MotoGP: Marquez wins Misano, Lorenzo crashes

Marc Marquez judged changing weather perfectly to win MotoGP's Misano race ahead of shock podium finishers Bradley Smith and Scott Redding, with Valentino Rossi only fifth and Jorge Lorenzo crashing.

Most of the field made two pit stops to change bikes as a shower hit the race early on but departed in time for the track to dry before the finish. Lorenzo, Marquez and Rossi were tied together for much of the race, pitting in unison for wet-shod tires when the drizzle intensified early on.

Marquez handled the conditions better and slipped ahead of Lorenzo, only to run wide and hand the lead back. There then followed a long tense period of Lorenzo fending off constant passing attempts from Marquez as Rossi probed at both.

It was Rossi who finally broke the deadlock, overtaking his rivals in quick succession and getting away. But by that time the track was almost dry and riders on slicks in the midfield were flying.

Forward Racing rider Loris Baz was foremost among them, while Tech 3's Smith had bravely stayed on slicks right through the first shower – tumbling outside the top 20 and a minute from the lead, but rapidly regaining the ground as the rain passed. Redding was also quick to retake slicks, having been running at the back after an early crash from sixth place.

The three leaders were among the last to go back to slicks, with the Yamaha pair hanging on even longer than Marquez and Rossi the final man to pit. While Marquez made his change in time to still get back out ahead of Smith, Baz and Redding, Lorenzo and Rossi emerged behind them.

Worse followed for Lorenzo, as he had a high-speed crash on his first flying lap on slicks, ending his race and damaging his title bid.

The only consolation for Lorenzo was that Rossi was not in podium contention. The best the championship leader could manage was to hold Danilo Petrucci – who starred in the wet again – off for fifth.

While Marquez cruised home with a 7s cushion over the euphoric Smith, Redding made a late move on Baz to claim his first MotoGP podium in third.

The rest of the order was shuffled by timing of bike changes, with Andrea Iannone ending up seventh ahead of Ducati teammate Andrea Dovizioso.

Dani Pedrosa was only ninth on the second works Honda, with Aleix Espargaro's Suzuki completing the top 10.

After his superb fifth in qualifying, Ducati wild card Michele Pirro's bike developed a problem on the grid. He started from the pits on a wet-shod spare but soon retired.

RESULTS - 28 LAPS:

Originally on Autosport.com