ROAD RACE
FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 15 / OCTOBER 16, 2016
TWIN RING MOTEGI / MOTEGI, JAPAN
P92
onds. He finished fifth behind
the second Suzuki. "But for
that mistake I think I could have
fought for the podium," he said.
Pol Espargaro was a lonely
sixth, the Monster rider nonethe-
less the top Yamaha.
There had been a lively battle
behind him, with Alvaro Bautista
emerging from it just before half
distance to secure seventh,
Aprilia's best result since the Ital-
ian company's return this year.
He left the uneasy Pramac
Ducati teammates locked to-
gether, with second Aprilia rider
Stefan Bradl losing touch in the
closing stages for 10th.
Danilo Petrucci and Scott
front tire would pay dividends
later in the race—but foiled his
plans with a run-off on lap 12 that
cost him more than five sec-
he was ahead and going away
for a safe rostrum.
Crutchlow had been hounding
Vinales, confident that his hard
Aleix Espargaro finished behind his
Suzuki teammate in fourth.
Maverick Vinales
conserved his tires
and his strategy paid
off with a podium
finish.
