VOL. 53 ISSUE 35 SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 P57
for good, on lap 16.
Now he set about Crutchlow.
He actually got by at the end
of the main straight only to run
way out wide, rejoining behind
Pedrosa in fifth, with one-and-a-
half laps to go.
It had been a hell of a spec-
tacle with one more change, as
Marquez passed his teammate
for fourth. Vinales was almost
3.5 seconds clear up front,
Crutchlow narrowly but firmly
ahead of Rossi. Dovizioso had
dropped away in sixth.
Aleix Espargaro (Ecstar
Suzuki) tailed Lorenzo until half
distance, then got past and
moved clear for a safe seventh,
the defending champion almost
five seconds away at the end,
blaming rear tire vibration for yet
another lackluster performance.
He was still comfortably clear
of ninth-placed Danilo Petrucci
six, was Rossi, shortly after an
on-form Pedrosa got his Rep-
sol Honda ahead of Iannone's
similarly soft-shod factory Ducati
again to regain fifth.
Crutchlow also pushed past
Marquez, but now as half-dis-
tance approached Iannone was
on the charge. He cut through
the gang in typically bold style,
and was past Rossi for sec-
ond on lap 12. He stayed there
for two laps before he slid off
and out of the race, defending
against new assailant Crutchlow.
The Briton would hold second
from there to the end, saying lat-
er, "It was great to be part of this
great battle and to entertain the
crowd." For he had little com-
fort. Close behind, Rossi and
Marquez were battling fiercely,
Marquez running off track once
without losing position, and
finally getting ahead, seemingly
Marquez was less sure. "I
chose the soft front, but I real-
ized after a few laps it was a mis-
take. But I made the most of it."
The Repsol Honda rider had
pushed past Crutchlow's LCR
Honda RCV for second on lap
two, and held on as Vinales
pulled clear, with a gang of five
building up behind him, Jorge
Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha)
dropping off the back of it, and
Andrea Iannone soon to pass
him, and gradually close up.
The first past Marquez, on lap
(Top right) Iannone was
charging up the order but
threw it away when he got
to second place.
