Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo won a rain-affected and crash-strewn Aragon Grand Prix for Yamaha yesterday while Honda’s MotoGP championship leader Marc Marquez fell for the second race in a row.

The two Spaniards swapped the lead until three laps from the end when the reigning world champion, chasing a record-equalling 12th win of the season, crashed after choosing not to change to a wet set-up as rain began to fall.

Lorenzo had already pitted and the victory was his first of the year, with compatriot Aleix Espargaro finishing second on a non-works Yamaha after holding off Ducati’s Cal Crutchlow by 0.017 seconds.

It was Yamaha’s second successive win in a season Honda had seemed set to dominate completely.

Marquez, who also crashed in San Marino and had started on pole, rejoined the race and finished 13th and ahead of Repsol Honda team-mate and title rival Dani Pedrosa, who also fell on the slippery surface.

The 21-year-old champion now has 292 points to Pedrosa’s 217 with Italian Valentino Rossi on 214 and four races remaining.

Rossi, the winner of his home race at Misano, was knocked unconscious and was taken to hospital for precautionary checks that ruled out serious injury. The 35-year-old Yamaha rider ran wide and fell heavily early in the race.

Other fallers were Italians Andrea Dovizioso and early leader Andrea Iannone.

Standings (Top 10)
1. Marquez (Honda) 292 points; 2. Pedrosa (Honda) 217; 3. Rossi (Yamaha) 214; 4. Lorenzo (Yamaha) 202; 5. Dovizioso (Ducati) 142; 6. A. Espargaro (Yamaha) 112; 7. P. Espargaro (Yamaha) 108; 8. Iannone (Ducati) 92; 9. Bradl (Honda) 87; 10. Smith (Yamaha) 85.

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