MOTOGP
FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 18 / NOVEMBER 10-12, 2017
RICARDO TORMO CIRCUIT / VALENCIA, SPAIN
P76
(Left) Johann
Zarco (5) was
at the pointy
end all race and
wasn't afraid to
battle with Dani
Pedrosa.
(Below) Valentino Rossi (46) made
the best of an ill-handling Yamaha
to take fifth, with Iannone (29)
continuing his good end-of-season
run for sixth. Both will be happy to
see the end of 2017.
Dani Pedrosa in third—acting
as impromptu bodyguard—and
fourth-placed Jorge Lorenzo
mystifyingly failing to give way to
teammate Dovizioso, the situ-
ation was secure, deal all but
done.
But Marquez had a dilemma.
Zarco's pace was not high
enough to keep him focused,
but if he was to pass him, the
Frenchman's notorious aggres-
sion would put him at risk. So
he decided to pass him good
and proper to get out of his way,
leaving his braking very late for
the first corner.
"That was a mistake," he
laughingly admitted later.
It triggered a front-wheel slide,
and necessitated yet another of
the 24-year-old rider's trademark
incredible saves. "The front
had gone, but the rear was still
gripping, so I knew I could save
