Marc was always out front and
in control. Ogura was the only
name to get between the three
Ducatis on the first lap thanks
to a smart start and first turn
from fifth on the grid. But Di Gi
-
annantonio had him by the end
of the first circuit to sit behind
the Marquez brothers.
From there, the race settled
into a predictable pattern.
Marc's physical limitations in
fast right turns meant he was
losing time on the thrilling
plunge through turn 11. But the
haste with which he tackled
turns 12 and 13 meant he was
far enough ahead of Alex at
turn one, his next weak spot, to
stay clear.
"I was recovering a little bit
through turn 11," Alex explained.
"But in the last two turns, he's
doing the difference. So, he
could build a gap. And then at
turn one, I was too far to touch
him again. It was like elastic."
Just three-tenths of a sec
-
ond separated the brothers at
the flag, with Di Giannantonio
a further half-second back
in third. Ogura was a distant
third, ahead of Raul Fernan-
dez (Trackhouse Aprilia),
while Jorge Martin was sixth
and Pecco Bagnaia (Lenovo
Ducati) gained two places to
sit seventh.
MotoGP Race
In some ways, Sunday's start
mirrored Saturday's. Marc led
Alex, with Ogura again get-
ting the jump on Fernandez
and Di Giannantonio. This
time, the VR46 Ducati was
stranded in fifth.
Fernandez passed his
VOLUME ISSUE JULY , P93
36 JOAN MIR
15TH/DNF MOTOGP
"A shame to end the weekend like
this," said Honda HRC's Joan Mir,
who had a tough weekend, which
ended with a crash Sunday. "I
started the [Sunday] race well and
was right with Luca [Marini, Honda
HRC Castrol], just waiting for a
moment to make a move and then
attack the Yamaha riders. I lost the
front in the last corner, and that was
our Sunday over. Fortunately, I am
okay, but of course this situation is
frustrating."
MYOWNRACE
