Marquez eases to Aragon win to set up Thailand title tilt
Nobody could get close to the reigning world champion at Motorland on Sunday and he can wrap up a fourth consecutive MotoGP title at the Buriram International Circuit.
Marc Márquez enjoyed one of the most serene victories of his outstanding MotoGP career as he led from start to finish at the Aragón Grand Prix on Sunday.
The defending champion and season leader qualified fastest at Motorland and showed the speed of his Repsol Honda from the outset on race day.
Even at Turn 1, the rest of the front row could not get close to Márquez and he raced away to build a lead of more than a second after one lap.
A significant response was immediately out of the question and Márquez simply had to negotiate the remaining 22 laps to wrap up a ludicrously simple triumph, inching towards another championship.
There was at least a notable tussle to join the outstanding champion on the podium, with Jack Miller, starting fourth, passing Maverick Viñales from the start and getting Fabio Quartararo at Turn 12 in the same lap.
Miller threatened to get clear but, unable to latch onto Márquez, soon found himself battling Vinales and Quartararo again and was passed by the former with a brave move up the outside.
Andrea Dovizioso had started in 10th but got himself back into contention and picked off Quartararo to go fourth, before getting Miller too.
Dovizioso worked hard to catch Viñales, finally doing so with two laps remaining to at least get as close as possible to imperious title rival Marquez.
And there was still time for Vinales' place on the podium to be snatched away entirely as Miller, so far back when passed by Dovizioso, recovered to get up to third with a smart move at Turn 1 on the final lap.
Elsewhere, Alex Rins had failed to make Q2 on Saturday and his aggressive efforts to make amends quickly landed him in trouble.
The Spaniard made swift progress up the grid but moved across Franco Morbidelli's line, making contact with the Italian and sending the pair off the track.
Rins came back in 18th and recovered some ground, yet he served the long lap penalty for his role in the incident, although still able to finish a respectable ninth.
TOP 10
1. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda)
2. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati)
3. Jack Miller (Pramac Racing)
4. Maverick Vinales (Monster Energy Yamaha)
5. Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha)
6. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda)
7. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team)
8. Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha)
9. Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar)
10. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda)
TITLE STANDINGS
Riders
1. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) 300
2. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) 202 (-98)
3. Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) 156 (-144)
4. Danilo Petrucci (Ducati) 155 (-145)
5. Maverick Vinales (Monster Energy Yamaha) 147 (-153)
Teams
1. Ducati 357
2. Repsol Honda 333 (-24)
3. Monster Energy Yamaha 284 (-73)
4. Suzuki Ecstar 209 (-148)
5. Petronas Yamaha 203 (-154)
WHAT'S NEXT?
There is a fortnight before the next race in Thailand, where Marquez could wrap up his sixth MotoGP world title.