 19th.

Marquez continued untroubled up front to clinch victory with ease and make it six wins out of six at the Grand Prix of Americas.

Dovizioso managed to find a way past Johann Zarco to come home in fifth place behind Rossi. The Italian finishes the weekend as the championship leader but is only a point ahead of Marquez now.

The third race of the 2018 MotoGP calendar will take place when the Grand Prix of the Americas gets under way Sunday in Austin, Texas.

Englishman Cal Crutchlow will hope to build on his shock win in last month's Grand Prix of Argentina. The Coventry native triumphed in an error-strewn race but will find it hard to beat Marc Marquez, who has crossed the line first in this race for the last five years.

Valentino Rossi also figures to be in the mix on the Circuit of the Americas.

               

Date: Sunday, April 22

Warm-Ups: 2:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. BST. 9:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. ET.

Race Start Time: 8 p.m. BST. 3 p.m. ET.

Live Stream: BT Sport App. beIN Sports CONNECT.

Practice races take place on Friday from 2:45 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. BST/9:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. ET, while qualifying happens on Saturday from 6 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. BST/1 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. ET, per BT Sport.

            

Marquez is the rider to watch, but the Spaniard will be under the spotlight for different reasons after his stormy clash with Rossi at the Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo.

The pair crashed together when Marquez collided with Rossi's Yamaha bike. Marquez has since apologised by text message, according to Diario Gol (h/t Alex Wood of the Daily Star).

Rossi was initially reluctant to let Marquez make amends. A fiery rivalry has been brewing between the two, but FIM president Vito Ippolito recently preached calm to Corriere dello Sport (h/t GPone.com's Heather Watson).

If sparks fly early, Marquez and Rossi could again be distracted enough to leave room for another surprise winner. It's how Crutchlow was able to profit in Argentina.

At 32, Crutchlow has enough experience after eight seasons to ride another smart race. His measured approach last time was applauded by Richard Williams of the Guardian:

"His performance on the Rio Hondo circuit, in tricky conditions requiring the highest level of feel and intelligence, was that of a rider who has grown out of the years when he always seemed to be having something to prove."

As the leader in the early Championship standings, Crutchlow will enter this race with confidence, so he can expect to again be one of the riders involved in the final reckoning.

While Crutchlow is buoyant, Maverick Vinales has bad memories of Austin, Texas. He crashed early in last year's race, a setback that was the start of a lengthy losing run.

Yet the Yamaha man has the ability to transform his fortunes this year, especially if team-mate Rossi is too focused on Marquez.

Cal Crutchlow narrowly held off Johann Zarco to win the 2018 MotoGP Grand Prix of Argentina on Sunday, a race that will go down as one of the most eventful and dramatic of the year.

Defending world champion Marc Marquez was involved in several incidents that saw him end up with three separate penalties, finishing out of the points. The race start was also delayed, leading to some incredible scenes.

Alex Rins took third place behind Crutchlow and Zarco. Wth the win, Crutchlow also took the lead in the overall standings, taking a three-point lead over Andrea Dovizioso.

Here are the race results:

MotoGP race results: Crutchlow, Zarco, Rins, Miller, Viñales, Dovizioso, Rabat, Iannone, Syahrin, Petrucci, P.Espargaro, Redding, Nakagami, Morbidelli, Lorenzo

— Crash MotoGP (@crash_motogp) April 8, 2018

For the full MotoGP standings, click here. 

   

Chaos and Controversy Before Start

The tricky weather conditions in Argentina led to chaotic scenes before the race even began, as Jack Miller was the only rider to make the decision to change to slick tyres in time.

It resulted in some incredible scenes, with the race start quickly approaching:

It's chaos down there!!! 🙃#ArgentinaGP pic.twitter.com/dz6OPzrdgN

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 8, 2018

The pole-sitter spent minutes sitting on the grid all by himself as race organisers delayed the start, and Miller clearly wasn't happy with proceedings:

Miller had made the right call to change to slicks in time for the original start and is clearly not happy with the delay...#ArgentinaGP #MotoGP pic.twitter.com/0kkbJ5X9Na

— Crash MotoGP (@crash_motogp) April 8, 2018

With the entire group of riders changing tyres at the last minute―except for Miller―the start got complicated. Having them all start from the pit lane wasn't an option, so instead, the grid was laid out anew, with Miller receiving a head start.

