MOTOGP
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 7/JUNE 15, 2014
CIRCUIT OF CATALUNYA/BARCELONA, SPAIN
P72
HOME BOY
Barcelona resident Tito Rabat had
no rivals at his local track, as the Marc
VDS Kalex rider showed from the very
first session of the weekend. And his
fourth win in seven races gives him a
34-point lead over his teammate Mika
Kallio, with third-placed Maverick Vina-
les now 60 points behind.
It's curious to see how in the last
three seasons three Spanish riders
have been waiting their turn to domi-
nate the class: first Marc Marquez in
2012, then Pol Espargaro last season.
This time Rabat looks unstoppable.
If it's already clear that Rabat should
win 2014, who will be next? Surely,
class rookies Vinales and teammate
Luis Salom will be favored next season
but, for those who are already a bit
bored of the Spanish domination,
there will be a chance for change, with
Kallio, French hope Johann Zarco and
fellow-Swiss riders Thomas Luthi and
Dominique Aegerter. Until then, Rabat
seems to be on a clear higher level.
The race began with a multiple crash
at turn one involving Randy Krum-
menacher, Simone Corsi and Franco
Morbidelli. Corsi was out, the others
rejoined at the back.
Kallio was the first leader, followed
by Vinales, Rabat, Aegerter, Pasini,
Salom and Jonas Folger.
The next crashes would take out
Sam Lowes, Sandro Cortese, and
then Salom. Folger ran off avoiding the
fallen Spaniard, and also fell.
At the end of that messy lap Rabat
led once again, tailed by a dogged
Vinales. Only Kallio and Aegerter could
follow, Luthi and Pasini slightly behind
by lap four. Further back, Jordi Torres,
Zarco chased, with De Angelis and
Ricky Cardus completing the top 10.
Rabat took fastest lap, too fast for
Vinales and by lap 13 the gap between
them was close to two seconds.
