MotoGP 2014 Gran Premio de Espana: Perfect result again for Marquez

Round four of the 2014 MotoGP championship made its way to Jerez, Andalucia, Spain.

From the onset, pundits were calling for a Honda victory in Jerez. The circuit has long been the favorite of Honda rider Dani Pedrosa, who took home the prize last year. His teammate and defending MotoGP champion Marc Marquez, who has never won at this track, established a new lap record to take pole for the fourth time this season. Fans and the media were all abuzz of the possibility of Marquez checking the Jerez circuit off his to-do list.

Marquez started in P1 with Yamaha Rider Jorge Lorenzo was alongside him. Dani Pedrosa in the other Honda lined up in third and Valentino Rossi in the other Yamaha slotted in fourth on the starting grid.

As the lights went out, Jorge Lorenzo popped a wheelie that lost him a position going into turn one. Andrea Dovizioso on his Ducati coming from sixth took the first corner ahead of Marc Marquez, but showing no fear, Marquez fought Davizioso off to retake the lead at turn 3. Rossi and Lorenzo kept the pressure on and the lead kept changing hands with Valentino and Marquez fighting for P1. At the end of the back straight, Marquez overtook Rossi for the lead and afterwards, was never threathened. The 21-year old even registered the fastest lap time for four consecutive laps.

Rossi, wanting to repeat his podium performance early this year, took a  gamble to use hard front tires and placed the medium tire at the rear. This gave him better braking into the corners but at times robbed him of outright speed at the straights. This was evidenced by Marquez adding to his lead with every lap.

The phenom was on a league of his own—Marquez was outright dominant at Jerez. The rest of the field were left to fight for the last podium positions, with Pedrosa, Lorenzo and Rossi keeping each other within their sights and waiting for a wobble or a mistake and the chance to overtake.

Dani Pedrosa, running In fourth place all race long took a gamble, and dove past Lorenzo for third place with seven laps to go, and set his sights on Valentino Rossi. But Rossi being the veteran that he is, held off Pedrosa to take second place at the flag. Vale has now stood on the second step twice this season. Pedrosa, meanwhile, has finished on the podium in all four races this season.

But the phenom stood atop the rankings. Four races, four poles, four wins, and 100 points to lead the 2014 championship. Marc Marquez was perfection once again.