Rins scores first MotoGP win at COTA after Marquez crashes out

Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) secured Suzuki’s first MotoGP win since the 2016 British GP after edging out Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) to an extraordinary win at Circuit of The Americas, which saw "King of COTA" Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) crash out of the lead.

https://twitter.com/MotoGP/status/1117514735241637891

As the lights went out it was Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) who got the better launch out of the front three on the grid, with Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) also getting off the line well as the duo pulled alongside Marquez up the hill, but it was the pole man who was bravest on the brakes to grab the holeshot. Rossi and Crutchlow slotted into second and third as the duo tried to keep tabs on the leader, with Andrea Dovizioso (Mission Winnow Ducati) making a stellar start from P13 to move up to P6 on the opening lap.

Marquez didn’t get away from the clutches of Rossi straight away in the opening couple of laps, but the reigning world champion then started to pull the pin and by Lap 5, the gap was 1.4 seconds. It was quickly becoming a battle for second and in it was Rossi and Crutchlow, with Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) and Rins right in the hunt.