Ducati Team factory rider Andrea Dovizioso took a second-place finish in today’s Aragon Grand Prix after a thrilling battle with the eventual race winner Marc Marquez.

Powering away well from the front row, the Italian rider emerged from the first-corner melee in the lead and he stayed there until lap 13, always followed closely by his Honda rival, who then passed him on the next lap. After grabbing back the lead on lap 16, Andrea tried his best to defend himself from Marquez but he was eventually passed by the Spanish rider three laps from the end and he crossed the line just 0.648s behind the winner.

It was a distinctly unlucky race for Jorge Lorenzo, who started from pole position. The Mallorcan rider went wide under braking for the first corner, ending up on the dirty part, and he lost the rear of his Desmosedici GP, crashing heavily after a highside. After getting up on his feet again but limping, Jorge was taken to the circuit Medical Centre where he was diagnosed as having a dislocated big right toe and a compound fracture of his second metatarsal. The doctors immediately put Lorenzo’s right foot in a cast but they expressed confidence that he can be ready to race in the upcoming Grand Prix of Thailand, scheduled for the Buriram circuit from 5-7 October.

The championship positions remain unchanged, with Dovizioso second and Lorenzo fourth in the Riders’ standings, and Ducati second in the Manufacturers’ battle.
   
                       
Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team #04) – 2nd

“Today’s race went very well, considering the fact that we usually struggle quite a lot at Aragon but instead this time we fought for the win right until the final lap. As a result, we must be happy because this is a further demonstration of the improvements that we are making. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to fight against Marquez until the very end, because there were some corners where I was going strongly but in other parts of the circuit I was slower so I didn’t have many cards to play. I had hoped he was going to be in trouble in the last few laps but instead at that moment he was faster than me and this made all the difference.”

Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team #99) – DNF

“I’m really disappointed and very angry about what happened today, because I was sure I could have done a great race and fought for the win. I got a good start, but the line followed by Marquez, who braked late into the first corner, forced me to go wide and he blocked my line. To avoid being passed by the other riders I accelerated on the dirt, the rear of the bike spun away from me and I crashed. I think that Marc is not new to this sort of action: he doesn’t care about other riders and he knows it all too well. I don’t intend to speak with Race Direction and I only hope that this type of thing doesn’t happen again in the future. Now we have to see how long it will take to recover, because I’ve got a dislocated toe and another one broken, and I only hope I can be ready for Thailand. It’s a real pity to go away from Aragon with another zero and with an injury as well. I’m very sad and disappointed.”