VOL. 54 ISSUE 20 MAY 23, 2017 P109
a spectacular high-speed crash on Sat-
urday. Then the Brit slowed and toured to
the pits with gearshift problems. By then,
mechanical maladies had already put out
the satellite Ducatis of Hector Barbera
(Avintia Ducati—engine) and Karel Abraham
(Aspar Pull & Bear Ducati—gearbox), while
Abraham's teammate Alvaro Bautista had
crashed out on the first lap.
All the while, Jorge Lorenzo on the fac-
tory Ducati was closing, along with Pramac
Ducati's Danilo Petrucci. Both were ahead
of Miller by half distance, though Petrucci
would last only three more laps before he
too retired.
Miller then came under attack from Aleix
Espargaro, and the Aprilia had got past on
lap 24, but directly slowed to a smoky stop,
yet another mechanical failure.
Miller continued losing pace even as
second Monster Yamaha rider Jonas Folger
was gaining it, after finishing the first lap
17th. The German took seventh with five
laps to go, and while Miller faded behind,
he was still safe in eighth, more than 10
seconds ahead of the next man.
That was Loris Baz (Avintia Ducati), who
punted the English rider wide and let Dovi
through as well.
Now Pedrosa was less than two seconds
behind Marquez, and over the next five
laps he closed right up, while his younger
teammate had lost touch with the Yamaha
trio, some 1.2 seconds adrift as they started
lap 18.
Marquez would not finish it—losing the
front through the dauntingly fast first corner
set, and lucky to escape injury. It was his
third front-end loss of the weekend. "I hope
I will have more confidence in the front with
the new tire Michelin is bringing," he said.
Pedrosa, just behind, had to slow and
lost touch with the leading trio as a result
when some chatter slowed his pace.
Their battle was heating up, with Rossi past
Zarco (also at the first chicane) on lap 23, and
closing on Vinales for their showdown.
Pedrosa was alone; Crutchlow and Dovi
to-and-fro behind him, the Ducati rider
finally getting away for fourth with two laps
to go.
Behind, Scott Redding (Pramac Ducati)
had been heading the brave and battered
Jack Miller (EG-VDS Honda), survivor of
Jorge Lorenzo
finished FP3
dead last on the
factory Ducati,
but improved
somewhat to finish
distant eighth
place in the race.
Tito Rabat leads Pol Espargaro
in the battle for the final points.
Espargaro would eventually come
out tops over his fellow Spaniard.
