2014 Catalunya MotoGP Results
Spoiler Alert: 2014 MotoGP results from Catalunya in Spain listed below
At 21-years old, Marc Marquez’s numbers are beyond impressive – 12 wins in 24 starts, including the victory at the opening six-consecutive rounds of 2014 MotoGP.
The Repsol Honda RC213V pilot also took the opening-six pole positions, but this changed Saturday at Catalunya, round seven of the 2014 MotoGP Championship. Marquez did something very uncharacteristic of his 2014 performance – he crashed in qualifying.
This was his first crash of the year, slowing his qualifying progress. Shaken up, Marquez would not earn an eight-straight pole (including the final round of 2013 at Valencia). He would qualify third behind his fellow countrymen Jorge Lorenzo and pole-man Dani Pedrosa, making for an all-Spaniard front row.
This was Pedrosa’s first pole since last year’s Catalunya MotoGP, but he couldn’t capitalize on it. Though he put in the most aggressive performance so far this season, Pedrosa had to settle for third.
Second went to Rossi, who led the most laps of the race. And the winner? Yep, he did it again – Marquez. This was his seventh-straight win of 2014 MotoGP, something not achieved since Valentino Rossi in 2002 – the debut year of the modern four-stroke age of MotoGP.
This was also Honda’s 100th victory since the modern era began as Catalunya celebrated the 65th anniversary of GP racing.
Before over 95,000 fans at Catalunya – the second of four Spanish circuits in 2014 MotoGP – Lorenzo got to turn one of the 25-lap race first. Following was Pedrosa, Rossi, Marquez, LCR Honda’s Stefan Bradl and Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso.
By turn three, though, the nine-time World Champion Rossi, who has six-premier class victories at Catalunya – the most of any rider – got pass Pedrosa. Rossi immediatley set his Italian eyes on Lorenzo.
Heading into the second lap, Marquez passed Pedrosa for third, and charged towards Rossi and leader Lorenzo. Behind, Bradl was gaining on Pedrosa as the top five pulled away from the second pack led by Dovi and Pol Esaprgaro.
Abraham was the first rider to crash. The Cardion AB Racing Yamaha pilot wrecked at turn 10 on lap two, ending his day. On this same lap, Marquez posted the fastest lap time.
Rossi, who took his first win at Catalunya in 1997 in the former 125cc class, took the lead from Lorenzo at turn five of the fourth lap. Lorenzo would fight back, but quickly lose the position once again to Rossi.
Marquez was next to take Lorenzo at turn 10, cleanly passing him on the outside. Behind, GO&FUN Honda Gresin’s Alvaro Bautista was out. The Spaniard was hurting from a huge high side during qualifying, and was forced to DNF.
With 19 to go, Pedrosa passed Lorenzo at the end of the straight. The top five were now all grouped together with Bradl holding on in fifth.
Seventeen laps to go, and Pedorsa capitalized on a a mistake by Marquez, who went wide. But Marquez immediately responded at turn 10, stuffing his teammate on the inside. Pedrosa got sloppy, but saved it. Behind, Ducati Team’s Cal Crutchlow idled into the pits with mechanical issues aboard his GP14; his was forced to suffered another DNF.
At the end of the back straight with 12 to go, Marquez was too late on the brakes, and went wide, riding off the track. He was able to get back on track, but Pedrosa was hungry. He and Marquez touched a a few times, and as they fought, Rossi extended his lead.
With eight to go, Marquez regained his rhythm, and began chasing down Rossi once again. He didn’t give Rossi an inch of ground, and took the lead off the YZR-M1 pilot after the front straight. Pedrosa then passed Rossi, but put up a hand. Why? Rain is on the circuit.
But no white flag are shown, as other parts of the circuit are dry. Through the slight confusion at nearly 200 mph, Rossi retakes the lead. Behind, Maruqez, Pedrosa and Lorenzo bunch up as Bradl runs alone in fifth.
With six to go, Marquez again stuffs Rossi, taking the lead. Pedrosa attempts to replicate Marquez’s move, but can’t pass Rossi.
As Marquez attempts to open up a lead, Pedrosa passes Rossi and chases down Marquez. With four to go, Pedrosa was right on his teammates Termi exhaust pipe. But Marquez had the smoother line, and wouldn’t allow his teammate a chance.
Heading into the last lap, Pedrosa got pass Marquez at turn one, but the youngster countered. Heading into the final turns (12 and 13), Pedrosa got insanely aggressive, and touched Marquez. He nearly crashes, but saves it.
This allowed Marquez to take the win, his seventh-straight of 2014 MotoGP. Marquez finished 0.512 of a second ahead of Rossi, and 1.834 seconds ahead of Pedrosa.
Finishing a lonely fourth was Lorenzo, who was followed by Bradl in fifth. Rounding out the top 10 were NGM Forward Racing’s Aleix Espargaro, Monster Yamaha Tech3’s Pol Espargaro, Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso, Pramac Racing Ducati’s Andrea Iannone and Monster Yamaha Tech3’s Bradley Smith.
As for the Americans, Drive M7 Aspar’s Nicky Hayden battled through wrist pain to finish 13th, and NGM Forward Racing’s Colin Edwards 18th.
