MOTOGP
FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 5 / MAY 18-20, 2018
BUGATTI CIRCUIT / LE MANS, FRANCE
P86
Honda) joining in from behind. This
was somewhat heroic. The Briton had
spent the night in hospital after a very
heavy crash in qualifying. "For the
first 15 laps I wasn't willing to push,
because if I'd crashed again I'd really
have been in trouble." For the last 10
laps, though, he'd shown his pace.
By the end he was eighth, closing on Vina-
les, and holding off Espargaro and Rins.
Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM) was five
seconds down in 11th; Hafizh Syahrin (Tech3
Yamaha) 12th, after coming off better in a
battle with Morbidelli; who, in turn, narrowly
stayed ahead of Bradley Smith (Red Bull
KTM).
Takaaki Nakagami was a lone 15th, the
LCR Honda rider still hurting after a heavy
crash on Friday.
Scott Redding, Tito Rabat and Alvaro Bau-
tista also crashed out.
Marquez extended his title lead over new
second-placer Vinales to a valuable 36
points, 95 to 59. Zarco has 58, Rossi 56
and Petrucci 54.
Moto2
The second race of the day conformed to
Moto2 type: processional but tense, with
accuracy and consistency rewarding pole
starter Pecco Bagnaia (SKY VR46 Kalex)
Rossi pulled through
to take third, just
fending off Jack
Miller in his best-
ever dry-weather
performance.
Iron will award
definitely goes
to Cal Crutchlow
after his monster
qualifying
highside and
ride through to
eighth place.
