Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1174582
MOTOGP FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 17 / OCTOBER 4-6, 2016 BURIRAM CIRCUIT / BURIRAM, THAIL AND P72 "We changed everything on the bike at Ara- gon, and we started here with the same feel- ing. But it was a difficult race mentally—alone, in this hot temperature," he said. Behind him, ultra-close practice and qualify- ing were matched by the fiercest of battles. Championship leader Alex Marquez (EG VDS Kalex) had led away from pole and for the first two laps; but Iker Lecuona was close be- hind after Marini escaped; the American Rac- ing KTM rider had taken a flyer off the fourth row of the grid to force his way through. Before half distance, the Spaniard was joined by Red Bull KTM's Brad Binder, winner at Aragon, while soon after Augusto Fernandez (Flexbox HP40 Kalex) made it a group of four. Marquez, with a championship lead to pro- tect, fought off several attacks before succumb- ing to Lecuona finally on lap 14. The next past was Binder, and with four laps to go, Fernandez was also ahead for the first time over the line. Positions changed several times, but by the finish, second was between the KTMs, and Binder finally succeeded in getting ahead of Lecuona for keeps at the final corner. The Spaniard fought back and almost high-sided in the attempt, allowing Fernandez to pull almost alongside, with Marquez right behind. First-time front-row starter Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM) was never part of the fight, seventh on lap one, but fifth was the Moto3 cham- pion's best yet. Marquez's fourth extended his points lead slightly. The table is Marquez 224, Fernandez 184, Binder 180, Luthi 178 and Navarro 175. Moto3 Albert Arenas (Gaviota KTM) took a first win of the year in a dramatic and crash-hit first race of the day. But a second-place for Lorenzo Dalla Porta gave a potentially crucial 20 points to the Leopard Honda rider, as his main title rivals Marini was majestic as he swept to an unchallenged win in Moto2. Lorenzo, 18th on the factory Repsol Honda, ahead only of Karel Abraham and Hafizh Syahrin, who com- plained of a lack of power from an overheating engine. Mika Kallio was the other non-finisher, after an early crash on the Red Bull KTM. Marquez is now unassailable, with 325 points, 110 more than Dovizioso's 215, with four races remaining. Rins (167) is under threat from new third-lacer Vinales (163); Petrucci and Rossi have 162 and 145. Moto2 Luca Marini looked serene as he took his first win of the season, better than two seconds clear of a fan- tastic four-bike fight for second. The SKYVR46 Kalex rider credited a settings breakthrough at the last round for a clearly superior performance, underlined by a new lap record.