MOTOGP
2017 FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 13 / SEPTEMBER 8-10, 2017
MISANO WORLD CIRCUIT MARCO SIMONCELLI / RIVIERA DI RIMINI, ITALY
P70
said. He decided not to leave his
attack to the last corner, but to
lead the last lap. Accordingly, he
moved alongside Petrucci to out-
brake him into Turn One.
The Italian fought back hard
for the next few corners, but
then he had to save a slide with
his knee, and he settled for
second.
"I have very mixed emotions,"
Petrucci said. "I led for such a
long time. This was the most dif-
ficult race of the season. I knew
Marquez was behind and study-
ing me, but I thought if I let him
pass I was scared to lose him.
I tried in the last lap, but nearly
crashed—another time so close
day, so it was a day to not make
a mistake." Even so it was only
over the last seven or eight laps
that he dropped out of touch,
finally more than 10 seconds
down.
Marquez had a different calcu-
lation, desperate to get back on
the front foot after his zero points
with the Silverstone blow-up.
"In rain conditions, you never
know. I was trying to control my-
self all race," he said. "I was able
to be a little faster, but I said:
'Okay, be patient.'"
But in the last lap, with Dovi's
threat gone, "This championship
is very tight, and five points can
be a lot at the end," Marquez
after six of 28 laps he was 4.5
seconds clear, when it came to
an abrupt end with a slamming
high-side. He blamed a loss of
concentration while changing
the electronic mapping. He was
unhurt, but out.
By this stage, Petrucci had
pushed through from sixth on
lap one to lead the pursuit, and
now he was in front. Marquez
and Dovi were still close, and the
three of them would make the
running to the end.
Dovi was seesawing some-
what, and said afterwards, "I
wasn't feeling too good on the
bike, and the risk was too high.
Everybody almost crashed to-
Cal Crutchlow was making good
progress up the field before he
crashed and remounted for 13th.
Dani Pedrosa (26) had a dismal
race, finishing 14th.
