Marquez wins sixth consecutive MotoGP in Austin

Spain's Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda RC 213V) won his sixth consecutive Motorcycle Grand Prix of the Americas here.

Despite a penalty that cost him three positions at the start of the race on Sunday, he sped forward, slipping by Maverick Viñales (Yamaha YZR M1) and France's Johann Zarco (Yamaha YZR M1), reports Efe.

Italy's Andrea Iannone (Suzuki GSX RR) maintained the lead for all of half a lap, when Marquez passed him, avoiding yet another penalty.

It took 12 curves for the Spaniard to take the lead, followed by Iannone, Viñales and Britain's Cal Crutchlow (Honda RC 213V), with Italy's Valentino Rossi (Yamaha YZR M1) in fifth place.

During the seventh lap, Viñales managed to pass Iannone, albeit still four seconds behind Repsol Honda's Marquez.

A lap later, Crutchlow fell off his bike on the curve before the final stretch, causing him to finish 19th, while Malaysia's Hafizh Syahrin (Yamaha YZR M1) had to drop out mostly unharmed, as did Alex Rins, who fell on curve 12.

During the cool-down lap, Marquez -- who came in first, trailed by his countryman Viñales, with Andrea Iannone a close third and Italy's Rossi in fourth -- paid tribute to the late American rider Nicky Hayden (1981-2017) by displaying an American flag with the number 69.

Marquez -- the two-time defending world champion -- maintained his record at the Grand Prix of the Americas, the third race of the 2018 MotoGP season.

The Spaniard has been first to the checkered flag at every Austin race since its inception in 2013.

--IANS

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