The result was odd, to say the least:

Have you ever seen a grid like this?!#ArgentinaGP #MotoGP pic.twitter.com/FqIdlF0zXK

— Crash MotoGP (@crash_motogp) April 8, 2018

   

More Chaos on Opening Lap

The absurd scenes were likely to result in more chaos during the opening lap, and world champion Marquez nearly didn't make it in time after his bike stalled:

MORE DRAMA! Now for @marcmarquez93 on the grid! 😮

And we are finally racing!#ArgentinaGP pic.twitter.com/r2v0704JOS

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 8, 2018

To cap things off, Dani Pedrosa saw his chances of winning the race end early as he went flying off the track:

The drama doesn't stop!!!@26_DaniPedrosa highsides out of the race on lap one! 😖#ArgentinaGP pic.twitter.com/K8oTFV9k9q

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 8, 2018

     

Penalties for Marquez

Miller's advantage didn't amount too much, as Marquez flew up the grid and took the lead in no time. He quickly built an advantage while his race start was under review, and the stewards ended up assessing a ride-through penalty.

Some fans thought it wasn't enough:

Marquez should get a black flag for that start.

— Neil Spalding (@Spalders) April 8, 2018

The Catalan would exit the pit lane in 20th place, with Miller back in the lead. Shortly after, he made far too much contact while overtaking Aleix Espargaro, and he was assessed another penalty, dropping a position.

Marquez did well to fight his way back up the field and moved up to seventh, but he once again moved in recklessly on Valentino Rossi, causing the Italian to crash onto the grass. That resulted in another 30-second penalty, leaving him out of the points.

Marquez tried to apologise to the racing legend, to no avail:

Unbelievable scenes at the #ArgentinaGP as @marcmarquez93 heads to @ValeYellow46's box to apologise 😮😮😮#TermasClash pic.twitter.com/5ZT4CwSd9t

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 8, 2018

        

Battle for the Win

The fight at the front was a good one, with Miller holding off Rins for several laps before making a crucial mistake in Turn 13 and dropping all the way to fourth. 

Crutchlow couldn't enjoy the lead for long, as Zarco surged ahead with four laps still to go. But the Brit would battle back and hold off his rival in the final corners, winning the race by a slim margin.

   

What's Next

The Grand Prix of the Americas is next on the schedule, taking place on April 22.

Maverick Vinales will hope to repeat last year's triumph when he races at the 2018 MotoGP Grand Prix of Argentina at the Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo in Santiago del Estero on Sunday.

Vinales needs the win after Andrea Dovizioso won the season's opening race in Qatar recently. Vinales could only finish sixth but will be fancied to improve after last year's exploits.

Meanwhile, world champion Marc Marquez impressed when he finished second in Qatar. Expect the Spaniard to again be in the thick of the battle for first place.

             

Date: Sunday, April 8

Warm-Ups: 1:40 p.m. to 3 p.m. BST. 9:40 a.m. to 10 a.m. ET.

Race Start Time: 7 p.m. BST. 2 p.m. ET.

Practice races take place on Friday from 1 p.m. to 7:50 p.m. BST/8 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. ET, while qualifying happens on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 7:50 p.m. BST/8 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. ET, per BT Sport.

            

Live-stream links: BT Sport App, beIN Sports CONNECT.

Marquez has a terrific history in this particular race, securing pole position four times and earning a pair of wins. The last of those victories came in 2016, but he should still feel confident about his chances this year.

The Spaniard has never lost when on pole position, per Ian Marsden of the Daily Telegraph, so times set in qualifying will be key for the reigning champion.

Dovizioso also deserves to feel confident about his chances after the way he set the pace on the Losail International Circuit back in March. 

The Italian can also be boosted by riding on the "long straight and various sweeping turns" on this track, according to Jerry Perez of The Drive. Perez believes those turns are similar to those Dovizioso thrived on in Qatar.

Even so, finishing ahead of Yamaha at Termas de Rio Hondo will still be no easy task. The team saw both Vinales and Valentino Rossi cross the line ahead of the rest in 2017.

Rossi admitted Yamaha's "rivals are stronger now," per GPone.com. He also talked up Vinales' chances of winning in Argentina again, saying the team's work in Qatar bodes well.

For his part, Vinales expects Yamaha will be on the front for most of the race, per Crash.net. The claim is a clear indicator of the confident mood Vinales is in ahead of a race he loves.

Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso claimed victory in the first MotoGP race of the new season as he took the chequered flag at the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday.

The Italian managed to hold off the challenge of world champion Marc Marquez in a thrilling finish, while Yamaha's Valentino Rossi completed the podium as he came home in third place.

The race in Qatar made history. It was the first MotoGP sunset race, as noted by journalist Mat Oxley:

First sunset race in GP history coming up next🌇

— Mat Oxley (@matoxley) March 18, 2018

Marquez got off to a great start and looked to go up the inside and snatch the lead, but pole-sitter Johann Zarco managed to hold his position. Marquez did take advantage of a Zarco mistake later in the first lap to move in front, but the Frenchman was quick to slipstream past him and retake the lead.

Behind the leading two, Rossi was moving through the pack. The Italian started down in eighth place but was quickly past Dani Pedrosa and into third, as shown by MotoGP:

Here comes The Doctor!@ValeYellow46 is up to 3rd! 🔥#QatarGP pic.twitter.com/VTy1PElyEv

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) March 18, 2018

Marquez was next, and Rossi reeled him in before sliding past to take second place with Zarco maintaining the lead. Rossi had a few looks but was willing to be patient before making his move. However, with the two fighting for first place, Marquez took advantage to slingshot back into second with 12 laps to go. MotoGP showed how the action unfolded at the front of the race:

Rossi makes his move for the lead...but to no avail!

And through comes Marquez! 🔥#QatarGP pic.twitter.com/srrMtEDv3p

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) March 18, 2018

Meanwhile, Dovizioso had suffered a poor start but was working his way up the standings, and he also went past Rossi. The two changed positions a couple of times before Dovizioso made it stick and held his place.

While the action was unfolding behind him, Zarco was looking composed and in control out in front, and the track was also claiming some victims. Alex Rins was the first rider to crash out, and he was swiftly followed by Jorge Lorenzo.

With seven laps still to go, the race was still wide-open with any of the seven in the leading pack capable of claiming victory. Dovizioso's speed meant he was looking a real threat as he passed Marquez again for second and then into first. Marquez and Rossi then followed as Zarco slipped down to fourth. 

Elsewhere on the track, Maverick Vinales was the fastest man despite being down in eighth place. MotoGP writer Simon Patterson was impressed with how he turned his race around:

Impressive turnaround for @maverickmack25 - he's now eighth and closing down the leading pack. Should have the pace to catch them, too #QatarGP

— Simon Patterson (@denkmit) March 18, 2018

Dovizioso responded by posting the fastest lap of the race as the action heated up, but he could not shake off Marquez. The two headed into the final lap with little to choose between them. Marquez had a go at the final corner as he went for the inside, but Dovizioso was quicker on the power to edge over the finish line just in front.

Patterson showed the final standings:

What a finish! Looks like we're just kicking off where we left last year as Dovi and Marquez go head to head in the final corner (again!) #QatarGP pic.twitter.com/nYboIrHUCI

— Simon Patterson (@denkmit) March 18, 2018

It was a thrilling battle between the two men, with the race following straight on from last season as Marquez and Dovizioso continued their rivalry. This time, it was Dovizioso who came out on top, and he may feel the win is overdue having finished second on this track for the last three years in a row.

MotoGP's first race of the season takes place this weekend, with the 2018 Grand Prix of Qatar set for Sunday. Preparations, including practice and qualifying runs, begin Friday on the Losail International Circuit.

Last year's winner, Maverick Vinales, is among the riders to watch, as are 2017 runner-up Andrea Dovizioso and world champion Marc Marquez.

Here are the schedule details for each day's events, per BT Sport:

Friday: Free Practice 1, 2

9:45 a.m.-2 p.m. GMT/5:45 a.m.-10 a.m. ET: Free Practice 1
2 p.m.-5:15 p.m. GMT/10 a.m.-1:15 p.m. ET: Free Practice 2

            

Saturday: Free Practice 3 and Qualifying

10 a.m.-1 p.m. GMT/6 a.m.-9 a.m. ET: Free Practice 3

            

Sunday: Race Day

10:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. GMT/6:30 a.m.-8:15 a.m. ET: Warm-Ups
12:15 p.m.-2 p.m. GMT/8:15 a.m.-10 a.m. ET: Moto3 Race
2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. GMT/10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. ET: Moto2 Race
3:30 p.m.-5 p.m. GMT/11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. ET: MotoGP Race
5 p.m.-6 p.m. GMT/1 p.m.-2 p.m. ET: Chequered Flag

Live-stream links: BT Sport App, beIN Sports CONNECT.

