Rossi rolls to victory in MotoGP’s Spanish Grand Prix

Tony DiZinno

Valentino Rossi was in a league of his own compared to his two closest rivals – Jorge Lorenzo and Marc Marquez – as the three dominated the fourth round of the MotoGP season at Jerez, the Spanish Grand Prix.

Rossi took his first win of the year and 113th of his career, and 87th in the marquee class.

Rossi, Lorenzo and Marquez started first, second and third and finished in the same order – Rossi taking his No. 46 Movistar Yamaha MotoGP to the 1-2 finish over current teammate Lorenzo, who of course heads to Ducati at the end of the season.

It was very much a “Noah’s Ark” style of results with the two Yamahas 1-2, then Marquez and Repsol Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa in third and fourth, and then two Suzukis of Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales.

Rossi also was the lone Italian ahead of five Spaniards on their home soil.

The result closes Rossi to within seven points of Lorenzo for second in points (65-58), but both trail Marquez, who leads on 82 points. Marquez has two wins and two third place finishes thus far this year.

The series heads next to the Bugatti Circuit at Le Mans in France in two weeks, on May 8.