MOTOGP
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 7/JUNE 15, 2014
CIRCUIT OF CATALUNYA/BARCELONA, SPAIN
P70
The fight for victory would be
resolved on the last lap when, af-
ter several passes over the limit
between Marquez and Pedrosa,
the latter touched the defending
champion's rear wheel up the hill
at turn 11. Pedrosa saved a crash,
but went wide and lost all his
chances. Rossi snuck through to
regain second.
But had it been a deliberate
and cynical blockage? Was Mar-
quez's slower, different last-lap
line a professional foul? Or just
normal tactics?
"On the last lap you always try
to change your line to try to win
the race, of course," Marquez
explained. "On that corner in the
other laps I always went fast and
wide, then came back, but on
that lap I braked and stayed a lit-
tle bit in, stopped a little more the
bike and then I feel the touch. It
was quite close, but in the last lap
you know the second rider will try
to overtake you and you try to use
a tight line to win the race."
Pedrosa answered the same
question politely, glowing with
pleasure in at last having re-
gained competitive strength after
his arm-pump problems.