Dovizioso is fancied to win by former Ducati rider Neil Hodgson, who told BT Sport the track favours his old team, particularly the Italian who has finished second for three years in a row.

Hodgson also believes the 31-year-old will have a more ruthless edge this time around.

Even Marquez has tipped Dovizioso as faster after early testing, per Oriol Puigdemont and Jamie Klein of Autosport.

Dovizioso welcomed the praise from his rival, citing the comfort of his Ducati bike on the track.

Marquez may be content to give Ducati the edge before the race, but it's hard to imagine the Honda rider remaining this accommodating. The edge for the Spaniard may come from his ability to stay on his bike and save himself from potential crashes.

Valentino Rossi praised Marquez's ability to escape potential problems, per Riders (h/t Motorsport.com's David Gruz): "He had so many saves last year that it can't be a coincidence. For me, he worked to improve his technique, his style of riding helps him."

Being able to avoid crashes on a track this demanding is an asset for any rider. Despite his pedigree as a six-time world champion, Marquez will be competing against recent history, having failed to win this race since 2014.

Vinales owns the more recent experience of crossing the chequered flag first. The 2017 winner has already shown he's up for the challenge of repeating the feat by riding the quickest on the first day of the final pre-season test, per Valentin Khorounzhiy of Motorsport.com.

Competing on a Honda bike will also boost Vinales' chances, since the team "won the last three premier class races in Losail—and five of the last six," according to BT Sport.

Honda has a great chance to feature on the podium, although Ducati will take some beating thanks to Dovizioso and three-time winner Jorge Lorenzo.

Defending world champion Marc Marquez will have a fight on his hand to retain his title during the 2018 MotoGP season, as this year's campaign could be one of the most competitive in recent memory, if pre-season testing is any indication.

Ducati, Honda and Yamaha matched pace during the tests, and several unheralded riders impressed on a consistent basis. Whereas previous campaigns were dominated by the same four or five riders, there could realistically be eight or nine fighting it out for each race win in 2018.

Marquez remains the favourite to win the title―he has taken four of the last five championships after all―but Maverick Vinales, Valentino Rossi and Dani Pedrosa will have similar aspirations, with Jorge Lorenzo, Cal Crutchlow, Andrea Iannone, Andrea Dovizioso, Johann Zarco and Alex Rins also expected to make some noise.

The full race calendar, complete with start times and locations, can be found here. The season will start in Qatar, location of the final official test, on March 18. The final race will be on November 18, in the Spanish city of Valencia. A total of 19 races will take place.

Here's a look back at the final official test in Qatar:

This was the #QatarTest 🎥

Pre-season is over - it's time to go racing! 🏁 pic.twitter.com/VeAx8ilBsU

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) March 4, 2018

The opening race of the 2018 season could spring a surprise or two, with several riders and teams finding unexpected pace at the Losail International Circuit. Suzuki's Iannone in particular was a lot faster in the desert than in previous tests and could challenge for the race win―even if team-mate Rins is expected to have the better of him the rest of the year.

Rins has been touted as one of the sport's rising stars after he finished third in the 2016 Moto2 championship. Injuries slowed him down significantly last year, but he could have a breakout season in 2018.

He's not the only outsider worth keeping an eye on. The 22-year-old was beaten to the 2016 Moto2 title by Zarco, who made the step up to MotoGP last year and grabbed three podium finishes. Now 27, he's been excellent in pre-season testing, finishing with the best time in Qatar.

Marquez remains the man to beat, winning his last two titles on a bike that was slower than that of his rivals. The 2018 Honda has been much better in pre-season testing, giving the Spaniard a huge advantage.

Yamaha had a hot start in 2017 before faltering as the season wore on. If they can reverse that trend, Vinales' raw talent could be enough to see him past Marquez. Team-mate Rossi will likely pick his spots to chase race wins but could steal valuable points from Marquez in the process.

Dovizioso showed a lot of improvements last year, and his chances of winning the championship will come down to whether or not Ducati can match Honda this year.

