MotoGP 2017 – Round Four – Jerez
Dani Pedrosa leads Marquez home at Jerez for historic Repsol Honda 1-2
Dani Pedrosa took a master-class victory at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, starting from pole position, leading the race from the first corner to the chequered flag, and setting the race’s fastest lap on the way to taking his 30th win in MotoGP, the 53rd in his career.
In winning the 3,000th Grand Prix race ever held, Dani also earned the Repsol Honda Team’s 100th victory in the MotoGP class and became the only rider to have won at least one race for 16 consecutive years. Dani is now fourth in the Championship, with 52 points.
To complete a perfect weekend for the Repsol Honda Team, Marc Marquez scored a brilliant second-place finish after chasing his teammate for 27 laps. The reigning World Champion is now third in the standings with 58 points, just four down on the leader.
Tomorrow the Repsol Honda Team will take part in a one-day post-race test.
Dani Pedrosa – P1
“I’m super-happy with this win in Jerez, a track that I love very much, and in front of my family, my friends, and all these amazing fans. I’m enjoying this emotion so much, more than I would’ve done a few years ago, in a more ‘conscious’ way.
“I’ve had a great feeling all weekend, and the team have worked so well; we’re getting better race by race and I’m very happy for them as well. We knew we were in a position to have the race we actually did. I felt the tension a little bit before the start, but I remained concentrated and got away well at the start and just went for it. Today the track conditions were a bit worse than yesterday and the front was sliding quite a lot. I chose the hard front because of today’s high temperature, even if the medium was my favourite.
“The pace probably would’ve been faster with the medium, but anyway I was happy with my choice. When Marc started to push, we started a little battle like yesterday in qualifying. I knew he was very fast but I was determined to keep a gap on him.
“It was easy to make a mistake, to lose the front, so it was a matter of staying on the limit without going over it. It went well, it was a marvellous weekend, and we now must continue at this level. It’s also a special honour to be the winner of the 3,000th Grand Prix race and be alongside riders like Mick (Doohan, who won race number 2,000) and Angel (Nieto, who won race number 1,000).”
Marc Marquez – P2
“I’m happy with today’s second place here at Jerez, a track that isn’t among my favourites, and having been able to be competitive and fight at a high level is very positive. Today Dani was really fast, as he has been over the whole weekend, in the wet and the dry. We got closer and closer session after session, but it was difficult to keep his pace. Today I tried to push, to put pressure on him, but even before the race I knew that Dani is very strong here.
“He’s also very good when conditions are really warm like today, because for me the front tyre is too soft; I mean, I chose the harder option today but even that was too soft for me. I tried to manage during the entire race, and I pushed. In the end I had a few risky moments, so I checked where Valentino and Vinales were and said to myself, Okay, second place is fine. I’m very happy with the result, to be just four points off the top and to be back in the battle for the Championship.
“The classification is very close and things are going to be very interesting. We must keep working as we’ve done so far. I dedicate this good result to my mom as today is Mother’s Day.”
MotoGP 2017 – Round Four – Jerez Race Results
- PEDROSA Dani 26 SPA 25 Repsol Honda Team 45’26.827
- MARQUEZ Marc 93 SPA 20 Repsol Honda Team 6.136
- LORENZO Jorge 99 SPA 16 Ducati Team 14.767
- ZARCO Johann 5 FRA 13 Monster Yamaha Tech 3 17.601
- DOVIZIOSO Andrea 4 ITA 11 Ducati Team 22.913
- VINALES Maverick 25 SPA 10 Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 24.556
- PETRUCCI Danilo 9 ITA 9 Octo Pramac Racing 24.959
- FOLGER Jonas 94 GER 8 Monster Yamaha Tech 3 27.721
- ESPARGARO Aleix 41 SPA 7 Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 31.233
- ROSSI Valentino 46 ITA 6 Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 38.682
- REDDING Scott 45 GBR 5 Octo Pramac Racing 40.979
- BARBERA Hector 8 SPA 4 Reale Avintia Racing 43.199
- BAZ Loris 76 FRA 3 Reale Avintia Racing 43.211
- SMITH Bradley 38 GBR 2 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 47.964
- ABRAHAM Karel 17 CZE 1 Pull&Bear Aspar Team 51.279
- LOWES Sam 22 GBR 0 Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1’08.885
- TSUDA Takuya 22 JPN 0 Suzuki Test Team 1’27.450
- IANNONE Andrea 29 ITA 0 Team Suzuki Ecstar 18 (laps)
- RABAT Tito 53 SPA 0 Team EG 0,0 Marc VDS 18 (laps)
- CRUTCHLOW Cal 35 GBR 0 LCR Honda 22 (laps)
- MILLER Jack 43 AUS 0 Team EG 0,0 Marc VDS 22 (laps)
- BAUTISTA Alvaro 19 SPA 0 Pull&Bear Aspar Team 22 (laps)
- ESPARGARO Pol 44 SPA 0 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 22 (laps)
MotoGP 2017 – MotoGP Championship Points Standings after Round Four at Jerez
- ROSSI Valentino 46 ITA 62 Movistar Yamaha MotoGP
- VINALES Maverick 25 SPA 60 Movistar Yamaha MotoGP
- MARQUEZ Marc 93 SPA 58 Repsol Honda Team
- PEDROSA Dani 26 SPA 52 Repsol Honda Team
- DOVIZIOSO Andrea 4 ITA 41 Ducati Team
- ZARCO Johann 5 FRA 35 Monster Yamaha Tech 3
- CRUTCHLOW Cal 35 GBR 29 LCR Honda
- FOLGER Jonas 94 GER 29 Monster Yamaha Tech 3
- LORENZO Jorge 99 SPA 28 Ducati Team
- PETRUCCI Danilo 9 ITA 26 Octo Pramac Racing
- REDDING Scott 45 GBR 26 Octo Pramac Racing
- MILLER Jack 43 AUS 21 Team EG 0,0 Marc VDS
- ESPARGARO Aleix 41 SPA 17 Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
- BAUTISTA Alvaro 19 SPA 14 Pull&Bear Aspar Team
- BAZ Loris 76 FRA 12 Reale Avintia Racing
- BARBERA Hector 8 SPA 12 Reale Avintia Racing
- IANNONE Andrea 29 ITA 9 Team Suzuki Ecstar
- ABRAHAM Karel 17 CZE 9 Pull&Bear Aspar Team
- RABAT Tito 53 SPA 8 Team EG 0,0 Marc VDS
- RINS Alex 42 SPA 7 Team Suzuki Ecstar
- SMITH Bradley 38 GBR 3 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
- ESPARGARO Pol 44 SPA 2 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
