MOTOGP
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 2/APRIL 13, 2014
CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS/AUSTIN, TEXAS
P48
distance, though every attempt to over-
take was repulsed. All the same, soon-
er or later he seemed set for a podium
finish. Then after one-third distance, he
started to slow visibly.
"We destroyed the front tire com-
pletely on the right side," he explained.
"I had to go three seconds slower. It's
a pity, because I could do another po-
dium."
As he slowed up, the action behind
intensified. Bradl led the way past Ros-
si, followed on lap 11 by Dovi and then
Pol Espargaro and Smith, one on either
side. Bautista by now had slid off and
out of contention.
Iannone was also in tire trouble, and
by lap 15 Bradl and Dovi were on him,
and one lap later ahead. In the pro-
cess, Dovi got ahead of the German,
who remained inches behind.
More followed, as Smith got the bet-
ter of his teammate and went on to pass
Iannone and close on the two ahead.
With less than two laps the Englishman
attacked Bradl, and a furious to-and-fro
through the early swerves ended with
the German still ahead, but Dovizioso
now having gained a valuable gap that
he would maintain to the end.
Bradl and Smith were still close over
the line; Espargaro next, having also
passed Iannone, with Rossi a distant
eighth.
Rossi was barely two seconds clear
of NGM Forward Racing Yamaha's
Aleix Espargaro: his second-row start
was wasted when he flinched as Loren-
zo came by, and he'd been left trailing.
Lorenzo had cut through to 10th, just
Stefan Bradl (6)
leads Dovizioso
in their battle for
third place.
