Dovizioso Secures Back-to-Back Win for Ducati

After the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, the 2017 MotoGP Championship headed to Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the first back-to-back races. Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso followed up his victory in the brand and his home turf with another win in Spain.

Although qualifying on the third row, the Desmosedici GP17 rider was quicly into third at the end of first lap and moved into second overtaking teammate Jorge Lorenzo and the reigning champion Marc Marquez. With a stunning fast machine, he passed pole-sitter and leader Dani Pedrosa on lap 17 of 25 at the Spanish circuit comprising 13 corners.

Taking chequered flag, Dovizioso would finish 3.544 seconds ahead of Marquez while Pedrosa completed the podium in third. The 31-year-old Italian has become the first rider since Casey Stoner in 2010 to win races back-to-back in Ducati colours.

At the start, Pedrosa got a clean getaway followed by Lorenzo. Points leader Maverick Vinales ran off at Turn 1 and threw away his chances of scoring big and was sent to the back of the grid. Nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi suffered some chest injuries during an MX-training accident ahead of the race but still managed to finish eighth.

In the end, Vinales still has the points lead with 111, seven ahead of Dovizioso and 23 ahead of Marquez. The series now heads to TT Circuit Assen for the exciting Dutch Grand Prix.