He had the pace in Qatar in testing, per MotoGP on BT Sport:

The final pre-season testing is over 🏁

1️⃣ Johann Zarco
2️⃣ Valentino Rossi
3️⃣ Andrea Dovizioso

Will we see Zarco claim his maiden #MotoGP win in 2018?

Roll on March 18th! pic.twitter.com/5bx60lWpBh

— TNT Sports Bikes (@bikesontnt) March 3, 2018

Per Matthew Clayton of Redbull.com, Zarco's single-lap pace was impressive, but his race pace was not. Yamaha's overall pace remains a major question mark heading into the opening race.

Honda-Repsol's Marc Marquez won his fourth MotoGP world title at the 2017 Grand Prix of Valencia on Sunday after main rival Andrea Dovozioso crashed out. Team-mate Dani Pedrosa won the race.

Dovizioso spent the entire race stuck behind team-mate Jorge Lorenzo, who ignored team orders and all but gifted Marquez the title. The Ducati duo eventually both crashed.

Here's a look at the race results, via Yamaha MotoGP:

Race Results: @ValeYellow46 took 5th in today's race and ended the season in 5th place overall. @maverickmack25, who had already secured 3rd place in the championship standings in Sepang, crossed the line in 12th place today. #MovistarYamaha #MotoGP #ValenciaGP pic.twitter.com/kdtsIsTCrL

— Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP (@YamahaMotoGP) November 12, 2017

        

Recap

Marquez started the race with a 21-point buffer and had a dream start, taking the lead after the first corner ahead of team-mate Pedrosa. It was exactly what Repsol-Honda needed, although Johann Zarco quickly took second place and started to hunt down the leader.

The Frenchman took the lead after picking an ambitious breaking point, although Marquez didn't put up much of a fight and almost appeared to invite Zarco to move ahead and storm off:

The Frenchman hits the front! Zarco leads the #ValenciaGP! 👊#FinalShowdown pic.twitter.com/yNgTHX07pq

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) November 12, 2017

In the background, Lorenzo held up team-mate Dovizioso, while further back, Aleix Espargaro and Scott Redding hit the tarmac. Maverick Vinales was nowhere near the front, which broke away from the pack early.

Before long, Zarco and Marquez started to distance the others, as the latter played things perfectly. Rather than take on the aggressive Frenchman and risk a crash, he put himself in the perfect position to use the full power of his Honda. His main rival had no answers, as team orders did not come into play yet:

Meanwhile @AndreaDovizioso sits 5th! He can't win the Championship from there... pic.twitter.com/zpnIq6ax86

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) November 12, 2017

The order finally came in Lap 13, but by that point, Dovizioso's chances of beating Marquez to the title already seemed gone, as he had to win the race to do so. And while Lorenzo got the order in Lap 13, he didn't move over immediately, as he appeared to fail to spot it straight away.

At the halfway point, Honda started to close the gap to Zarco, while Lorenzo still hadn't moved over. Racing commentator Karun Chandhok had his say:

Hmm - this @AndreaDovizioso and @lorenzo99 relationship could be a bit tense after the race! Although the brilliant @marcmarquez93 still in control of the championship it seems #MotoGP

— Karun Chandhok (@karunchandhok) November 12, 2017

Ducati even put a -1 signal on the Spaniard's pit board in a desperate attempt to get him to let Dovizioso pass:

Still no movement between @lorenzo99 and @AndreaDovizioso 👀

Ducati are making the message clear! #Valenciagp pic.twitter.com/aXkwovikwB

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) November 12, 2017

At the front, Marquez briefly reclaimed the lead before running wide. As the finish line drew near, the Spaniard grew more comfortable, knowing Dovizioso stood virtually no chance of completing a comeback. 

He showed his considerable talent when he narrowly avoided a crash, keeping his balance with both his elbow and knee on the tarmac. Here's a look at the stunning piece of handling:

DRAMA!!! Marquez runs on at turn one after a MASSSSSSIVE save! 😱

He rejoins in 5th! #FinalShowdown pic.twitter.com/nt4Lsy01UR

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) November 12, 2017

And there was more drama to come, courtesy of Ducati. Lorenzo and Dovizioso both crashed out, effectively ending the championship.

Pedrosa took advantage of Marquez's mistake to take the fight to Zarco, and he took the lead in the final laps with a great move in Turn 1. Zarco's late moves didn't see him past the Spaniard, who gave Honda a second reason to celebrate.