Race report MotoGP Argentina 2018
If the drivers were already fed up with qualifying under difficult conditions, they already dominated the race chaotic conditions at the start. After the Moto2 race could be driven on an almost dry track and all the drivers had started on slicks, it started to drizzle again shortly before the MotoGP race and the conditions for the drivers were tightened again. Although the asphalt hardly showed any damp spots on the exit to the starting grid and the race was announced as a flag-to-flag race, the race management decided to delay the start shortly before the start. With the exception of Pramac Ducati with pole setter Jack Miller, who had ridden on slicks on the starting grid, shortly before all the other teams retreated into the pit lane to convert the motorcycles. Since, according to the regulations, theoretically all teams - with the exception of Jack Miller - should have started from the pit lane and there had never been such a situation before, the race management decided to let the field start four rows behind Jack Miller from the starting grid. But that was not the last exceptional situation. On the grid, the engine on Marc Marquez's Honda died, the Spaniard pushed the RCV back on and then drove against the direction of travel to its starting position. A maneuver that should give him a drive-through penalty shortly afterwards.
Miller wins start, Pedrosa falls
The start then won - as expected - Jack Miller, followed by Dani Pedrosa and Johann Zarco (FR). Behind them, Marquez was already in attack mode and grabbed the French and his Repsol Honda teammates before the end of the first lap. Zarco also tried to pass Pedrosa directly, but grossly misjudged himself, pushed Pedrosa off the racing line and caused him to fall. Shortly afterwards, Marc Marquez passed Miller on lap two and immediately pulled away. His forward thrust was then stopped on the fifth lap, when the Spaniard had to complete his drive-through penalty and was only able to return to 19th place. As expected, the reigning world champion immediately started to catch up and already received the next penalty in lap 10. After he drove Aleix Espagaro into his motorcycle in an overtaking maneuver and almost brought it down, he had to let some of the riders pass again whom he had overtaken shortly before.
at the same time increased the number two lying Alex Rins the pressure on the leader Jack Miller, pulling also Johann Zarco and a tactically very clever acting Cal Crutchlow in the fight for the top spot on thePedestal. Miller fought back in the following laps by all means, but after a mistake in lap 16 not only had to let Rins, but also Zarco and Crutchlow pass. In the end, after an extremely strong race, it was only enough for the thankless fourth place.
With experience to victory
While Rins, Zarco and Crutchlow were fighting for the podium among themselves at the front, Marquez had caught up with Yamaha riders Maverick Vinales and Valentino Rossi, who were in fifth and sixth, and exaggerated it in the first overtaking maneuver Rossi again. When trying to brake past Rossi, the Spaniard had to go so far again that he not only pushed Rossi off the track, but also fell as a result. Rossi was able to continue the race, but ended up with no points in 19th place. But this incident would also have consequences for Marquez. The Spaniard even managed to overtake Maverick Vinales, who was in 5th place, but shortly after the end of the race he received a 30-second time penalty for the action with Rossi, which put him back in 18th place.
