Phenomenal Marquez ends season in style with record 13th victory

2014-11-09 13:51
The MotoGP™ race at the Gran Premio Generali de la Comunitat Valenciana saw Marc Marquez score a record 13th premier class win of the season, ahead of Valentino Rossi and Dani Pedrosa. The result sees Rossi clinch the runner-up spot in the championship.

Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) set a new record for most victories in a single campaign in the top class, having equaled Mick Doohan’s total of 12 wins in 1997 last time out in Sepang.

The race saw light rain fall, with Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Iannone electing to move onto bikes set up for the wet on lap 20, a decision which would prove costly for both.

Crossing the line in second place Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) notched up the 13th rostrum result of a remarkable season for him too and the Italian also clinches second in this year’s championship. Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) was third in the Valencia contest, registering his tenth podium result of 2014.

Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) beat Cal Crutchlow (Ducati Team) to the line for fourth place by just 0.068s in their final race together as teammates.

Pol Espargaro (Monster Yamaha Tech3) was sixth in the race to confirm sixth in the championship in an excellent rookie season. Aleix Espargaro (NGM Forward Racing) crossed the line 0.284s behind his brother in seventh, giving him seventh place overall in the standings.

Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda MotoGP), wild card Michele Pirro (Ducati Team) and Scott Redding (GO&FUN Honda Gresini) completed the top ten.

On lap 11 Marquez had taken the initiative and took the lead from pole man Rossi and early race leader Iannone (Pramac Racing). At the half way stage Iannone made a mistake and ran through the gravel trap dropping back from the front group, having set the early pace.

On lap 20 Lorenzo and Iannone took the decision to swap bikes as light rain fell. Lorenzo then pulled into the pits on lap 26 having worn down wet tyres on a track which remained relatively dry, whilst Iannone ended up 22nd.

Yonny Hernandez (Energy T.I. Pramac Racing) was forced to retire during the early stages with a technical problem. Suzuki’s MotoGP return also ended with Randy De Puniet (Team Suzuki MotoGP) in the pits.

Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) suffered a small crash, but was able to remount and recover to 14th.


Moto2: Luthi takes dramatic win at final round as Rabat slows on finish straight
Tom Luthi took the victory in the final Moto2™ race of the year at Valencia, overtaking Tito Rabat on the final straight, with the World Champion slowing after the last corner and letting the Swiss rider slip in front. Johann Zarco finished third.

A close battle between Rabat (Marc VDS Racing Team) and Luthi (Interwetten Sitag) saw the Swiss rider come out on top in dramatic fashion at the death. Rabat stated afterwards that he had encountered a fuel shortage coming out of the final corner, allowing Luthi to charge forward and claim victory.

It was a lonely ride for Zarco (Caterham Suter) in third, as he finished 10 seconds down on the leading duo

Luis Salom (Paginas Amarillas HP 40) beat Xavier Simeon (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) who had pushed hard to catch the Spaniard for fourth. Dominique Aegerter (Technomag CarXpert) was part of that battle towards the end of the race but crossed the line sixth.

Sam Lowes (Speed Up), Marcel Schrotter (Tech 3), Anthony West (QMMF Racing Team) and Lorenzo Baldassarri (Gresini Moto2) rounded out the top ten.

Sandro Cortese (Dynavolt Intact GP), Jonas Folger (AGR Team) and Gino Rea (AFT REA Racing) came together on the opening lap, though the latter two were able to remount quickly and get back into the race.

Soon after there was an incident between Maverick Viñales (Paginas Amarillas HP 40) and Mika Kallio (Marc VDS Racing Team) that saw the Spaniard crash into Kallio. Viñales returned to the pits and while Kallio’s race was over in the gravel.

Axel Pons (AGR Team) and Julian Simon (Italtrans Racing Team) also came together several laps later.

Lucas Mahias (Promoto Sport) fell, as did Franco Morbidelli (Italtrans Racing Team) who lost the front and rejoined the race. Thitipong Warokorn (APH PTT The Pizza SAG) also had a spill and rejoined.

Mattia Pasini (NGM Forward Racing Team) was forced to retire with a technical issue.

Source: MotoGP

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