2014 Jerez MotoGP Results
Spoiler Alert: 2014 MotoGP results from Jerez, Spain, posted below.
We can ask it one more time – can anyone stop Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez in 2014 MotoGP?
The 21-year-old Spaniard began 2014 with a win at Qatar just four weeks after breaking is right leg, and followed this up with two dominating performances at Circuit of the Americas – where he swept every session – and Argentina’s Termas de Rio Hondo.
And following a few day’s break, the MotoGP Championship headed to Europe for the Grand Prix of Spain at Jerez. Under scorching conditions, the Repsol Honda pilot Marquez led two of four free practices, and broke the circuit record during qualifying en route to his fourth pole in as many races.
The Spaniard continued this momentum Sunday into the 27-lap race at Jerez, taking his fourth-straight victory for a perfect record so far in 2014 MotoGP. The victory was also extra special for the RC213V pilot, considering it was his 100th GP start.
The last rider to win four straight races was Mick Doohan in 1992. But Marquez is the only other rider to win the opening four from the pole besides Giacomo Agostini (1971).
Joining Marquez on the Jerez MotoGP podium were Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi and Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa, respectively.
Before more than 115,000, Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso got to turn one first from sixth on the grid. But by turn 2, Marquez jumped into the lead followed by Rossi. Two turns later, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Jorge Lorenzo followed suit.
Marquez and Rossi battled, swapping the lead numerous times. But by the end of lap 2, Marquez had a comfortable lead, and began opening up a gap as Rossi, Lorenzo and Pedrosa battled behind.
Two separate crashes occurred on lap three – Cardion AB Racing’s Karel Abraham and Ducati’s Michele Pirro. Abraham would rejoin the grid, but crash once again with 17 laps to go, and suffer another DNF for no points.
With 21 to go, Marquez was more than two seconds ahead of the grid. Once again, Marquez said hasta luego to his fellow riders, and continually opened up his lead. By mid race, Marquez would build a four-second lead over Rossi, who was running alone at the time in second.
With 10 to go, Lorenzo and Pedrosa crept up on Rossi. Seven laps to go, and Pedrosa passed Lorenzo for third. Pedrosa began chasing down Rossi, and though he got close, he couldn’t pass the nine-time World Champion.
Rossi would finish second, taking his second podium of the season (the first arrived at the season opener in Qatar where Rossi finished second). Pedrosa finished third for his fourth podium in as many races. Lorenzo, who turned 27-years old Sunday, settled for fourth while competing in his 200th Grand Prix race.
Following a huge battle with NGM Forward Racing’s Aleix Espargaro and GO&FUN Honda Gresini’s Alvaro Bautista, Dovizioso once again took the top position for Ducati, finishing fifth.
As for his teammate Cal Crutchlow, he retired early in the race. The Brit did not start at last weekend’s Argentina MotoGP round due to recovering from a hand injury that he sustained in a crash at Circuit of the Americas. Crutchlow was off the pace throughout the practice sessions, and was forced to retire.
With three laps remaining, Espargaro had a huge wobble, which dropped him to seventh. Though he would put up a fight, he had to settle for seventh behind Bautista. Once again, Aleix Espargaro was the top Open-class finisher.
Rounding out the top 10 were the Monster Tech 3 duo of Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro, respectively, and LCR Honda’s Stefan Bradl.
Also retiring from the race were Avintia Racing’s Mike de Meglio, who had tire issues, and NGM Forward Racing’s Colin Edwards, who had technical issues. As for the other American on the grid, Drive M7 Aspar’s Nicky Hayden finished 11th.
With his fourth-straight MotoGP victory, Marquez has a perfect 100 points as he continues to re-write the record books. Pedrosa is in second, 28 points behind. In third is Rossi, 39 behind Marquez.
The series now breaks for two weeks before heading to Le Mans in France for round five of 18.
