Evergreen Rossi claims victory in Dutch Grand Prix
ASSEN: Valentino Rossi held off Danilo Petrucci to win the TT Assen MotoGP race yesterday as championship leader Maverick Vinales crashed out and slipped to second in the standings.
It was Yamaha rider Rossi’s 10th Grand Prix victory on the track in the northern Netherlands and his first win of the MotoGP season. Marc Marquez of Spain finished third.
“This place is always special,’’ Rossi said. “I am so happy for me, for my team, because I’m back on the first place after one year, more or less.’’
Vinales’ fall meant that Andrea Dovizioso went top in the championship thanks to a fifth-place finish. Rossi rose to third.
The top riders dueling for victory stayed on slick tires despite light rain that began falling midway through the race.
Aron Canet followed up his breakthrough Moto3 win in Spain last month with a second success yesterday.
The 17-year-old hit the front on the last lap to deny Romano Fenati and Briton John McPhee, with all three riding Hondas.
Canet, who moves into second in the championship standings, said: “In the early stages there was some distance between me and the leading riders but then I joined them and in the closing laps I could feel I had a faster pace.”
The Spanish teenager is now only 30 points behind his compatriot Joan Mir who finished ninth in this eighth leg of the season. Fenati is placed third, two points behind Canet.
RESULTS
1. Valentino Rossi (ITA/Yamaha) 41:41.149; 2. Danilo Petrucci (ITA/Ducati) 41:41.212; 3. Marc Marquez (ESP/Honda) 41:46.350; 4. Cal Crutchlow (GBR/ Honda) 41:46.392; 5. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA/Ducati) 41:46.476; 6. Jack Miller (AUS/Honda) 42:04.539; 7. Karel Abraham (CZE/Ducati) 42:18.131; 8. Loris Baz (FRA/Ducati) 42:18.207; 9. Andrea Iannone (ITA/ Suzuki) 42:18.315; 10. Aleix Espargaro (ESP/Aprilia) 42:43.078
OVERALL STANDINGS
1. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA/Ducati) 115; 2. Maverick Vinales (ESP/Yamaha) 111; 3. Valentino Rossi (ITA/ Yamaha) 108; 4. Marc Marquez (ESP/Honda) 104; 5. Dani Pedrosa (ESP/Honda) 87; 6. Johann Zarco (FRA/ Yamaha) 77; 7. Danilo Petrucci (ITA/Ducati) 62; 8. Jorge Lorenzo (ESP/Ducati) 60; 9. Cal Crutchlow (GBR/ Honda) 58; 10. Jonas Folger (GER/Yamaha) 51