Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez went down to the wire in the recently concluded Dutch MotoGP. Both drivers didn't give up in securing the price, but at the end of the final lap one rider overtook the other and won the race. And that, is the nine-time world champion Rossi.
The weekend started great for the Italian as he has claimed his first pole position since Valencia in 2014. At the same time, he had set a new record (1’32.627) of the fastest ever time on a bike, trampling Casey Stoner's previous pole record in 2012 by over a second.
Starting at the front of the grid gave the 36-year-old a head start leading the race until seven laps from the end. He successfully eclipsed his Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo, but was surprised by reigning world champion Marquez. The Spaniard squeezed past Rossi and was able to overtake him until the last three laps.
However, Rossi proved to be more experienced as he pulls off a few tricks of his own. When, he and Marquez's bikes were almost touching, the charismatic driver had cut across the gravel to stay in front.
"It’s important to capitalize when you’re strong in a championship as close as this. I think I did a good race from the start, starting from pole is a little easier than the third row! I pushed from the beginning and had a solid pace so I think overall my first lap was great," said Rossi.
"I had good speed and saw I could put some distance between Jorge and I. Unfortunately this pace wasn’t enough to get away from Marc. I tried to push at the limit but he came with me.
"I tried to push hard again towards the end and couldn’t shake Marc off, then I got a bit worried because I was really at the limit of myself and the bike. Marc overtook me and from behind I saw he was very fast, but I knew I could go a little faster.
"I did a very good penultimate lap with a good time. I saw I had a slight advantage but I couldn’t make the same time again. I hoped Marquez wouldn’t recover, but he did.
"I arrived in the last chicane on the limit, I entered and saw Marc’s bike try but it was too late. We touched so I had to cut the corner and I was lucky to control the bike on the gravel, it’s hard to know how deep the gravel is. I think it was a great battle as the last time we fought he won."
The thrilling duel finished with Rossi winning his 7th Dutch TT and gaining enough score to put him 10 points ahead of his closest rival Lorenzo in the championship table.
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