Marquez dominates as title rivals fumble strategies at Brno MotoGP

With the race beginning on a wet track but with the sun out, it seemed only a matter of time before the field would have to switch to dry tyres, all 23 riders opting to go with wets.

Poleman Marquez was alone in the top eight in opting to run a soft wet rear tyre, and lost the lead to the Ducati’s Jorge Lorenzo at Turn 5 on the opening lap before quickly dropping down the order.

The Repsol Honda man had sunk to the bottom of the top 10 when he pitted at the end of the second lap for his dry-shod bike, a decision which proved to be a masterstroke.

Several other riders came in the following lap, but none of the leading group, with Lorenzo leading Valentino Rossi, Andrea Dovizioso and a fast-starting Johann Zarco out front.

Lorenzo finally came in at the end of lap four after losing the lead to Rossi, but dropped well down the order as his second bike hadn’t been prepared for wet conditions when he arrived at the Ducati box.

That left Rossi, Dovizioso and Zarco out front, but losing anywhere from eight to 10 seconds a lap to Marquez, who had recovered to fourth with a scintillating pace on slicks.

Rossi and Dovizioso finally bailed for their dry-shod bikes on lap five, with Zarco staying out an extra lap and being passed for the lead by the much faster Marquez.

With a 20-second lead over his nearest opposition, it was a simple case of reeling off the remaining laps for Marquez, who ended up 12.4s clear at the finish for the 32nd MotoGP victory of his career.