VOL. 54 ISSUE 41 OCTOBER 17, 2017 P75
By now the order had shuffled
a bit. Marquez was second
from Dovi; then Zarco, Iannone
and Rins. Zarco had clattered
into Lorenzo, and knocked him
back to seventh, fending off
Espargaro's Aprilia. Rossi was
also ahead of the Ducati, only to
crash out on lap six.
Petrucci's lead would last
until lap 12, but his comfortable
cushion had disappeared three
laps earlier. At the end of lap 13,
Petrucci, with Aleix Espargaro
(Aprilia), Lorenzo and Pedrosa
behind; Dovi only qualified ninth
alongside the KTMs.
It was still raining heavily as
Marquez led Zarco into the first
corner, but Lorenzo stormed into
the lead halfway around, and as
they started the next lap, Petrucci
stole second from Marquez. By
the end of it, the soft-shod Italian
was in front, and led by almost
two seconds after the fourth lap.
to Dovi and Marquez.
And it was a good afternoon
also for the factory Suzuki riders,
with Andrea Iannone winning
their private battle for a year's
best fourth, ahead of rookie
teammate Alex Rins.
MotoGP was the only class
to start on time, and to run full
distance.
Johann Zarco (Monster Ya-
maha) was on pole for a second
time ahead of Marquez and
