REPORT – 2017 MotoGP season finale
It took until the final round of the season, and he almost lost it in the race’s final stages, but Marc Marquez has claimed the 2017 FIM MotoGP World Championship.
This latest success comes after the Repsol Honda rider won on debut in the premier class in 2013, then was champion again in 2014 and 2016, on top of 125 and Moto2 World Championships in 2010 and 2012, respectively.
Slow Start, Fast Finish
This year’s title was far from the powerhouse display we’ve seen from Marquez in the past, especially in the first part of the season, with a pair of DNFs and only two wins coming in the opening nine rounds.
In the second half of the season, the 24-year-old from Cervera appeared to find his groove, scoring five wins, including a Phillip Island victory that proved to be a turning point in the championship battle between the Spaniard and Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso.
Coming into the Australian round, Marquez held an 11-point lead in the championship, but would leave with a 33-point buffer after the Italian suffered a disastrous weekend at Phillip Island.
Marquez had the chance to wrap up the title at the following round in Sepang, but victory for Dovizioso there meant the championship would be decided at the final round in Valencia.
Slides and Rolls
Marquez came to the final round with a 21-point championship lead, which meant Dovizioso had to win the race and hope that Marquez finished no higher than twelfth. Eleventh place or better and Marquez would be crowned champion, even if the Italian won.
After qualifying saw Marquez take pole and Dovizioso ninth on the grid, the final race of 2017 got underway with Marquez taking the early lead before Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Johann Zarco got in front on lap four. Dovizioso was stuck behind team mate Jorge Lorenzo, and with the top five riders recording almost identical lap times, was unable to take the lead he needed.
With Marquez holding second place and Dovizioso stuck in fifth, the race settled into a rhythm and it seemed that Marquez was content in second behind Zarco, with third-placed Pedrosa guarding against any attack by the Ducatis.
At the start of lap 23, Marquez rolled the dice and took the lead from Zarco, but ran wide at turn 1, dragging his elbow and knee along the track in an effort to stay upright before entering the gravel trap. Amazingly, Marquez kept it on two wheels and rejoined the race behind Dovizioso.
With only a handful of laps to go, heart rates went up and Dovi’s slim hopes for the championship seemed rekindled, but on lap 25, first Lorenzo then Dovizioso ran wide and crashed. Unlike Marquez, luck wasn’t with Dovizioso and while he was able to rejoin the field, the championship was now gone and he retired a lap later.
A final twist to the final race of the season came when Pedrosa made a last lap pass on Zarco to take the race win, while Marquez was more than satisfied with third.
On the cool down lap, an ecstatic Marquez “rolled the dice” again, but this time it was a big foam one that landed on a six to represent the champion’s six world titles – 1 x 125cc, 1 x Moto2 and 4 x MotoGP. Surrounded by fan club members and showered with confetti, Marquez donned a special champion’s vest and helmet before a slow ride back to parc ferme and the podium presentations.
It was a special day for Honda, too, securing the Constructor and Team Championships, as well as the Rider’s Championship.
Words from the Champ
Speaking afterwards, the newly-crowned World Champion said: “I’m living a dream. The truth is that I’m incredibly happy because we worked so much this year, and today the race was incredibly tense and exciting.
“I made a mistake, but I also made my best save of the year. From that moment on, I just tried to finish the race in a good position.
“Winning the title at the last race of the season in front of our fans is one of the best things possible, really special.”
In winning this year’s MotoGP title, Marquez became the youngest rider to claim four premier class championships, surpassing the record previously set by Mike Hailwood in 1965. Marquez is now also the youngest rider to win six championships across all classes. If he wins next year’s MotoGP title, Marquez will also become Honda’s most successful premier class rider, surpassing the four championships Mick Doohan secured with Honda in the 1990s.
2017 MotoGP World Championship – final point standings
1. Marc MARQUEZ (SPA) Honda 298
2. Andrea DOVIZIOSO (ITA) Ducati 261
3. Maverick VINALES (SPA) Yamaha 230
4. Dani PEDROSA (SPA) Honda 210
5. Valentino ROSSI (ITA) Yamaha 208
6. Johann ZARCO (FRA) Yamaha 174
7. Jorge LORENZO (SPA) Ducati 137
8. Danilo PETRUCCI (ITA) Ducati 124
9. Cal CRUTCHLOW (GBR) Honda 112
10. Jonas FOLGER (GER) Yamaha 84
11. Jack MILLER (AUS) Honda 82