Briton back on top of MotoGP standings

TERMAS de Rio Hondo, Argentina: Cal Crutchlow won a damp and chaotic Argentine MotoGP race yesterday to became the first Briton to lead the top category of grand prix motorcycling since the late Barry Sheene in 1979.

The nonworks LCR Honda rider, celebrating a third career MotoGP win and Honda’s 750th grand prix success, now has 38 points and leads Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) by three points after two races.

Frenchman Johann Zarco finished a close second for Tech3 Yamaha.

Honda’s reigning world champion, Marc Marquez, was penal ised for a collision with Italian great Valentino Rossi. Spaniard Alex Rins was third for Suzuki, his first MotoGP podium, at the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit.

The start was delayed for safety reasons amid farcical scenes, as rain before the event left all riders except Australian polesitter Jack Miller on wetweather tyres. The fastimproving conditions then triggered a mass return to the pits for a change of tyres with only Miller remaining on the grid.

Organisers decided, in order to avoid a mass start from the pits, to leave Miller alone out front and several rows clear of the others after grid penalties.

Marquez then stalled. He wheeled the bike clear, bumpstarting it and then riding the wrong way down the track to resume his starting position, against the rules.

Marquez reeled in the Australian and passed him before receiving a ridethrough penalty for the start infringement.

Marquez and Rossi tangled with four laps to go.The Spaniard was handed a 30sec penalty, dropping him to 18th with Rossi, who went off the track and fell following the collision before resuming, in 19th. — Reuters