Merciless Marquez back to winning ways

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If an unexpected fourth place at the Czech MotoGP two weeks ago had given Marc Marquez’s rivals cause for hope, Sunday at Britain’s Silverstone served as a reminder that his talents run deep.

This was Marquez at his imperious best, as well as a fine advertisement for a sport that thrives on white-knuckle tension; in a scintillating contest, MotoGP’s youngest ever champion roared back to form.

His victory means only a disaster for the 21-year-old Catalan can prevent him lifting his second title well before the end of the season.

Repsol Honda’s record-breaking star began on pole after a typically impressive qualifying session, but quickly found himself playing catch-up to an apparently rejuvenated Jorge Lorenzo.

The Movistar Yamaha rider seized his chance in warmer than expected conditions, taking an early lead as a fierce skirmish developed behind him.

Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso had gatecrashed the Honda-Yamaha power party on the starting grid, and the Italian took his increasing confidence into battle with Dani Pedrosa and Valentino Rossi.

Gradually the front five eased away from the chasing pack, but remained close enough to one another to throw up some heart stopping moments as positions changed lap after lap.

The contest reached an electrifying climax in the final moments, with Marquez and Lorenzo diving into an uncompromising dogfight.

When Lorenzo seized the initiative with just three laps remaining it looked as though the man from Mallorca might be able to hold on for the win.

The two riders knocked fairings as their battle raged, before an audacious and fearless pass from Marquez fired the championship leader back to the front with two laps remaining.

The champion held his lead to cross the line to claim his 11th victory from the 12 Grand Prix this season.

Marquez was delighted with the win, having missed out to Lorenzo at Silverstone last year.

“With higher temperatures it seems that both Jorge and Valentino took a step forward,” he said. “Above all, Jorge, because he had a great pace and we were fighting right to the end.

“It was important to win, after missing out at Brno. I also had a score to settle from last year, when Jorge beat me on the final corner, so I am happy to be back on the top step of the podium!”

Lorenzo, meanwhile, revealed that he had struggled to maintain the same pace as his rival, and blamed their coming together for the loss of valuable momentum.

“I lost a lot of time when he (Marquez) touched me,” he said. “I knew that he was going to try to overtake me in this corner in first gear on the right, but I didn’t let him enter.

“On the outside I opened the throttle and he touched me. In the next corner he touched me again as he went into the corner and I lost seven tenths of a second.”

Even so Lorenzo was pleased with his second place.

“I made a really good start and pushed 100%, more than ever, so I am really proud of my riding,” he said.

Rossi – who set a new outright record of 246 starts in the premier class of Grand Prix racing – won the battle behind the leaders to take third from Pedrosa and a disappointed but philosophical Dovizioso.

“The result confirms the improvements we are making,” the Italian said. “Finishing the race less than ten seconds behind the leaders was almost a dream before the start, but instead we did it and we were always in with a fighting chance of finishing on the podium.”

The home fans were left frustrated as one of their favorites, Tech3 Yamaha’s Bradley Smith, was knocked out of contention by a cracked rear wheel.

The Briton’s tyre deflated as a result, forcing him into the pits. When he re-joined with a new wheel his chances of a point-scoring finish had gone, but he did manage to ride to within a lap of the leaders, to loud cheers from the stands.

“I tried to stay out and fight through it but it just got too dangerous to ride,” Smith said.

“When we changed (the wheel), I proved that I have the pace for sixth. It was a good weekend up until the race and the team did a great job, but these things happen sometimes.”

Tech3 could, however, console themselves with an outstanding performance from rookie Pol Espargaro, who forced his way into a highly creditable sixth position.

Of the other top British talent, Scott Redding piloted his Open Class Gresini Honda to a solid tenth, but Ducati’s Cal Crutchlow could only manage twelfth.

The talented Coventry-born rider must surely be counting the days until he leaves for his new team, LCR Honda, at the end of an intensely trying season.

The championship now takes a two week break before the San Marino MotoGP, with Marquez a titanic 89 points clear of Pedrosa, and Rossi a further 10 points back in third, with only six races remaining this season.