The 2014 MotoGP Championship now breaks for a week before heading to the Netherlands for the Iveco Daily TT Assen, which will be held on a Saturday (June 28).
2014 Catalunya MotoGP Results:
Pos. | Points | Num. | Rider | Nation | Team | Bike | Km/h | Time/Gap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 25 | 93 | Marc MARQUEZ | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 165.0 | 42’56.914 |
2 | 20 | 46 | Valentino ROSSI | ITA | Movistar Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 165.0 | +0.512 |
3 | 16 | 26 | Dani PEDROSA | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 164.9 | +1.834 |
4 | 13 | 99 | Jorge LORENZO | SPA | Movistar Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 164.8 | +4.540 |
5 | 11 | 6 | Stefan BRADL | GER | LCR Honda MotoGP | Honda | 164.3 | +11.148 |
6 | 10 | 41 | Aleix ESPARGARO | SPA | NGM Forward Racing | Forward Yamaha | 164.1 | +14.213 |
7 | 9 | 44 | Pol ESPARGARO | SPA | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 164.0 | +16.127 |
8 | 8 | 4 | Andrea DOVIZIOSO | ITA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 164.0 | +16.175 |
9 | 7 | 29 | Andrea IANNONE | ITA | Pramac Racing | Ducati | 163.9 | +18.040 |
10 | 6 | 38 | Bradley SMITH | GBR | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 163.5 | +24.781 |
11 | 5 | 68 | Yonny HERNANDEZ | COL | Energy T.I. Pramac Racing | Ducati | 162.7 | +37.153 |
12 | 4 | 45 | Scott REDDING | GBR | GO&FUN Honda Gresini | Honda | 162.3 | +42.921 |
13 | 3 | 69 | Nicky HAYDEN | USA | Drive M7 Aspar | Honda | 162.3 | +43.299 |
14 | 2 | 51 | Michele PIRRO | ITA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 161.6 | +55.157 |
15 | 1 | 7 | Hiroshi AOYAMA | JPN | Drive M7 Aspar | Honda | 161.3 | +59.191 |
16 | 23 | Broc PARKES | AUS | Paul Bird Motorsport | PBM | 161.2 | +1’00.906 | |
17 | 70 | Michael LAVERTY | GBR | Paul Bird Motorsport | PBM | 161.2 | +1’01.284 | |
18 | 5 | Colin EDWARDS | USA | NGM Forward Racing | Forward Yamaha | 160.9 | +1’06.121 | |
19 | 8 | Hector BARBERA | SPA | Avintia Racing | Avintia | 159.8 | +1’25.195 | |
20 | 84 | Michel FABRIZIO | ITA | Octo IodaRacing Team | ART | 158.8 | +1’40.665 | |
Not Classified | ||||||||
63 | Mike DI MEGLIO | FRA | Avintia Racing | Avintia | 159.1 | 8 Laps | ||
35 | Cal CRUTCHLOW | GBR | Ducati Team | Ducati | 155.9 | 15 Laps | ||
19 | Alvaro BAUTISTA | SPA | GO&FUN Honda Gresini | Honda | 161.2 | 22 Laps | ||
17 | Karel ABRAHAM | CZE | Cardion AB Motoracing | Honda | 152.6 | 24 Laps |
2014 MotoGP Championship Point Standings (after round 7 of 18):
Pos. | Rider | Bike | Nation | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Marc MARQUEZ | Honda | SPA | 175 |
2 | Valentino ROSSI | Yamaha | ITA | 117 |
3 | Dani PEDROSA | Honda | SPA | 112 |
4 | Jorge LORENZO | Yamaha | SPA | 78 |
5 | Andrea DOVIZIOSO | Ducati | ITA | 71 |
6 | Pol ESPARGARO | Yamaha | SPA | 58 |
7 | Aleix ESPARGARO | Forward Yamaha | SPA | 54 |
8 | Stefan BRADL | Honda | GER | 50 |
9 | Andrea IANNONE | Ducati | ITA | 41 |
10 | Bradley SMITH | Yamaha | GBR | 40 |
11 | Alvaro BAUTISTA | Honda | SPA | 34 |
12 | Yonny HERNANDEZ | Ducati | COL | 27 |
13 | Nicky HAYDEN | Honda | USA | 26 |
14 | Scott REDDING | Honda | GBR | 25 |
15 | Hiroshi AOYAMA | Honda | JPN | 24 |
16 | Cal CRUTCHLOW | Ducati | GBR | 15 |
17 | Karel ABRAHAM | Honda | CZE | 13 |
18 | Colin EDWARDS | Forward Yamaha | USA | 8 |
19 | Michele PIRRO | Ducati | ITA | 7 |
20 | Danilo PETRUCCI | ART | ITA | 2 |
21 | Hector BARBERA | Avintia | SPA | 2 |
22 | Broc PARKES | PBM | AUS | 1 |
The incident where Rossi retook the lead with 8 laps to go wasn’t due to rain, it was because Pedrosa and Marquez both overtook Rossi under a yellow flag. They put their hands up, and redressed by allowing Rossi to retake the lead position. An awesome race!