Quartararo extends lead with Dutch TT victory

Fabio Quartararo extended his MotoGP™ championship lead with a fourth win of the season at the Dutch TT on Sunday.

Quartararo got off to a great start from second place on the grid behind Maverick Vinales and engaged in an early battle with Francesco Bagnaia before surging away to victory by a margin of 2.757 seconds in Assen.

The Monster Energy Yamaha rider will head into the summer break with a lead of 34 points, having dominated much of race that finished with team-mate Vinales in second place and Joan Mir third.

Bagnaia crossed the line back in sixth after he was given a long lap penalty, while Johann Zarco, second in the standings, was fourth and Marc Marquez claimed seventh despite starting back in 20th.

Quartararo got off to a lightning start, passing Vinales in a flash, but his lead proved to be short-lived as Bagnaia nipped in front of the Frenchman.

Vinales dropped back to third as Bagnaia, who started in third spot, and Quartararo scrapped it out for the lead.

The order of the front two changed a few times before Quartararo took control, while there was drama when Zarco and Alex Rins touched at Turn 10.

Marquez, the winner in Germany last time out, surged through the field following a rapid start and Valentino Rossi's race ended with a crash with 19 laps to go.

Bagnaia's hopes of catching Quartararo ended when he was penalised with 13 laps to complete and Jack Miller was able to get back on his bike after hitting the deck.

Vinales closed the gap on Quartararo but not enough to trouble the 22-year-old championship leader.

TOP 10

1. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha)
2. Maverick Vinales (Monster Energy Yamaha) +2.757s
3. Joan Mir (Suzuki Ecstar) +5.760s
4. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) +6.130s
5. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) +8.402s
6. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) +10.035s
7. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) +10.110s
8. Aleix Espargaro (Reale Avintia Racing) +10.346s
9. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda IDEMITSU) + 12.225s
10. Pol Espargaro (Respol Honda) +18.565s

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Riders

1. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) 156
2. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) 122
3. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) 109
4. Joan Mir (Suzuki Ecstar) 101
5. Jack Miller (Ducati) 100

Teams

1. Monster Energy Yamaha 251
2. Ducati 209
3. Pramac Racing 149
4. Red Bull KTM 145
5. Suzuki Ecstar 134

What's next?

The riders can recharge their batteries before resuming the season at the Grand Prix of Styria at the at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg on August 8.