Marquez outwits Dovizioso for Thailand glory

Marc Marquez sealed back-to-back wins as he finally outfought Andrea Dovizioso in a last-lap shootout to win the inaugural Thailand MotoGP.

The Repsol Honda rider traded passes with the Ducati rider and held his nerve at the final corner on the last lap, cutting back underneath Dovizioso, who took the lead on the brakes but was unable to hold his line at the Chang International Circuit.

Movistar Yamaha’s Maverick Vinales finished a close third ahead of team-mate Valentino Rossi, who led the race in the early stages. Rossi came close to colliding with the rear of Vinales' Yamaha at the final corner, when the Italian ran wide.

It was Spaniard Marquez’s second victory in a row after he won at Aragon last time out and the reigning champion will now have a chance of winning the MotoGP crown for a fifth time at Motegi in Japan.

Marquez seized the lead from pole on the first lap into Turn 1 ahead of Rossi and Britain’s Cal Crutchlow on the LCR Honda, who was quickly passed by Dovizioso.

The factory Honda rider continued to lead until lap five, when Rossi hit the front. Dovizioso also drafted past Marquez as Crutchlow held fourth.

The top three remained unchanged until lap 11, when both Dovizioso and Marquez blasted past Rossi on the back straight.

The trio had opened a gap over Crutchlow, who was beginning to come under pressure from Yamaha’s Maverick Vinales. Alex Rins was next on the Suzuki as the top six were covered by 1.5 seconds. Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa was beginning to make headway as he closed onto the rear of the group.

Dovizioso continued to lead on lap 17 from Marquez and Rossi, with Vinales making a move on Crutchlow to go fourth. Pedrosa also passed Crutchlow, who lost another place at the end of the lap to Rins as he dropped back to seventh.

Pedrosa was catching the eye but just when it seemed as though he may have a chance of forcing his way into rostrum contention, the Honda rider slid off at Turn 5 and his race was over.

The top four of Dovizioso, Marquez, Rossi and Vinales were now clear of Rins in fifth as the pace began to increase.

Vinales moved past Rossi on lap 20 as Dovizioso and Marquez began to up the ante at the front. With three laps to go, Marquez took the lead from the Ducati rider, but Dovizioso responded immediately to go back underneath his rival.

Marquez then exchanged places with Dovizioso on the next lap and dived for the lead at the tight final corner, but the reigning champion ran wide and Dovizioso led over the line.

However, Marquez refused to relent and he took the lead once more, making his pass stick on the penultimate lap. Dovizioso, though, battled back with a clinical move on the brakes into the last corner.

On a pulsating final lap, Marquez passed Dovizioso once more at Turn 5 and managed to keep the Ducati at bay until the final turn, when Dovizioso made one final throw of the dice.

The Italian edged in front briefly, but he was unable to hold his line and Marquez cut back underneath and clinch victory after the short dash to the line by 0.115 seconds. Vinales took third ahead of Rossi, who was clear of Monster Tech 3 Yamaha’s Johann Zarco and Rins.

Crutchlow finished seventh followed by Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Ducati) and Alma Pramac Ducati riders Danilo Petrucci and Jack Miller, who completed the top ten.

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