MotoGP™: Marc Márquez earns Michelin’s 400th premier class win at Jerez

Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda Team) took the 2018 Gran Premio Red Bull de España spoils to score Michelin’s 400th victory at GP/MotoGPTM level. The world champion crossed the Jerez finish line ahead of Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech3) and Andrea Iannone (Ecstar Suzuki) to ease clear at the top of the provisional Riders’ table. 

After qualifying fifth on the grid, Márquez completed the first of the afternoon’s 25 laps in fourth spot before easing into second place on Lap 3. At the end of Lap 8, he appeared in front after passing Jorge Lorenzo who had started from fourth position. A sequence of quick times then took him comfortably clear of his Spanish rival who was later eliminated by a three-rider tangle involving his Ducati team-mate Andrea Dovizioso and Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) on Lap 18.

Márquez went on to win by a margin of more than five seconds over Zarco who had inherited second place after the above collision.

The last lap saw Iannone come out on top in his duel with Danilo Petrucci (4th, Alma Pramac Racing) to clinch his second straight podium finish and Suzuki’s third.

Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), Jack Miller and Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) were fifth, sixth and seventh at the flag, while Alvaro Bautista (Angle Nieto Team), Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and Mika Kallio (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) rounded out the afternoon’s top 10.

The result has taken Márquez to the top of the provisional Riders’ standings on 70 points, ahead of Zarco (58) and Viñales (50). The classification’s pre-race leader Dovizioso has fallen to fifth.

Michelin’s 400th premier class victory is further evidence of its motorcycle racing pedigree which has spawned numerous technical breakthroughs since its top-flight debut in 1973. Examples of its pioneering innovations include the introduction of slicks in 1974, radial tyres in 1984, silica-based compounds in 1992, dual-compound technology in 2004 and AST (Asymmetric Technology) which, over the decades, have helped 48 different riders to celebrate victory at GP500/MotoGP level.

Next round: French Grand Prix, Le Mans (May 18-20).