2017 Argentina MotoGP Race Results

Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) became the first Yamaha rider since Wayne Rainey in 1990 to win the first two races of the year, taking a stunning MotoGP victory at the Gran Premio Motul de la Republica Argentina. Teammate Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) worked another miracle by taking P2, with LCR Honda's Cal Crutchlow completing the podium in P3 as top Independent Team rider.

It was reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) who leapt into the lead from pole, with Rossi another electric starter from seventh on the grid. In the rush for Turn 1, Marquez led Crutchlow as the pack shuffled behind, with the reigning Champion then making a stunning break for it as the Brit backed up the chasing Movistar Yamaha MotoGP pairing of Viñales and Rossi.

Viñales soon passed Crutchlow to take P2, before the first of the crash drama occurred ahead as Marquez, leading by nearly two seconds, suddenly went down at Turn 2.

That left Viñales in the lead with Crutchlow and Rossi on the chase, the gap holding steady just above half a second as Viñales began to pull away. The Doctor held onto third behind Crutchlow before making his move for second with seven laps to go at Turn 5. Once ahead, Rossi pulled away for a second consecutive podium in his 350th World Championship start.

There was all-out war for P4 as Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) battled to get past Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Racing), with Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), Alvaro Bautista (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) and Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) getting in the mix. After a short and spectacular duel between Pedrosa and Zarco, the Spaniard broke free to set the fastest lap before disaster struck for the Baby Samurai as he crashed out of the race in the same place as teammate Marquez had done.

Even then, the drama wasn’t done as Desmo Dovi went wide at Turn 5 soon after with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) taking the inside line and then losing the front. Espargaro slid helplessly into Dovi, putting them both out of the race.

With seven factory team riders out of the race, it was another fantastic day for the Independent Teams as the dust settled, with Bautista taking fourth and Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rookies Zarco and Jonas Folger taking fifth and sixth. Petrucci, after running out of rear grip, crossed the line in a solid P7 – ahead of a good fight back from his teammate Scott Redding at the head of the next group.

Jack Miller (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) enjoyed another top ten result in ninth behind Redding, with front-row starter Karel Abraham (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) completing the top 10 only tenths ahead of Loris Baz (Reale Avintia Racing) after the Frenchman was pushed wide early on.

Tito Rabat (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) was P12 in front of Hector Barbera (Reale Avintia Racing), with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing pairing Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith incredibly close to the two men ahead in P14 and P15 respectively. After just two rounds of racing, the Austrian manufacturer is now a points scorer with both riders.

After a great start from a difficult grid position, it was disaster for Ducati Team’s Jorge Lorenzo on the very first lap as the five-time World Champion crashed out early after contact with Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar). The Maniac was also given a ride-through penalty soon after for a jump start, dropping him down the order and out of contention to cross the line as the final finisher.