SA’s saving Grace
DOVIZIOSO CRASH LETS IN RECORD-BREAKER Dani Pedrosa wins on the day but it is all academic.
Honda’s Marc Marquez won his fourth MotoGP world championship in five years yesterday after the Spaniard’s only rival Andrea Dovizioso crashed out of a dramatic season-ending race here.
The 24-year-old, who started on pole with a 21-point lead and also almost fell, but finished third safe in the knowledge that he was the sport’s youngest four-time champion in the top category.
“It’s an amazing feeling. During the race I always tried to be calm, control the situation,” said Marquez of his wobble.
“Suddenly I said now is the time to push because I felt really good. But in turn one I lost concentration on the brake point, I braked too late ... Marquez style, until the end,” he grinned.
Compatriot and team-mate Dani Pedrosa won the race with French rookie Johann Zarco second for the Tech3 Yamaha team after leading early on.
With Dovizioso in fifth place and unable to find a way past his Ducati team mate Jorge Lorenzo, despite repeated team orders, Marquez looked in control until he misjudged his braking and ran wide with seven laps to go.
The Spaniard managed to stay on the bike as he ran wide into the gravel trap, dropping to fifth place and with Dovizioso ahead of him.
Both Ducati riders then fell a lap later, first Lorenzo and then Dovizioso. The Italian got back on track before retiring in the pits.
Marquez ended the season with 298 points to runner-up Dovizioso’s 261.
Marquez replaced the late Mike Hailwood as the youngest ever four-time champion in the top flight, achieving the feat at 24 years and 268 days compared to the British great’s 1965 record of 25 years and 107 days.
The Spaniard, who has won all his titles with Honda, also replaced Italian great Valentino Rossi as the youngest to win six world championships.
He was also the first rider in the 69-year history of grand prix motorcycling to win at least five races a season for eight years in a row. –