MotoGP 2016: Marquez outclasses Rossi, wild finish to Argentina Grand Prix

Tyre troubles for Pramac-Ducati, overnight rain and a coming together of factory Ducati riders served up a wild weekend at the second round of the FIM Motorcycle Grand Prix World Championship in Argentina, which concluded with Sunday's MotoGP race won by Honda's Marc Marquez.

Trailing the 2013 and 2014 MotoGP world champion in second place by nearly eight seconds was Yamaha's Valentino Rossi who was the grateful beneficiary of the afore mentioned crash between Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone that occurred on the penultimate corner of the last lap of the 20-lap race that was shortened by five laps and saw a mid-race bike change by riders.

The bike change was on account of caution resulting from Pramac-Ducati's Scott Redding suffering heavy delamination on Saturday. Rain that night and the track being slightly damp in time for Sunday's race prompted teams being told to change their bikes.

Following defending world champion Jorge Lorenzo crashing out on lap five, after struggling to keep up with the pacesetters, the battle for the lead of the race was between Marquez and Rossi.

However, following the bike change, Marquez streaked away from the former seven-time MotoGP champion to open up a gap of almost eight seconds by the end of the race.

2016 MOTOGP ARGENTINE GRAND PRIX (03/04/2016)
Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo - 4.806km, 14 turns (20 laps)

1. MARC MARQUEZ (HONDA) 34min. 13.628
2. VALENTINO ROSSI (YAMAHA) +7.679
3. DANI PEDROSA (HONDA) +28.100
4. EUGENE LAVERTY (ASPAR-DUCATI) +36.542
5. HECTOR BARBERA (AVINTIA RACING-DUCATI) +36.711
6. POL ESPARGARO (TECH 3-YAMAHA) +37.245
7. STEFAN BRADL (APRILIA) +41.353
8. BRADLEY SMITH (TECH 3-YAMAHA) +50.709
9. TITO RABAT (ESTRELLA-HONDA) +50.983
10. ALVARO BAUTISTA (APRILIA) +1min. 01.388
11. ALEIX ESPARGARO (SUZUKI) +1min. 08.868
12. MICHELE PIRRO (PRAMAC-DUCATI) +1min. 18.987
13. ANDREA DOVIZIOSO (DUCATI) +1min. 33.419

NOT CLASSIFIED

YONNY HERNANDEZ (ASPAR-DUCATI) 2 laps