Marquez clinches French MotoGP, earns 3rd consecutive win

Spanish rider Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) on Sunday won the French MotoGP, his third consecutive victory of the season, followed by Italians Danilo Petrucci (Ducati) and Valentino Rossi (Yamaha).

Crashes from Johann Zarco (Yamaha) and Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) paved the way for Marquez's victory, widening his overall lead to 36 points in the MotoGP standings ahead of fellow Spaniard Maverick Viñales (Yamaha), reports Efe.

Spain's Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati) started the race in stunning fashion, moving into the lead from the sixth spot, while Marquez managed to overtake French rider Johann Zarco (Yamaha), who had clinched the pole position.

There were a number of crashes in the first few laps, including Ducati riders Alvaro Bautista and Tito Rabat, as well as Italy's Andrea Iannone (Suzuki).

In the fifth lap, Dovizioso went on the attack and overtook his teammate Lorenzo in the third corner of the track, but in the sixth lap he ended up on the ground without the possibility of continuing.

Zarco and Marquez vied for the second spot behind Lorenzo in the seventh lap, but Zarco crashed out a lap later.

Afterward, Lorenzo and Marquez led the race, with Petrucci trying to attack and Rossi falling behind the fight for the podium.

Marquez waited for his chance to overtake Lorenzo, which arrived in the tenth lap, after which Lorenzo fell to third as Petrucci passed him, then to sixth by the end of the race.--IANS

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