2014 Jerez MotoGP Results:
Pos. | Points | Num. | Rider | Nation | Team | Bike | Km/h | Time/Gap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 25 | 93 | Marc MARQUEZ | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 157.8 | 45’24.134 |
2 | 20 | 46 | Valentino ROSSI | ITA | Movistar Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 157.7 | +1.431 |
3 | 16 | 26 | Dani PEDROSA | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 157.7 | +1.529 |
4 | 13 | 99 | Jorge LORENZO | SPA | Movistar Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 157.3 | +8.541 |
5 | 11 | 4 | Andrea DOVIZIOSO | ITA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 156.2 | +27.494 |
6 | 10 | 19 | Alvaro BAUTISTA | SPA | GO&FUN Honda Gresini | Honda | 156.2 | +27.606 |
7 | 9 | 41 | Aleix ESPARGARO | SPA | NGM Forward Racing | Forward Yamaha | 156.2 | +27.917 |
8 | 8 | 38 | Bradley SMITH | GBR | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 156.2 | +27.947 |
9 | 7 | 44 | Pol ESPARGARO | SPA | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | Yamaha | 156.1 | +29.419 |
10 | 6 | 6 | Stefan BRADL | GER | LCR Honda MotoGP | Honda | 155.9 | +32.872 |
11 | 5 | 69 | Nicky HAYDEN | USA | Drive M7 Aspar | Honda | 155.7 | +35.490 |
12 | 4 | 7 | Hiroshi AOYAMA | JPN | Drive M7 Aspar | Honda | 155.5 | +40.083 |
13 | 3 | 45 | Scott REDDING | GBR | GO&FUN Honda Gresini | Honda | 155.3 | +43.830 |
14 | 2 | 68 | Yonny HERNANDEZ | COL | Energy T.I. Pramac Racing | Ducati | 154.8 | +52.295 |
15 | 1 | 8 | Hector BARBERA | SPA | Avintia Racing | Avintia | 154.7 | +54.873 |
16 | 70 | Michael LAVERTY | GBR | Paul Bird Motorsport | PBM | 154.0 | +1’06.182 | |
17 | 23 | Broc PARKES | AUS | Paul Bird Motorsport | PBM | 153.1 | +1’23.420 | |
Not Classified | ||||||||
5 | Colin EDWARDS | USA | NGM Forward Racing | Forward Yamaha | 154.5 | 1 Lap | ||
29 | Andrea IANNONE | ITA | Pramac Racing | Ducati | 153.7 | 5 Laps | ||
63 | Mike DI MEGLIO | FRA | Avintia Racing | Avintia | 144.9 | 6 Laps | ||
17 | Karel ABRAHAM | CZE | Cardion AB Motoracing | Honda | 149.2 | 17 Laps | ||
35 | Cal CRUTCHLOW | GBR | Ducati Team | Ducati | 153.8 | 23 Laps | ||
51 | Michele PIRRO | ITA | Ducati Team | Ducati | 151.1 | 25 Laps |
2014 MotoGP Championship Point Standings (after four of 18 rounds):
Pos. | Rider | Bike | Nation | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Marc MARQUEZ | Honda | SPA | 100 |
2 | Dani PEDROSA | Honda | SPA | 72 |
3 | Valentino ROSSI | Yamaha | ITA | 61 |
4 | Andrea DOVIZIOSO | Ducati | ITA | 45 |
5 | Jorge LORENZO | Yamaha | SPA | 35 |
6 | Stefan BRADL | Honda | GER | 30 |
7 | Aleix ESPARGARO | Forward Yamaha | SPA | 30 |
8 | Bradley SMITH | Yamaha | GBR | 28 |
9 | Andrea IANNONE | Ducati | ITA | 25 |
10 | Pol ESPARGARO | Yamaha | SPA | 25 |
11 | Nicky HAYDEN | Honda | USA | 23 |
12 | Hiroshi AOYAMA | Honda | JPN | 19 |
13 | Scott REDDING | Honda | GBR | 14 |
14 | Yonny HERNANDEZ | Ducati | COL | 13 |
15 | Alvaro BAUTISTA | Honda | SPA | 10 |
16 | Cal CRUTCHLOW | Ducati | GBR | 10 |
17 | Karel ABRAHAM | Honda | CZE | 8 |
18 | Colin EDWARDS | Forward Yamaha | USA | 7 |
19 | Danilo PETRUCCI | ART | ITA | 2 |
20 | Hector BARBERA | Avintia | SPA | 2 |
21 | Broc PARKES | PBM | AUS | 1 |