MotoGP 2017: Grand Prix of Italy

Ducati Andrea Dovizioso won his second consecutive MotoGP race, turning in an imperious performance to clinch the Grand Prix of Catalunya. After starting in seventh place, Dovizioso moved through the field seamlessly, eventually overtaking Honda riders Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa who finished second and third.

It was a day to forget for the Yamaha riders, as Valentino Rossi came home eighth and world championship leader Maverick Vinales was only good for 10th. Off the line pole-sitter Pedrosa preserved his advantage, but there was a hairy moment for Marquez further back in the field, as he came into contact with Danilo Petrucci off the line. Marquez recovered and eventually moved into third. Meanwhile, Jorge Lorenzo took the lead from Pedrosa, who looked vulnerable early on.

Lorenzo started slipping down the order, and Dovizioso went the other way. The Ducati man showed excellent pace to recover from seventh on the grid. Having won the Italian grand prix last time out, Dovizioso showed a lot of confidence and was quickly onto the two Honda drivers up front. The Italian was on course for back-to-back victories at this stage, as he laid down the gauntlet for a Honda response. Marquez responded, as he retook second spot and kept the gap steady for a spell.

As the race entered the final stages, Dovizioso built a gap over Marquez. The Ducati rider enjoyed the moment, coasting over the line ahead of the Honda pairing. There is no doubt Dovizioso is in the form of his career. Prior to last week's triumph at Mugello, he had secured only two wins in nine years in MotoGP. He'll have his eyes on the world title as well now. Dovizioso is just seven points behind Vinales in the standings. With his tail up, the Ducati man will feel confident of overhauling that deficit in a fortnight's time, when MotoGP heads to the Netherlands.

Lewis Hamilton wins Spanish Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton won a drama filled Formula 1 Gran Premio de Espana Pirelli 2017 on Sunday, as Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull all saw just one car make the finish at the circuit de Barcelona Catalunya. Hamilton took the flag 3.4s ahead of the title rival Sebastian Vettel, with Daniel Ricciardo a distant third.

It was Hamilton and Vettel best encounter yet this year, as each had turns leading a very tactical race before the Briton was finally able to overtake the German to score his 55th career victory and the second of the season. It moves him within six points of Vettel championship lead as they head to Monaco. An excellent afternoon for Force India saw Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon finish fourth and fifth respectively, with Nico Hulkenberg an equally impressive sixth for Renault. Carlos Sainz took seventh in his home race for Toro Rosso, while Sauber celebrated their first points of 2017 thanks to Pascal Wehrlein eighth place. Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat and Haas’s Romain Grosjean completed the top ten.

The race began with drama. Hamilton and Vettel ran side by side down to Turn 1, with the Ferrari finally getting the advantage as the Mercedes struggled with wheel spin. Behind them, Valtteri Bottas in the second Mercedes almost got past Hamilton before tucking back in behind him, but as the Finn rode up the inside kerb his car was edged into contact with fellow countryman Kimi Raikkonen, to his left.

The Ferrari was in turn nudged into Max Verstappen as he was trying to go round the outside in his Red Bull. The Ferrari and the Red Bull were immediately eliminated with suspension damage, while in another incident Williams’ Felipe Massa collided with Fernando Alonso, who had made a slow start in his seventh-placed McLaren. Both continued, but finished only 12th and 13th.

MotoGP 2016: Grand Prix of Catalunya

The Doctor added a 114^th victory to his career win tally with an emphatic triumph in the Grand Prix of Catalunya, despite falling as low as ninth on the opening lap. Rossi fought off Marc Marquez in their first proper bar to bar tussle since Sepang last year, this time, not only did they make it to the chequered flag unscathed, but the fierce rivals even shook hands afterwards sharing genuine smiles.

Dani Pedrosa finished just a few seconds in arrears to round out the podium, all donning matching black shirts carrying a tribute to fallen Moto2 rider Luis Salom, whose death in a practice crash on Friday cast a pall over the meeting. Jack Miller claimed the best finish of his MotoGP career so far with a smart and speedy ride from the back row of the grid, fighting his way into 10^th on the last lap.

But for reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo, the day was a disaster. Lorenzo rocketed into the lead from the start and looked pissed to turn in another of his trademark lights to flag demonstrations. But the No. 99 Yamaha failed to creep more than a few bike lengths ahead of the pack, a charging Rossi dispensing with his teammate before the end of the seventh lap. From there Lorenzo sank like a stone, appearing to be struggling for grip from his Michelin front tyre.

Andrea Lannone added to his misery by crashing them both out of the race on the Lap 17. Marquez kept within a second of Rossi once they hit the lead and began to close in as the halfway point neared. Marquez now leads the standings once again, 10 Markers ahead of Lorenzo while Rossi sits a further 12 adrift in third.