Pol Espargaro takes his best result of the season after leading his opening laps wearing the Repsol Honda team colors, Marquez falling on the first lap of the British GP.
When Sunday came the conditions were similar to the two previous days; gray clouds lined the sky and there was a chill in the air. Since the race was expected to take place under largely the same conditions, the Repsol Honda team got to work in the warm-up. Pol Espargaro was fast again, third and 0.135 seconds behind the top spot. A fall during the session messed up Marc Marquez’s plan, but he still managed to set the tenth fastest time.
From Honda’s first pole of the year, Pol Espargaro’s R213V shot forward as the Repsol Honda team rider tried to take his break. A strong volley of opening laps resulted in the # 44 leading its first Grand Prix in the legendary colors of the Repsol Honda team. Fabio Quartararo finally worked his way past on the fifth lap. Espargaro didn’t give in as he set out to battle Alex Rins and his brother Aleix Espargaro for the last two steps of the podium. As his tire began to wear out, Espargaro focused on defending his position on the track. Fifth, Espargaro crosses his best ever result as a Repsol Honda Team rider and concludes a productive weekend of confidence building.
It was also a strong start for Marc Marquez behind his team-mate, the eight-time world champion, who maintained his position at the top. Contact with Jorge Martin sent Marquez a long way later, the couple got back together shortly afterwards and both fell. This would end Marquez’s race. The # 93 returned unharmed to the garage to talk to his team before apologizing to Martin and his Pramac Racing Team for the contact. Marquez is now concentrating again on the upcoming race in Aragon, his home game.
Although it ultimately turned out to be a two-half weekend for the Repsol Honda team on race day, both Espargaro and Marquez showed significant and consistent pace over the course of the GP. Round 13 will be held on the Aragon race track, a track on which the RC213V has prevailed – after seven victories at the 12 Grands Prix that have been held there since 2010.