MotoGP Grand Prix of Thailand 2018 Results: Marc Marquez Wins Inaugural Race
October 7, 2018
Honda's Marc Marquez took a thrilling win in the first-ever MotoGP Grand Prix of Thailand on Sunday, narrowly beating Andrea Dovizioso of Ducati and Maverick Vinales of Yamaha to increase his championship lead and move closer to another world title.
The Spaniard battled Dovizioso during the final lap and cut underneath the Italian on the last corner to hold on for the win. Vinales was less than three-tenths of a second behind the winner. Here are the results from the race:
As shared by MotoGP's official Twitter account, Marquez finally overcame the last-lap hoodoo that has been the only real smudge on his 2018 campaign so far:
The 25-year-old four-time champion has dominated MotoGP once again this year and now has a massive 77-point lead in the standings. He could win the title as early as the next race in Japan. For a look at the overall standings, visit MotoGP's official website by clicking here.
Marquez came into the race coming off a win at Aragon, and with Jorge Lorenzo sidelined due to injury, he was expected to finish well and add to his advantage in the championship standings.
He took the lead from pole position but was passed by Valentino Rossi a few laps into the race. Dovizioso also got the pass, and the trio built a lead over the course of several laps.
Vinales eventually got into fourth place and started bridging the gap to the leaders. Rossi couldn't keep up with Dovizioso and Marquez, who opened up their battle toward the end of the race.
Lorenzo was watching the whole way and praised his two rivals for the great battle they served up:
While the final results shows yet another win for Marquez, this race was anything but routine. The Chang International Circuit showed its potential for excellent racing in this debut Grand Prix, producing one of the best races of the season.
The next race will take place at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit in Japan. Marquez has only taken a single race win in MotoGP in Japan, while Dovizioso is the defending champion.