Lorenzo wins Spanish Moto Grand Prix from pole
JEREZ, Spain, May 3, (AP): Jorge Lorenzo won his first race of the season after leading the Spanish Moto Grand Prix from start to finish on Sunday.
The two-time former champion had a good start from pole position and steered his Yamaha unchallenged through the 27 laps of the 4.4-km (2.75-mile) Jerez Circuit.
Defending champion Marc Marquez, who had surgery on a broken finger last week, kept his Honda in second place all the way behind his fellow Spaniard.
Points leader Valentino Rossi was a distant third on his Yamaha.
It was Lorenzo’s 34th win in the top category, after failing to make the podium in the season’s first three races.
“All weekend has been perfect,” Lorenzo said. “I was fast everywhere on the track.”
Lorenzo won in 44 minutes, 57.246 seconds, with a gap of 5 seconds over Marquez. Rossi was a full 11 seconds off the pace.
Lorenzo had a big enough lead over Marquez to take time to wave to the crowd on a curve before coming into the final straight.
“I am happy with second place because one week ago I was in the hospital,” Marquez said.
Rossi, with 82 points, increased his lead over fellow Italian Andrea Dovizioso, second with 67. Lorenzo passed Marquez into third with 62. It as Rossi’s 200th career podium in all categories.
In Moto2, Jonas Folger of Germany won in 45 minutes, 1.873 seconds. Point leader Johann Zarco was second, followed by Tito Rabat.
Zarco leads the standings with 73 points. Folger is next with 57.
In Moto3, Danny Kent of Britain won his third straight race after fin- ishing in 41 minutes, 19.552 seconds, ahead of Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder.
Kent increased his lead in the championship standings to 91 points. Efren Vazquez is second with 60.