Lorenzo Makes It Four Wins in a Row, Marquez Crashes Out Again

Setting out from third on the grid, Lorenzo did what he does best, shooting straight into the first corner and hammering it down right from the first lap. Marc Marquez, who was 4th on the grid, quickly got behind him, knowing that his only chance was to never let Lorenzo escape.

Marquez' chances for the title are sort of forfeit

However, Marquez was too eager to attack Lorenzo and made once more the same error that caused him to crash out in two other races this year. While MM93 was, until he crashed out, the only rider with real chances of keeping Lorenzo in sight and threaten his position, he pushed too hard and was forced to pick up the bike and run off into the gravel trap, putting an early end to his race.

With no points earned this Sunday, Marquez now sits fifth in the world standing, 69 points adrift the leader Rossi and with 11 races remaining in this season. This sort of means that his chances to make a credible claim to the title or podium are drifting into the realm of pure mathematical possibilities. But with the Movistar Yamaha riders in such a great form, and with Dani Pedrosa becoming stronger and stronger, Marquez's season is not going to be an easy one.

Rossi was quick to pick up positions from his seventh place on the grid, and climbed to the third, and then second spot in the race, showing a better pace towards the end of the session. In fact, he even started to reduce the gap separating him from Lorenzo, though reaching the leader was a rather impossible task.

Pedrosa returns to the podium while other top names DNF

Dani Pedrosa, who last week declared that he was feeling excellent and more confident than ever this season, was rewarded with another podium. He is clearly back in top physical condition and showed that he is still a force to be reckoned with.

Unfortunately, Barcelona saw a long DNF list that included the pole position rider Aleix Espargaro and his brother Pol, Nicky Hayden, Marco Melandri, Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso and Pramac' Yonny Hernandez, as well as Cal Crutchlow.

With so many contenders out of the race, the Gran Premi de Catalunya saw Andrea Iannone finishing fourth, followed by Bradley Smith, Suzukis Maverick Vinales, Scott Redding, Stefan Bradl, Danilo Petrucci and Alvaro Bautista for top 10.

Thanks to the points he earned at Barcelona, Iannone got ahead of his teammate Dovizioso and now sits third in the world standing with 94 points, behind Lorenzo (137), who is separated from the leader Rossi by only on point.

While Dovizioso is strong in the battle for the podium, Marquez would better put an end to his crashing, as Bradley Smith is only one point behind him, and seems quite eager to get ahead.

MotoGP action continues in a fortnight on Dutch grounds, as the premier class prepares for the TT Assen round.