Perfect end to 2019 for Triple Crown winners Repsol Honda Team as Lorenzo says good bye

Jorge Lorenzo ended an incredible 18-year Grand Prix career with an emotional Valencia race, helping the Repsol Honda Team to clinch the Triple Crown alongside another dominating Marquez win.

For the third year in succession the Repsol Honda Team celebrate the end of a MotoGP season with the Triple Crown after winning the Riders, Teams and Constructors Championships. The accomplishment completes an incredible year full of records and achievements as Honda celebrates their 60th anniversary of racing.

Marquez made quick work of the riders ahead of him as the lights went out on the final race of 2019, moving into second place on the third lap. With just Fabio Quartararo ahead of him, Marquez methodically cut the gap from almost a second to just two tenths in five laps. Striking at Turn 11, Marquez only needed one chance to move to the front and quickly amassed an insurmountable lead.

A 12th victory signs off Marquez’s 2019 season in perfect style and matches the number of wins he achieved in his dominating 2014 season. Earning 420 points across the 19 races of 2019, Marquez becomes the first rider in history to score more than 400 points in a single season. With his 95th premier class podium, he draws level with Mick Doohan as the second most prolific Honda podium finisher in the premier class.

After 297 Grand Prix starts, Jorge Lorenzo’s marked the end of his legendary MotoGP World Championship career with his best finish since returning from injury. The five-time World Champion bid a fond farewell to Grand Prix racing with a 13th place finish in front of an adoring Spanish crowd. With 68 wins, 152 podiums and 69 poles, Lorenzo bows out with some the most impressive stats to his name in Grand Prix history.

This is the Repsol Honda Team’s ninth Triple Crown since the MotoGP class began in 2002, cementing them the most dominant team and constructor in the premier class. For the first time in the four-stroke era, the team has managed to take three Triple Crowns in a row.

Riders will be back out on track on Tuesday, November 19 at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo for the first test of 2020 before moving to Jerez a few days later.

Unstoppable Marquez equals Doohan as most successful Honda rider

A tenth win of 2019 for Marc Marquez wrapped up the Constructors Championship for Honda after an inch-perfect ride in Japan.

Victory for Marc Marquez at Honda’s home round in Motegi earned Honda the Premier Class Constructors Championship for a record 25th time. As a result, Honda claim both the Riders and Constructors Championships in the same year for the 20th occasion as they celebrate the 60th Anniversary of competition. It also marks Honda’s 70th Constructors Championship across all classes.

Launching perfectly off the line, Marc Marquez went around the outside of his competition to lead through the first corner. Fabio Quartararo tried to respond to the pace of the eight-time World Champion, but within just three laps Marquez had an advantage of over one second and followed it up with successive flying laps. By lap 13 the gap had grown to two seconds and the reigning World Champion switched his attention to managing the race. Crossing the line 0.870s ahead of Quartararo after easing his pace in the closing laps, the Repsol Honda Team rider continued his perfect record of top-two finishes in 2019. The victory is the tenth 2019 and his fourth in a row, the first time Marquez has achieved four-straight wins in the premier class since 2014.

 

Taking his 54th win in the premier class, Marc Marquez draws level with the legendary Mick Doohan as the most successful premier class Honda rider. The 14 podiums, 13 of them in succession, of 2019 also move Marc Marquez to 350 World Championship points, just 33 points shy of Jorge Lorenzo’s all-time premier class points record of 383 with 75 points still to play for.

Making his 200th premier class start, Jorge Lorenzo battled through a difficult start to the Japanese GP. Lorenzo crossed the line in 17th position and while not satisfied with the result, is pleased with his improved feeling and pace aboard the Honda RC213V in the closing laps. The finish saw Lorenzo reduce the margin between himself and the race winner to its smallest margin since his return from injury – a trend he will look to continue at Phillip Island in just a week’s time.

The MotoGP World Championship now heads directly to round 17, the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island from October 25 to 27.

