Rossi boosts title prospects with Catalonia win

Finishes ahead of championship leader Marquez; dedicates win to Salom

BARCELONA: Valentino Rossi gave his MotoGP world title prospects a massive boost with success in the Grand Prix of Catalonia yesterday at a sombre Montmelo circuit reeling from the tragic death of Luis Salom.

Rossi got the better of a gripping dogfight in the closing laps with pole sitter Marc Marquez, who crossed in second to take the championship lead.

Jorge Lorenzo lined up leading the MotoGP standings but came away pointless after being wiped out by Andrea Iannone.



Marquez leads the championship after this seventh leg of the season with 125 points, while Lorenzo and Rossi have 115 and 103 points respectively.

“This is a great, great victory, one of the best of my career. It is for Salom and for his family,” said the Yamaha star.



Rossi won his seventh race here and first since 2009. He will be encouraged by the fact that 15 of the last 19 Catalonia winners have gone on to clinch the title.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 6^th, 2016.

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