2017 Sepang MotoGP Results Video Recap
In 2016, Marc Marquez clinched his third MotoGP title with three rounds remaining. He wasn’t as strong during the start of 2017 MotoGP, but had an opportunity to claim the penultimate round in Malaysia.
Heading into Sepang International Circuit, Marquez held a 33-point lead over the only rider that was able to challenge for the title—Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso.
But it was a no-go for Marquez. He struggled, finishing fourth. The situation was much different for rival Dovizioso. The Italian Ducati GP17 pilot claimed the win, his sixth of the season.
Joining him on the podium was teammate Jorge Lorenzo, which was the Ducati Team rider’s best finish so far this season, and Monster Yamaha Tech3’s Johann Zarco, who clinched the top Independent Team rider title.
“It was a truly perfect weekend: we were quick in every session, both in the dry and in the wet, and today in the rain we dominated,” Andrea Dovizioso says. “Here at Sepang Jorge and I really had a bike advantage, because our Desmosedici was very fast, and we managed to administer the gap in the best possible way even though track conditions were very difficult because there wasn’t much grip.
“I’m very pleased for the win which keeps my hopes alive for the title, and even though I know it will be very difficult at Valencia because it’s a track where Marquez always goes well, we’ll be going to Spain with confidence to try and bring home the victory.”
Marquez couldn’t keep the pace with the Ducatis and Yamaha, so he settled for fourth. This also awarded Honda the Manufacturer’s title for 2017 MotoGP.
“Today the race was the most difficult one we could have had for the Championship because we had rain conditions and the track was extremely slippery,” Marc Marquez says. “Anyway, I got a good start, and I tried to push at the beginning because I didn’t want to be stuck in the middle of the group.
“Then I tried to find the feeling and the pace but I saw that both the Ducatis were very fast, so I decided to not take too many risks, to be calm, and to get good points for the Championship. I thought about trying to get Zarco but the risk was too big just to have an advantage of 24 points instead of 21.
“This wasn’t the race to win the Title but rather one to get closer to it. I’m happy because after a difficult weekend, at a track were we always struggle, we still managed to finish fourth. Of course now we need to keep focused, to train well this week, and to work to be at 100% on Sunday in Valencia without relaxing too much with the advantage we have. Today we won the Constructor Title, and that’s a first step!”
Attached above is a video recap of 2017 Sepang MotoGP.
The title fit heads to Valencia in two weeks time. Marquez has a 21-point lead over Dovizioso, which brings up some interesting pre-race statistics that we reported this week.
For full results, click to page 2