Last lap brilliance in Misano moves Marquez ahead of Hailwood with 77 victories

A 77th career victory makes Marquez the fourth most successful rider in Grand Prix history, bringing fans to their feet on his way to winning a thrilling San Marino GP as Jorge Lorenzo claimed more points.

After a promising morning Warm Up session where Marc Marquez finished first and Jorge Lorenzo finished 1.5 seconds behind, the Repsol Honda Team entered the 27-lap San Marino Grand Prix with confidence.

Marc Marquez made a flying start to the race and moved to fourth by the first corner, quickly progressing up to third just a few corners later. Muscling past Viñales on lap four, the World Championship leader set about closing down the almost one-second lead of Fabio Quartararo. The Frenchman’s advantage was soon reduced to just two tenths, Marquez electing to wait for his moment to attack. As the laps ticked down, the reigning champion began to edge closer and put increasing pressure on the young French rider.

The start of the last lap saw Marquez’s RC213V roar past Quartararo heading into Turn 1, the pair briefly sparring before Marquez made the move stick later in the lap. Crossing the line 0.903s ahead of Quartararo, Marquez returned to the top step of the podium after back-to-back second place finishes. The win moves him 93 points clear of title rival Andrea Dovizioso in the MotoGP World Championship standings with six races remaining. Taking the 77th win of his career, Marquez also moves ahead of Mike Hailwood to cement himself as the fourth most successful rider in Grand Prix history.

Jorge Lorenzo was author to a consistent race, able to steadily advance up the order. Ultimately taking 14th, Lorenzo marks his return from injury with back-to-back points finishes. The five-time World Champion was unable to achieve his target of finishing within 30 seconds of the race winner due to reduced grip come the race on Sunday. Suffering from less discomfort after the race was an encouraging sign for Lorenzo who will look to fight back in Aragon.

Honda leave Misano extending their advantage in the Manufacturer Championship to 60 points over closest rivals Ducati while the Repsol Honda Team close the deficit to the Ducati Team in the Team Championship to just 25 points. With Round 14, the Gran Premio Michelin®  de Aragon, taking place on September 22 the Repsol Honda Team are keen to carry their momentum forward as they return to Spanish soil.

Scintillating second for Marquez in explosive Austrian GP

Another all-out ride from Marc Marquez at the Red Bull Ring saw championship leader fight for victory until the flag as Bradl continued his points run with an impressive recovery.

Saturday’s sunshine eventually returned to the Austrian GP after a sodden Warm Up. Come the start of the MotoGP race, conditions were closer to what riders had experienced over the course of the weekend with 23°C air temperature and the track at 32°C.

When the lights went out, Marc Marquez’s race got off to a hair raising start as he and Andrea Dovizioso battled into Turn 3 which saw the reigning World Champion run wide and down to fifth spot. Undeterred, Marquez put his head down and pushed on aboard his RC213V, quickly chasing down race leader Fabio Quartararo.

Lap eight saw Marquez move back into the lead for the first time, Dovizioso briefly challenging to take the lead. The World Championship leader was able to control the middle phase of the race before Dovizioso moved back through on lap 20. Biding his time, Marquez left it late to launch his counter attack and brought the 87,595 fans at the Red Bull Ring to their feet with a stunning set of final laps. Bradl will now head to Finland to sample the newly built Kymi Ring.

The battle went down to the final corner, Marquez taking second place by 0.213s as he tried to hold off Dovizioso. With his haul of 20 points, Marquez controls a healthy 58-point advantage in the MotoGP World Championship standings after finishing in the top two for eight straight races. Honda continues to lead the Constructor standings with 236 points.

With Saturday’s troubles behind him, Stefan Bradl put in a spirited ride at the Austrian GP to make it four point-scoring finishes from four starts in 2019. The German quickly made up ground from 21st as the lights went out and was in the points within just a few laps. Ultimately taking 13th place after recovering eight positions, Bradl leaves Austria pleased with what he achieved.

The Repsol Honda Team now head for the United Kingdom and round 12 of the 2019 MotoGP World Championship at Silverstone, August 23 to 25. Jorge Lorenzo is set to make his racing return at the British circuit after recovering from the back injury he sustained in Assen.