RINS WINS IN ARAGON

Alex Rins wins in Aragon – Photo: LAT

Suzuki’s Alex Rins has won an action-packed 10th of MotoGP in Aragon as the championship lead changed after Fabio Quartararo finished only 18th.

By HEATH McALPINE

The poor result for Quartararo leaves a tantalising fight for the title over the final four rounds, with Joan Mir holding a slight five-point advantage ahead of the Frenchman and just 15 separates the top four.

On pole, Quartararo lost out to both Petronas Yamaha SRT teammate Franco Morbidelli and factory Yamaha rider Maverick Vinales at the start, but the Italian ran wide, dropping back to third.

Soft tyres proved advantageous to Vinales as he built a 0.7s margin over Quartararo, as Rins produced a stunning opening lap to be fourth behind Morbidelli after starting 10th.

The two teammates battled, but it was Morbidelli that lost pace, which allowed Rins to move into third, before this turned into second when Quartararo ran wide.

This is when the race changed for Quartararo, he ran wide at the final two corners, as his race went from bad to worse. By lap 15, he was 17th and out of the points.

In contrast, Rins’ race just kept getting stronger and stronger as he pressured Vinales, before getting through at the final corner on lap 8 with Mir now entering calculations in third.

Vinales dropped position to Mir and Alex Marquex, who scythed his way from 11th on the grid to place third ahead of Vinales.

Marquez soon took second off Mir as he settled for third.

After taking his maiden podium the previous weekend at Le Mans, Marquez delivered another in Aragon falling 0.263s short of victory as Rins withstood the Spaniard’s pressure to take the win.

Mir’s third put him in the title lead, while Vinales and Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami completed the top five.

Australian Jack Miller finished ninth in what was a tough weekend for the Ducati entries.

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